Fall 2006

LAT 323 • Vergil: the Origins of Rome

Course Description

You started it in LAT 312 or AP Latin; now find out how the Aeneid ends! In this half of the poem, Aeneas and his followers quit wandering aimlessly around the Mediterranean and get down to business. The first goal of this class will be to read as much of Aeneid 7-12 as possible given the range of student preparation. To this end there will be daily reading assignments, but we will also reserve time for lecture and disscussion of more global issues: what is Vergil's relationship both to specific predecessors and to Hellenistic aesthetics in general? Can we give a more precise discription of Vergil's fabled "ambiguity" and its function(s)? Does contemporary critical theory have anything to add to our understanding of ancient poetry? At what level(s) does the Aeneid, as a piece of poetry, react to contemporary historical events? Why do some people still insist on spelling Vergil's name with an "i"? Grading: two exams (15%), final (35%), paper (5-6 pp.; 15%), class participation (20%)

Texts

Virgil, R.D. Williams, ed. The Aeneid of Virgil: Books 7-12 (St. Martin's) a course reader

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