Description

Two of the great traditions running from the ancient Romans to the Reformation are prayers and letters. In this course, we will read a collection of both beginning with Virgil, Seneca, Cicero and concluding with Calvin, Beza, and Erasmus. Along with the letters and prayers themselves, we will read about the history of these traditions, from Appel’s De precationum Romanum sermone and Erasmus’ Opus de conscribendis epistulis and a Latin translation of Demetrius’ de Arte Rhetorica. Along with weekly translations, students will focus on writing their letters and prayers in Latin. A portion of the final assignment will be to memorize a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer (yes, in Latin).

The course is open to students who have complete a year of Latin.

Two (1.5hr) classes per week for 8 weeks, with a break with in the middle.