After some lessons that will introduce to the study of Latin grammar by specifying the objects, objectives and methods of ancient teaching also in relation to the current definition of grammatical science, the course will focus on the theory elaborated by the Latin rhetoric about the descriptive text, explaining the mechanisms that allow the poet to compete with painting in the vivid representation of facts, characters, emotions. The reflections proposed on the theme by Quintilian will be taken into consideration, together with the manuals of the first rhetorical training (progymnasmata) and the ancient commentaries of classical texts.