Intro to Latin Literature: Prose

Catalog description

Students will learn to read more extensive selections of ancient Latin by a variety of prose authors, including Cicero, Caesar, Livy, Pliny, and others. Students will deepen their understanding of the central components of Latin, complemented by attention to the finer details of ancient prose and by analysis of unfamiliar grammatical constructions. Students will develop strategies for encountering multiple different authors, will learn to identify important markers of various genres of ancient Latin prose (e.g., essay, court oration, history, and the epistle), and will analyze how these ancient examples compare to their modern equivalents. Throughout the course students will learn about the larger contexts for each of the ancient prose selections, developing an appreciation for historical, political, and cultural aspects of ancient Latin writings.