Latin 120B
California State
University, Sacramento
Course Description
120B. Cicero: a study of the works of the Roman orator Cicero, along with topics in advanced Latin grammar and vocabulary.
Prerequisite: Latin 2 or equivalent; or permission of the instructor. 3 units.
[3] credits
Syllabus:
Textbooks:
- ECCE ROMANI Book 3
- Henle, Third Year Latin (Cicero's orations)
- Henle, Grammar
Tests: There will be periodic quizzes and a final exam. The quizzes are all announced; there are no makeups. Part of any quiz may be take-home. The quizzes and exams count 80% of your grade; class work (=homework completion, readiness to answer questions) is 20%. The quizzes will cover new features (and old) of the Latin language; the quizzes will also cover the content of the readings.
Grading: Quizzes receive a numerical grade. The average of these grades is 80% of the grade in the class. 90%-100% = A; 80%-89% = B; 70%-79% = C; 60%-69% = D. Less than 60% = failure.
Attendance: I expect you to be in class every day. You get 5 (five) "free" absences; after that number, your grade goes down one step (A to B, B to C, and so on).
Homework: Assignments in Ecce Romani 3 and (after Ecce Romani 3 is completed) in Cicero's First Oration against Catiline will be given each day. We will do all the exercises in Ecce Romani 3 as in the past. Among these exercises are questions on the history of the first century B.C. and the first century A.D. and map exercises. I expect you to learn some details of the history of Rome during the periods covered in Ecce Romani III and to be able to identify places on a map of the Mediterranean world. Along with the translation assignments in Cicero's First Oration against Catiline, we will have practice sentences from Latin to English and English to Latin. These are in Henle, Third Year Latin, pp. 209 ff. and will review all of Latin grammar. You will find these exercises very helpful in maintaining your Latin language skills.
Objectives: to develop skill in reading unedited Latin prose. Read for content.
Links to Web Sites on Cicero:
The Cicero Homepage This page includes many texts, a biography, and an extensive bibliography.
Web Sites of Interest to Students of Classics This page covers authors of all periods.
Internet Classical Resources - mostly translations
Why Take This Course; Why Study Latin?
- You will learn much about Roman history.
- You will greatly improve your knowledge of Latin, especially of the standard Latin prose used throughout antiquity and the Renaissance.
- You will become familiar with some of the fundamental influences on the development of the English language, particularly its literary manifestations.
Requirements
You must have taken Latin 1A, 1B, and 2 at CSUS or the equivalent (usually three semesters) at another university. Two years of intensive high school study can be equivalent. Consult the instructor if you are in doubt.
I recommend that you have a SacLink account for electronic mail and Internet services. Although a home computer with a high speed modem running Netscape or Internet Explorer would be beneficial, students can use the Web from one of the campus student labs. I will give you a disk of Latin exercises which you can do at home. Bring me a disk to exchange. I have exercises for Mac and DOS.
Successful Student Characteristics
Discipline to complete projects by deadlines; motivation to study, write, and participate fully in class activities; and time to devote approximately 10 hours a week to a 3-credit course. Most students who take this class are also enrolled in advanced classes in English, History, Humanities, Philosophy, or similar fields. Many are graduate students.
Instructor
e-mail = mtriley@csus.edu.
DEPARTMENT / CSUS
Page updated: 11/23/98