Unit information: Latin Language Level D1 in 2013/14

Unit name	Latin Language Level D1
Unit code	CLASM0038
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Professor. Shane Butler
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Classics & Ancient History
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

For the Romans, verse satire, especially in the works of Lucilius, Horace and Juvenal, was the quintessentially Roman genre, with no counterpart in Greek. Associated with personal attack and diatribes on the state of society, it also focuses on the self-styled outsider‟s attempts to gain an entrée into Roman society. But satire is not the only genre that adopts aggression as its posture: the epigrams of Catullus and Martial also project themselves as examples of „Roman straight-talking‟, whilst the Epodes of Horace self-consciously look back to the „iambic‟ poetry of the Greek Archilochus. In this unit, we will read some central texts of this „poetry of aggression‟ and explore what the Romans thought they were doing with it. How do the different genres characterize their aggression? Is this poetry a serious critique of society and its most prominent figures, or a source of lurid entertainment? Does its character change as Republic phases into Empire?

Aims:

Upon conclusion of this unit students will have developed knowledge of the issues raised in relation to the texts studied and their interpretation, and the relevance of these for wider theoretical issues. They will have developed a detailed appreciation of the literary style of the texts studied and improved their fluency in reading and stylistic translating of Greek/Latin.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit students should have:

• developed their skills in reading, translating and interpreting a Greek/Latin text and in evaluating translations of it;

• become familiar with current debates about the texts studied, and their historical and cultural significance;

• developed and refined their skills in constructing coherent, relevant and sophisticated critical arguments, and in relating their readings of the texts to wider theoretical issues;

• developed and enhanced their skills in oral and written communication by contributing to discussion in seminars, presenting short papers, and producing an essay and a written examination.

Teaching Information

Seminars and reading classes. 20 contact hours, 180 hours independent study

Assessment Information

• 1 essay of approximately 4000 words in length (50%), and

• 1 90-minute examination containing sight translation, set text translation, and passages of set text for comment (50%).

Reading and References

Texts are specified on an annual basis according to the author being studied. Texts and references are detailed on the course handout.