Prologue: Course Introduction
Tuesday, January 17
Today we’ll discuss our plans for the semester, get to know one another a little, and do some extremely low-pressure, low-key, lo-fi, cruelty-free sight reading.
Before the start of class today, please read the syllabus and bring in your questions about the semester!
After class, take another look at Ludi Scaenici here if you like.
Act One: Pseudolus
Thursday, January 19: ZOOM
We will meet over Zoom at our usual time this morning. Please check your email or contact mfarmer@haverford.edu for the meeting link.
Work
Before the start of class today, please:
Reading
Tuesday, January 24
Reading
Act Two: Slave Theater
Thursday, January 26
Reading
Tuesday, January 31
Anger in Pseudolus
If you’d like to add any more examples to our catalogue from last week, you can do so here!
Reading
Process Survey
If you’re curious about how process surveys will work in this course, you can preview the first Process Survey here. I’ve asked you to complete it before class next Thursday (2/2).
Content Warning
Today in class we’ll be watching some recordings of performances of Plautus’ Pseudolus. We’ll focus on the scene in which Ballio harangues the sex laborers of his household, and Pseudolus and Calidorus prepare to confront him.
Although these performances are not very naturalistic, they still (as you know from reading the play) depict violence towards enslaved persons and refer to sexual violence in particular. If you’d like to preview the material before class time, here are the videos we’ll be watching:
Act Three: Poenulus
For the next few weeks, we’ll be reading Plautus’ Poenulus in a combination of English and Latin. Here are the texts we’ll rely on:
- Poenulus in Latin
- Poenulus commentary by Moodie
- Poenulus translation by de Melo (HC / BMC)
Thursday, February 2
Process Survey
Before the start of class today, please complete the first Process Survey here.
Performance Sign-Up
Before the start of class today, please also sign up for a scene performance. Please follow the sign-up instructions so that we end up with one group of 5 and 3 groups of 4.
Reading
- English:
- Moodie Poenulus, Introduction
Presentation
- SPENCER: Richlin, Slave Theater 2.69-89 (The Body at the Bottom: Names; Addressing the Body of the Audience)
Tuesday, February 7
Reading
- Latin: Poenulus 205-232
- Before you begin, I would encourage you to re-read Moodie Introduction pg. 26-31 (on Plautus’ Latin) and Prof. Mulligan’s Guide to Preparing a Reading Assignment.
- Also consider taking a look at my Recommended Vocab list here or using The Bridge to build your own vocab list here
- English: Poenulus 233-409
Presentation
- MARION: Richlin, Slave Theater 2.90-110 (The Body at the Bottom: Beating; Sex)
Thursday, February 9
Reading
- Latin: Poenulus 410-449
- English: Poenulus 450-614
Presentation
- CELIA: Richlin, Slave Theater 2.111-137 (The Body at the Bottom: Sex [continued]; Hunger; The Comedian’s Body)
Tuesday, February 14
ROOM CHANGE! Starting today and for the rest of the semester, we will be meeting in VCAM 102. See you there!
Reading
- Latin: Poenulus 615-677
- English: Poenulus 678-816
Presentation
- NICO: Richlin, Slave Theater 3.138-170 (Singing for Your Supper: Cheerleading; Verbal Dueling)
Thursday, February 16
Reading
- Latin: Poenulus 917-994
- Note: 930-949 is in “Punic.” Spend some time with Moodie’s note on pg. 165-67 but don’t make any attempt to make sense of the language itself.
- If you’d like to investigate the Punic passages at greater length, a good place to start is the appendix to De Melo’s Loeb edition of the play, beginning on pg. 173
- English: Poenulus 817-916 [oops, sorry about this], 995-1028
In class, we’ll make use of this shared workspace
Presentation
- ALLEN: Richlin, Slave Theater 3.171-198 (Singing for Your Supper: Flagitatio, Occentatio, Quiritatio; Debt and Shame; Actors and Audience in the Wartime Economy)
Tuesday, February 21
Reading
- Latin: Poenulus 1029-1130
Presentation
- HANNAH: Richlin, Slave Theater 4.203-236 (Getting Even: Putting the Owner Down; Raising Up the Slave)
Thursday, February 23
Process Survey
Before the start of class today, please complete the next Process Survey here.
Reading
NEW TEXT: For the remainder of the play, please work from this text for the Latin.
- Latin: Poenulus 1131-1232
Tuesday, February 28
Reading
- Latin: Poenulus 1233-1337
In class we’ll work from this shared workspace.
Presentation
Thursday, March 2
Reading
- Latin: Poenulus 1338-1422
- English: Review the play, and come to class with a question (large or small) that could provoke conversation.
