One of the many things I have worked very hard to teach my students is how to think, act, and speak like a Roman would. I hear many things about how Latin is a dead language, and all of that, but my students and I have tried to make it come to life, since, as we have begun to realize, Roman Culture (and Language!) has carried over into the modern world.
Amid all of the teaching of ancient language and culture, we talk about modern language and culture. And we talk a lot about self-presentation, both for Romans and for us today. And I thought about Justin's post from yesterday.
My students and I often talk about how they are presenting themselves--what they mean to do, and what they actually do. Actions vs. Words, right? But, as the students point out to me, neither their words nor their actions matter in other classes. They are, as one of my students put it, "pre-labeled for your convenience."
We were talking, recently, about Cicero, and his self-presentation in two different letters, one to his wife, and another to a colleague. "He sounds like a big dick," commented K. I asked why she felt that way. "I mean, he's like 'yo, I am all important and stuff,' all the time." she replied. Her friend B agreed: "Yeah, he just writes like he owns the senate...and all of Rome."
After some discussion, S, a usually sweet, quiet "hard working" girl, brought up, "Does he 'own Rome' like we 'own the school'?" Confused, K asked her to elaborate. "Well," said S, "Ms P. is always like, 'Why aren't you listening? Do you think you own the school or something?'"
I thought about this, and clearly the rest of her class did too. "It sounds like the Roman Senate was just...glorified high school," observed J. We discussed the importance of being confident in Ancient Rome, and selling yourself. But where does that go over the line from being Confident to being a 'big dick," as K so eloquently put it?
What CAN we learn from those ancient authors and their self-presentation? What happens when we see ourselves in them?
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