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

The Punic Wars and Roman Expansion

After the Gauls sacked Rome in 387 B.C.E., Romans saw Carthage in North Africa as a threat. This prompted three Punic Wars, all won by Rome. The First Punic War, in which Rome learned naval warfare, made Sicily Rome’s first province. Rome issued an ultimatum to Carthage that prompted the great Hannibal to invade Italy, causing the Second Punic War that Rome also won. The Third Punic War was caused when Carthaginians retaliated against the Numidian king Masinissa, who was a Roman ally. After those victories, Roman territory now included Spain, North Africa, Macedonia, Greece, and parts of Asia Minor.

The Rise of Gnaeus Pompey

The young Gnaeus Pompey (106–48 B.C.E.) gathered a private army to fight for Sulla... Continue reading "Roman Republic History: From Punic Wars to Julius Caesar" »

Part IV: A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnhnms

1. Arrival and First Encounters

After being abandoned by pirates, Gulliver encounters a race of hideous, deformed, and savage humanoid creatures called Yahoos, towards whom he feels a strong aversion. Soon after, he meets the Houyhnhnms, a race of intelligent horses who rule over the Yahoos.

2. The Nature of Houyhnhnms

Gulliver learns that "Houyhnhnm" translates to both "horse" and "perfection of nature" in their language. He explains human society to the Master Horse, who is unfamiliar with concepts like deception, power, greed, lust, or envy.

3. Human Nature and War

The Master Horse inquires about the causes of war among humans. Gulliver explains three main reasons: ambition for conquest, government... Continue reading "Gulliver's Travels Among the Houyhnhnms" »

T.S. Eliot's Concept of Literary Tradition

This concept forms a crucial point of union between Eliot, Pound, Arnold, and the New Critics. While 'traditional' often implies outdated, for Eliot, it held a unique meaning. Eliot's perspective on history sometimes appears contradictory. He sometimes viewed the poet's role as simply expressing their epoch, and at other times, as actively disagreeing with their contemporary period. Eliot leaned towards the former, believing a poet should passively represent their era's ideas without disagreement. This is why he praised Elizabethan poets for their wonderful capacity to 'poetize' their period.

Great universal classic art, in his view, lacks a critical historical capacity; it doesn't question events but... Continue reading "T.S. Eliot's Poetics: Tradition, Language, and the Poet's Role" »

Caedmon: The First Known English Poet

Caedmon is considered the first English poet. While no original manuscripts of his work survive, we know of him through the writings of Bede, a historian who lived a century later. In his historical accounts, Bede included a monk named Caedmon and introduced a fragment of one of his poems, known as "Caedmon's Hymn" in Old English.

Caedmon lived in a monastery and was illiterate. According to Bede, he had a dream in which a man instructed him to sing. Though initially hesitant, Caedmon began composing poems based on what he heard in his dreams. He was also believed to possess prophetic abilities.

Caedmon used poetry to spread Christianity and was imitated by other monks. His work shared formal characteristics... Continue reading "Early English Literature and Romanticism: Key Figures and Concepts" »

Thomas Hardy: Realism, Fate, and the Wessex Novels

Thomas Hardy's novels are primarily set in his native province of Dorchester, often referred to as 'Casterbridge' in his works. His narratives are characterized by a deep knowledge of architecture and a profound exploration of human destiny.

The Mayor of Casterbridge: A Tragic Yet Hopeful Narrative

The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886) stands as a significant tragedy, echoing the traditions of Greek tragedies and Shakespeare's King Lear. Despite its tragic arc, the novel remarkably concludes with a glimmer of hope for humanity. Its underlying philosophy is rooted in the malevolence of fate, which Hardy portrays as a primary source of suffering.

In this novel, Hardy masterfully applies the concept of... Continue reading "Thomas Hardy & Jane Austen: Literary Legacies" »

Eru Ilúvatar – The Main God who made the Valar through music.

The Valar: Elite of the "Angelic" Beings

Melkor / Morgoth

The First Dark Lord and the first of the Ainur to be created by Eru. He created discord in the music of the Ainur. Spiritual brother of Manwë, he was the most powerful of the Valar, possessing all aspects of Eru’s thoughts. He was taken back to Valinor in the chain Angainor, and after the poisoning of the Two Trees, he fled Valinor.

Tulkas (Astaldo)

Husband of Nessa. Known as “The Brave One,” he is the strongest of all the Valar, using only his fists as weapons. He laughs in sports and war, even in the face of Melkor. He was the last of the Valar to descend into Arda.

Estë (Rest)

The Gentle, known as “Healer of hurts... Continue reading "The Valar: Divine Beings of Tolkien's Legendarium" »

Foundations of Ancient Greece

• The Ancient Greeks were excellent in poetry, politics, and philosophy.
• The Minoans were the earliest civilization in the vicinity of Greece.
• Mycenae: A fortress city surrounded by walls 10 feet thick and royal tombs.
• Homer: Blind poet and creator of the Iliad and Odyssey, two poems still widely read and admired.

Greek Mythology and Culture

• Zeus: King of the gods.
• Apollo: God of the sun.
• Poseidon: King of the sea.
• Agora: Marketplace, a busy place of commerce, conversation, and political debate.
• Gymnasium: Place of physical training and games of skill.
• Olympic Games: First held in 776 B.C. and conducted every 4 years in honor of Zeus.

Historical Figures and Leaders

• Darius I: Persian King.
• Leonidas: Spartan King.
• Pericles: Aristocrat

Modernist vs. Contemporary Poetry

To clarify, not all contemporary poetry is considered "modern" in the sense of the Modernist literary movement. The Modernist poets, such as T.S. Eliot, tended to favor intellect over emotion and valued themes of alienation and isolation as reactions to the Romanticism of the previous literary era. For contemporary poetry, common trends include stream of consciousness, free verse, and the preference for suggestion or ambiguity of ideas.

Key Characteristics of Modernist Poetry

Disrupted Syntax

Modernist poetry often features disrupted syntax, which refers to irregular sentence structures.

Stream of Consciousness

In addition, many Modernist poems feature a stream of consciousness presentation in which the narrator... Continue reading "Modernist Poetry: Characteristics and T.S. Eliot's Legacy" »

Adulterate

(v.) to corrupt, make worse by the addition of something of lesser value

• Synonyms: contaminate, pollute, sully
• Antonyms: purify, purge, expurgate

Ambidextrous

(adj.) able to use both hands equally well; very skillful; deceitful, hypocritical

• Synonyms: versatile, facile
• Antonyms: clumsy, all thumbs, maladroit

Augment

(v.) to make larger, increase

• Synonyms: enlarge, supplement, amplify
• Antonyms: decrease, diminish

Bereft

(adj., part.) deprived of; made unhappy through a loss

• Synonyms: bereaved
• Antonyms: replete, well provided

Deploy

(v.) to position or arrange; to utilize; to form up

• Synonyms: station, organize

Dour

(adj.) stern, unyielding, gloomy, ill-humored

• Synonyms: harsh, bleak, forbidding, saturnine
• Antonyms: cheery, inviting, genial

Fortitude

(n.)

Simple Present

Pres. Simp. -> She cleans her.. -> She has her brushes cleaned

Present Continuous

Past Simple

Past Continuous

Future Simple

Future Continuous

Present Perfect

Present Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect

Past Perfect Continuous