CLA160 LECTURE 15
EXAM: 22 APR 2014, 7-10 PM
Format: basically the same as the midterm
Exam Trouble-Shooting
Very short answer: either you know it or you don’t
Pretty short answer:
More specific detail on passage, text, cultural/historical context, connection between them
Don’t just describe the passage, don’t just spew
Essay:
Thesis too vague/broad
Thesis describes instead of analyzing
Two unconnected mini essays
In-class essay on March 17
Thesis statement/outline to TA by March 14
ROMAN VIRTUES/VIRTUOUS ROMANS
Last week: Livy – the past was more moral than the wicked present: his present 1st c. BCE
Conservative morality:
Roman morality is always looking to the past, trying to preserve the morals and traditions of the past
Plays a role in the hierarchy
Mos maiorum: following the traditions of the forefathers
Didn’t have 10 commandments
Wasn’t written down
Transmitted through exempla
In everyday life:
Bed times stories,
Statues
In order to educate the citizens
Families to celebrate the ancestor,
Virtue of ancestor = your virtue
Used in court
“I couldn’t have done that, Cincinnatus is my ancestor”
“Can you believe a Cincinnatus descendant did this?”
Pietas:
To pater
To patres
To pater patriae: the emperor called himself this
Expands past your own father, to the country, to the patres = ruling fathers of your country
Exempla – singular, exemplum
Passed down thru moral examples, bit by bit
E.g. Cincinnatus
Romans were being threatened by Sabines, the only way to save themselves was to elect someone as their dictator. Livy said this was for everyone that thought that wealth was the most important thing. They found the dictator at a small farm, doing labor with his own hands. And when they needed him, he fought with the people. After the war, Cincinnatus could have stayed dictator, but didn’t and went back to his farm.
The ideal Roman is a farmer. With a small farm that works with his own hands.
Valerius Maximus “Memorable Deeds and Sayings”
Virtus
Public Display of Elite virtus
Format: basically the same as the midterm
Exam Trouble-Shooting
Very short answer: either you know it or you don’t
Pretty short answer:
More specific detail on passage, text, cultural/historical context, connection between them
Don’t just describe the passage, don’t just spew
Essay:
Thesis too vague/broad
Thesis describes instead of analyzing
Two unconnected mini essays
In-class essay on March 17
Thesis statement/outline to TA by March 14
ROMAN VIRTUES/VIRTUOUS ROMANS
Last week: Livy – the past was more moral than the wicked present: his present 1st c. BCE
Conservative morality:
Roman morality is always looking to the past, trying to preserve the morals and traditions of the past
Plays a role in the hierarchy
Mos maiorum: following the traditions of the forefathers
Didn’t have 10 commandments
Wasn’t written down
Transmitted through exempla
In everyday life:
Bed times stories,
Statues
In order to educate the citizens
Families to celebrate the ancestor,
Virtue of ancestor = your virtue
Used in court
“I couldn’t have done that, Cincinnatus is my ancestor”
“Can you believe a Cincinnatus descendant did this?”
Pietas:
To pater
To patres
To pater patriae: the emperor called himself this
Expands past your own father, to the country, to the patres = ruling fathers of your country
Exempla – singular, exemplum
Passed down thru moral examples, bit by bit
E.g. Cincinnatus
Romans were being threatened by Sabines, the only way to save themselves was to elect someone as their dictator. Livy said this was for everyone that thought that wealth was the most important thing. They found the dictator at a small farm, doing labor with his own hands. And when they needed him, he fought with the people. After the war, Cincinnatus could have stayed dictator, but didn’t and went back to his farm.
The ideal Roman is a farmer. With a small farm that works with his own hands.
Valerius Maximus “Memorable Deeds and Sayings”
Virtus
Public Display of Elite virtus