How many hours have you spent in a
Latin classroom? Taking notes, studying for
tests, losing sleep, wishing Aeneas would just
get to Italy already are things that all Latin
students have to endure. Now imagine a
classroom without any of that. A classroom
where you won’t be tested on the material. A
classroom where there is no homework and
eating good food is a common occurrence.
This is what a Colloquium is like. And yes,
“Colloquia” is a neuter noun so please use the
correct ending for singular and plural.
First of all, the things that you will learn
at a Colloquium are genuinely interesting. For
example, I went to a Colloquium this year that
was dedicated to the Romans’ understanding
of the universe and space. My teacher, Mr.
Stemm, ran a Colloquium at a state
convention that was dedicated to armor. He
brought in his homemade chainmail, scale-
mail, and leather armor. After letting people
try them on, he explained which sets of armor
were effective and which weren’t. There are
whole sessions dedicated to ancient wars and
other historical topics.
The
Case
for
Colloquia
Owen Kranz,
North Gubernator
“Okay, that’s cool and all, but I’d still probably fall asleep.”
Fear not. Plenty of Colloquia have hands-on activities. Take, for example, a
Colloquium at nationals this year all about eating a learning about garum. What is garum?
Basically, you stick some fish and salt in a barrel and let it sit for 10 years then eat in.
Apparently, it's pretty good. Another Colloquium that I attended is called The Odyssey in
Song in which a guy sang through his interpretation of the Odyssey with a guitar. Even at
the Armor Colloquium I mentioned you got to build a little section of chainmail that you got
to keep. My point is, there is something for everyone.
Rarely will you ever get to talk to an expert in diverse subjects like these. A trip to a
Colloquium can be an intellectual adventure. It has been for me. So I leave you with a
challenge, go to a Colloquium. Just one. Choose one that interests you and that you have a
general interest in. Go to it with an open mind and ask questions. If you enjoy it, then go to
another and bring some friends along while you're at it.
28