CLAS 301B - The Literature of the Ancient Romans: Latin Literature in English Translation

Classics 301B provides an introductory survey of Roman literature through English translations. The works to be studied include a span of over 300 years, covering Rome's transition from Republic to Empire. We will read from a variety of genres, including comedy and tragedy, epic and lyric poetry, didactic literature, satire, historiography, the novel, letters, and philosophy, and authors such as Plautus, Cicero, Vergil, Ovid, Livy, and Seneca. Roman literature provides varied and fascinating perspectives on Roman thought, history, and culture(s) and is also critical to appreciation of subsequent literatures and cultures in Europe and beyond.