The myth of Rome in Latin poetry from antiquity to the Renaissance
On-Demand Latin Literature Course in Latin
The queen of cities has been celebrated in poetry continuously from antiquity to the present. Over the course of some twenty centuries, a myriad of authors have forged in verse an image of the eternal city that inspires both praise and wonder. In classical times, many poets sang of its urban complex, religion, public institutions, militia, customs, and mores. In the Middle Ages, Christian Rome and its ruins equally fascinated writers who felt compassion for the annihilated and destroyed city. Finally, in the Renaissance, humanists, drawing examples of Roman virtue from past works, offered their contemporaries a new triumphant image of the city. In this course, we will explore how the image of Rome has been depicted in Latin poetry throughout the ages.
Program schedule
| Recordings | Teaching materials |
| I. lesson
|
Introduction to the Course The beginnings of an eternal city (Ennius e Ovid) Booklet (1) Quiz (1) |
| II. lesson
|
Old Roman simplicity (Tibullus, Ovid) Booklet (2) Quiz (2) |
| III. lesson
|
The greatness of Rome (Horaz) Booklet (3) Quiz (3) |
| IV. lesson
|
Nostalgia for Rome (Ovid; Latin inscriptions) Booklet (4) Quiz (4) |
| V. lesson
Friday, 22nd November, h. 18:30-19:30 CET |
The martyrs of Rome (Ambrosius, Prudentius) Booklet (5) Quiz (5) |
| VI. lesson
Friday, 29th November, h. 18:30-19:30 CET |
Rome in Hildebert’s poems Booklet (6) Quiz (6) |
| VII. lesson
Friday, 6th December, h. 18:30-19:30 CET |
Rome in the Carmina Burana Booklet (7) Quiz (7) |
| VIII. lesson
Friday, 13th December, h. 18:30-19:30 CET |
Rome in the Mirror in the Renaissance (Petrarch, Piccolomini, Landino, Sannazaro, Erasmus) Booklet (8) Quiz (8) |
