Latin 496

Purpose of the course: to become familiar with this important genre of Latin literature; to read some informal Latin; to increase sight reading skills; to do some scholarly work.

Prepare the readings for each session. Each week we will aim to read the prepared letters and then do some sight translation, sometimes formally (in writing) and sometimes informally (in groups).

Each student will do two projects, one formal and the other more informal, and contribute to the class project:

Informal project: choose one book of Pliny’s letters (other than book I) and read it through in English. Note down the topics of the letters. Notice especially any letters on literary topics or letters that refer to writing letters. See if the letters in the book have any relation to each other: that is, is there any unity in the particular book? [The answer may be "no."] Look up and write down any interesting phrases in the Latin. Write up your results in two or three pages. If you find a letter that particularly interests you, you may use it for project # 2.

More formal project: choose one letter of Pliny of substantial length and write a commentary on it. Use Sherwin-White’s Commentary. Read some articles, if available, about the letter. Translate the letter. Comment on:

• grammar/syntax, language, and style
• persons, customs, events mentioned in the letter

These can be shared with the class orally and on the web page.

Class project: collect idioms and useful phrases and bring in one or two each week.

Week I (23 August) Introduction to the course, discussion of projects, sight reading from Cicero

Week 2 (30 August) Cicero, Letters 1, 6 [some at sight or for next week]

• Readings: Brooks Otis, "The Uniqueness of Latin Literature"
• Introduction in textbook

Week 3 (13 September) Cicero Letter 18 -- sight translation quiz

Week 4 (20 September) Cicero 6 -- sight translation quiz

Week 5 (27 September) Cicero 9 and 43 -- exam

Week 6 (4 October) Seneca # 1, # 2 (on web page/handouts)

Week 7 (11 October) Pliny (I.1, I.3, I.4, I.5)

Week 8 (18 October) Pliny (I.6, I.9, I.11, I. 15, I.24)

Week 9 (25 October) Pliny (II.1, IV.13)

Week 10 (1 November) Pliny (III.5) exam

Week 11 (8 November) Pliny (VI.16) [notes]

Week 12 (15 November) Pliny (VI.20) [notes]

Week 13 (29 November) Pliny (X. 97-8)

Week 14 (6 December) Cornelia, Augustus to Gaius, to Livia, etc. (on web page/handouts)