CLASSICAL CIVILISATION
– FURTHER READING
AS Unit CC10 (F390) Virgil and the
world of the hero
By Mr G. de la Bédoyère MA FSA FHA
FRNS for KSHS
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Sources for
Classical Civilisation A-Level
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CC10
Powerpoints used in class (only available to KSHS
students with a password)
KSHS Y13 students perform The Aeneid
STOP PRESS for Class Civ students at KSHS: if KSHS Academic Portal is down (as
it was on the weekend of 4/5 October 2008) and you cannot access the
handouts/assignments and other notes posted there, please email me on the
address shown on the Home Page with what you need and I will email you back the relevant sheets.
Websites have been carefully chosen that have a lot
of basic information and details and/or pictures and plans about all prescribed
course material. Take care though – not all websites are necessarily 100%
reliable. Don’t be overwhelmed – more options are listed here than you will
ever need to chase up. But the point is it’s here and it’s available so it’s up
to you to make the most of it:
J indicates that there is (or will be) a copy in KSHS
Library (reference only for the moment). Some of these books are on order and
will be placed in the library as soon as they arrive.
Unit CC10 (F390) Virgil and the world of the hero
The key topics are:
·
Literature
·
Society
·
Values
·
History
·
Politics
·
Religion
You are expected to be familiar with the complete
texts of Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid (limited
preview at Google
Books Aeneid). In the examination you will be
presented with extracts from either of these works taken from the Penguin
Classics editions (Google
Books Aeneid). They may come from:
· Homer, Iliad Books 6, 18, 22, and 24
· Virgil, Aeneid Books 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8,
10, and 12
You are expected to know about:
·
The composition of both poems
·
The plot of
the Aeneid (see also Google
Books Aeneid for a preview of the introductory section) and the plot of the Iliad
(also here
for more on the Iliad)
·
Techniques used to create narrative, e.g. speech, repetition
·
Techniques used for description, e.g. similes and imagery
·
Characterisation
·
Themes: heroes, honour, reputation, family, women, gods, fate, war,
moral values, Aeneas and
·
Virgil and the regime of Augustus
·
Political and historical background to the Aeneid
·
Attitudes to war and peace
A. Online texts (N.B. these are NOT the
prescribed Penguin texts):
1. The Iliad (complete), and Book 6, Book 18, Book 22, and Book 24
Another translation can be found at Ian Johnston's
Iliad
2. The Aeneid in a modern translation (downloadable and
available on the KSHS Main Page Academic Portal),
Or read it online
here
3. The Aeneid
translated in the 17th century by John Dryden
4. You can also download the Dryden text of the Aeneid here
5. And
for your interest, the Aeneid in the original Latin
6. Watch the Aeneid Online – this is The Avenger (1962) a truly
terrible Steve Reeves film based on the second half of the Aeneid
but better than nothing (not much better actually).
Other online references:
B. Some online
resources to help you analyse the poems:
KSHS Main Page –
go to KSHS Academic Portal, The Classroom, Classical Civilization and then A2 CC10
Virgil and the world of the hero
i) ILIAD GENERAL
Leeds University
Iliad lecture notes
Take a look at W.A.
Camps, An Introduction to Homer on Google Books.
It’s only a preview but worth browsing though being a preview there are some
annoying gaps!
ii) ILIAD GODS – the Gods play a dynamic role in
the lives of men
A list of gods and
goddesses in the Iliad
An
online essay on the Gods in the Iliad and some excerpts from
essays on Gods in the Iliad – these AREN’T recommended but you may find them useful as a source of
IDEAS, but don’t rely on them: it’s easy to spot.
Online
forum on Gods in the Iliad
iii) HEROES IN THE ILIAD
Book
XXII (22): Achilles kills Hector
The Shield of Achilles
(which Virgil used as the basis for his description of the Shield of Aeneas)
An
illustrated look at the Shield of Achilles
iv) AENEID GENERAL
KSHS Y13 students perform The Aeneid
The Legend of Aeneas - a
Commentary
Major Characters in
the Aeneid
Wikipedia's Aeneid has a lot
on characters, style and themes
University
of Pennsylvania Vergil Project – this
extraordinary site features the complete Aeneid text
in Latin with online translation and commentaries. Just drag the red bar along
the top to the Book you want.
Spark
Notes on the Aeneid: pages on the plot,
characters, themes and so on
Spark Notes on Themes,
Motifs and Symbols (Themes: Fate, Suffering of Wanderers, Glory of Rome;
Motifs: Prophecy, Founding a
Although I baulk at such resources, you might find
this useful: Study
Guide Notes to the Aeneid and this is another online page with a forum
on the Aeneid
This page looks at the historical context of Augustus and the Aeneid and this one looks at Propaganda
and the Aeneid
v) VIRGIL AND HIS FEMALE CHARACTERS
The
character of Dido (an E-Book with lots more on the Aeneid)
Review
of a book about Lavinia
An online
discussion about Creusa
Some
Aeneid essay ideas including women
A
short article on women in the Aeneid
Some
observations on Homer's women (some interesting comments but practically
impossible to read thanks to the background: best copied out and pasted).
MORE TO FOLLOW!
Specimen assessment and support materials
CC10
(F390) Specimen Assessment Materials
FURTHER
* indicates a book that may be
particularly useful
*Camps, W. A.
An Introduction to Virgil 's Aeneid
1969,
*Griffin, J, Virgil
1987, Bristol Classical Press. ISBN 1853996262
*Williams, R.
Deryck. Aeneas and the Roman Hero 1998,
Bristol Classical Press. ISBN 1853995894
*Williams, R.
D. The Aeneid of Virgil: A Companion to the
Translation of C Day Lewis 1992, Bristol Classical Press. ISBN 0862920442
Some of these (above) are available on the school
Academic Portal
Edwards, M. W. Homer: Poet of the Iliad 1987,
John Hopkins. ISBN 0801840163
Griffin, J. Latin Poets and Roman Life 1987,
Duckworth. ISBN 1853994308
Gransden, K. W. The Aeneid 1990,
Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521832136
Griffin, J. Latin Poets and Roman Life 1987,
Duckworth. ISBN 1853994308
Griffin, J. Virgil 1987, Bristol Classical
Press. ISBN 1853996262
Kenney, E. J. and Clausen, W. V. Cambridge
History of Classical Literature: Volume II, Latin Literature, The Age of Augustus 1987,
Murgatroyd, P. Aeneid 1
and the Trojan War 1999, J-PROGS www.j-progs.com
Scullard, H. H. From the Gracchi
to Nero 1988, Routledge (chapters 11 and 12).
ISBN 0415025273
Thorpe, M. Homer 1980, Macmillan. ISBN
0862922410
Wallace Hadrill, A. Augustan
Rome 1993, Bristol Classical Press. ISBN 1853991384
Willcock, M. M. A Companion to the Iliad 1976,
University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0226898555
CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO TAKE YOU TO THE
RELEVANT PAGE:
AS
CC1
Archaeology: Mycenae and the Classical World (Entry Code F381)
CC6
City Life in Roman Italy (Entry Code F386)
A2
CC7
Roman Britain: life in the outpost of the Empire (Entry Code F387)
This page is in a constant process of being updated. Links to useful webpages will be added on a regular basis.
Other links
The Lactor
website (London Association of Classical Teachers)
Back to
the Classical Civilisation Main Page