Sure, Republican Rome was a seething hotbed of political intrigue
and social unrestóbut who knew corruption could be so much fun? This
course takes up one of the most exciting and fraught episodes in Roman
historyóthe conspiracy of Catiline in 63 BCEóthrough careful readings of
Sallustís Bellum Catilinae and Ciceroís first and second Catilinarian speeches.
We will investigate the social and political backdrop for the conspiracy,
the various historiographical and rhetorical techniques employed in these
texts, and our authorsí own literary concerns and social pretensions as
they respond to this time of crisis. This is very exciting stuff, so hold
on tight. A close reading of the selected texts will be accompanied
by a thorough review of the grammar and syntax. Our approach to these
texts will include:
* A practical introduction to reading extended
Republican prose.
* Work on improving the speed and (more importantly) critical acuity
of your reading of Latin prose.
* A critical analysis of prose technique, with emphasis
on lexical and stylistic choices.
In other words, this class is designed to help you develop and improve
your prose reading skills and, in general, to encourage you to become careful,
critical, and capable readers of Classical Latin prose. In addition to
these primary philological goals, we will consider the broader issues of
literary self-fashioning and social context, the rhetorical and historiographical
techniques employed in these texts, and the authorsí literary concerns
and pretensions in this time of social crisis.
Required
Texts:
H. E. Gould and J. L. Whiteley, edd.,
Cicero in Catilinam I & II. Bristol 1982 (1999)
J. T. Ramsey, ed., Sallust's
Bellum Catilinae. APA 1984
The
Grade Scale: It's a Conspiracy!