In school, I’ve translated Latin from a book; but it was an entirely different experience to wander through the Roman forum, with my Latin class at my side
By Caroline Lippman
In school, I’ve translated Latin from a book; but it was an entirely different experience to wander through the Roman forum, with my Latin class at my side, and contemplate archaic inscriptions on the walls. After studying the language in school for several years, I had the unforgettable opportunity to visit the city where it all began.
On March 17, 12 Princeton Day School Latin students and four teachers and chaperones embarked on a nine-day trip to Rome. The trip was offered to students in advanced Latin classes, and our visit to Rome focused on studying the art, history and culture of the city.
During our stay, we resided in the quaint neighborhood of Trastevere, which is situated among cobblestone piazzas, winding streets, delicious cafes and restaurants, and hip boutiques. By the end of our stay in Rome, we were comfortable and familiar in the area, frequenting our favorite bakeries in the morning or strolling through the lively piazzas at night.
Every afternoon, between our morning itinerary and our evening walks and dinners, we had the chance to venture out in groups and independently explore Trastevere, shopping, eating or just wandering. I loved the opportunity to spend over a week in the area and become so acquainted with the neighborhood.
Trastevere is also within walking distance of all the major sites of Rome. Whether the destination was the Colosseum and Forum, Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican museums, or the Pantheon, we could depart from our hotel and arrive within the hour, even with stopping to shop for souvenirs or have yet another cone of gelato. Only one day did we take a bus, and this was to travel outside the city to tour the beautiful Hadrian’s Villa and the Villa D’Este.
Rome is definitely a city of walking, and although we had tired feet — and kept a running tally of how many times members of the group stumbled on the cobblestones — I think walking everywhere was essential to our experience in getting to know the city. Meandering through the streets, amid modern buildings, shops and restaurants, we could suddenly come across a striking ancient classical façade.
One day, we passed through the Basilica of San Clemente, a Medieval church built upon an early Christian church built upon a republican-age house. Or, we could climb down the historic Spanish Steps, and at the bottom reach streets lined with the most expensive and luxurious stores in the city. This is what I found to be so characteristic of Rome: it is a city spanning all ages and settings, a city at once historic, commercial and domestic.
For a student like myself, who is taking both Latin and art history at PDS, this trip presented the perfect confluence of the disciplines. In class, we studied classical art and architecture, but it didn’t compare to seeing the monuments, sculptures and paintings in person.
For example, in the Vatican museums, we saw the famous statue of a character from the Trojan War and Virgil’s Aeneid. Not only had we read this story in Latin class, but we had also examined the statue’s artistic style in art history class, and being able to see it all live completed the circle for me. When we saw the Colosseum, I remembered reading Latin stories about gladiators, as well as discussing the architecture and political implications of the monument in art history. I felt as though I could put the history, art, and culture together, and, for the first time, fully appreciate the monument for everything it signified.
These moments reminded me how lucky I was to take these classes at PDS and receive the opportunity to actually apply and synthesize what I was learning.
Apart from our experiences walking and sightseeing, food played a central role in the trip. We picnicked every day at lunch with fresh food from the farmers market outside our hotel: slices of cheese and prosciutto, sweet strawberries and blood oranges, bread baked fresh that morning. Every night, our group would enter a restaurant and sit down at a long table for a delicious dinner, usually involving fresh bruschetta, homemade bread, warm suppli (rice balls), and pasta or pizza. Although we left dinner every night full from our meal, we could always make room for some gelato on the way home.
Needless to say, I’m eager to go back to Rome. I loved its history and culture, and I was fortunate to explore it with 15 other PDS students and teachers. On the last day of our trip, we strolled through the now-familiar streets of Trastevere before returning to the hotel to pack. Eating my gelato in the cobblestone piazza, I knew I couldn’t have better spent my spring break.
Caroline Lippman is a student at Princeton Day School.