LATIN 211: CICERO’S ORATIONS Fall 2019 / MWF 10-10:50 AM | HAILSTONES 5 NIHIL IN HOMINUM GENERE RARIUS PERFECTO ORATORE INVENIRI POTEST. “Nothing is more rarely found in the whole human race than a consummate orator.” (De. Or. 1.28) Cicero Denounces Catiline, by Cesare Maccari (1888). Professor: Katie De Boer Office: Schott 811 Email: [email protected] Office hours: M 3-4, Th 1-2 (and by appointment—in person or Zoom) What makes a great public speaker? How can the spoken word be used to persuade, to shape opinions, to change the course of history? These are the questions that Cicero pursued over a lifetime as Rome’s master orator, and since antiquity students of rhetoric have searched for the answers in his speeches and treatises. In this class, we will follow a tradition that began in the schoolrooms of Rome and its empire over 2,000 years ago: we will use the works of Cicero to gain a better understanding of rhetoric. We will also consider what made him a paragon of rhetorical excellence to generations of readers and writers—from his Roman imitators, to the Renaissance scholars and statesmen who “rediscovered” him, to the American founders who idolized him as a Republican hero. This class has several goals: (1) to bridge the transition from learning Latin to reading, understanding, and interpreting Latin, (2) to situate Cicero and his work within the tumultuous history of the Roman Republic, (3) to better understand and appreciate the art of public speaking through the model of Cicero’s works, and (4) to apply that understanding in practice through oral presentations. Above all, in this class Latin is a team sport. An important component of your work will be collaboration with your peers, which will contribute both to increasing your facility with the Latin language and to enhancing your oral communication skills. This course fulfills the Oral Communication Flag and satisfies the Humanities Elective for the New Core Curriculum. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES By the end of the course, students who have completed the assignments and participated fully in class should be able to: 1. Read Latin prose with increased ease and facility. 2. Demonstrate mastery of Latin grammar and syntax. 3. Analyze and interpret rhetorical style in both Latin and English SI TI[BI] CICERO DO[LET], VAP[U]LABIS. works. “If you don’t like Cicero, you will be beaten.” 4. Contextualize Cicero and his works within the historical, social , and (Latin schoolroom graffito from Pompeii, political developments of the 1st c. BCE. CIL IV.4208) 5. Work effectively in teams for problem-solving and critical analysis. 6. Present ideas orally, demonstrating the ability to: 7. Evaluate and analyze oral presentations. COURSE EXPECTATIONS & ASSIGNMENTS Your work in this course will be evaluated on the basis of the following activities and assignments: 1. Class preparation and participation (20% of your grade): your preparation for and participation in class are the most important factors in (1) your own learning, (2) the success of your team, and (3) my evaluation of your day-to-day work. You are expected to have read the assigned readings in Latin and/or in English and to be prepared to discuss them with the class. As part of your preparation, you will usually be expected to complete a Reading Worksheet or a Confirmo (grammar worksheet) depending on the assignment for the following class. Failure to hand in any written assignment will lower this portion of your grade by 5%. 2. Exams (2 at 20% each = 40% of your grade): There will be two exams (a midterm and a final), of similar length and format. Exams will include passages from the Latin assignments we have read for class and passages of Cicero’s Latin that you have not seen before (accompanied by vocabulary and notes). 50% of your exam grade will be based on the “prepared” passages and 50% will be based on the “sight” passages. You will be asked to translate, comprehend, and analyze content, grammar/syntax, and style. You will have the opportunity to correct your midterm exam for additional credit. 3. Historical report and presentation (10% of your grade): as we will see, Cicero was a major player in one of the most turbulent periods of Roman history: the collapse of the Roman Republic. To help situate Cicero and his work in this context, you will choose a historical topic (see the assignment description for a list of options) and give a 10 minute presentation to the class. Your presentation should include a handout, PowerPoint/Prezi, or other visual supplement (map, video, etc.) to help guide your listeners and must be accompanied by a bibliography. 