LATN 109. Aesop and the Ancient Fable Tradition

This seminar is devoted to study of the ancient fable tradition, from the earliest traces of animal fables in archaic Greek poetry to the Latin fable books of the medieval period. The primary goal of the seminar will be to develop an appreciation of the style, form, content, and history of the fable genre through close readings of original texts. In addition, we will also consider the question of the fable's status as "popular" or "low" literature in antiquity; problems of authorship and the fable's links to the mysterious, legendary figure of Aesop; the role played by animals and anthropomorphism in ancient storytelling; and the global spread of Aesop's fables in the post-Classical world. There will be opportunities to contribute to original research, including participation in a collaborative workshop with students at the Universita di Trento, Italy, and working with manuscripts of fable collections at the Walters Museum in Baltimore, MD, and the Morgan Library in New York, NY. Students can enroll for either LATN or GREK credit, depending on their particular interests and language competencies.
Humanities.
2 credits.
Fall 2022. Lefkowitz.
Catalog chapter: Classics
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/classics

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