Assignment for Wednesday, February 18:

Read: Livy, Book 5 (Penguin, pp. 367-435)

NB: This book covers events from essentially 403-386 BC. The Republic is now about a century old, and some of its institutions and policies are being tested. Note that the Book concludes the first pentad (can you think why L. would end it here?)

Optional reading: Halbwachs, On Collective Memory, pp. 37-83 (on reserve in Odegaard). I am not, strictly speaking, requiring you to read this, though I encourage you to at some point. Halbwachs was a pioneer in memory-studies as they relate to history (he’s the guy who coined the term ‘collective memory’). These pages will give you a short introduction to the basics of his theories. Anyone interested in the whole subject of history and memory eventually has to grapple with him!

Plug away at your papers!

We’ll have our first presentation today (Beth), in the second half of class. First half devoted to a discussion of Livy Book 5.

Beth will circulate to us, via e-mail (and I will post it to our webpage) her abstract. Please make sure you’ve read that prior to coming to class; as part of this process, each of you will be expected to provide Beth with constructive advice and criticism (your turn will come!).

Things to think about:

• Camillus is a full-blown Roman exemplum par excellence. More than one study has suggested that Camillus is something of a ‘foil’ for Augustus – Augustus-in-disguise, that is (see G. Miles Livy. Reconstructing Early Rome if you’re interested). With that in mind: what are Camillus’ good qualities? bad? What aspects of his character does L. seem especially interested in emphasizing?
• Be prepared to talk about Camillus’ final speech (end of Bk. 5). Where have you seen some of these arguments before? is it a convincing speech
• Be on the lookout in this Book for instances of ‘memory as motivator’.