Summer Institute 2006
Roman Satire
July 5-15, 2006The Department of Classics at the University of Florida has scheduled a two-week intensive summer institute for July 5-15, 2006 (i.e., July 5-8 and July 10-15 - and hence comfortably between ACL and NJCL). The course is specifically designed with the needs of high school Latin teachers in mind. Three and six credit options are available at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and summer credits may be combined with the department's distance learning courses (offered in Fall and Spring), and applied towards the M.A., M.L., or Ph.D.
Instructor: Dr. Timothy Johnson
Course Description:
The goal of the seminar will be to read closely selections from the Roman satirists, Horace and Juvenal, and to explore the basic interpretative questions that their satire raises. When the student completes the Institute, it should be possible for s/he to frame a thoughtful answer to the question, "What role does satire play within Roman socio-historical and literary perspectives to influence thought for ancient and subsequent readers?". Of course, along the way we will pay close attention to meter and other essentials of the satiric form, ancient and modern.Satire is a uniquely Roman genre, and as such gives particular insight into the Roman mentality, a composite of the serious and comic. Satire is introspective: anyone who engages in satire must be willing to examine the foibles and shortcomings of their own society and humanity in general. Much of Roman literature is a quest into their own identity and destiny. The bluntness of Juvenal's invective remains startling, but other satirists likewise demand an inward eye. Satire is not completely didactic: pleasure and entertainment are at its heart. The Romans loved games and Satire is an inventive extension and recreation of Old Comedy. Satire is not high speech (Horace refers to his satires as sermones), but it is poetry. The Romans are not whimsical, but neither are they simple, flat figures -- directness does not preclude diversity and multiplicity. For example, the Horatian style is deceptive: common words, ideas, and rhythms often mask a sensitivity and depth of thought accomplished through word order and structure. Such subtleties, cleverness, and attention to nuance are Horace's strengths, and the entire tradition of Western literature is in his debt. To read satire is to learn the art of poetry.
Books (may be ordered online from bookstores like Amazon; websites for used books will often yield inexpensive copies, e.g. http://www.addall.com):Texts required:
E.C. Wickham, Horati Opera (Oxford 1901)
J. Ferguson, Juvenal: The Satires (New York 1979)
J.C. Rolfe, Horace: Sermones et Epistulae (New York 1976). A reserve copy will be available. This text is out-of-print, but you may be able to locate a used copy.Secondary Reading:
The secondary reading is designed to provide a basic introduction to Roman satire. These books will be available on reserve in the seminar room for the Institute, but you are free to also purchase these from whatever sources you find available.Kirk Freudenburg, ed. Cambridge Companion to Satire (2005).
Kirk Freudenburg, Satires of Rome: Threatening Poses from Lucilius to Juvenal (Cambridge 2001).
Kirk Freudenburg, The Walking Muse: Horace on the Theory of Satire (Princeton 1993).
Daniel Hooley, The Knotted Thong: Structures of Mimesis in Persius (Michigan 1997).
Amy Richlin, The Garden of Priapus: Sexuality and Aggression in Roman Humor (Oxford 1992).
David Wray, Catullus and the Poetics of Roman Manhood (Cambridge 2001).
Syllabus: The syllabus can be accessed as a pdf file by clicking here.
Orientation and Advising:
There will be an orientation for all new distance-learning students. An individual advising session will also be scheduled for all distance-learning students. Details forthcoming.
Registration:
See http://web.classics.ufl.edu/distance/registration.html for registration instructions. Basically, Florida residents register through ISIS, and out-of-state students register through DoCE. (Here is a link to ISIS for Florida residents: http://www.isis.ufl.edu.)
Use the following course numbers and sections for registration:
- Graduate students residing in Florida:
LNW 6365 (sect. 4617): Studies in Roman Satire [course]
LNW 6905 (sect. 4747): Roman Satire [optional paper]- Graduate students residing outside of Florida:
LNW 6365 ('web' sect. 4618): Studies in Roman Satire [course]
LNW 6905 ('web' sect. 4748): Roman Satire [optional paper]- Undergraduate students:
LNW 3360 (sect. 4614): Studies in Roman Satire [course]
LNW 4905 (sect. 0667): Roman Satire [optional paper]
Tuition:
The cost for LNW 6365 section 4618 (the section of the Summer Latin Institute for non-Florida residents) is $690. The cost of LNW 6905 section 4748 (the section of the optional term paper for non-Florida residents) is $50/credit hour, = $150. (The cost of the corresponding sections for Florida residents, i.e. LNW 6365 section 4617 and LNW 6905 section 4747, should be the same.) Information concerning scholarships or other support can be obtained from your local school district.
Housing:
Some rooms will be available at the newly renovated University of Florida Reitz Union hotel, in the middle of campus (no worries about driving or parking!). Use Group Code SLI06 to get the Institute rate of $70/night for standard or double room (no extra charge for sharing). There are plenty of cheap motels off campus as well; one favorite is the Extended Stayamerica, 3600 SW 42nd St. (352-375-0073).
Questions? Contact the Distance Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Velvet Yates, at vyates@ufl.edu.
Past Summer Institutes
- View images from the 2005 Lucretius Institute
- View images from the 2004 Fasti Institute
- View images from the 2003 Livy Institute
- View images from the 2002 Cicero Institute
- View images from the 1999 Catullus Institute
- View images from the 1998 Latin Institute
