CLS 239     Spring 2004 Syllabus

Horace and the Latin Love Elegists :

Personal Poetry in the Age of Augustus

Course Description :

An advanced course in classical Latin poetry, focused on the Odes and Epodes of Horace, with readings in the Amores and Ars Amatoria of Ovid, and the personal love poetry of the Neoteric poet Catullus, and the elegies of the Augustan poets Propertius, Tibullus, and Sulpicia. Their work will be read closely, for influence of their Greek predecessors, for their special poetic talent, and for their accommodation to Augustan Rome.

Course Objectives and Anticipated Outcomes :

at the conclusion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate :

1.            Ability to read, understand, scan and translate unadapted Latin poetry with appropriate assistance

2.            Appreciation of how Latin forms, grammar, syntax differ from English, leading to increased knowledge of how both function

3.            Understanding of the conventions and themes of Latin love elegy and the work of its major poets

4.            Familiarity with the culture, history, values, and leading literary figures of Augustan Rome

5.            Skill in employing on-line and traditional resources for research on the ancient world

Materials of Instruction :

Print Texts :

Joan Booth, ed. Catullus to Ovid: Reading Latin Love Elegy. Bristol Classical Press. 1999.

Daniel H. Garrison. Horace: Epodes and Odes. University of Oklahoma Press. 1991.

A college Latin dictionary, a Latin grammar

On-Line Texts and Resources :

Course syllabus

Angel course management program

Horace’s Villa

Intermediate Latin Readings: Catullus and Ovid

The Latin Library

Diotima

Roman history and culture

Roman Perseus: texts with commentary, Lewis & Short dictionary, Allen & Greenough grammar

VRoma: images, interactive sites, resources on Roman civilization and culture

Other Materials:

On-line Bibliography for Elegy

On-line bios for Latin Elegiac Poets

Outlines, maps, guides

Methods of Instruction :

Class time will be used primarily for:

              – reading aloud, scansion, prepared and sight translation

              – discussion of poetic language, rhetorical devices, meter

              -- analysis of content and themes

              – student presentations

Independent assignments and projects

Special sessions :

Class attendance at CNR Drama’s performance of Mary Zimmerman’s “Metamorphoses,” based on Ovid's epic (March 26-April 4)

Course Requirements and Assessment Methods:

Students are expected to--

            attend a 75 minute recitation twice weekly, prepared and fully active: in case of illness, notice of absence and the work assigned must be submitted on Angel (Objectives 1-5)

              participate in scheduled special sessions (Objectives 2, 4-6)

              prepare all assignments independently, using hard-copy materials, on-line resources, Angel, and individual appointments for resolving difficulties (All Objectives)

              complete a mid-term and final research project (instructions to follow) with independent foci: (All Objectives)

                           Jennifer:           Horace              Kim:                Ovid

              take a final exam on the semester’s study of Latin language and culture (All Objectives)

Grading :

Students will be graded on the quality of their completion of the requirements listed above as follows:

50% attendance, preparation, participation*

                                        30% independent research assignments

                                        20% final examination

*Those who exceed the maximum number of un-excused absences (4 in a 75 minute class) will find their grade negatively affected in this category.

Course Policies :

attendance is required, as is appropriate class behavior; students are expected to meet deadlines: un-excused late assignments will not be accepted; make-ups will be arranged for students who have medical or other serious excuses; students are expected to report an illness through proper channels; those found cheating or plagiarizing will earn an F for the course. At the beginning of the course, students with documented special needs are expected to inform the instructor of accommodations or services needed for successful academic participation.

Topical Outline of Course Content and Schedule:           

The class meets on Tuesday and Thursday, 11-12:15 in Chapel Basement G. 17, unless otherwise noted.

Reading and translation assignments will be made at the end of each class, based on class discussion, level of translation difficulty, amount of sight work completed.

The goal of the course is to read as much Latin love elegy as possible, using course texts and supplementary readings selected from print and Internet sources, in order to appreciate the differences among the elegists and become familiar with the themes and conventions of the genre. This poetry, though popular, challenges close translation into English, even by poets themselves. We will look at some of these efforts for the purpose of improving our understanding of the poems and experiencing the difficulties of translating poetry.

Our major author for the course will be Horace. In a certain sense it is strange to place him, the Augustan poet laureate second only to Virgil and the author of the stately Roman Odes and Carmen Saeculare, with Catullus, Propertius, Tibullus, Sulpicia, and Ovid. But love elegy flourished in Rome at this new moment in Roman history, surprisingly, given the counter-cultural male and female behaviors it describes and celebrates. And Horace has numerous personal love poems scattered throughout his Odes and Epodes. But the very different careers and individual fates of the Augustan poets Horace and Ovid offer some clues to survival under Augustus.

January 27 :

Introduction to the texts, syllabus, and content of the course.

Sight reading of Catullus, Carmen 72, in Joan Booth’s Catullus to Ovid.

Unit I: Gaius Valerius Catullus (c. 84-54 B.C.)

On-line resources: Latin texts, The Catullus Project, Links for the Study of Catullus

January 29:
Discussion of Booth, Catullus to Ovid , pp.xi-xlv : Introduction to elegy and its poets. Review and discussion of assigned Catullus Carmina 76, 85, and commentary.
February 3:
Review of three assigned on-line Catullan lyric poems; discussion of their style; meter, content, difference from his elegies 72, 76, 85.

