Day 6- July 20
Forum Romanum! Today, I had a breathtaking experience at the Roman Forum. I first saw the exterior of the Colosseum and then the Arch of Constantine. I thought that the beginning would be the highlight of my day, but I was far from right. As I walked into the Forum, a incredible sensation filled me. Standing in the same place that Caesar might have stood, I gazed out across the huge valley harboring Roman Republican buildings. I saw the Temple of Jupiter Stator, of Vesta, and of Apollo. I saw the House of the Vestals, the Curia, the Stadium, and house of Flavia, house of Caesar Augustus, the Arch of Titus, and many other insignias of Roman Republican prowess. When I saw the Curia, I was quite surprised. I had expected the building to have more latitude, but instead it was extremely high and had quite a small floor area. My eyes were so tired when I got back to the bus, not because I was sleepy, but because I had not closed them once the whole morning.
Left: The Forum
Right: Stadium
Dinner today was the best I’ve had yet! I was served fettuccine pasta (my favorite) with “fungi” (mushrooms, and much more appetizing in English) and fried chicken. It was the best pasta I’ve ever eaten. After dinner, I translated Horace’s “Fons Bandusiae,” which I studied this year and practically had memorized the translation for, with Arthur, Connie, Aki Berman, and Melissa Lin. Time passed by a lot more quickly when I was translating with friends. We exchange ideas about certain ambiguous parts of the text and really act as scholars, not students. I noticed, though, that, disregarding the fact that I already knew the translation, I was extremely focused and captivated during the lecture today. I hunted for clues and solutions and got better at translating noticeably. I know this program will propel my facility as well as my passion and eagerness for Latin. It was today that I truly realized how fortunate I am to be studying Latin in Rome right now.
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