Posted: October 24th, 2022

Descriptions by Callistratus

Descriptions by Callistratus

I’ve already discussed Narcissus, Eros, and Dionysus.

I’ve already written because the reading consists of 14 short essays about 14 Greek classical statues. And you only have to choose one of the 14 I haven’t mentioned.

3. Describe

Give a summary of the contents, its length, and how the author develops his argument

That is, put in your own words what is most cogent/compelling about the work

4. Background on author / author’s methodology

DICTIONARIES/ENCYCLOPEDIAS/WIKIPEDIA ARE NOT LEGITIMATE VETTED ACADEMIC SOURCES [will lose +/- grade for citing any dictionary, encyclopedia or Wikipedia]

The way to get around this is to look at introductory chapters in books on the author you chose (you do not have to read the whole book – skim for what is useful) or any article on the author that promises by its title to be a general assessment. Use the Carleton library to find books (you can read/skim chapters) and articles on the author/subject. 100% of articles in cuLibrary holdings are available on-line for free.

5. Discuss

Accuracy: consider how accurate. Here you can bring in sources that show Plutarch, Seneca, Philo, Vitruvius, Frontinus, Philostratus (father as well as son) and Callicrates knew what they were talking about (or not).

For art and architecture, there are tonnes of illustrations of actual theatres or aqueducts and in many cases Roman copies of statues discussed still survive. For religion and philosophy (wellness), several authors (ancient and after antiquity) tackled the same subject – they can easily be checked out, and all 10 of the commandments have spurred great debate (position Philo within that debate). The 11th commandment is ‘thou shalt not plagiarise’; make sure to give sources for material you quote, paraphrase, cite.

In some cases, as Philo on allegory, they were great innovators, well ahead of their time.

You are allowed your own opinions: you chose the work you are investigating for a reason. It is fair to state it as well as where you are in the spectrum of any debates on the subject. Images (especially for art and architecture) are encouraged, should be at the end of the paper, and do not count to length.

Think as you write what this ancient essay is telling us about the Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, particularly in terms of society and of technology. 11 aqueducts – did the Romans really need that much water? I have chosen on purpose writers who were bi/multi-cultural: Plutarch, for example, was a Greek, living during the Roman Empire (also Roman consul) and lived several years in Egypt (Seneca lived even longer in Egypt than Plutarch; his brother is mentioned in the Christian testament).

Bibliography

A list of works cited should be at the end; this will be helpful in marking. You must include in your list of works cited each work that you cited via a footnote or imbedded reference in the text.

MY GOALS FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT:
> The purpose of this assignment is to get you thinking about critically reading and evaluating sources. Secondarily, it is to remind ourselves that just because a source is ancient, that does not mean it is right. Sloppy scholarship among the ancients is rife: Cicero is fast and loose with his facts; Livy ‘researched’ the earliest part of his history by watching plays on the subjects [the ancient equivalent of research by Disney]). Ancient writers are not unbiased, disinterested witnesses: Seneca was a politician (and exiled for extra-marital affairs, one with the sister of the emperor [unwise]) before he became a philosopher. Fronto was tutor to Marcus Aurelius and his letters are more self-justification/blame deflection than historical reminiscence.