4. Forensic speech presentation (10% of your grade): over the course of the semester, we will read selections from a number of Cicero’s forensic speeches and will discuss his tactics as a legal advocate. For this presentation, you will choose a legal case and deliver a brief (10-minute) forensic speech arguing for one perspective. This may be a real legal dispute (whether historical or contemporary), or it may be drawn from the world of fiction or your own imagination. See the assignment description for more details. 5. Political speech analysis and presentation (20% of your grade): Cicero was not only a great lawyer; he was also a great politician, and his oratorical skills were a major force in shaping the decisions of the Senate and People of Rome during a period of serious political upheaval. For your final presentation, you will choose a political speech from the 20th-21st century and analyze its use of rhetoric, then present your analysis to the class. You may choose a “real” historical speech (contemporary or historical) or a fictional one—the only requirement is that you must be able to access an audio or visual recording. You will prepare a 15-20 minute presentation in which you will share your conclusions with the class; this presentation should include should be supported with at least one brief audio / visual clip from the speech in question. As part of your grade for this assignment, you will write a brief peer review report of another student’s presentation. COURSE TEXTS 1. Introducing Cicero: A Latin Reader. 2. Wheelock’s Latin (7th edition). 3. Supplemental readings in PDF on Canvas. You may sometimes find it useful to consult a more detailed Latin grammar. Allen & Greenough’s New Latin Grammar is available online for free via the Dickinson College Commentaries (http://dcc.dickinson.edu/allen-greenough/). COURSE POLICIES & RESOURCES Bust of Cicero. 1st c. CE. Classroom Environment Capitoline Museums, Rome. The pursuit of knowledge flourishes best in a mutually-supportive community in which all participants respect one another and feel comfortable and safe to learn. All students (and the instructor) are expected to (1) openly share their own views, (2) be open to the views of others, (3) communicate with one another thoughtfully and respectfully, and (4) keep this community’s discussions confidential. All students are encouraged to speak with the instructor immediately if they feel these expectations are not being met. Note that I am always happy to honor any student’s request to be addressed by their preferred name or pronoun. Please let me know if your preferences change at any time. Attendance Reading fluency in any language requires regular practice (outside the classroom) and reinforcement (inside the classroom). This course cannot, therefore, be taken in absentia—attendance and attention at all classes are required. After three excused absences, the Dean will be notified. After a fourth absence, your course grade will be lowered by one GPA unit (A to A-, A- to B+, etc.) and will continue to drop with each successive absence. Unexcused absences are not permitted. If you must miss class, you are responsible for completing all assignments and contacting the instructor or another student to determine what was covered in class. Late Work All assignments are due and all tests must be taken on the dates listed on the syllabus. Late work will be marked down 5% per (calendar) day after the due date. Exceptions to this policy will be made only in case of serious emergencies or documented scheduling conflicts (see below). Scheduling Conflicts If you anticipate a conflict between this course’s schedule and (1) your participation in an official University event or (2) your religious observance, you may request reasonable accommodations. Please submit your request to me via email in advance. Electronics Technology can be a powerful tool, but also a serious distraction. I strongly recommend that you do not use your laptop in class (see https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-learning-secret-don-t-take-notes-with-a-laptop/) and I reserve the right to rescind any student’s permission to use a laptop if it is hindering their attention in class or distracting other students. Student Disabilities I am happy to make accommodations for any disabilities that may impact your learning. Please notify me and contact the Office of Disability Services ([email protected]) to establish your eligibility and coordinate accommodations. COURSE POLICIES & RESOURCES, CONT’D Academic Honesty In this course, as in all your work at this university, you are expected to abide by Xavier’s Academic Honesty Policy (https:// www.xavier.edu/library/xu-tutor/xu-tutor-use/academic-honesty). All work submitted for academic evaluation must be your own and must contain proper citation and attribution of any contributing work(s). Plagiarism or cheating will result both in a zero on the assignment in question and a referral to the Dean.