Virgil’s Eclogues stand at the threshold of Roman poetry: a slim book of ten pastoral poems that reimagines the Greek bucolic tradition in an unmistakably Roman key. Composed in the turbulent years after the civil wars, the Eclogues move from rustic song-contests to political prophecy, from mythological cosmologies to intensely personal laments.
Poetry here is not only a medium but a subject of reflection: shepherds compete over whose voice can prevail, singers attempt to console desire or exile through their art, and prophecy too is framed as song. In his Eclogues, Virgil explores both the power and the limits of his art – its ability to preserve memory, to shape political imagination, and to gesture beyond the modest scale of pastoral toward the grander registers of epic.
In this 10-lesson course, we will read selected Eclogues in Latin with close attention to pronunciation and performance, and discuss them, as well as the entire collection, in their literary, political, and philosophical contexts. Participants will gain both close reading practice and a broader appreciation of how the Eclogues transformed the pastoral into a vehicle for Roman concerns and laid the groundwork for Virgil’s later masterpieces.
Type: Speaking and Reading | Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Language of instruction: Latin
Class size cap: 6 | Platform: Zoom
Dates: September 28, 2025 - November 30, 2025
Meets (EST*): Sundays, 2:00 PM | 10 sessions (1 hour 30 minutes each)
Materials: The instructor will provide any required materials.
Sessions will be recorded and made available to enrolled participants for review or in case they missed a session.
Zoom
Decent internet connection
Earphones
Microphone
Webcam (preferred but optional)
A quiet space for classes
*The course will observe US time and thus will change according to daylight saving time.
Major US federal holidays are observed. If a participant misses a session due to their observance of a religious holiday, they can arrange a separate session with the instructor.
Education should be accessible. Choose the tier that fits your situation — no proof required, no shame included.
USD 300 → Supported ($20/hour): for students, caretakers, or anyone stretched right now.
USD 450 → Standard ($30/hour): covers the full cost of small-group instruction.
USD 600→ Sustainer ($40/hour): covers your spot & contributes the remainder to a fund for scholarships. Thank you!
Virgil’s Eclogues stand at the threshold of Roman poetry: a slim book of ten pastoral poems that reimagines the Greek bucolic tradition in an unmistakably Roman key. Composed in the turbulent years after the civil wars, the Eclogues move from rustic song-contests to political prophecy, from mythological cosmologies to intensely personal laments.
Poetry here is not only a medium but a subject of reflection: shepherds compete over whose voice can prevail, singers attempt to console desire or exile through their art, and prophecy too is framed as song. In his Eclogues, Virgil explores both the power and the limits of his art – its ability to preserve memory, to shape political imagination, and to gesture beyond the modest scale of pastoral toward the grander registers of epic.
In this 10-lesson course, we will read selected Eclogues in Latin with close attention to pronunciation and performance, and discuss them, as well as the entire collection, in their literary, political, and philosophical contexts. Participants will gain both close reading practice and a broader appreciation of how the Eclogues transformed the pastoral into a vehicle for Roman concerns and laid the groundwork for Virgil’s later masterpieces.
Type: Speaking and Reading | Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Language of instruction: Latin
Class size cap: 6 | Platform: Zoom
Dates: September 28, 2025 - November 30, 2025
Meets (EST*): Sundays, 2:00 PM | 10 sessions (1 hour 30 minutes each)
Materials: The instructor will provide any required materials.
Sessions will be recorded and made available to enrolled participants for review or in case they missed a session.
Zoom
Decent internet connection
Earphones
Microphone
Webcam (preferred but optional)
A quiet space for classes
*The course will observe US time and thus will change according to daylight saving time.
Major US federal holidays are observed. If a participant misses a session due to their observance of a religious holiday, they can arrange a separate session with the instructor.
Education should be accessible. Choose the tier that fits your situation — no proof required, no shame included.
USD 300 → Supported ($20/hour): for students, caretakers, or anyone stretched right now.
USD 450 → Standard ($30/hour): covers the full cost of small-group instruction.
USD 600→ Sustainer ($40/hour): covers your spot & contributes the remainder to a fund for scholarships. Thank you!
NOTA BENE: Classes require a minimum number of participants to run although they may run with fewer participants, at the instructor’s discretion.
More than a week before the start of the course: 100% refund or credit
Less than a week before the first class up until the second class: credit
