Classical Latin: Rome's Cultural and Linguistic Legacy

Undergraduate

Intermittent Why are so many scientific, medical, and legal terms Latinate in origin? How can studying a dead language help us learn about living ones? How can studying this ancient language help us understand our modern world? In this course, we will explore these questions through learning the fundamentals of the language itself. We will work towards reading original Classical Latin prose, and consider how aspects of Latin have influenced English and modern Romance languages. In addition, by reading excerpts from a variety of Roman authors, we will contrast Roman ideas about war and conquest, love and grief, science and medicine, drama, and leadership with our own modern conceptions of these topics. We will also discuss the opportunities and limitations of translation. By the end of the course, you will be able to read unadapted passages of Caesar's de Bello Gallico (On the Gallic War), and will be able to trace Roman cultural themes down to the modern day. This is a 9-unit course with an optional 3-unit add-on, for students who want to explore an aspect of the reception of Latin language or culture more deeply.