When Professor Frederic M. Wheelock's Latin first appeared in 1956, the reviews extolled its thoroughness, organization, and conciseness; at least one reviewer predicted that the book "might well become the standard text" for introducing students to elementary Latin. Now, five decades later, that prediction has certainly proved accurate.

The revised sixth edition of Wheelock's Latin has all the features that have made it the best-selling single-volume beginning Latin textbook, many of them improved and expanded:

40 chapters with grammatical explanations and readings based on ancient Roman authors

Self-tutorial exercises with an answer key for independent study

A newly enlarged English-Latin/Latin-English vocabulary

A rich selection of original Latin readings -- unlike other textbooks, which contain primarily made-up Latin texts

Etymological aids

Also included are maps of the Mediterranean, Italy, and the Aegean area, as well as numerous photographs illustrating aspects of classical culture, mythology, and historical and literary figures presented in the chapter readings.