Unit II: Sextus Propertius (54/47-16/2 B.C.)

On-line resources:: Bio & Poems, Criticism, texts, poems

February 5:
Review and discussion of Elegy I.1 and III. 24 in Booth, Catullus to Ovid, together with the text translation and commentary. Comparison of style, meter, content, language to Catullus.

February 10:
Review and discussion of Elegy II.13 and III. 3 in Booth, Catullus to Ovid, together with the text translation and commentary. Discussion of Ezra Pound, Homage to Propertius, translation of Propertius 3.3

February 12:
Review and discussion of Elegy I.3 in Booth, Catullus to Ovid, together with the text translation and commentary.

February 17:
Review and discussion of Elegy IV.7 in Booth, Catullus to Ovid, together with the text translation and commentary. Summary discussion of Propertius.

Unit III: Albius Tibullus ( 57/48- 19 B.C.)

On-line resources:
Tibullus: texts, poems, Pagan Prayers, Ovid's eulogy: Amores 3.9, Horace's Letter, Suetonius' Life of Tibullus
Sulpicia: Elegies, Epistulae, Sulpiciae Elegidia and with commentary at De Feminis Romanis, Martial's Epigram on Sulpicia, Sulpicia Society, themes , "Language of Men," Mimesis (neat graphics), site, coins of the Gens Sulpicia

February 19:
Review and discussion of Tibullus I.1 in Booth, Catullus to Ovid. Discussion of his "Programmatic Poem"; comparison to the style, language, meter, content, and persona of Propertius.

February 24:
Review and discussion of II.4 in Booth, Catullus to Ovid, together with the text translation and commentary.

February 26:
After reading the commentary and translation of Tibullus I.8 in Booth, Catullus to Ovid, post your own translation on Angel by Friday noon, together with your final observations on Tibullus' poetry, language, and persona. Go to Angel and read your classmate's work. Post a reply to the ideas and translation your classmate has written by Monday Noon.
Look for my posting on Dr. Judith Hallett's February 26th lecture "Catullus and Horace on Women Poets."

March 2
Review and discussion of the Sulpicia sites listed above, as well as your reading of her Elegidia in Latin and English. Consideration of such questions as how her work is different from/ similar to that of Catullus, Propertius, and Catullus, and the scholarship on her life and work.

Unit III: Publius Ovidius Naso (43 BCE - 17 CE)

On-line resources: texts with commentary, works, The Love Books, translations, facsimile, Ovid FAQ, The Ovid Project, Heroides, bibiography, Selections: Amores

March 4:
Review of Booth's introductory remarks on Ovid, pp. xli-xliv. Translation and discussion of Ovid's Amores I.1 on-line, including the Commentary and Magister. Discussion of Booth's commentary to Ovid, Amores I.1, pp. 132-7, and consideration of how his themes, style, and persona compare to the earlier love poets.

Spring Break: March 5-17

March 16:
Review and discussion of Ovid's Amores I.2, I.9, and II.17, including Booth, pp. 138-142, and on-line commentaries.

March 18:
Scansion and review of translation of Ovid, Amores 2.7 and 2.8, including Booth's commentary. Discussion of Ovid's Tristia 4.10, read in English, and his life (text introduction).

March 23:
Review of translation and commentary on Ovid, Amores 1.2, and Booth's retrospective on Ovid.

March 25:
Review of translation and commentary on Ovid, Amores 3.2, and Booth's retrospective on Ovid.

March 27:
Class attendance at a performance of Metamorphoses and discussion with the director afterwards. Substitute for class on March 30.

Unit III: Horatius Flaccus (65 - 8 BCE)

On-line resources: Opera, Works, Carminum Libri IV, Odes & Bio, Roman Odes, selected Epodes, selected Odes with meters, bio, bibliography, Sabine Villa

April 1:
Review of meter and translation of Horace, Epodes 1; sight translation of Horace, Odes 1.1. Reports of on-line resources for Ovid and Horace projects.

April 6:
Review of meter and translation: Horace, Epodes 2. Critique of commentary and translation projects on Ovid, Amores 3.2

April 8:
Consultations and independent research for on-line VRoma commentary project on Ovid, Amores 3.2

April 13:
Reading and review of translation: Horace, Epodes l1 and 15.

April 15:
Reading and review of translation: Horace, Odes 1.5, 1.11

April 20:
Readingand review of translation: Horace, Odes 1.13, 1.16

April 22:
Reading and review of translation: Horace, Odes 1.19, 1.22, 1.23

April 27:
Reading and review of translation: Horace, Odes 1.25, 1.26, 1.30, 1.33

April 29:
Reading and review of translation: Horace, Odes 2.4, 2.5, 2.12
Discussion of instructions for final project

May 4:
Reading and review of translation: Horace, Odes 2.8, 3.9 (read translations by Franklin Adams)
Review of Commager's article analyzing "The Cleopatra Ode."

May 6:
Reading and review of translation: Horace, Odes 3.7, 3.10

May 11:
Reading and review of translation: Horace, Odes 3.26, 3.30

May 13:
Consultations on Final Project Presentations

May 17:
Presentation of Final Projects: Kim, Ovid's Metamorphoses; Jennifer, Horace's Roman Odes