Latin 382A ÒAfricansÓ in History and
Epic – Starks, Binghamton University SUNY, Spring 2013
Requirements, Grading, Assignment Descriptions, and other Essentials
Required Texts:
Vergil Aeneid 4, ed. J.J. OÕHara. Focus, 2011.
Livy Book XXI
ed. P.G. Walsh. Bristol,
1973.
Livy Hannibal's War, tr. J.C. Yardley. Oxford, 2006.
Sallust. CatilineÕs Conspiracy. The Jugurthine
War. Histories, ed . W. Batstone, Oxford 2010.
(Sallust Bellum Iugurthinum ed. L. Watkiss. Bristol, 1971 – online)
I STRONGLY
RECOMMEND that you buy a good, comprehensive dictionary, if you do not already
have one. The Oxford Desk Dictionary is a good basic dictionary, better than
the paperbacks, for quick reference. You should consider getting one of the two
Latin dictionaries that include citations for usage by particular Latin
authors, Cassell's Latin Dictionary (the hardback,
not the paperback) or the Oxford Elementary Latin Dictionary by Lewis (of Lewis
and Short).
Course Requirements and
Rules:
Exams: 3 term exams, one on each
author, Vergil, Livy, Sallust, the last given on final exam day. Mostly seen
passages for translation will appear on these along with content and style
questions. Term exams (not the final) will be taken on a Friday by arrangement
with Prof. Starks, and you will come by the department office to take those
exams without specific time limits. Format and content will be discussed and
negotiated closer to the time of exams.
Oral Reports:
Each student will read a modern
scholarly article on Vergil Aeneid 4 (5
reports) OR Sallust (5 reports) and report to the class on the author's
argument, evidence, and conclusions, NOT on the student's opinion of whether s/he
agreed with the author. These reports will be less than ten minutes on the
dates marked on the syllabus.
Each student will report once on ethnic issues and content
in the remainder of Livy's Books in the third decade (books 22-30) and one
additional report on FlorusÕ Epitomes of Books 21-30 and the Periochae. Examples of important, humorous, surprising, or timely citations
from the author are encouraged, within reason. These are limited to 10 MINUTES
so summarize.
Each student will lead class discussion once on Vergil (3
discussions), Livy (3 discussions) or Sallust (4 discussions). Discussion
leading will entail direction of questions and problems in the text, not
necessarily conclusions or extensive outside research. This is not as much a
presentation as a teaching moment. You should plan to lead discussion for a
minimum of 30 minutes, but you may have as much time as you like within the
parameters of that class period (e.g., if a student report is to be done that
day, you will need to allot time for that). I will act as a participant in
these discussions and bring up ideas along the way, but I will work hard not to
interfere with your direction for class.
These oral presentations are designed to help improve your
oral skills and allow you ample opportunity to improve and expand your oral
presentation methods. You may use any combination of audio-visual aids that
might best suit you, or you may experiment with different methods each time you
present. Reports can be interactive, not just lectures. You may design projects
that include your fellow-students, so long as you keep them informed of what
you are doing. Feel free to consult with me about your needs for the classroom
presentations and approaches you would like to try. I will give you a
two-minute grace period on your first presentation, and a one-minute grace
period on your second presentation. The best way to learn how to summarize and
present within a certain time limit and to keep audience attention is to be
held to a time limit. Take advantage of friends, and practice to hone your
presentations to make them most effective. If you plan to use A-V be sure you
have practiced with it before the time of your presentation. It will eat into
your time.
Class Participation: ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED. You
will receive a daily grade for participation in class that suggests your level
of preparation on material covered (A, B, C, D or 0) and your involvement in
class activities. Participation includes questions, exchange of ideas, and
responses to directed or general questions from the
instructor or other discussion leader. An absence from class for ANY REASON
must be counted as a 0 since you cannot participate if you are absent. Two (2)
absences will be dropped, no questions asked, at the end of the term allowing 1
week of class days for illness, family matters, etc. In general, I do not
distinguish between excused and unexcused absences for purposes of daily
participation grades, but PLEASE always contact me by email or phone before
class if you MUST be absent on a given day. If absence should be unavoidable,
we could probably assess your preparation of material through other means, and
in any case, I want to know when and why you need to miss class.
You may need to spend 3-5 hours outside of class for every hour in
class (6-10 hours per week), and you receive an hour of credit each week beyond
the required class meetings. Foreign languages often require significant
preparation time if you want to do well.
Suggestions
for Success:
1) ALL written work to be turned in
for a grade must be pledged with an affirmation of your adherence to the
Student Academic Honesty Code as described at
this site.
