In this course we will consider the major areas of comparison and contrast between Lucretius and Catullus, the two great surviving Republican Latin poets of the mid-first century BCE. Focal points of the course will include: poetic voice and persona; poetry, politics, and empire; Callimacheanism and the response to the epic tradition; attitudes toward the erotic; text and image; death and consolation. By studying these authors in tandem rather than in isolation, we will seek a broadened understanding of late-Republican poetic culture as it relates to larger social, cultural, and political issues, and of the late-Republican poet’s perceived role in exploring new dimensions of reality and the self.

Course Requirements:

Midterm, final, in-class presentations, substantial term paper.

Intended Audience:

Graduate students.

Class Format:

One three-hour seminar per week.