SLL256/ 356S- Aeneid Bibliography & Essay Questions

SLL256S/ 356S
Roman Society & Law

VERGIL - AENEID

Course Aim : The aim of this part of the course is to enable you to read with appreciation and understanding the epic Aeneid (the story of Aeneas), by Vergil. We shall be studying this poem, composed in 12 `books’, with special reference to books 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12. The following aspects will be dealt with:

(i) The social and historical context of the Aeneid

(ii) The Aeneid as an heroic tale (myth of Aeneas; Vergil’s epic predecessors)

(iii) The Aeneid as a moral and philosophical poem (furor and pietas; philosophical influences on the Aeneid)

(iv) The Aeneid as a ‘poem of civilization’ (Rome’s ‘mission’ as a civilizing force; problems of conquest and empire)

(v) The Aeneid as a ‘quasi-historical’ poem (Vergil’s sense of history; Aeneas as a prototype of Augustus; panoramas of Roman history in the poem)


READING

(useful introductory works are marked*)

*Anderson, W.S. The Art of the Aeneid Inglewood Cliffs N.J. 1969 873.12 AEN


Boyle, A.J. (ed.) Roman epic New York 1993 873.01 ROMA
*Camps, W.A. An Introduction to Vergil's Aeneid Oxford 1969 873.12 AEN

Clausen, W.V. Virgil's Aeneid and the tradition of Hellenistic poetry
Berkely 1987 873.12.AENE (CLAU)

Coleman, R. `The gods in the Aeneid', Greece & Rome 29 (1982) 143-168

*Commager, Steele (ed.) Virgil: a collection of critical essays New Jersey 1966

*Dudley, D.R. Virgil London 1969 873.14 DUDL

Fuhrer, R. `Aeneas: A study in character development', Greece & Rome 36 (1989) 63-72

Gransden, K.W. Virgil's Iliad. An Essay on Epic Narrative
Cambridge 1984 873.12 AENE (GRAN)


*Harrison, S.J. (ed) Oxford Readings in Vergil's Aeneid (ed) Oxford 1990
873.12 AENE (OXFO)

Johnson W.R. Darkness Visible: A Study of Vergil's Aeneid
Berkeley 1976 873.12 AENE

Lyne, R.O.A.M. Further voices in Vergil's Aeneid Oxford 1987 873.12AENE (LYNE)



Lyne, R.O.A.M Words and the Poet Oxford 1989 873.12 AENE

Otis, B. Virgil: A Study in Civilized Poetry Oxford 1964 873.14 OTIS

*Pöschl, V. The Art of Vergil Ann Arbor 1962 873.12 AEN

Putnam, M.C.J. The Poetry of the Aeneid Cambridge, Mass and London 1965
873.12 AEN

Stahl, H-P. `Aeneas - an "unheroic" hero?', Arethusa 14 1981) 157-177.


Sullivan, F.A. `Virgil and the mystery of suffering`, AJPh 90 (1969) 167-177


*Quinn, K. Virgil's Aeneid: a critical description London 1969 873.12 AEN

*Williams, R.D Virgil: His Poetry through the Ages British Library 1982 873.14 WILL

Wilson, J.R. `Action and emotion in Aeneas', G&R 16 (1969) 67-75


Consult also the relevant parts ofthe Cambridge History of Classical Literature (889.09 CAMB)

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ESSAY (to be handed in not later than 6 September 2005)

N.B. Make sure that, in writing your essay, you refer to and quote from the actual text of
the Aeneid.

EITHER

Is the Aeneid basically optimistic or pessimistic about the possibility of civilized order in human existence?

OR

To what extent is Aeneas a hero of a new kind in the epic tradition?

OR

Examine the manners by which Vergil describes and structures time in the Aeneid.
How does his use of time, the past and future, reflect his contemporary interests and the themes of his work.



Deliver your work to the box marked SLL256/ 356 outside B203.
For updates, announcements and handouts see the electronic noticeboard at:

classicdavid.blogspot.com

Vergil troubles? See David van Schoor in B217.