Readings in Latin Literature (310-0-1)

Topic

Seneca's Apocolocyntosis: The Pampkinification of

Instructors

Francesca Tataranni
847/491-8029
Kresge Hall 4363

Meeting Info

University Library 3622: Tues, Thurs 12:30PM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

This course focuses on the relationship between literature and power in the age of the emperor Nero. The primary materials will consist of a close reading of the Apocolocyntosis, a satirical pamphlet attributed to Lucius Annaeus Seneca lampooning the "excremental" death and deification of the emperor Claudius, along with selected passages from Seneca's De Clementia, a treatise written by Nero's tutor and advisor with the stated aim of portraying the ideal ruler for the recently acclaimed young emperor. While conducting a literary and historical analysis of these texts, students will address questions of genre, political ideology, and intellectual dissent. They will also work collaboratively to produce a translation suitable for a staged reading of the Apocolocyntosis, a text that continues to captivate scholars and students alike as the funniest and perhaps most baffling product of the Neronian age.

Class Materials (Required)

Required textbook(s): All the required readings for this class will be posted to Canvas.

Class Attributes

Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area