Latin isn’t dead - it’s just very, very old. If you’re starting out, these texts will give you the foundation without the headache. Skip the rubbish and go straight to the good stuff.
1. Caesar’s 'De Bello Gallico'
Caesar’s account of the Gallic Wars is the Latin learner’s bread and butter. Simple syntax, military jargon, and a lot of third-declension nouns. You’ll learn how to say 'I conquered' before you learn how to say 'hello'.
Veni, Vidi, Vici
/ˈweːniː ˈwiːdiː ˈwiːkiː/“I came, I saw, I conquered”
2. Cicero’s 'In Catilinam'
Cicero’s speeches against Catiline are rhetorical fire. The first oration is particularly accessible. You’ll get a feel for Latin’s persuasive power and some juicy subjunctive mood examples.
3. 'Lingua Latina per se Illustrata' (Orberg)
Not ancient, but indispensable. Hans Ørberg’s textbook teaches Latin through Latin. No translations, no hand-holding. You’ll either love it or throw it across the room.
4. Virgil’s 'Aeneid' (Book I)
Epic poetry is harder, but Book I of the 'Aeneid' is manageable. Dactylic hexameter will mess with your head, but the story’s worth it. Start with the first 100 lines - no one expects you to read the whole thing.
Arma virumque cano
/ˈarma ˈwiruŋkʷe ˈkanoː/“I sing of arms and the man”
5. Pliny the Younger’s Letters
Pliny’s letters are conversational and full of daily life in ancient Rome. The one about the eruption of Vesuvius is a standout. Easier than Cicero, more interesting than Caesar’s logistics reports.
6. 'Wheelock’s Latin' (Exercises)
The exercises in Wheelock’s are short, graded, and brutally effective. If you can get through them without crying, you’re doing well. Pair it with the 'Lingua Latina' for maximum pain - er, progress.
7. 'Ad Alpes' (Nellie)
A 19th-century Latin novella about a kid travelling the Alps. Sounds dull, but it’s written for learners. The vocabulary is repetitive in a good way, and the plot is just weird enough to keep you going.
8. The Vulgate Bible (Gospel of John)
Jerome’s Latin translation of the Bible is simpler than classical texts. The Gospel of John is short and full of recognisable phrases. Even if you’re not religious, it’s a linguistic goldmine.
In principio erat Verbum
/in ˈprin.ki.pi.o ˈe.rat ˈwer.bum/“In the beginning was the Word”
For more Latin, check out Latin phrases for writers or Latin words that shaped English.
