奧古斯都凱撒統治下黃金時期的羅馬文學，是在政治體制從共和轉變至帝制的過渡時期中產生，這些作品對西歐和美國社會有著深遠且劃時代的影響。它們從根本上建立起美學的精細淬鍊、對哲學研究的熱切渴望，和政治的雄心壯志，仍為塑造現代文化的長久典範。本課程將會從歷史的觀點，替這些最先產生的不朽古典文學巨作，提供在文化背景上的精密審視，藉以來探討拉丁文學的黃金時期。而課程閱讀注重在奧古斯都凱撒統治下，從政府的共和體制轉變至帝國的過渡時期，個別作家對羅馬社會所經歷深刻結構改變的各類回應。獨特的焦點將會放在透過文字的社會重組和自我重建、公共與私有尺度的改變、階級和性別所扮演的角色，以及藝術與娛樂間的關連性。著作涵蓋廣泛的文學類型，包括凱撒、西塞羅(Cicero)、卡圖拉斯(Catullus)、李維(Livy)、維吉爾(Virgil)、賀拉斯(Horace)和奧維德(Ovid)等人的作品，並外加上迪奧(Cassius Dio)的歷史著作，來協助瞭解歷史背景。Roman Literature of the Golden Age of Augustus Caesar, produced during the transition from Republican to Imperial forms of government, was to have a profound and defining influence on Western European and American societies. These writings ultimately established lasting models of aesthetic refinement, philosophical aspiration, and political ambition that continue to shape modern cultures. This class will be exploring the Golden Age of Latin Literature from an historical perspective in order to provide an intensive examination of the cultural contexts in which these monumental works of classical art were first produced. Readings will emphasize the transition from a Republican form of government to an Empire under the rule of Augustus Caesar and the diversity of responses among individual authors to the profound structural changes that Roman society was undergoing at this time. Particular attention will be devoted to the reorganization of society and the self through textuality, the changing dimensions of the public and the private, the roles of class and gender, and the relationship between art and pleasure. Writings covering a wide variety of literary genres will include the works of Caesar, Cicero, Catullus, Livy, Virgil, Horace, and Ovid, with additional readings from Cassius Dio for background.
