Latin 1 Nōmen

Dr. McGay4th Quarter Project – Video or Skit

Legends of the Roman Monarchy and Early Republic:

The early history of Rome, from its supposed founding in 753 BC to the Punic Wars of the 3rd century BC, is replete with legendary stories (many hard to believe) and historical heroes and heroines. Many of these legends have been retold though the ages, even in more recent history: for example, George Washington commisioned a statue to be made of him in the likeness of Cincinnatus. So, just as children since Roman times have learned these fabulous tales, we will study them and act them out in playlets.

With a partner, do the following:

(1) choose a topic and read/research the surviving accounts in Livy and other Roman writers

(2) write a 3-4 page playlet or dialogue, depicting and dramatizing your legend. Include lines for a narrator to give the background of the legend and necessary segues. (NB: you may write multiple roles to be acted by other classmates)

(3) include at least 3 phrases in Latin in your dialogue or narrative.

(4) perform your playlet in front of the class or make a DVD[1] to be shown in class

(5) include a visual and/or props

Length of performances: 5-7 minutes

Date of performances: the week of May 18 - 22

Topics:
  1. Life of Romulus – from birth to deification (Livy, Book I)
  2. Numa Pompilius & Tullus Hostilius – the 2nd and 3rd kings of Rome. One brings peace, the other war! (Livy, Book I)
  3. The Horatii and the Curiatii: theduel of the triplets(Livy, Book I. 23-26)
  4. Ancus Martius and Tarquinius Priscus – the 4th and 5th kings of Rome (Livy, Book I)
  5. Servius Tullius, the 6th king of Rome – the slave becomes a king (Livy, Book I)
  6. Tarquinius Superbus or Tarquin the Proud, the 7th and last king of Rome and the rise of Lucius Junius Brutus (Livy, Book I)
  7. Horatius Cocles at the Bridge, fights off the invaders til the bridge collapses (the Tiber River) (Livy, Book II. 10-11)
  8. Gaius Mucius Scaevola puts his hand in the fire + Lars Porsenna (Livy, Book II. 12-13)
  9. Cloelia and the other girls swim to safety
  10. The Battle of Lake RegillusThe gods, Castor and Pollux, lead Romans to victory (Livy, Book II. 19-20).
  11. Coriolanus – traitor marches on Rome, but his mother convinces him not to attack (Livy, Book II. 33-40)
  12. The story of the maid Tarpeia and the Tarpeian Rock(Livy, Book II)
  13. Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus becomes temporary dictator and saves Rome (Livy, Book III. 26-29)
  14. The Gauls sack Rome after the Battle at the River Allia, but Rome is saved by the sacred geese of Juno (Marcus Manlius + Camillus)
  15. Titus Manlius Torquatus challenges a giant Gaul and wins! + The fate of his son (patria potestas)
  16. In 349 BC, Maximus Valerius Corvinus defeats a Gaul with the help of a crow(see Livy, Book VII, Chapter 26)
  17. Other (scan the first few books of Livy for ideas).

  1. For the video(mini-documentary)/skit project, do the following:

(1)Create a group of three or four students. (If need be, I will help assign group members)

(2)Choose one of the legends or historical accounts below and read about them.

(3)Write up your own script & dialogue to be turned by May 16. You may follow the Storyteller formula in having a narrator in addition to the principal characters.

(4)Film your myth and make a DVD of your script, or perform a skit – due May 20.

(5)Your grade will be based on a rubric very similar to the myth movie project. Be sure that no scripts are visible during movies or skits: let’s have some acting. Late projects will be reduced one letter grade per day late.

[1] If you do a video, no scripts are to be visible or read.