Presentation
Spring Break
Tuesday, March 7: No Class
Thursday, March 9: No Class
Act Four: Captivi
Tuesday, March 14
Reading
Presentation
- Hannah C., Spencer, Marion, & Nico: Poenulus Scene Performance!
Thursday, March 16
Reading
- English: Captivi 533-1036
Presentation
- Sonia S., Chaitan W., Alex B., Claudia vV.: Poenulus Scene Performance!
Act Five: Amphitruo
Today we begin reading Plautus’ Amphitruo, which we’ll read entirely in Latin. Here are some helpful links:
- Recommended Vocabulary for all readings
- Latin text of Plautus’ Amphitruo
- Christenson’s commentary on Amphitruo
Tuesday, March 21
Reading
- Latin: Amphitruo 1-96
Presentation
- VIVIAN: Richlin, Slave Theater 5.252-280 (Looking like a Slave-Woman: Object Into Subject)
Thursday, March 23
Reading
- Latin: Amphitruo 97-152
Presentations
- CLAUDIA: Richlin, Slave Theater 5.281-310 (Looking like a Slave-Woman: Slave-Woman Drag; Abusing the Era; “I will still be”; When the Fat Lady Sings)
- JASPER: Richlin, Slave Theater 4.237-251 (Getting Even: Claiming Good Things; The Dream of a Free Place)
Tuesday, March 28
Reading
- Latin: Amphitruo 153-248
Presentation
- OLIVIA: Richlin, Slave Theater 6.311-329 (Telling Without Saying: Double Meaning; Face-Out Lines; Normative Statements and Exploding Cigars; Turning Object Into Subject)
Thursday, March 30
Process Survey
Before the start of class today, please complete the next Process Survey here.
Reading
- Latin: Amphitruo 249-360
Presentation
- AVERY: Richlin, Slave Theater 6.330-350 (Telling Without Saying: Grumbling; Editorials; “Good Slave” Speeches; Telling Without Saying)
Tuesday, April 4
Reading
- Latin: Amphitruo 361-462
Presentation
- KAT: Richlin, Slave Theater 7.351-366 (Remembering the Way Back: Human Trafficking and the Road Home – Traffic)
Thursday, April 6
Reading
- Latin: Amphitruo 463-564
Presentation
Before the start of class today, please check out and participate in Kat’s asynchronous presentation!
- KAT: Richlin, Slave Theater 7.351-366 (Remembering the Way Back: Human Trafficking and the Road Home – Traffic)
Tuesday, April 11
Reading
- Latin: Amphitruo 565-666
Presentation
- FELIX: Richlin, Slave Theater 7.387-416 (Remembering the Way Back: Family Reunion and the Memory of Freedom; The Way Back and the Way Out)
Thursday, April 13
Reading
- Latin: Amphitruo 667-770
Presentation
- CLAIRE: Richlin, Slave Theater 8.417-450 (Escape: Manumission; Kings)
Tuesday, April 18
Grading
Before class today, please read the instructions for the final Letter of Assessment, and come prepared for a conversation about self-assessment, grades, and the work you’ve done in this course.
Reading
- Latin: Amphitruo 771-881
Presentation
- ALEX: Richlin, Slave Theater 8.451-477 (Escape: Birds and Cages; Getting Off the Grid; Over Jordan)
Thursday, April 20
Process Survey
Before the start of class today, please complete the next Process Survey here.
Reading
- Latin: Amphitruo 882-983
Presentation
- Jasper N., Claire H., Avery F., Felix T., Vivian S.: Amphitruo Scene Performance!
Tuesday, April 25
Survey
If you haven’t already, please fill out the final Process Survey here
Grading
If you have time and inclination, before class today add any additional annotations, thoughts, or suggestions you’d like to the grading rubric workspace.
Reading
Note: Due to the tragic events on campus last week, you are no longer required to prepare reading for class today. We’ll spend some time looking at this material together, but I will not be assuming that anyone has prepared it in advance.
- Latin: Amphitruo 984-1034 + Fragments
- At this point, we have reached the portion of the play where certain sections are missing. Read the sections of the Introduction and Commentary focused on this issue, and see if you can make sense of the fragments included in the text.
Thursday, April 27
Presentation
- Olivia G., Kat S., Celia L., Allen G.: Amphitruo Scene Performance!
Reading
- Latin: Amphitruo 1035-1147
- English: Richlin, Slave Theater pg. 478-80 (Conclusion: From Stage to Rebellion)
Course Feedback
If you would like to submit an anonymous course feedback form for this course, you can do so here.
Exodus: Finals
Saturday, May 6
If you are a senior, your Letter of Assessment is due today at 5:00pm eastern.
Friday, May 12
If you are not a senior, your Letter of Assessment is due today at noon (12:00pm eastern).