CICERO’S LIFE AND THE POLITICS OF LATE REPUBLICAN ROME, PART I:

CICERO, A ‘NEW MAN’ IN ROME

with Krasimir Ivanov
Mondays 5-6:30pm UK time, October 2-November 27, 2023

The standard approach to historical events is to examine the decisions of a variety of different players from the perspective of posterity, sometimes at many centuries’ remove. Attention tends to focus on politics, major battles, and broad socio-economic trends.

Another way of looking at history is to narrow the focus by zooming in on one person’s life. Here, the interest lies in the depth of the individual’s thoughts, the critical moments of their life, their dedication to their duties, and so on.

This time, however, why not do something different and enjoy the fruits of both approaches? In this seminar we will take the life of Cicero as the basis of our discussions, but rather than talking only about him we will ask who he was close to, what his connections were, who his rivals and his enemies were, and why life brought them together. What happened? How did things turn out? What came to pass?

Above all in these classes we hope to get a sense of the upheavals of the times, their spirit, their hopes, battles, joys, and disappointments. Our aim will be to try and understand what it was to be born at that moment in history, to grow up, be educated, live, and die at that time. Let’s try and live, with Cicero, through the final act of the famous concordia ordinum .

In this first part of the series we will look at how the Romans expanded their interests to the extent that Rome became the capital of almost the entire known world, and how the seeds of its fall were sown. We will try and get a sense of the effort involved in bringing up one’s children, earning a living, and so on. We will look at how the Romans organised their domestic and military lives, where Cicero fits in to the first part of this century, and how he took his first steps on the cursus honorum .

This seminar is suitable for students who have completed their Latin grammar studies and are ready to examine one of the most important original Latin authors we have.

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WOMEN-ONLY SEMINAR: EMOTIONS IN ANCIENT LITERATURE

with Dr Melinda Letts
Tuesdays at 5-6:30 pm UK time, October 3-November 28, 2023

There are comparatively few women in the Latin speaking field, a fact that has nothing to do with ability and everything to do with opportunity. This seminar, led by Melinda Letts, aims to help redress the balance by giving women the opportunity to practise speaking Latin with each other in a mutually supportive environment. Designed for women who are fairly confident readers of Latin and specifically want to begin or develop their speaking ability, the seminar will encourage discussion of students’ response to the texts rather than primarily teaching grammar, though grammatical guidance will be given whenever it is needed.

The texts for this term have been chosen from a variety of authors and genres including love elegy, mourning poetry, and epistolary, historical and philosophical prose. All of them deal with human emotions: love, hatred, fear, grief, consolation, depression, elation, and more, presented in contrasting pairs per fortnight. The first part of each seminar will include an introduction to the author and genre concerned.

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THE FANTASY GENRE IN GREEK LITERATURE:
TRUE HISTORIES
(VERAE HISTORIAE )
BY LUCIAN OF SAMOSATA

with Oroel Marcuello Gil
Tuesdays at 7:30-9 pm UK time, October 3-November 28, 2023

ἵνα μὴ μόνος ἄμοιρος ὦ τῆς ἐν τῷ μυθολογεῖν ἐλευθερίας, ἐπεὶ μηδὲν ἀληθὲς ἱστορεῖν εἶχον – οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐπεπόνθειν ἀξιόλογον – ἐπὶ τὸ ψεῦδος ἐτραπόμην εὐγνωμονέστερον· κἂν ἓν γὰρ δὴ τοῦτο ἀληθεύσω λέγων ὅτι ψεύδομαι.

‘In order not to be the only one missing out on the freedom to tell stories, having nothing true to relate (for I had experienced nothing worth mentioning) I turned gladly to untruths; indeed the only true thing I shall say is that I am telling untruths.’
Luc. VH, 1.4

The intersection of Homeric inquiries, interstellar voyages, fluid sexualities, and plenty of sarcasm, characterises the literary milieu surrounding Lucian of Samosata. Eclipsing his contemporaries in brilliance and precocity, Lucian stands as an eminent figure within Ancient Greek literature. This seminar endeavours to establish conceptual bridges between Lucian and his predecessors, as well as those who followed in his narrative tradition: Thomas More, Jules Verne, Ursula K. Le Guin, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling.

Over the course of these nine sessions, we will read various excerpts from Verae Historiae including the proem, the journey to the moon, the interior of a whale, the conversation between Lucian and Homer, and the Island of Dreams. Moreover, we will collectively reflect on the theoretical and literary foundations of the fantasy genre in both the ancient and modern worlds. We'll conclude with a reading of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, translated into Ancient Greek by Dr. Andrew Wilson.

The approach we take will depend on the number of participants and their interests. This seminar also aims to enhance the active competence of participants in Classical Greek, both in written and spoken forms. We might engage in writing exercises as well.

This seminar is intended for intermediate and advanced students.

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RENAISSANCE AND NEO-LATIN READING COURSE

with Iván Parga Ornelas
Thursdays 4:30-6 pm UK time, October 5-November 30, 2023

Latin language and literature have a rich and enduring history that goes beyond the dissolution of the Roman empire. From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance and even today, people across the world have used Latin to write literary, philosophical, political, and scientific works of great significance. In order to introduce students to post-classical Latin literature, this reading course will focus on the writings of Renaissance or Early Modern authors. The course is designed both for scholars of these periods who wish to improve their Latin for academic purposes, as well as for enthusiasts of the language who seek a wider understanding of the history of Latin literature.

Classes are primarily taught in Latin, and they are meant for advanced or intermediate students who have already learned the grammar and can read, but still struggle to do so fluently and without a dictionary. It is recommended to have some experience with spoken Latin, but this is not required. As such, students with a firm grasp of the language, even if they do not have previous experience with the active method, are warmly welcomed and encouraged to participate in this learning experience.

The readings have been selected so as to cover several geographical areas, and literary genres: Some of the authors that will be read include Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) (1304-1374) Antonio Becadelli ‘Panormita’ (1394-1471), Laura Cereta (1469-1499), Erasmus of Rotterdam (1469 c. – 1535), Joachim du Bellay (1522-1560).

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INTRODUCTION TO PLATO'S ETHICS, PART I

with Pierre Gorsky-Mièze
Thursdays 6-7:30 pm UK time, October 5-November 30, 2023

Plato is not a fan of Athenian democracy. The speakers jostling for position in the agora seek to persuade rather than teach. Appearance takes precedence over truth. For Athens to continue to prosper, Plato sees only one solution: to devote his energy to the development of citizens. Not as a sophist, but as a philosopher. What are the definitions of and relationships between virtue, emotions, reason, happiness, duty? How should we live, according to Plato?

Sometimes Plato’s arguments can seem scattered or disjointed. Is there an underlying logical system to his method? What is it that Plato is aiming at in his earliest dialogues?

Plato's later works see him start to diverge from the ideas of his master, Socrates. To what degree does Plato preserve Socrates as a historical figure, and to what degree is Socrates a prop for Plato’s own agenda?

In our first seminar we will work through extracts of some of Plato’s earliest dialogues, Protagoras, Gorgias, and Meno.

Seminar II (Winter Term) and Seminar III (Spring Term) will cover extracts of The Republic and excerpts from Plato’s other later works.

This course is intended for those who have completed their study of Greek grammar and wish to work on their reading and speaking fluency. Each week students will receive a document summarising the vocabulary, grammar and syntax of the excerpts studied, simplified grammar and syntax examples, and a writing exercise that will serve as a basis for discussion at the beginning of the next class. This seminar is limited to 6 students.

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