Latin 510 (Tacitus). Assignment for Week 1 (T 10/6 and Th 10/8)

Agricola 1-9 (nb: the text printed in Ogilvie and Richmond is identical to that in the OCT). Make sure you read the commentary as well.

At our first meeting, we will translate and discuss Chaps. 1-3.

Secondary reading: Read Ogilvie and Richmond's intro. to Ogilvie and Richmond, 1-31

Ponderanda (please come prepared to discuss):

Beginnings. Give some thought to the way the Agricola begins, with these questions in mind:

•what does T. want us to know about himself?

•what does he want us to know about the time in which he writes? about the time in which Agricola lived?

•what appears to be the purpose of the work?

•what sort of knowledge (if any) does T. assume in his reader?

For comparison (this is purely optional), look (or relook) at the beginnings or prefaces of one or more of the following (or of any other works that strike your fancy): Herodotus' Histories; Xenophon's Cyropaedia, Livy (the preface); Vergil, beg. of Aen. 1; Pliny's Panegyricus; Suetonius' Augustus. And/or: beginning of Tacitus' Annals or the Histories