Time Schedule:
Jaime L Volker
LATIN 461
Seattle Campus
Readings and discussion of selected authors from the era of the Roman Republic. Recommended: either minimum two years of Latin language study at college level or equivalent.
Class description
We will read selections from Julius Caesar's commentaries on the civil war, also known as the "Bellum Civile". I am aiming for us to read key passages in Latin and the remainder in English with John Carter's translation. As we further hone our translation skills and bask in the art of Caesar's prose, we will focus on Caesar's methods of self-presentation in the "Bellum Civile" as well as via other media (coins, etc.). In addition we can discuss other issues according to students' interests, such as: genre, date of composition, Caesar's target audience, the purpose of the work, and why the Bellum Civile ends where it does, or anything else that springs to mind.
As a possible ongoing project, students will re-imagine Caesar's art of self-presentation by creating a Julius Caesar Facebook page (I'll also consider a Twitter feed), wherein they will present events of the civil war using the same "facta non dicta" methods as good ol' JC.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Recommended preparation
Class assignments and grading
