LAT 371: Livy



LAT 371: Livy

W. Freiert

7639 or 931-5508

wfreiert@gac.edu

TEXTS: Livy, Book I, ed. Gould and Whiteley

Livy, The War with Hannibal

GOALS OF THIS COURSE:

1. To read in Latin, understand, and discuss the first book of Livy’s Ab Urbe Condita.

2. To understand and be able to explain the grammatical and syntactical structures of Livy’s prose.

3. To learn something of the method and scope of Livy’s work and of the major events of the Punic Wars by reading Books 21-30 in English.

MINNESOTA STANDARDS:

This course fulfills the following teacher licensing rules (Subpart 4) set by the Minnesota State Board of Teaching:

A3a(i): The teacher must read with understanding passages of prose or poetry of the most important Latin and Greek authors.

Throughout the course students develop their reading knowledge of Livy’s Ab Urbe Condita, reading passages aloud, analyzing grammar, and discussing prose style, the author’s vision of Rome, and historical background.

A3a(ii): A teacher must explain grammatical structures of the sentences and analyze word forms, including case use, mood, and tense.

In order to assess students’ linguistic understanding , the instructor drills and tests on recognition of morphology and application of syntactical principles, thus reinforcing students’ ability to parse and not merely to have a passive understanding of the language.

A3b(ii): The teacher must orate prose with expression and correct inflection.

All passages studied are read aloud by individual students. The enrollment is small enough that every student receives daily practice in reading Latin aloud and pronouncing it correctly and with expression.

A3c: The teacher must understand main ideas of a connected oral reading.

Frequent daily use of oral Latin accustoms students to understanding the spoken language. All passages studied are read aloud by the students.

B2: The teacher must have a sociolinguistic understanding sufficient for accurately communicating the interrelationships of the language and culture.

Through periodic interpretation of Latin vocabulary and through analysis of the highly ordered syntax of classical Latin, the instructor gradually instills in students an intuitive understanding of the language as a constituent aspect of the culture. Livy’s idiosyncratic style is analyzed as a reflection of his particular purposes and his attitude towards Roman history and ethos.

SYLLABUS:

Each week we will read 100-150 lines of Latin.

Once each week we will discuss selected pages of The War with Hannibal.

Tests will be during the fourth, eighth, and twelfth weeks.

Papers will be due during the fifth, ninth, and thirteenth weeks.

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION:

Your attainment of the goals of the course and your ability to fulfill the standards for teaching that the course addresses will be measured in the following ways:

1. Participation:

Your active contribution to the reading aloud, translating and interpreting of Livy’s history will be worth one-third of your grade [all standards cited above].

2. Objective evaluation:

Three tests, also worth one-third, will assess your ability to translate extended passages of Livy, to identify grammatical and syntactic patterns, and to comment on Livy’s style, on his purposes, and on historiographical issues [standards A3a(i and ii)].

3. Research:

You will write three papers, each about four pages long (double-spaced). The next class meeting after each paper is turned in will be spent analyzing the papers and discussing the problems you encountered in writing about your research. For each paper, you will share your conclusions with the class in a short report and your classmates will offer suggestions on improving the paper. The first paper addresses standard B2.

LAT 371: Livy W. Freiert

WRITING

Your first paper will involve philological analysis. Using David Packard’s concordance to Livy, trace Livy’s use of one political or ethical term. What does Livy’s use of this word tell you about his notion of historiography or his interpretation of Rome’s past?

For your second paper, compare Livy’s version of events in Books 21 or 33 with the version given by his major source for these books, Polybios, books 3 and 18, respectively. How does Livy alter Polybios’ account and why do you think he did so?

You may choose the topic of your third paper. Here are some suggestions:

Livy’s value as an “historian”

Comparison of Book I with late books

Livy’s view of Roman religion

Livy’s purpose, illustrataed by one passage

Livy’s prefeace compared with that of Thucydides

(1.22)

Speeches vs. narration in Livy

Livy’s influence on Machiavelli

For other topics obtain advance approval.

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