Latin literature begins in 240 BCE, when Livius Andronicus produced a comedy and a tragedy translated from Greek at the Ludi Romani that year. Early Roman comedy is represented primarily by the twenty (nearly complete) extant plays of Titus Maccius Plautus (254-184 BCE) and the six surviving plays of Publius Terentius Afer (fl. 160s BCE). Early Roman tragedy survives only in the fragments of such playwrights as Gnaeus Naevius (280-201 BCE), Quintus Ennius (239-169 BCE), Marcus Pacuvius (220-130 BCE) and Lucius Accius (170-86 BCE). We are fortunate to possess eight tragedies of Lucius Annaeus Seneca or “Seneca the Younger” (1 BCE-65 CE). This semester our focus is Plautus's Pseudolus and Terence's Adelphoe.
Course Objectives
Expected Student Outcomes
David Christenson
Modern Languages Building 326
christed@arizona.edu
Office Hours: M 9-10:30am, W 1-2:30pm, or by appointment
[grading is on a standard scale, i.e. A = 90-100%, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60-69 %, E = 59% and below]
Class Participation
You are expected to prepare and complete all assignments in a timely manner, attend each class, bring the relevant required text(s) to class, and to engage in thoughtful and creative discussion. The rich texts that we are reading demand live analysis and fresh reinterpretation; please do not regard yourselves as passive consumers of them, or worse, as consumers of information about them. Smart literature provokes and compels us to address important issues of human experience, none of which can be reduced to mere information bytes.
Attendance Policy
Behavior Policy
In class, please always be respectful of others and practice common courtesy: turn off phones and other digital devices, do not come to class late or leave early, or view online materials unrelated to the course. Students using any non-course related electronic media during class will be counted as absent.
Threatening Behavior Policy
The UA’s Threatening Behavior by Students Policy prohibits threats of physical harm to any member of the University community, including to oneself:
http://policy.arizona.edu/education-and-student-affairs/threatening-behavior-students.
Accessibility and Accommodations
Our goal in this course is to make learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience physical or academic barriers based on disability, please let me know immediately so that we can discuss options. You may contact the Disability Resource Center (520-621-3268) to establish reasonable accommodations. For additional information on the Disability Resource Center and reasonable accommodations, please visit http://drc.arizona.edu. If you require reasonable accommodations, please meet with me to discuss these.
Please be aware that the accessible table and chairs in this room should remain available for students who find that standard classroom seating is not usable.
UA Nondiscrimination and Anti-harassment Policy
The University of Arizona is committed to creating and maintaining an environment free of discrimination. In support of this commitment, the University prohibits discrimination, including harassment and retaliation, based on a protected classification, including race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information. The University encourages anyone who believes he or she has been the subject of discrimination to report the matter immediately as described in the section below, “Reporting Discrimination, Harassment, or Retaliation.” All members of the University community are responsible for participating in creating a campus environment free from all forms of prohibited discrimination and for cooperating with University officials who investigate allegations of policy violations. See further: http://policy.arizona.edu/human-resources/nondiscrimination-and-anti-harassment-policy.
UA Code of Academic Integrity
Each of you must adhere to the University of Arizona’s Code of Academic Integrity. You are encouraged to share your intellectual views and discuss freely the principles and applications of course materials, but graded work/exercises must be the product of independent effort unless otherwise instructed. In this course any and all uses of generative artificial intelligence (AI)/large language model tools such as ChatGPT, Dall-e, Google Bard, Microsoft Bing, et al., will be considered a violation of the Code of Academic Integrity, specifically the prohibition against submitting work that is not your own. This applies to all assessments in the course, including papers, quizzes, exams, reports, and creative projects. This course policy is driven by the learning goals and desired learning outcomes for the course.
The University Libraries offers advice on avoiding plagiarism: http://new.library.arizona.edu/research/citing/plagiarism.
Content Warning
Our course materials address topics such as sexual assault, slavery, and violence that may pose personal challenges. Please be assured that these issues will always be treated with the utmost sensitivity and professionalism, and that their inclusion in the course is intended to generate productive discussion. Course materials may also sometimes be sexually explicit. Please speak with me in advance to discuss any content related concerns, as alternative materials may be available.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
The Dean of Students Office’s Student Assistance Program helps students manage crises, life traumas, and other barriers that impede success. The staff addresses the needs of students who experience issues related to social adjustment, academic challenges, psychological health, physical health, victimization, and relationship issues, through a variety of interventions, referrals, and follow up services. The Dean of Students Office can be reached at 520-621-7057 or DOS-deanofstudents@email.arizona.edu.
Campus Health provides quality medical and mental health care services through virtual and in-person care (Phone: 520-621-9202).
Counseling and Psych Services (CAPS) provides mental health care, including short-term counseling services (Phone: 520-621-3334).
The Survivor Advocacy Program provides confidential support and advocacy services to student survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. The Program can also advise students about relevant non-UA resources available within the local community for support (Email: survivoradvocacy@arizona.edu; Phone: 520-621-5767).
Crisis Support
Suicide Crisis Lifeline: call 988
Crisis Text Line: text TALK to 741-741
Visit https://preventsuicide.arizona.edu for more suicide prevention tips and resources.
The Classics Major and Minor
The University of Arizona’s interdisciplinary Department of Religious Studies and Classics offers a major (B.A.) and a minor in Classics, with options in Classical Civilization, Greek, or Latin. For more information on the Classics major and minor, see http://classics.arizona.edu.
Classics majors have pursued careers in a wide variety of fields, including business, government, law, medicine, education, and social services. Many students have paired the Classics major with majors in a wide range of fields, earning a double major or dual degree. This provides a comprehensive undergraduate education and gives graduates a competitive edge when applying for jobs or graduate studies (further recruitment information).
For questions about the Classics major or minors and/or to declare a major/minor, contact the Classics undergraduate faculty advisor, Dr. Robert Stephan, at classics-advising@email.arizona.edu or visit https://classics.arizona.edu/declare. You also can contact the College of Humanities Advising Office for any advising needs, at http://advising.humanities.arizona.edu.
The Department also offers a major (B.A.) and a minor in Religious Studies, as well as a minor in New Testament Language and Literature. For more information on these degree options, see religion.arizona.edu and religion.arizona.edu/students/new-testament.
*The information contained in this syllabus, other than the grade and absence policies, may be subject to change with reasonable advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.