Lingua Latina per se illustrata questions

[Seneca]

Would someone familiar with this course help me to be sure I am understanding properly what all is involved in it and what I needed to get started? As I understand it, there are two basic course books:

Pars I: Familia Romana
Pars II: Roma Aeterna

Pars I and its supplements are what I am concerned with for now as Pars II and all would come much later. What does one really need beyond the basic Familia Romana book?

Here are other supplements I have come across:
Grammatica Latina
Pars I Exercises
Glossarium
Colloquia Personarum

An illustrated collection of supplementary texts, mostly dialogue. There is one colloquium matching each of Chapters 1-24 in Lingua Latina: Familia Romana.

Finally, A Companion to Familia Romana which is described as:

It offers a running exposition, in English, of the Latin grammar covered in Hans H. Ørberg's Familia Romana, and includes the complete text of the Ørberg ancillaries Grammatica Latina and Latin–English Vocabulary. It also serves as a substitute for Ørberg's Latine Disco, on which it is based. As it includes no exercises, however, it is not a substitute for the Ørberg ancillary Exercitia Latina I.

Though designed especially for those approaching Familia Romana at an accelerated pace, this volume will be useful to anyone seeking an explicit layout of Familia Romana's inductively-presented grammar. In addition to many revisions of the text, the Second Edition also includes new units on cultural context, tied to the narrative content of the chapter.

Strangely, there is a link on the main publisher's site claiming to offer a few of the above things as a free download here, but the stuff listed doesn't seem to line up with the Amazon previews.

There are a lot more things listed here:
Lingua Latina Series

However, it seems many of these things are to come later (the writings of authors like Ovid, Caesar, etc...along with the things clearly labeled to go with Pars II: Roma Aeterna), but I am unsure about the utility of something like the Teacher's Manual

Any thoughts are welcome. Do I just get Pars I and go to work? Or get some of the supplements (Latin Grammar, Exercises, Glossarium, Colloquia Personarum, Teacher's Manual) too? Thank you.

[Arnaud]

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[Elexi]

In my opinion, if you are self teaching you need:

Essential: Familia Romana, the Teachers' Manual and the Companion (which replaces the Latine Disco).

The exercises are useful, as is Orberg's CD of spoken Latin (if you want Restored pronunciation) - I think there is an Italianate Church Latin CD as well. The old CD-ROM, clunky as it is, has Orberg's readings, the exercises and the text in one.

The Colloquia Personarum is important as it gives added readings for lessons 1-25. Fabulae Syrae continues these graded readings for Lessons 26-34.

The supplementary readings bridge the gap between Parts 1 and 2.

Personally, though, I would do a basic grammar course like the 60 lesson video series Visual Latin from Compass Classroom (just ignore the teachers pronunciation) or TY Beginners Latin first before tackling LLPSI.

[Seneca]

Thank you both for the suggestions/guidance.

In terms of a dictionary to start with, is there a particular one known to be the best? Or am I fine just getting something like this old Cassell's or this newer Bantam?

In terms of a beginner course, what is the key thing I am looking to get from it before Lingua Latina? An overall view or just the real basics of grammar?

If the former, any thoughts on this Latin Self-Teaching book or perhaps English Grammar for Students of Latin?

If the latter, would something like Intensive Basic Latin be overkill?

I like the looks of English Grammar for Students of Latin, but am unsure if a quick read through that would set me up for success with the full Lingua Latina course. Money is no pressing issue, but I don't want to buy things just for the sake of buying. I am after quality.

[Arnaud]

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[Elexi]

I think LLPSI hits a high ramp around chapter 10 and can become frustrating, but then I am not really a fan of the natural method on its own.

You can get through that ramp with English Grammar for Students of Latin (which is very helpful) - especially when used in conjunction with the LLPSI Companion, which will tell you which grammar point to look up. So if you want to start on Orberg - those two would work together.

For deeper grammar study - I would recommend - Allen and Greenough - the PDF can be downloaded here:

http://www.textkit.com/latin_grammar.php

Textkit.com also has a forum with lots of invaluable advice on LLPSI.

The full vocabulary for LLPSI is on Memrise and Quizlet (and probably Anki) - so they are worth a trip too.

[Seneca]

I think I am all set for now!

I just bought the Kindle version of: Pars I: Familia Romana

Physical copies are on the way for:
the first exercise book,
the teacher's manual with answer key,
the Latine Disco book, and
Colloquia Personarum.

The "Companion" book just seemed to be the Latine Disco plus the other stuff that looked less useful.

For non Lingua Latina resources, I bookmarked that Latin wiki page on Latin declension to read over, downloaded that Allen and Greenough New Latin Grammar as a heavier reference, and ordered the English Grammar for Students of Latin book along with the Bantam Dictionary I linked.

As for Familia Romana itself, there appears to be no directions. I just start reading and move along as I make sense of it? Is that all there is to it? Like the first three lines are:

Roma in Italia est. Italia in Europa est. Graecia in Europa est.

This is seems to be: Rome is in Italy. Italy is in Europe. Greece is in Europe.

So.....just continue doing that and stop to do the exercises along the way once I get the exercise book and teacher's manual? Seems suspiciously straight-forward! Thanks for your help.

[Elexi]

Yes - that's what you do - remember to focus on the endings of words - that is were the magic is.

and when you get stuck (which you will, I suspect - everyone does) use Latine Disco and the grammars to help you.

Also use Wiktionary - it is really good for Latin.

[ilmari]

Try to get your hands on a cd of the exercises. The interface is old, but it is very useful. It is much easier than doing the exercises in the workbook, as the software tells you if you are right or wrong.
It is Windows only, but you can make it work on a Mac with VMWare Fusion.

Here are a few websites which may be useful too:
https://lingualatina-orberg.wikispaces.com It is in Spanish, but it does not really matter.
http://llpsi.blogspot.com

There is also a new exercise book which you can order from Amazon.
http://www.scholalatina.org/our-books.html

[ilmari]

Jeanne Neumann has just published a second edition of "Lingua Latina: A College Companion." It is now entitled "Lingua Latina: A Companion to Familia Romana."

"In addition to many revisions of the text, the Second Edition also includes new units on cultural context, tied to the narrative content of the chapter." (http://www.hackettpublishing.com/lingua-latina-a-companion-to-familia-romana-second-edition)

You can look inside the book at Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Companion-Familia-Romana-Ørbergs-Vocabulary/dp/158510809X/