CLAS 3340 Latin Pastoral Poetry

A century of becoming a global empire and a generation lost in civil warfare drove Roman poets of the late first century BCE into the arms of pastoral, a fantasy genre sparsely inhabited by shepherd who spent their days singing of love and roaming idyllic landscapes. We will read in Latin two contemporaneous pastoral texts--the Eclogues of Vergil and Elegies of Tibullus--as we try to understand what this fictional countryside offered Rome's most urbane writers.

Course overview

Department
Classical Studies
School
MCAS
Credits
3
Level
Both
Offered
Every Spring

Requirements fulfilled

  • Latin: I. Four courses (12 credits) in Latin above the elementary level (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)

Requirement eligibility can vary by school, cohort, and section. Confirm the selected section in EagleApps or with an advisor.

Official evaluation summary

4.00 / 5

Based on 8 aggregate responses from BC Avalanche/Blue evaluations.

Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-08-02. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

Sections

  • Section 01
    Fall 2026 · Christopher Polt · Stokes Hall 221S MW 03:00PM-04:15PM · Offered