There's nothing special about latin. If you teach people the grammar of a language throroughly, and expose them to all sorts of historic, philosophical and poe

There's nothing special about latin. If you teach people the grammar of a language throroughly, and expose them to all sorts of historic, philosophical and poetic writings, they will also learn some abstract thinking. For most foreign languages, it's considered more useful to be able to do trifling things like buy food, find shelter, or write business letters. Romans had some of these woes, but their empire-building efforts and the ensuing plundering and enslaving of half of Europe (and a corresponding part of Northern Africa) allowed them to employ philosophers and poets that were not caught up in the rat race that most such people in the 19th and 20th Century were subjected to.