Latin Literature in History
Greek literature was one of the numerous Greek accomplishments from which Romans drew immense influence. The Romans picked up first on the Greek embrace of rhetoric, which became an educational standard, given that a man's rhetoric, his ability to "push the buttons" of the subject audience by way of speeches, supplemented the man's rise to political power. But as rhetoric began to diminish from Roman daily life following Rome's imperialization, identical persuasive technique began to show itself in Roman literature. But Greek themes were just a backbone in Roman literature, and as time, progressed, Rome established a unique literary style, which, alongside Greek Literature, had a profound influence on the future History of Europe.One important early innovator is Quintus Ennius. Called the father of Latin poetry, he wrote a number of comedies in Latin as well. In addition, Ennius adapted Greek dramas to the Roman stage, and published a historical epic on Rome from its beginnings to the present (=around 200 BC). His most notable successors, Pacuvius and Accius, would write tragedies that built on previously used Greek themes, but individu
With the fall of the Roman Empire, much of the great works slipped away from the public interest, and underwent 2 major revivals. First, under Charlemagne during the Carolinian Renaissance, and second during the Renaissance. In the Carolinian Renaissance, Charlemagne urged on Classical education and the mass recopying of the ancient Roman texts by monastery monks, founding schools and libraries as well. This revival disintegrated shortly after his death, but his preservation and education of the classical text could be one reason we understand what we do about the Romans and their way of thinking. The "laying of a foundation for future history" is a massive task for literature to achieve, and it seems almost inappropriate to credit the Roman writings with that. No empires came to rise attributed to the teachings; no empires fell attributed to the teachings. Along the course of European History, the Roman teachings seem to have been symbolic of education, worldliness, wisdom, and literary standards. So much wisdom can be drawn from the texts that one cannot be fully rounded scholar without having brushed paths with the great ancient Latin writings. The texts provide an insight to themes not too distant from our lives. We can love the poetry and its imagery as in our own society; we can be swayed by a momentous political speech as they were by rhetoric. Perhaps the educated military and political leaders of the past drew on strategies and concepts presented in Rome's historical accounts. Maybe philosophies have shaped in some way or form the way human beings interact and think. We may never be sure of the extent of the Classical influence, but it without a doubt holds something crucial to the foundation of the arts and limitless other institutions that has touched Europe
Some common words found in the essay are:
Pax Romana, History Roman, History Greek, Humanism Humanists, French British, Renaissance Charlemagne, Historian Sallust, Mythology Writers, Ennius Called, Pacuvius Accius, latin literature, carolinian renaissance, pax romana, future history, renaissance writers, love poetry, greek themes, roman literature, roman comedy, ancient latin,
Approximate Word count = 1201
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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