Fabulae Mythicae: Introductory Latin A-B
In Fabulae Mythicae A-B, students learn the basics of the Latin language through readings about geography and mythology and structured conversations in Latin. This is an excellent introduction to anyone wanting to start learning Latin from the beginning. It is also great for anyone wanting to brush up their rusty Latin or take early steps into communicative/active Latin. We will read about the geography of the Mediterranean and the lands that surround it and read Greek and Roman myths about the origins of the world and of the gods. We will employ communicative approaches, engaging in scaffolded conversations and listening activities. Those who want a “taster” of what the class is like may sign up for the first four sessions of the class separately.
Thursdays 8:30-9:30 PM EST (This class will NOT meet Thursday April 14)
8 sessions beginning March 31, 2022 Cost: $200.00
Fabulae Mythicae: Introductory Latin C-D
In Fabulae Mythicae C-D, students learn the basics of the Latin language through readings about geography and mythology and structured conversations in Latin. This is an excellent introduction to anyone wanting to start learning Latin from the beginning. It is also great for anyone wanting to brush up their rusty Latin or take early steps into communicative/active Latin. In this follow-up to Fabulae Mythicae A-B, we continue to build reading skill in Latin through an introduction to the Olympian gods and their battles with the Titans and other mythological monsters. We will employ communicative approaches, engaging in scaffolded conversations and listening activities. For students who have completed the A-B course and would like to continue or for those who feel comfortable with the very basics of Latin (drop a line on the contact page if you would like more information about starting with C-D).
Tuesdays 7:00-8:00 PM EST
8 sessions beginning April 5, 2022 Cost: $200.00
Intermediate Extensive Reading: Historia Apollonii Regis Tyri Chapters 29-51*
This course is for those who would like to practice reading extensively with an engaging, medium length prose narrative in straightforward accessible Latin. We will read 700-1000 words per week of the Historia Apollonii Regis Tyri, a Late Antique Latin novella that underlies Shakespeare’s Pericles, Prince of Tyre. The story features extremes of good and bad parenting, mistaken identities, murder, false death, unexpected reunions, and riddles, Some content advisories are in order for this text. The story opens with an act of incestuous rape, which, despite launching the plot, is not mentioned in the story. There is also a death in childbirth and a short, non-explicit section of the novel set in a brothel (only the brothel section is part of this term’s selections). Anyone wanting to skip these sections is free to.
Tuesdays 8:30-9:30 PM EST
8 sessions beginning April 5, 2022 Cost: $200.00
* If we finish Historia Apollonii before the 8 weeks are up, we will read stories from the Late Antique and Medieval traditions of Vergil as a Wizard
Latin Inscriptions and Papyri
This course is for those who would like a guided introduction, or just some practice, reading documentary texts in Latin. While we will focus on the texts themselves, we will cover some fundamental concepts and conventions of epigraphy and papyrology. Roughly half of the class sessions will be devoted to inscriptions and half to papyri. We will focus on texts that reveal elements of life in the Roman world: funerary inscriptions, graffiti, letters, religious dedications, and a surprisingly illuminating contract for the sale of an enslaved youth. Like this contract, a number of the texts pertain to enslavers, enslaved persons, and relationships of power and exploitation, including sexual exploitation and violence, between them. I will flag any such texts in advance and am happy to provide alternative readings for them on request.
Thursdays 7:00-8:00 PM EST (This class will NOT meet Thursday April 14)
8 sessions beginning March 31, 2022 Cost: $200.00
Classes will meet on Zoom. All materials will be provided unless specified in the course description. Additional materials may be recommended, but not required. Coursework is ungraded. You will need a good internet connection, a microphone, a quiet place from which to join class, and possibly headphones. If you miss a class, please let me know so I can point you to any activities that might help you catch up on material you missed. In certain cases, such as observance of a religious holiday or family emergency, I will be able to schedule a make-up session.
Refunds
Up to 2 days before the start of the class: 100% (minus any fees incurred through payment platforms)
After 2 days before the start of the course: Credit to use on another course at Piscina Mirabilis
Piscina Mirabilis 