When T.S. Eliot pondered the question, “what is a Classic?” he claimed that any definition that omitted Vergil would have to be rejected. Since Augustus’ intervention saved Vergil’s still unfinished Aeneid from the flame, it has been the quintessential work of Roman literature, a cornerstone of a liberal education, a foundation of Western literary culture, and—as with any great work of art—a source of enjoyment and contention.

In this course we will read selections in Latin drawn mostly from Books I-IV, VI, X, and XII of Vergil's Aeneid, an epic that narrates Aeneas’ attempt to shepherd his Trojan refugees to a new home. We will also read the entire work in English, as well as other works by Vergil in order to get a better sense of the author and his goals. We will explore other (mostly Classical) authors who influenced and were influenced by Vergil’s magnum opus so that we can better understand both the task Vergil confronted and the long shadow the Aeneid has cast on subsequent literature. Finally we will engage modern interpretations of Vergil and the Aeneid with an eye towards promoting critical reading and nuanced appreciation of this complex work of art.

Prerequisites: The equivalent of three semesters of college-level Latin.

Announcements

Final Project Passages

Alison: 2.199-219 (Laocoon)
Katie: 2.571-587 (Aeneas & Helen)
Jessy: 4.203-218 (Iarbas)
Julie: 2.1-17 (Aeneas begins tale)
Mark: 12.938-952 (Death of Turnus)
Phil: 1.195-209 (Aeneas Rallys)
Rhys: 2.368-385 (Androgeos)
Sarah: 3.613-629 (Achaemenides)

Examples of Previous Projects

Course Information