Advanced Latin Poetry: Horace
580:407
Monday and Thursday 9:50-11:10; FH B2
Katherine Wasdin
005 Ruth Adams (C/D)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 723-932-9784
Office Hours: Wednesday 2:30-4, or by appointment
Course Description
Quintus Horatius Flaccus wrote some of the most elegant and artful poetry in Latin
literature, reworking earlier Greek and Latin authors in his own distinctive style. We will
read the Epodes and the first book of the Odes in Latin, supplemented with English
readings from other works by Horace and secondary literature. Time permitting, we will
also read selections from other books.
Course Goals
In addition to improving Latin translation skills, students will gain an appreciation of
Latin meter and poetics. We will pay attention to the social and literary context of
Horace’s works and explore modern commentaries, scholarship, and reception. By
reading two entire books of Horace’s poetry (Epodes and Odes I) students will also learn
about the construction of Augustan poetry books.
Required Texts
Garrison, Odes and Epodes. Oklahoma.
You will also need access to a reliable Latin dictionary and grammar. Further
commentaries will be on reserve in the Alexander Library: see reserve list on Sakai.
Supplementary articles and other readings in English will also be available on Sakai.
Assignments
1: Attendance and participation: 15 %
2: Two midterms (translation and essay): 30 %
3: Recitation: 10 %
4: Article presentation with handout: 10%
5: Elegant translation: 10%
6: Commentary: 10 %
7: Interpretation (3-4 pages on your poem): 10 %
8: Final portfolio on selected poem (assignments 3-6 revised and collected): 5 %
In addition to regular attendance and testing for Latin comprehension, each student will
pick one poem that we will be reading this term as their focus. You are encouraged to
skim the poems in English or ask me for advice about what you might enjoy. You will
perform several tasks with your poem: memorize it to recite to the class, present a
relevant article on the day we read your poem, write an elegant literary translation to
discuss with the class, prepare a sample commentary (based on some use of the
commentaries on reserve), and write a short paper on one aspect of the poem. Further
guidelines for these tasks will be distributed as they are due. The last four tasks are to be
revised and handed in on the last day of class as part of a portfolio, presenting your own
interpretation of the poem in a coherent fashion.
Extra credit: 5 points to whichever grade you want. Write your own Horatian ode in
Latin. It must both scan and be grammatically correct. Any meter, at least 4 lines. You
may find Latin poetry composition useful.
Schedule
9/2: Introduction to Horace’s life and
Augustan Rome
11/4: O 1.22-26; Commentary due
9/8 and 9/9: E 1-3
11/8: O 1.27-31
9/13: E 4-5
11/11: O 1.32-35
9/16: E 6-8; Selections due
11/15: O 1.36-38
9/20: E 9-11
11/18: MIDTERM II
9/23: E 12-14
11/29: Carmen Saeculare; Paper due
9/27: E 15-16
12/2: Selections: women: 2.5 and 8; 3.9,
4.7
9/30: E 17; Recitations
10/4: O 1.1-2
10/7: O 1.3
10/11: MIDTERM I
10/14: O 1.4-6
10/18: O 1.7-9
10/21: O 1.10-11; Translations due
10/25: O 1.12-13
10/28: O 1.14-16
11/1: O 1.17-21
12/6: Selections: politics: Roman odes
12/9: Selections: poetry: O 3.1, 3.30, 4.1
12/13: Ars in English; Portfolio due