1. Analyze the tomb-monument Trimalchio describes at Petronius, Satyricon 71. What does Trimalchio seem to be most concerned about, specifically in terms of his legacy and memory? What kind of monumentalized (after)life does Trimalchio imagine for himself, and in what ways is this life appropriate for him, both as the individual character of Petronius' novel and as an example of a wealthy Roman freedman?
2. In your own interpersonal relationships, have you experienced something like autocracy? Though none of us (I hope!) has had to deal with the likes of a Caligula or Nero, have you found yourself in a relationship (e.g. professional, familial, romantic) in which you seemed to be absolutely powerless and subject to the will and whims of another person with seemingly unlimited power (in that person's social circle)? Be sure to include some analysis of the structures of power that facilitated the relationship, as well as some course materials for comparative purposes.
3. Drawing on the elegiac poetry of Propertius and/or Ovid, discuss how being in love with another person is and/or is not like being enslaved to them. Be sure to include concepts associated with slavery we've studied this semester in your discussion
4. As the World Justice Project's 2023 Rule of Law Index (https://worldjusticeproject.org/rule-of-law-index/) and other studies have suggested, increasing numbers of people across the globe are embracing autocrats and autocratic models of rule. If you find this development disturbing, especially here in the United States—given our foundational history of representive democracy and tradition of the rule of law—what specific course materials would you point to in order to persuade your fellow citizens of the inadvisability and dangers of autocracy?
5. Compare and contrast either Chaerea of Terence's Eunuchus or Lysidamus of Plautus' Casina with a character from film or television who also seems to be "a slave of love".