One of the most influential books ever written in Latin
Boethius was born into a time of transition. For the first time in over 500 years, there was no Roman emperor in the West; knowledge of Greek had becoming exceedingly rare, and so understand of the great classical works, including Plato and Aristotle, was on the decline. In his life he would call a king some would call a barbarian but who wore with legitimacy the imperial purple, perhaps the last to do so again until Charlemagne put it on in 800 AD. The classical world was dying, and the first flickers of a new world were being lit.
Brilliant and impeccably trained, Boethius took to heart Plato's call for philosophers to involve themselves in public life, and became a politician in the cabinet of Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths and emperor of the West. He rose to the very pinnacle of power, but then his fortunes suddenly reversed, and he found himself convicted of treason and imprisoned, awaiting execution.
While in prison, he wrote The Consolation of Philosophy, in which he imagines himself being scolded by philosophy, personified as a beautiful lady. She reminds him of the lessons the philosophers teach, which ought to comfort him in the midst of his misfortunes.
Told in a mixture of prose and poetry, the work became an instant classic, becoming one of the most widely read books of the Middle Ages. C.S. Lewis says "Until about two hundred years ago it would, I think, have been hard to find an educated man in any European country who did not love it."
2025 marks the 1500th anniversary of Boethius' execution by Theodoric. To remember the man and the great gift he left humanity in this text, we will be reading book 1 together in its entirety in Latin. We will use a blended format consisting of both guided readings by the teacher and student translation.
Why read this book in Latin? Because learning Latin well requires building up a certain amount of text under your belt. There is no shortcut that can sidestep the need to read lots of sentences in the language. This text features an accessible Latin that nevertheless makes use of the best elements of Latin style, and so provides the student with an opportunity to strengthen their understanding of grammar as it is deployed by the best authors and to grow their reading ability. Reading a single text also allows you to practice reading in context.
Who's it for? Anyone who wants to improve their Latin. This course is open to adults and advanced high school students who have finished the usual course of Latin grammar and are looking to grow in their ability to interpret and translate.
What will class be like? The first 30 minutes of class will feature guided reading, during which I will take you through sections of the text showing you how the sentences mean. Then there will be 30 minutes of student reading. We will finish with 30 more minutes of guided reading.
Can I take the course but not be called on to translate? Students who participate in the translation portion will get the most out of the course. However, you may choose to just listen and soak up as much as you can (and you are still encouraged to ask questions when you don't understand something!).
September 3 - October 22, 2025
Wednesdays 5:00 - 6:30 pm CT
$350 / student
or included in The Latin Package
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Junius Johnson is one of the best professors I have ever encountered. He is deeply knowledgeable and qualified, but also uses humor and a sense of play to foster a collaborative and engaging learning environment — all while pushing his students to do and be their best. He equipped me with the essential skills of nuanced Latin translation, and perhaps just as importantly instilled in me a love for the language and appreciation for its historical development and contexts. More than a decade after studying with him, I continue to benefit from Professor Johnson’s instruction and in fact am currently translating a ninth-century text for publication.
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With humor, intelligent discussion, and deep insights, Junius Johnson gives you more than an overview or introduction to Latin, he inspires you to keep learning hard things while giving you a vision and much fuller picture of Latin.
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Junius has such a robust understanding of the language, and his passion is contagious. His approach invites parents, educators, and students to re-imagine how they think about Latin, moving from merely transactional to experiential. He’s also not afraid to address many of the “why” questions that all too often go unanswered. Highly recommend!
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Simply put, Junius Johnson is the best Latin teacher I have ever experienced in my many years of supervising education. He is a true scholar of the Latin language from the classical period to the neo-Latin present; he has success teaching every age and skill level. Junius is compassionate with those who are less gifted than he, but still manages to stretch his students in a friendly and inviting manner. I wholeheartedly recommend him to you as your teacher. Trust me, the encounter will be memorable.