1: Wed, Sep 6, 2017
We need to start off at a run, so rather than talk about working procedures, scheduling, and general practices in class, let's get that out of the way here:
For the first class, please read the Preface, and try to understand the concepts behind an inflected language, and also the rules for classical Latin pronunciation.
If you have any major conceptual issues, formulate them into questions as well as you can, and we'll try to deal with those first. Then read through the first chapter, and do as many of the Sententiae as you can. Have those ready to go. The first chapter's translation sentences are not particularly difficult, if you've understood the outlines.
2: Fri, Sep 8, 2017
Make sure you've read the first chapter repeatedly and thoroughly, and have all the exercises completed.
First we'll address any questions that might remain about the first chapter, and finish going through the Sententiae and the passages. In the last ten or fifteen minutes, I'll introduce Caput 2. By introducing a chapter, I mean that I will go over the various topics in the chapter and try to point out the potential pitfalls, perhaps suggest ways of memorizing material, and so on. It is meant to ease you into the process and give you a sense for the lay of the land, but it is not a substitute for actually reading the chapter thoroughly yourself. Bear that in mind.
3: Wed, Sep 13, 2017
Read through Caput 2 thoroughly (as outlined above); have the Sententiae Antiquae completed and ready to discuss.
The first thing we'll do is to field any questions that remain about this chapter (or anything you need clarified about Caput 1 — you're always free to ask about earlier material). Then we'll go through the Sententiae Antiquae. That's a fair amount, I realize, but this course is going to require steady application. If you get into the rhythm of it, it shouldn't be so difficult.
4: Fri, Sep 15, 2017
Finish anything in Caput 2 we haven't been through yet: all remaining sentences, including the short passage reworked from Catullus C. 8.
Once again, if there are any questions, bring them. If you've already read any Catullus in translation, you'll probably recognize the passage on p. 20. It's been drained of almost all its zing, but it's a practical stepping-stone in the right direction. At the end of the class, we'll introduce Caput 3.
5: Wed, Sep 20, 2017
Bring any questions you have about Caput 3; have ready your translation of the Exercitationes and the Sententiae Antiquae.
None of these sentences is particularly difficult; make sure you understand the grammatical rationale behind each of them, however, so we have a solid foundation from which to work in the future.
6: Fri, Sep 22, 2017
Bring any remaining questions you have about Caput 3, and have prepared the reading, "The Grass is Always Greener". If there were any sentences remaining from last time, have those ready as well.
Keep track of how much time you're spending preparing these exercises. That will be useful for me to help calibrate how we proceed. We'll also introduce Caput 4 before we wrap up.
7: Wed, Sep 27, 2017
Bring any questions you have about Caput 4; be ready with your translations of the Exercitationes and the Sententiae Antiquae.
Depending on how smoothly these go, we may not get through all the Sententiae Antiquae this time, but that's okay. Have them ready to deliver next time.
8: Fri, Sep 29, 2017
Have any remaining sentence exercises ready, and also have completed "The Rarity of Friendship", based on a passage of Cicero.
Before the end of class, we'll introduce Caput 5, and, time permitting, start in on the Exercitationes at sight. Also remember that you should be asking questions about anything that perplexes you at any point, whether about the current chapter or about something prior.
9: Wed, Oct 4, 2017
Have prepared the Exercitationes and Sententiae Antiquae from Caput 5.
If we're working really well, we'll try to do the two passages at sight (unless you want to have the prepared ahead of time) and introduce Caput 6. This is a bit of a stretch, but should buy us a little time down the road. If it doesn't work, we can slide back without severe damage.
10: Fri, Oct 6, 2017
Have both of the passages from Caput 5 completed if we haven't already gone over those in class, and have done at least the Exercitationes from Caput 6. If you have free time on your hands, feel free to go on to the Sententiae Antiquae for Caput 6 as well.
I realize that this is a bit of an acceleration, but we have to squeeze things here and there throughout the year to get everything to fit. I think this is one of the better places to make that happen. We probably won't make it all the way through the Sententiae Antiquae for Caput 6, even if you have them done, but the further we can get, the better. As always, if you have questions, be sure to ask them.
11: Wed, Oct 11, 2017
Bring any questions you have about Caput 6, and any of the Sententiae Antiquae we haven't already completed. Also have ready the passages.
The bit about Dr. Fell is amusing, though the text doesn't explain why it has this title. It's a bit of insight into Oxford academic life in the late seventeenth century, but it's not entirely clear that it's actually true. The story goes thus, however: Dr. John Fell, Bishop of Oxford and concomitantly Dean of Christ Church College, Oxford, had called a satirical but not entirely competent student by the name of Tom Brown into his rooms. He was planning to expel Mr. Brown, either for some misdeed or because he was failing at his work: accounts are somewhat unclear on that point. He offered Mr. Brown, however, one last-ditch opportunity of saving himself by producing an extemporaneous translation of this couplet of Martial. Brown's cheeky response was this:
I do not like thee, Doctor Fell,
The reason why - I cannot tell;
But this I know, and know full well,
I do not like thee, Doctor Fell.
To his credit (and probably Mr. Brown's astonishment), as the story goes, Dr. Fell allowed him to remain in college. Nevertheless, the real historical Brown eventually left Christ Church without taking a degree, and, for that matter, the whole story may be a witty fabrication.
Before the end of class, we'll introduce Caput 7.
12: Fri, Oct 13, 2017
Be prepared with the passages from Caput 6, and any other bits that are trailing from our earlier work. Bring any questions you may have about Caput 7, and have prepared the Exercitationes and the Sententiae Antiquae from Caput 7 as well.
Some of this is projected out as I write it far enough that I'm not sure whether the pace will work for this class, so this is about as far as I am going to take it right now (Aug. 22). I'll lay the following track before the train arrives, in any case.
13: Wed, Oct 18, 2017
14: Fri, Oct 20, 2017
15: Wed, Oct 25, 2017
16: Fri, Oct 27, 2017
17: Wed, Nov 1, 2017
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