LATIN 215: Seneca's Apocolocyntosis
Course Goals
This course is the final step in the beginning-intermediate sequence, and is designed for advanced first-year students who have completed four or more years of high school Latin or who have scored well on AP/IB tests. In Latin 215, we will read the entirety of Seneca’s Apocolocyntosis, a unique and challenging text from the mid-1st century CE. The aim of the class is to develop learners’ Latin reading and comprehension skills through careful translation of assigned and unseen passages; to review the basic morphology and syntax, while introducing learners to new forms and syntax as they arise; to enhance command of Latin vocabulary, including poetic diction; to introduce learners to the literary and historical context of Seneca’s Apocolocyntosis; and to expose learners to the basic features of Latin meter.
Class time will be devoted to the translation of assigned Latin passages, ranging from 5-10 lines early in the semester to about 25 lines by the end of the semester. Learners will be expected to identify and explain the morphology and syntax of the assigned Latin. They will be expected to scan various Latin meters and will practice scansion in class throughout the semester. There will also be regular class discussions of the historical context and literary features of Seneca’s work. Learners should expect homework assignments for each class meeting as well as regular quizzes. Final grades will be determined by attendance and class participation; homework; quizzes; and 3 tests. There is no final exam.
Class time will be devoted to the translation of assigned Latin passages, ranging from 5-10 lines early in the semester to about 25 lines by the end of the semester. Learners will be expected to identify and explain the morphology and syntax of the assigned Latin. They will be expected to scan various Latin meters and will practice scansion in class throughout the semester. There will also be regular class discussions of the historical context and literary features of Seneca’s work. Learners should expect homework assignments for each class meeting as well as regular quizzes. Final grades will be determined by attendance and class participation; homework; quizzes; and 3 tests. There is no final exam.
Course Books
- Seneca’s Apocolocyntosis. P.T. Eden (ed.) Cambridge. ISBN: 0521288363
(Recommended)
- A Good Latin Grammar (Either of these two is superb):
- Allen and Greenough’s New Latin Grammar (2006). ISBN: 978-0486448060
- Bennett’s New Latin Grammar (1994). ISBN: 978-0865162617
Course Requirements
The completion of four years of high school Latin or a high score on the Latin IB/AP Exam is required for entry into LATN215.
Course Evaluation
Evaluation in this course will be in the form of weekly quizzes, homework, participation, and 3 tests. All quizzes and tests will be administered on Thursdays. Test 3 will be on the date assigned by the college for final exams (December 11). Make appropriate plans now. Final course grades will be designated (+) or (-). All grades will be promptly uploaded to the class site.
The evaluations will be thus weighted:
The evaluations will be thus weighted:
- Participation: 10%
- Homework: 15%
- Quizzes: 15%
- Test 1: 20% (Thursday, October 2)
- Test 2: 20% (Thursday, November 6)
- Test 3: 20% (Thursday, December 11)
Participation Policy
The Participation grade for this class will be determined by two factors: class attendance and class participation.
Attendance:
Learners are expected to attend class on a daily basis. However, 3 unexcused absences are allowed without consequence. More than 3 unexcused absences will result in 5 percentage points subtracted from one’s Attendance grade. (i.e., 4 absences = 95%, 5 absences = 90%, etc.). More than 10 unexcused absences will result in a score of 0 for the entire Participation grade. An absence will be considered excused if the learner provides documentation of sickness, injury, or a family emergency. If you are unsure if an absence will be considered excused, ask the instructor first!
Tardiness:
This class starts at 2:10 pm, not later. Therefore, any learner more than 10 minutes late on a quiz/test day will not be allowed to take the test nor make it up at a later time. In addition, 3 tardies will count as 1 unexcused absence.
Class Participation:
In small translation classes such as LATN215, learner participation is vital to the success of each learner and of the class as a whole. Therefore, each learner will be expected to participate on a consistent basis. The instructor will mark how many times each learner participates in each class and will keep each learner abreast of his/her progress. In order to receive full participation points, each learner must participate 4 times in class per week (an average of 2 times per class). The participation grade will be calculated by dividing the number of participation points by 42 (the maximum available points).
Attendance:
Learners are expected to attend class on a daily basis. However, 3 unexcused absences are allowed without consequence. More than 3 unexcused absences will result in 5 percentage points subtracted from one’s Attendance grade. (i.e., 4 absences = 95%, 5 absences = 90%, etc.). More than 10 unexcused absences will result in a score of 0 for the entire Participation grade. An absence will be considered excused if the learner provides documentation of sickness, injury, or a family emergency. If you are unsure if an absence will be considered excused, ask the instructor first!
