classics
the study of the cultures of Greece
and Rome from the Bronze Age to the
end of the Roman Empire
ROMAN
TRANSLATION
PROJECT
Denis Feeney’s term for the process by
which the Romans created Latin-language
literature on Greek models
HELLENISTIC
PERIOD
the period of Greek history beginning
with the death of Alexander the Great
Livius Andronicus
Genres Imported from Greek Literature
epic, hymns, tragedy, comedy,
historiography, oratory, didactic, philosophical, dialogue
INTERPRETATIO
ROMANA
“Roman translation,” including religious
syncretism (the assimilation of non-
Roman religion to Roman religion)
Roman Names for Greek Gods
-Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Poseidon, Zeus, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hephaestus, Ares, Apollo, Artemis, Athena
Hestia-Vesta
Demeter-Ceres
Hera-Juno
Poseidon-Neptune
Zeus-Jupiter
Aphrodite-Venus
Hermes-Mercury
Hephaestus-Vulcan
Ares-Mars
Apollo-Apollo
Artemis-Diana
Athena-Minerva
VERGIL’S AENEID
OVID’S METAMORPHOSES
The geographical and historical proximity of ancient Greek and
Roman culture led to
cultural influence on the Romans
The “Roman translation project” incorporated Greek mythology
into
Latin-language literature
LATIUM
the region of the Italian peninsula to
which Rome belonged
Latinus and Amata’s daughter
Lavinia
Lavinia is betrothed to
Turnus
Aeneas marries
Lavinia
Aeneas’ parents
Anchises and Venus
Aeneas’ first wife
Creusa
Aeneas’ son
Ascanius (Iulus)
The Aeneid tells the story of Aeneas,
the legendary founder of the
Roman people
Vergil blends the mythology of the Trojan War with
Roman
historical legend to create the Aeneid
Aeneas is a figure with roots in the mythology of
the Trojan War
Jacques Derrida
DECONSTRUCTION
an approach to literary criticism that
emphasizes the fundamental instability
and indeterminacy of meaning in a text
Archive Fever (1995)