Course Description
Readings from the Carmina of Catullus, including studies in the cultural context of Roman poetry, as well as the development of Latin poetic form, meter, and diction.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students are required to direct seminar sessions and write more extensive research papers.
Athena Title
Catullus
Prerequisite
LATN 4000 or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
1. STUDENTS WILL ACQUIRE AN IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF CATULLUS AND HIS WORKS. 2. STUDENTS WILL GAIN FACILITY AND FLUENCY IN THE TRANSLATION OF CATULLUS' LATIN POETRY. 3. STUDENTS WILL EXPLORE THE POETIC STYLE AND THEMES OF ONE OF THE GREATEST LATIN POETS. 4. STUDENTS WILL ACQUIRE INSIGHT INTO THE TRADITIONS OF LATIN POETRY. 5. STUDENTS WILL ACQUIRE A GREATER APPRECIATION OF THE COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ROMAN POLITICAL AND LITERARY CULTURE. 6. STUDENTS WILL ENGAGE IN CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF SEMANTIC, SYNTACTIC, GRAMMATICAL, STYLISTIC, METRICAL, POETIC AND CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL EVIDENCE IN CATULLUS' POETRY. 7. STUDENTS WILL PRODUCE WRITING APPROPRIATE TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF CATULLAN POETRY AND TO THE DISCIPLINE OF CLASSICS.
Topical Outline
I. BIOGRAPHY OF CATULLUS. II. ROMAN LITERARY TRADITION. CATULLUS' HELLENISTIC PRECURSORS; ROMAN POETRY AND SOCIO-POLITICAL STANDING. III. POEMS OF CATULLUS. THROUGHOUT THE CORPUS PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS PAID TO CATULLUS' ADAPTATION OF GREEK MODELS FOR A ROMAN AUDIENCE, AND HIS CONTRIBUTION TO ROMAN LITERATURE'S COMPLEX MEDITATION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE STATE. EXTRA REQUIREMENT FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN LATN 6200 WOULD INCLUDE: 1. READING OF AN ADDITIONAL BOOK OR WORK OF CATULLUS. 2. READING OF SCHOLARLY ARTICLES AND ORAL REPORTS OF ASPECTS OF CATULLUS STUDIED IN CLASS. 3. RESEARCHING AND PREPARATION OF A RESEARCH PAPER FOR THE COURSE (APPROX. 20 PP). 4. COMPLETING WITH SUCCESS THE FINAL EXAM DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS.