Latin 802: Latin Prose Composition
Mechanics
Class will meet twice a week
Friday Meetings: Compositions will be assigned, due by the following Friday morning. Sight and seen readings from Cicero and discussion of secondary literature.
Tuesday Meeting: Discussion of the English assigment and the Latin compositions.
Requirements
- Summarize and discuss one item from secondary literature.
- Weekly compositions.
- Final Composition due in middle of Exam Week.
- Five to ten page stylistic analysis of a selected passage from Cicero (Div. in Caec., unless another passage is approved).
Objectives
- Learn to read Latin more carefully, especially with attention to how word order and emphasis shape both the sentence and its meaning.
- Gain some ability to imitate a Ciceronian style.
- Understand Ciceronian style in both diachronic and synchronic terms.
Required Texts
Cicero, Divinatio in Q. Caecilium
Collection of articles on style to be provided by instructor and created during the quarter.
Grading
Compositions = 60%, derived either from overall performance or from general improvement or from the final composition.
Class participation = 15%, including understanding of the secondary literature, participation in discussion and use of the Disscussion Group
Final analytic paper = 25%