University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1911-05-07

> thar arise in his daily experience.
: Not only does the study of LatiT
! and Greek give the superb mental Cis
cipline that has just been mentioned
but it greatly increases the students
knowledge OF English and his ability
to use it by giving him an insight into
its structure and by enlargins and en-
riching his vocabulary. 1t gives HIN
a firm grasp on the true, or fundamen.
tai. meaning of words and an accuracy
and precision in their use that is scr.
viceable 10 him in any field of activity
Our technical words come almost
wholly from Latin and Greek. The
classical student grasps at once their
Imeanng and has clear mental pict-
lure, while for the student without
training in Greek or Latin, years of
lpatient thumbng of the dictionary is
neces ary and then he gets a picture
that is imperfect and blurred. A great
majority of our English words are de-
nal grammar are derived from Latin
and cannot be so well understood by
the student who has no knowledge OF
that language. as by him who has
some knowledge, even though that
knowledge be small.
The clearnCss of vision which the
Classically trained student has in re-
gard TO the meaning of word. iae
firm grasp thar he gets Oh synonyms
and nice shades of distinctions. the en-
larged vocabulary thai he acquires
give him not only enlarged power OF
expression, bat with this power come
facility and precision. To the stu
| dent without classical training EiIch
of hi; own literature is q sealed book.
Milton and the ElZabe;hans are nm
| iintelligible. Addi on. Keats ana
browning are only half underst ooG:
while much of the pleasure TO b" md
in reading many of the English essay
lists and noyelists is entirely lost.
The advantages arising from the
study Of tAe Classics that have thus
far been mentioned ae of pracIica;
value To all classe.. of students. what.
ever their lifo-work may be. Thq; Is
they can be PIG into practice in do
ing ones work more efficiently dav by
day. Perhaps in an article of this kind
such advantages should be touched
upon only lightly or omitted aho-
getheT. and this would be done were
il not for the fact that the benefits al
ready mentioned may be had by The
student who does not pursue the Study
oil The Classics very far. while the bon
eiltS that come from study of the
literature in the original may be lad
in full mea ure by him only who reads
it with some ease and pleasure. We
say. in full measure, because the stu
dent need not go far to feel the charm
of the ancient conception of the
world. of the gods that ruled it. of ,lutv |
to parents, to country. OF those things |
that make life worth while. Yet the |
farther he goes into the literature he |
more he feels its charm. For no ia |
tons have left us a nObler literature
than that which We have inherited |
from Greece and Rome. No student
can follow the march OF Thucydidas' |
or Cicero's stately periods, hear the |
solemn music of the heyameters of |
Homer and Vergil. the lighter strains
OF the lyrics of Horace, view the pic
tured pages of i.ivy or HerOdO;us
without having stored up in his men,
ory both music and pictures which |
Will sOOthe and beguile him when life
is gray and dull. No one can make
master of the philosophy of
Plato. the ethics of Seneca, read the
problems of the sin and suffering of II
man as conceived bv Aeschulus with.
out having his intellectual powers Ell
larged, his views of life clarified, his
Sympathies awakened and quickened.
No one may laugh over the merry
scenes presented by Plautus Or Aristo-
phaneS or shudder at the dark and
ireary ones presented by Juvenal with.
)ut realizing the Sameness of human
nature through the centuries and
without receiving therefrom a certain
balance, certain steadying puwe,
which will enable him to view, not
With less federation, but with more
the modern forms OF the :
'ame sins and vices that the ancieIts
'idiculed or rebuked. Not can these
benefits come in fullest measure
through any translation however schol.
Irly and skillful. The student must
work out for himself The
meaning of noble sentiment in Cic.
rO Or Plato, to have il strike deep