Assignment for Mon. October 3/Wed. Oct. 5

• For this week you should read all of Book 1 of the De oratore, reading sections 102-159 in Latin and the remainder in English – you are, of course, welcome to read more of the Latin if you wish!

We’ll aim to translate (and/or discuss) roughly half of the assigned Latin on Monday, the other half on Wednesday.

• Also read, for preliminary sense of what the De orat. is about and to provide some context (historical and otherwise), the Introduction in May and Wisse, pp. 3-48.

Ponderanda

Come ready to contribute your thoughts and observations on the following (and of course on any other issues you’d like to raise):

• Read the beginning of the De orat. carefully. What is the tone and mood of these opening sections? What seems to be the impetus for the piece?

• Given our burgeoning interest in oratory and performance, be on the lookout throughout Book 1 for references to or comments about acting or public performance generally. What relevance, if any, does Cicero (or any of the participants) think acting has for the orator?

• Of the participants in the dialogue to this point, who emerges as the most persuasive and credible? Be prepared to explain why.