After May 2024, there will no longer be a Latin class on the Athens Academy campus. Margalit Mauricio, Krish Chawla, Matt Can, Camden Lang, Thomas Collins, Andrew Hill, Cohen Tomlinson, Mark Tribble, and Mr. Butler, after five years, will be the final members of the Athens Academy Latin course.
The class has spent nearly five years mastering Latin translations, scanning dactylic hexameter, and understanding Roman history. Translating in Mr. Butler’s class occurs across two texts: “The Aeneid” and Caesar’s “De Bello Gallico”. “The Aeneid” is twelve books of poetry by Virgil, who tells the story of the founding of Rome through the lens of Aeneas. By contrast, Caesar’s “De Bello Gallico” is written in prose and describes Caesar’s battles during his time fighting the Celtic and Germanic people in the Gallic lands. The students have developed familiarity with both of these texts in terms of their meaning and context in the story. Working through the challenging translations creates a collaborative classroom environment.
Margalit describes the class’s bond and says, “We’ve known each other for five years, and we each have five-year-long epics.”
Apart from The Aeneid and De Bello Gallico, one of the most memorable “epics,” the class agreed, was the story of Krish Chawla. His journey over five years is best described as, “Krish on the Rise.”
When Krish first entered the Latin class, he was simply a face on a zoom screen in 2020. After some time, the students began to notice Krish’s ability to not blink for long periods. Then, they noticed that his fan was not moving too, or was it frozen? The giveaway was Krish’s bold decision to remain unmuted, revealing that he was simply playing Fortnite.
Camden recalls that “this would happen every day during the semester, but now, Krish is an accomplished scholar.”
Krish has grown from that experience, and Mr. Butler notes him as an exemplary student. Recently, Mr. Butler dubbed some troublemakers in the class as the “Island Boys.” The “Island Boys” include Mark, Camden, Andrew, and Matt, also known as Winnie the Pooh. Krish, however, is not part of the “Island Boys” marking his growth and maturity throughout his time in the Latin class.
Most recently, Krish has been named Spartan of the Week for his commitment to the golf team. The Latin class is proud of Krish’s accomplishments and the journey he has made since his Fortnite days.
Krish claims his rise comes with the next great epic called “The Fall of Andrew Hill.”
Thomas says that his rise will not last long and instead “the fall back of Krish” will follow.
The five-year group has learned numerous skills in the Latin subject. While knowing concepts like the ablative absolute is incredibly important, the class will hold onto the memories and friendships they forged throughout their Latin careers.
