Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Latin

Cesar's Clever Tactic

Caesar believed he had found a clever tactic. He had arrived hoping to finish the campaign without struggle and without injury. Having intercepted the enemies of the wheat supply from their homes, he questioned why he should lose some of his own men even in friendly matches. Why suffer being hurt?

Encouraging His People to Find Fresh Water

After delivering this speech among his people, Caesar agitated the minds of all. He gave an assignment to the centurions to interrupt their current works and devote their efforts to digging wells, not disturbing any part of the night time. Having undertaken this task and brought all the animals for work, one night a freshwater stream was found.

The Cavalry of the Germans and Numerical Superiority

The... Continue reading "Key Moments in Roman Military Campaigns and History" »

Significance and Function

As Greek culture evolved, it increasingly sought the perfection of images. Since most sculptures were created for shrines or cities, maximum realism was sought as a representative token.

Historical Context

It is very possible that Hermes with Infant Dionysus was sculpted to commemorate the peace between Elis and Arcadia, as Dionysus was the first patron of Elis and Hermes the second patron of Arcadia.

Symbolism and Dualism

The group is dualistic: it perfectly contrasts maturity and balance (represented by Hermes) with the immaturity and imbalance of Dionysus. In fact, it can be seen as a symbol of the world, as Hermes and Dionysus play just like the gods play with human destiny.

Mythological Narrative

Dionysus, son of Zeus... Continue reading "Praxiteles' Hermes and Infant Dionysus Sculpture" »

Medieval Spanish Literature Foundations

The Jarchas: Early Romance Lyric Poetry

The jarchas are short songs from the 11th and 12th centuries written in Mozarabic. They represent the earliest manifestation of Romance lyric poetry in Spain. They consist of a few verses placed at the end of Arabic and Hebrew poems called moaxajas. In these verses, a woman, often addressing an informant (like her mother or sister), expresses her feelings about love.

Galician-Portuguese Lyric Poetry

Galician-Portuguese lyric poetry was influenced by the learned and courtly poetry cultivated in Provence (France) and developed during the 13th and 14th centuries.

Types of Cantigas

• Cantigas de amigo: Love poems with an intimate tone. Similar to the jarchas, a young woman

Roman Theater

It is a literary genre of ancient Roman literature. It emerges from the adaptation of Roman schemes observed in Greek dramatic theaters. The Greek colonies in Italy, attracted by its beauty, copied schemes of tragedy and comedy.

Dramatic Manifestations:

• The Atellans: Improvised representations with humorous and burlesque themes. The characters were fixed, and characteristics were determined.
• Fescennine Verses: Representations of dialogue full of irony during games. The actors wore masks.
• Mime: Actors and actresses representing eroticism with comic situations.
• Pantomime: Dramatic pieces based on dance and mime, represented by a single actor embodying the various characters in the play.

Roman Comedy

Based on Greek New Comedy, it adapts... Continue reading "Roman Theater: Comedy, Tragedy, and Key Playwrights" »

Song of the Mio Cid

Model Values:

• Loyalty to the King: El Cid is faithful and loyal to the king. El Cid undertakes a war policy that leads him to conquer Valencia.
• Consideration and Honor: Rodrigo gets the royal pardon and his daughters marry into royal lineages, wedding the princes of Navarre and Aragon.
• Personal Effort and Faith in God: Based on personal effort, Rodrigo's virtue stems from Christian faith, loyalty to his king, justice towards his subjects, love for his family, and courage under fire.
• Measure: In all his actions, the Cid is wise and shows affection appropriately.

Authorship and Composition Date

The Song of the Cid is preserved in a manuscript that ends with a note stating that Per Abbat wrote it in May of the year XLV.

Structure of

Tradition and Vanguard

Miguel Hernández was not a man of learning; his life was a struggle against difficulties and shortcomings. In November 1931, hopeful, he traveled to Madrid with his teenage poems, which he brought back in 1932, disappointed by his failure to implement completely renovated literary ideas. His poetry writing became much more complex, with a *culterano* accent. This poetry is the fruit of his reading of the Baroque, Góngora, and the *gongorists* of the Generation of '27.

In 1934, he returned to Madrid to try again, and this time he accessed the literary world, thanks to influences from Sijé. It was a fertile time, open to everything and everyone; his assimilative capacity was absolute. His circle of friends expanded.

Miguel... Continue reading "Miguel Hernández: Life, Poetry, and Commitment" »

Federico García Lorca

García Lorca's work expresses his personality: an intense vitality that contrasts with the harrowing shadow of death. Topics include a passion for life, for love, and for freedom in conflict with a repressive society or tragic fate. The presence of frustration, loneliness, and death develops on a personal and social level. In his dramas, the characters are confronted with forces that suppress natural instincts, passions, hopes, and desires.

Stages of García Lorca's Work

• First Stage: Training and assimilation of different currents, including traditional and popular art and high culture. This includes youthful works, songs, and poems of flamenco singing. Gypsy Ballads portrays the marginalization of those facing social and

The Generation of '27: A Literary Movement

The Generation of '27 was a group of Spanish poets united by friendship and shared literary tastes. They benefited from the experience of modern art and the avant-garde, revolutionizing Spanish poetry while building upon tradition.

Origins and Influences

The commemoration of the tercentenary of Góngora in 1927 served as a catalyst for the group's formation. These poets, all with strong academic backgrounds, began under the guidance of Juan Ramón Jiménez and Ortega y Gasset.

Impact of the Spanish Civil War

The Civil War led to exile for many, often without return, and in some cases, to death, as happened to Lorca.

Key Themes in Their Work

The main themes explored by these poets include man's relationship... Continue reading "Spanish Poets of the Generation of '27: Themes, Style, and Key Figures" »

Analysis of a Poem from Campos de Castilla by Antonio Machado

Introduction

This analysis focuses on a poem from Antonio Machado's Campos de Castilla. Machado, born in Seville in 1875, moved to Madrid in 1883. His relationship with Rubén Darío began in 1903, the same year he published his first book and gained recognition. He married Leonor Izquierdo in 1909 and moved to Paris with her. After her death, his writing became increasingly personal. He fell ill in late 1939 and died shortly after in Collioure, France.

Machado's Works

Soledades, published during the height of Modernism, reflects themes of melancholy, suffering, and post-Romantic intimacy. Campos de Castilla (1912), considered his masterpiece, was published shortly before his wife'... Continue reading "Analysis of Antonio Machado's Poem from Campos de Castilla" »

The Monarchy (753-509 BC)

Reality and legend intertwine during this period. Seven kings ascended to the throne, beginning with Romulus and ending with Tarquinius Superbus. Rome conquered Latium and founded the port of Ostia. Servius Tullius implemented the first organization of the population, dividing it into four regional tribes and seven classes based on origin and wealth. The army was divided into tactical units called centuries.

The Republic (509-27 BC)

The king was replaced by two consuls. This era saw significant administrative development, with legislation extending to regulate the rights and duties of citizens. It was a period marked by wars of expansion and conquest, as well as political rivalries. A crucial event was the Punic Wars,... Continue reading "Ancient Rome: From Monarchy to the Fall of the Empire" »