Course Description

Readings from Lucretius' De Rerum Natura, Vergil's Georgics, and others. The poet as teacher; the manner in which poetic form and imagery express philosophy.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students are required to direct seminar sessions and write more extensive research papers.

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Athena Title

Roman Didactic Poetry

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Prerequisite

LATN 4000 or permission of department

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Semester Course Offered

Not offered on a regular basis.

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Grading System

A - F (Traditional)

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Course Objectives

1. TO IMPROVE SKILLS IN READING AND TRANSLATING EXTENSIVE LATIN VERSE TEXTS. 2. TO DEVELOP KNOWLEDGE OF THE VARIETY AND CONTENT OF ROMAN DIDACTIC POETRY AND OF ITS TEACHING FUNCTION. 3. TO READ THE POETRY OF LUCRETIUS, VERGIL AND OTHERS IN THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE. 4. TO CONSIDER DIDACTIC POETRY AS A GENRE OF LATIN LITERATURE, IMPORTANT TO ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY AND EDUCATION. 5. TO ENGAGE IN CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF SEMANTIC, SYNTACTIC, GRAMMATICAL, STYLISTIC, METRICAL AND POETIC EVIDENCE IN ROMAN DIDACTIC POETRY. 6. TO PRODUCE WRITING APPROPRIATE TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF ROMAN DIDACTIC POETRY AND TO THE DISCIPLINE OF CLASSICS. 7. STUDENTS ENROLLED FOR GRADUATE CREDIT WILL PLAY A MUCH MORE EXTENSIVE ROLE IN CLASS ACTIVITIES AND WILL DIRECT SEVERAL SEMINAR SESSIONS; THE RESEARCH PAPER REQUIREMENT WILL ALSO BE MORE RIGOROUS.

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Topical Outline

I. THE POET AS TEACHER A. GENERAL BACKGROUND B. GREEK INFLUENCE C. EXAMPLES FROM OTHER CULTURES II. THE POET AS PHILOSOPHER: LUCRETIUS, BOOKS 1-6 (SELECTIONS) III. AUGUSTAN DIDACTIC POETRY A. HORACE, ARS POETICA B. VERGIL, GEORGICS (SELECTIONS) C. OVID 1. ARS AMATORIA 2. REMEDIA AMORIS

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