2009 Fall LATIN 102SRE-01
Bulletin Course Description Readings in one or more Roman historical works, illuminating key themes, periods, historiographical conventions, and especially ancient historiography's role as font of moral and ethical exempla. Authors might include Caesar, Sallust, Livy, Tacitus, Velleius, Ammianus Marcellinus, Gregory of Tours, Suetonius, vel sim. Students must have two years of Latin or equivalent. Instructor: Boatwright, Woods, or Staff
(Instructor named in bulletin description above may not be current. For current instructor, see listing below.)
Title HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY Department LATIN Course Number 2009 Fall 102SRE Section Number 01 Primary Instructor Atkins,Jed W Prerequisites
Synopsis of course content
In this course we shall read Sallust’s monograph Bellum Catilinae, which records the events surrounding Catiline’s attempt to seize power at Rome through armed revolt. In addition to Catiline himself, the incident involved several of the leading personalities of the late Republic: Caesar, Cicero, and Cato. Our main goal will be to improve the speed, facility, and accuracy with which you read Latin prose. In addition, we will discuss Sallust’s style, historiographical techniques, and place his account of the events into its political and historical context. We will also get Cicero’s perspective on the conspiracy by reading in translation versions of the four orations which he delivered against Catiline.
Sallust’s work would occupy a central position in the Roman education system and later Romans were intrigued by Sallust’s depiction of Catiline’s moral degeneracy. Time permitting, we will read Book 2 of Augustine’s Confessions in which we find arguably the most famous appropriation of Sallust’s depiction of Catiline in subsequent Roman literature.
Textbooks
*Sallust’s Bellum Catilinae, 2nd ed. J.T. Ramsey, ed. (Oxford, 2007)
*Cicero: Selected Political Speeches, Michael Grant, ed. (Penguin, 1977)
*Recommended: Elementary Latin Dictionary, C.T. Lewis, ed. (Oxford, 1969).
*The Latin text for Confessions 2 will be provided.
Assignments
Daily translation and discussion of the assigned text
Exams
3 translation exams and 1 final exam (translation and commentary)
Term Papers
1 short (5-7 pp.) paper on topic of student’s choosing
Grade to be based on
Attendance and participation: 10%
3 translation exams: 15% each
Paper: 15%
Final exam: 30%