Tardiness:
This class starts at 2:10 pm, not later. Therefore, any learner more than 10 minutes late on a quiz/test day will not be allowed to take the test nor make it up at a later time. In addition, 3 tardies will count as 1 unexcused absence.
Class Participation:
In small translation classes such as LATN215, learner participation is vital to the success of each learner and of the class as a whole. Therefore, each learner will be expected to participate on a consistent basis. The instructor will mark how many times each learner participates in each class and will keep each learner abreast of his/her progress. In order to receive full participation points, each learner must participate 4 times in class per week (an average of 2 times per class). The participation grade will be calculated by dividing the number of participation points by 42 (the maximum available points).
Homework
There will be homework assigned for each class period and this homework will be collected and graded each class. The collected homework will be graded on a scale from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). The cumulative score of points for the semester divided by 105 (the maximum number of homework points) will constitute the homework grade.
Tests
In order to succeed in LATN215, learners are expected to demonstrate a knowledge of Latin grammar, syntax, and vocabulary; to analyze Latin texts and employ appropriate translation techniques; and to identify and explain poetic and metrical devices. The 3 tests, therefore, are designed to give learners the opportunity to show their mastery of these areas. The tests are based both on Latin passages seen in class and homework and on unseen passages. Although the types of questions may change from test to test based on content covered, the tests themselves should take no longer than 50 minutes. Study guides specific to each test can be found on the class Dropbox. These tests will be administered on the following dates:
Test 1: Thursday, October 2
Test 2: Thursday, November 6
Test 3: Thursday, December 11
Test 1: Thursday, October 2
Test 2: Thursday, November 6
Test 3: Thursday, December 11
Quizzes
Quizzes will be administered throughout the semester as a way of keeping learners up-to-date with the content and to identify potential problems before they manifest on the tests. Quizzes will normally be comprised of two sections: grammar and translation/syntax. In addition to basic translation, learners will be expected to provide grammatical forms being considered in class and to identify their syntactical uses in the context of seen passages.
Make-up Quizzes and Tests
Only in case of a demonstrated medical reason (doctor’s note required), other emergency (signed letter required), or religious holiday (14 day notice required) will a make-up quiz/test be granted. Except in emergencies, make-up quizzes for excused absences are to be taken BEFORE the absence. If you miss a quiz or an exam due to an emergency, you have up to two days to contact me and make arrangements. If you are an athlete, you must make me aware of scheduling conflicts during the first week of the semester.
Academic Dishonesty
Collaboration during tests, use of written notes during tests, or submission of work that is not entirely a learner’s own will not be tolerated. Any learner found guilty of cheating or facilitating cheating in any way will receive no credit on the assignment/test and will be subject to the College procedures under the Code of Academic Integrity. The Code can be found beginning on p. 16 of the Student Handbook (http://www.rmc.edu/current-students/handbook/handbook.pdf). I reserve the right to reexamine any learner whom I strongly suspect of cheating or facilitating cheating at any time. It is your responsibility to be familiar with the university’s definition of cheating and to avoid any behavior that might be interpreted as academic dishonesty.
Add/Drop Policy
Please familiarize yourself with the college’s official drop/add policy. Any requests to drop this course will be handled according to these rules.
Add/Drop Dates:
September 9 – The last day to add/enroll in classes
September 12 – The last day to drop a course without notation on transcript.
October 21 – The last day to withdraw from the course with a "W".
Add/Drop Dates:
September 9 – The last day to add/enroll in classes
September 12 – The last day to drop a course without notation on transcript.
October 21 – The last day to withdraw from the course with a "W".
Learners with Disabilities
Randolph-Macon College provides appropriate academic accommodations for qualified learners with disabilities. If you have a physical, psychological or learning disability that requires an accommodation, you must first register with the Office for Disability Support Services, located in the Higgins Academic Center. Please arrange a meeting with me to discuss your needs and how to register for support services.
Religious Holidays
Learners shall be excused from attending classes or other required activities, including tests, for the observance of a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose. If you will miss class (including exams) to celebrate a religious holiday, you must notify me AT LEAST 14 days prior to the holiday so that we can make arrangements for you to make up the assignment. All make-up work must be completed no later than one week after the missed class.