Some of the most influential writers in the history of Western civilization arose from the world of ancient Greece, including Homer, Sophocles, Euripides, Plato, and Thucydides. The Latin language also has an extremely long and influential literary history, its practitioners including such seminal writers as Cicero, Caesar, Catullus, Vergil, Livy, and Tacitus. The linguistic importance of Latin continues in modern times, as the source of the Romance languages (e.g., Italian, French, and Spanish) and of more that 50% of English words. Students majoring in Ancient Greek & Latin learn to read key works of classical antiquity in their original languages, acquiring advanced skills in grammar and linguistic analysis. They also learn to explore and discuss orally and in writing the meaning of texts through study of genre, style, cultural context, and the place of individual works in the literary and cultural history of the ancient world. Study of ancient Greek and Latin provides the necessary training for graduate work in Classics; is an excellent foundation for students wishing to pursue further studies in classical archaeology, philosophy, history, religion and theology, and other humanistic disciplines; and is a good foundation for law school or medical school.