2) Make sure that you regularly consult your binghamton.edu
email and Blackboard, as these are the most efficient ways for me to
disseminate information to everyone enrolled in this class.
3) My only real pet peeves in classroom demeanor are cell
phones and other devices used to access social networking sites (turn them
off), chronic tardiness, sleeping in class, and not informing me and others
affected if you have a schedule problem.
4) I guess the next closest thing to a peeve is my
frustration with being unable to read the minds of completely silent
students. Part of the joy of studying Latin at a more advanced level is
sharing what you think about it - whether good or bad. There's always something
that deserves discussion, and the whole class can benefit from your insights.
And (this is the lesson I've had to learn over time), if you're a natural
talker, know when to balance your contribution with that of those around you.
Be sensitive to the silences that sometimes occur - someone may be thinking
deeply. I have toyed with the idea of using other media to help out those who
are more inclined to silence, but I continue to believe that oral human
communication is a most valuable gift and tool for all aspects of modern life,
just as it was for the even more orally oriented cultures of the ancient world.
5) Keep on your syllabus. This class will allow little time
for catching up if you fall behind. The syllabus daily assignments are a
guide and a goal. If you find yourself unable to get through the assigned
readings and exercises, let's discuss it as a group or individually - work with
others, divide the load and then make sure you teach each other. I prefer to
have a plan, and try to find the best way to get there. CHECK YOUR SYLLABUS
FREQUENTLY FOR ANY CHANGES I MAY NEED TO MAKE ALONG THE WAY.
6) Bring all the appropriate books and/or printouts of
online texts each day they are required by the syllabus. DO NOT bring your
written translations into class with you and read from them (I had to be broken
from this habit first term freshman year by being called down in class. It
worked). Show that you understand what you read or that you have questions
about what you read, and don't mark up your original texts too badly - keep it
clean. Make vocabulary and grammar notes while you read, and you can bring that
to class with you if necessary. Rereading through an assignment shortly after
leaving class is the absolute best way to see if you really understood what was
going on with the changes suggested there. Nothing is worse than recalling the
incorrect interpretation that you worked so hard on before class better than
the corrected interpretation or deeper interpretation that you take away after
class simply because you spent so much more time on the former and not enough
time on the latter.
____ * Binghamton U Classics Department Corollary to Starks Suggestion 6: You
have probably figured out that someone else has already translated many
passages you are translating for class, such as A.S. Kline, J.C. Yardley, and
W. Batstone. There are two useful and honorable ways
to use someone elseÕs translation:
a) Read the entire work in English, including the parts we donÕt cover in
class, to have a fuller understanding of the context for your passages.
b) After working on a translation on your own, with all the help that
dictionaries, commentaries, grammars, and your own good sense can provide, if
you get stuck on a sentence, you may refer to a translation to get a sense of
what the sentence says and to get unstuck. Then you must put away the
translation and translate the sentence yourself to guarantee that you
understand the grammar and syntax, especially since most translations are not
written to help you get through the assignment. Ideally, you will not use
someone elseÕs translation at all. But I would much rather you do so very
occasionally than have you get frustrated or spend a whole evening on one
sentence.
7) Extra Credit
- fuhgedaboutit!! (Someone burned me long ago abusing
extra credit. I'm afraid there is no antidote for my allergic reaction to
requests for extra credit). On the other hand, you get personal extra credit
for every thing you learn above and beyond the call of absolute duty, so look
at the bigger picture.
8) Final Grades are an assessment of your whole performance.
I like to create many components to a grade as an evaluation of a complete
student. I tend not to curve (unless something is clearly wrong with the
grading apparatus) in order to preserve my overall sense of student performance
and aptitude for the assignment of the more important final grade. I do
consider improvements in problem areas as part of what shows your increased
aptitude.
9) Enjoy learning Latin. Let's make our time in class
productive, but also, as often as possible, interesting, enjoyable and thought-
provoking. We will talk frequently about the way Romans (and sometimes Greeks)
thought and lived to try to understand what they are saying to us. We will not
sit in a dull translation session 2 days per week. We will change exercises and
engage in discussion of ideas often.
Pursuant to this end, please feel free within reason
to bring coffee or other legal stimulants for our meetings - we will agree to
meet in locations other than the room when weather and lesson needs permit -
Latin and Greek schools often met in a stoa/basilica
or under a tree, in the open air - we should do no less, though the need for
internet or the digital camera may bind us to the room somewhat frequently.
10) One day there may be a suggestion 10, but right now, I
don't have one and there were 9 Muses, so we will leave an ennead of sage
Starks suggestions for student success - maybe suggestion 10 should be to
practice saying that 10 times fast.