Introduction
Augustus ruled Rome during a time of great peace. He used famous writers like Virgil, Horace, and Ovid to help share his ideas and make him look good. But was it that simple? Your job is to find out.
Task
You will be assigned one poet. Your task is to answer 3 questions about him on a single Google Doc or worksheet.
The three questions are:
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What was one major poem he wrote?
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Did his work support Augustus's ideas? How?
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What was their relationship like? (Good friends? Enemies? Complicated?)
Process
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Step 1: Get Your Poet (2 minutes)
Your teacher will tell you if you are Team Virgil, Team Horace, or Team Ovid. -
Step 2: Research (20 minutes)
Use the links below to find the answers to your 3 questions. Focus only on your poet! Write notes in your own words.Research Links:
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For Virgil:
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Short Summary of Virgil's Aeneid: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/introducing-virgils-aeneid/content-section-2
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How the Aeneid connects to Augustus: https://embed.la.utexas.edu/txlatin/2019/10/14/vergils-aeneid-introduction/
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For Horace:
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Short Bio of Horace: https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo-9780195389661/obo-9780195389661-0027.xml
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Summary of Horace's Odes: https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Odes-of-Horace/plot-summary/
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For Ovid:
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Why was Ovid exiled? https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ovid-Roman-poet/Works
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What was Ars Amatoria (The Art of Love) about? https://ancient-literature.com/rome_ovid_ars/
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Step 3: Answer Your Questions (8 minutes)
Open your Google Doc or worksheet. Clearly answer the 3 questions from the Task section using the notes you took.
Evaluation
| What You'll Be Graded On | Great! (4 pts) | Good (3 pts) | Needs Work (2 pts) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Answers the Questions | All 3 questions are answered completely and clearly. | All 3 questions are answered, but some may be short. | Questions are missing or answers are very unclear. |
| Uses Evidence | Uses specific facts from the research (e.g., poem titles, historical events). | Uses some facts from the research. | Uses little or no evidence from the research. |
| Understanding | Shows a clear understanding of the poet's relationship with Augustus. | Shows a basic understanding of the relationship. | It is hard to tell what the relationship was. |
Conclusion
You've now seen the power of words! Augustus knew that stories and poems could shape how people thought. Sometimes the poets were his partners, and sometimes they were his enemies.
Think about it: Who controls the stories told in our world today? Politicians? Celebrities? TikTokers? The battle between leaders and artists is still happening all around you.