We know how the most educated Romans spoke Latin while giving speeches in the senate or writing letters to each other – just take a look at Cicero. But what did the Latin of ordinary Romans sound like? One of our best clues is the dialogue between slaves, soldiers, prostitutes, and commoners found in Roman comedy. In this course, we will be reading the entirety of Miles Gloriosus, Plautus’ comedy about a braggart soldier who nearly thwarts the affair between two young lovers. Besides being a window into colloquial Latin, Plautus is also an important source for understanding pre-Classical Latin, since he was writing over 100 years before Cicero. And this play in particular is important for later literary history, as the origin point of the braggart soldier archetype.
Course details:
- Sessions last 1.5 hours
- 1 session per week
- Course lasts 14 weeks
- Term runs Jan. 5, 2025 – Apr. 12, 2025
How ALI courses work:
- ALI courses are live, online classes run by ALI Latin professors. Learn Latin from anywhere.
- Classes run on a trimester basis.
- Fall: September – December
- Spring: January – April
- Summer: May – August
- We want to make sure you’re completely satisfied. If you don’t love your first Latin class, we guarantee a 100% refund. After that, in weeks 2 – 4, refunds will be made on a pro rata basis, based on however many class sessions you’ve attended. We cannot issue refunds after the fourth week of classes.
- Read more on our FAQ page and check out our academic calendar page to see a more detailed schedule
