Foreign Languages and Literatures: Latin

Purpose: Primarily to support undergraduate teaching programs in Latin Literature and (in English translations) in the General Education and Humanities Programs. Consideration is also given to the need for primary and critical texts on Latin Literature and Classical Mythology as essential backgrounds to the study of certain aspects of English, American, Romance, and Germanic Literatures, as well as Drama, Theatre, and Classical Rhetoric, at the undergraduate and graduate levels as well as faculty research. There is at present no graduate degree offered in Latin Literature.

1. Languages: The primary language is Latin, but English translations of important texts are also acquired. Translations into languages other than English are acquired only very selectively if they fill a specific need. Critical works and literary histories in English are widely acquired, with selective purchases in other languages if they fill a specific need.
2. Chronological Guidelines: Main emphasis is on the literature of the Roman Republic, Empire, and Late Antiquity (c. 70 B.C. – 800 C.E.)
3. Geographical Guidelines: Roman Empire. Latin in Western Europe only very selectively, except as it relates to the study of Anglo-Saxon and Medieval English and European Literature.
4. Treatment of Subject: Scholarly critical works, primary texts, and general works on Roman culture are collected. Textbooks are normally not acquired.
5. Types of Material: Monographs, journals, reference works. No rare books or manuscripts are purchased.
6. Date of Publication: Both current and retrospective works are acquired, although emphasis is on current titles.