CL 351 Latin Seminar                                                                                        Spring 2009
Seneca’s Moral Epistles AND On Mercy

Class meets: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1-2 p.m. STH 113.

Prof. Zsuzsanna Várhelyi                                              
Office: STH 404, @ 745 Comm. Ave.                            Tel.: 617-353-4029
Office hours for Prof. Várhelyi: W 2-4; F 11-12.
           
Course description
 “A good mind is neither borrowed nor bought” so wrote Seneca in one of his Moral Epistles to Lucilius. This semester, we will better our minds (and Latin) by reading a selection of Seneca’s moral philosophical letters and On Mercy. Our focus this year will be on Seneca’s relations: to himself, to his friends, and to the emperor, Nero. In the progress of the semester, you are expected become a better reader of Latin prose texts, both in terms of their grammar, style and subject matter and in the context of the ancient Roman world.

Course requirements (and percentages of the final grade they represent)
A: Work on Latin: 35%
-Preparation for and participation in classes: 35% of your final grade.
You will need to come to each class prepared to translate the assigned passages smoothly and to participate in a discussion about the structure and meaning of the text. If you have any in-depth grammatical questions regarding the text, try to notify me at the latest in the morning of the class via e-mail, so I can schedule some time to discuss it. In class, you will not be allowed to read out a prepared translation, but can make use of personal notes in the margins of your text. In preparing for the class, you are strongly encouraged to use the helpful notes provided in our class text and on handouts.
B: Work on context, interpretation and style: 20%
-Class presentation: 5%
I will ask you to read on Seneca as well as parts of four articles on Senecan criticism (including textual matters). I will ask you to prepare a short summary in English of each assignment and bring it to class on the day the reading is due.
-Reading of secondary literature for class discussion: 5%
You will be asked to read a few short articles in English for class discussion. When we have such discussions, I will ask you to write a summary of what you have read about in English.
-Essay: 10%
Addressing an area of Senecan criticism with your own personal response. We will discuss possible topics in class, and then you will need to have your chosen topic approved by me two weeks before the essay is due.
C: Exams: 45%
-Quizzes: 10%
Two announced short web-quizzes testing your translation, grammar and interpretative skills on a short passage assigned for the day during the semester.
-Midterm: 15%
Translation of a passage as well as question on its grammar, style and interpretation selected from texts we have covered during the first part of the semester.
-Final: 20%
Translation of a passage as well as question on its grammar, style and interpretation selected from texts we have covered during the semester.
Prerequisites: Completion of a course on the level of CL21x or evidence of appropriate knowledge is a pre-requisite for participation in this course.
Discussions with the instructor: You should discuss any questions about the course with me during my office hours. You should also plan on seeing me at least once during the semester to discuss your paper.
Attendance policy: You need to attend class to be able to complete this course. Note also the CAS policy on incompletes: this is an extreme option available only in special cases.
Late work: In general, handing in your work late results in a lower grade, unless you can provide written proof of exceptional circumstances that prevented you from completing your work on time.
Plagiarism and cheating: The Academic Conduct Code (in your Student Handbook, also available in CAS 105) defines what qualifies as cheating and plagiarism. Cases of suspected misconduct are automatically referred to the Dean’s Office. We shall discuss in class how you can avoid cheating and develop a professional writing style of your own. Working together in preparation for class (e.g. reading the letters together) does not count as cheating, but your grade will be based only on your work as shown in your class performance and exams.
Textbooks: (To be purchased as soon as possible at Barnes and Noble on Kenmore Square)
-Seneca’s Moral Epistles: selected and edited with introduction, notes and vocabulary by Anna Lydia Motto. Bolchazy 2001. ISBN: 978-0-8-6516487-1
-Seneca, Moral Essays. Vol. 1. (Loeb library edition). Harvard UP 2003. ISBN: 9780674992368
-Chambers-Murray Latin Dictionary. Chambers 1994. ISBN: 978-0-5-5019003-1

Schedule of readings: These are the readings you need to complete by the date listed.
(This schedule is subject to change during the semester as announced in class and posted on the course website.)
1/14 W: Introduction: Seneca and his times.
1/16 F: Letter 1. Read: Motto 2001 (textbook), pp. xi-xiv.
I. Seneca’s epistolary practice: the self and its other
1/21: Epistle 16: Philosophy as life’s guide lines 1-36
1/23: Epistle 16: Philosophy as life’s guide 36-61
1/26: Epistle 50: Becoming better daily 1-27
1/28: Epistle 50: Becoming better daily 28-61
1/30: Epistle 52: Moral guide 1-36
2/2: Epistle 52: Moral guide 37-79
2/4: Epistle 52: Moral guide 80-92; Epistle 27: Virtue, lines 1-20
2/6: Epistle 27: Virtue 20-56
2/9: Quiz 1 due: Epistle 6: Friendship
2/11: Epistle 114: Style is the man, 1-35
2/13: Epistle 114: Style is the man, 35-72
2/17: Epistle 114: Style is the man, 72-110
2/18: Epistle 114: Style is the man, 111-147
2/20: Epistle 114: Style is the man, 147-173
2/23: Epistle 114: Style is the man, 174-205. Discussion class: read Edwards 1997, 23-31 and Too 1997, 213-219.
2/25: Epistle 42: Rarity of vir bonus
2/27: Epistle 11: Wisdom and Emotions
3/2: Review for midterm
3/4: MIDTERM.
II. Seneca and the emperor: the De Clementia
3/6: On Mercy 1.1-4.
3/16: On Mercy 1.5-9.
3/18: On Mercy 2.1-3.2.
3/20: On Mercy 3.3-3.5.
3/23: Quiz 2 due: On Mercy 4.1-5.3.
3/25: On Mercy 5.4-5.7.
3/27: On Mercy 6.1-7.2.
3/30: On Mercy 7.3-8.6.
4/1: On Mercy 8.7-9.6.
4/3: On Mercy 9.7-9.12.
4/6: On Mercy 10.1-11.3. Discussion class: Wallace-Hadrill 1982.
4/8: On Mercy 11.4-12.4.
4/10: On Mercy 12.5-13.5.
4/13: On Mercy 14.1-15.2
4/15: On Mercy 15.3-16.1.
4/17: On Mercy 16.2-17.3.
4/22: On Mercy 18.1-19.3.
4/23: On Mercy 19.4-19.9.
4/24: On Mercy 20-21.
4/27: On Mercy 22-23.
4/29: Tacitus on Seneca’s death (handout)

Final exam: T 5/5 12:30p.m. - 2:30p.m.

Some presentation ideas: (we can also discuss further options based on your interests):
-Seneca making fun of the imperial cult: the Apocolocyntosis
-Seneca on Anger
-Seneca and rhetorics
-Philosophical schools in the Roman Empire
-Philosophical friendship in the ancient world
-Philosophy as consolation
-The Stoics and suicide
-Imperial clemency prior to Seneca
-Virtue ethics
-Epistles: real and fictional in Latin literature

Bibliography
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