Gareth Williams

The strength of this course is without a doubt Professor Williams, who is kind and engaging. My biggest problem with this class is that it's simply not for me (and may not be for you, even if you think it is). I loved Latin all throughout middle and high school, so I wanted to continue studying it. I'd read Ovid and Virgil in high school and had the vague idea that I could pursue a concentration in classics. But this is not really a Latin class. It is much more an English class. There is little discussion about grammar and the actual language. It is only about poetry analysis. Dissecting word choice, themes, and ideas is really what this class is about. This is probably what higher level language classes are, so again, my biggest problem was that I simply don't like poetry analysis and English class. The class can also get pretty repetitive and boring because it has the same structure everyday -- following along with the translation with Professor Williams and writing down his thoughts on the meaning. But he does his best to keep that light and entertaining. Overall, I think that it's a good class if you like Latin and poetry analysis and your typical English course. If you're more drawn to the language, I'd say skip it.

I took Augustan Poetry with Gareth Williams in the Fall of 2022, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! He's a wonderful lecturer. The class was interesting, and I found myself often wishing that the sessions were longer. Highly recommend taking a class with him, especially if you're interested in Classics. The grading was a little strange. I was struggling with a medical condition, so my grades were not consistent. There were quizzes I should have failed and received a B-, and there were other quizzes that I thought I aced where I received a B+. The grading seems a bit subjective, but I doubt he'd intentionally fail anyone. If you're looking to get all A's, it might be somewhat frustrating; still, I think it's worth taking a class with him. He was also very understanding when my health declined mid-semester. If you have a disability, he WILL provide whatever accommodations you might need. Don't be afraid to meet with him -- Professor Williams is genuinely one of the nicest people I've ever met.

Professor Williams is truly brilliant! He is always exceptionally well-prepared for class and takes class very seriously. In this class we read Catullus, Propertius, Tibullus, and lots of Ovid. Williams' definitely prefers Ovid out of all of these authors, but spent quite a bit of time on all of them, except Tibullus. We actually ended up reading far less than was on the syllabus, and therefore spent a lot of time on each poet and poem. Williams truly has a gift when it comes to the Latin language and that is evident as he teaches the course. He will periodically ask students grammatical questions, but never puts anyone on the spot. Nor does he take attendance, but why would you ever not want to go? Williams' grading can be a little difficult when it comes to translation, but that really only improves your Latin. I came away with a keen understanding of Latin Elegy, and especially the works of Ovid and Propertius, the latter whom I have come to love.

I LOVED Professor Williams. Although I only had 8 teachers 1st year, Professor Williams was my favorite Teacher by far and will probably remain one of my most favorite teachers (he even trumps my few amazing high school teachers). Professor Williams has been teaching for how many years? (i know 15+ at least.. i think?) so obviously he's read the texts many times and has a clear and firm grasp on all possible aspects of the reading. He provides great insight and maintains a clear direction while teaching class, but he's also entirely open to students' own points of views. He encourages the class to dicuss views other than his own as well. Unlike my first semester teacher, who was an absolute nightmare that made you feel afraid of participating, Professor Williams was genuinely kind and encouraging. He made even the quiet people in my class speak on a somewhat regular basis. In my 1st semester's teacher's class, I was constantly sneakily looking at the clock (since i was scared he would catch me looking at the clock).. but in professor Williams' class I probably looked at the clock once a lesson and was shocked when there was only 10 minutes of class left since the class was so engaging. Now, instead of heaping the due praise Williams deserves, I'll mention other points. He's NEVER gotten angry at anyone. He understands other college activities, classes, and commitments, getting…

I LOVE this man. His passion for Latin literature and Roman culture is infectious. He genuinely respects the opinions of his students insofar as critical analysis of literature is concerned, though he can be a stickler for traditional grammar rules. Gareth is incredibly accommodating, if only a little absent-minded - which can be understood given that he is the chair of the department, involved in his own research, and teaching at least one undergraduate course a semester. I'll give a brief outline of my review of the three classes I've taken with Prof. Williams... Prose Comp: Difficult. I'm sure it would be tough with any professor, given the nature of the course, but Gareth demands perfection. We used an out-of-print text, as well, which was rather old-fashioned and, at times, confusing. Prof. Williams requires class participation and often calls on students randomly, which can be intimidating when you're an undergraduate in a course with graduate students. Even so, you leave the course with a sense of accomplishment and a much deeper understanding of the language. Latin Lit of the Empire: Ehhhh, no one really likes the survey. There's a ton of reading/translation for which you are responsible on a weekly basis and a quiz every session. You're not supposed to know what to expect on the quizzes... But Prof. Williams becomes predictable, and you will find that you only really…

Professor Williams is a brilliant man. He is possibly one of the few people in the world that may be called a "Latin scholar." This guy knows Latin as if it were his first language. He also speaks with a very cool British accent. An internationally known expert on Ovid, Williams called for parts of Cicero's "Pro Caelio" speech and parts of Apuleius' "Cupid & Psyche." He emphasizes grammar heavily, with weekly quizzes to check that you have an absolute mastery of the logic needed to translate such difficult works (ESPECIALLY the Cicero!). Beware, however, that the Cicero will scare you off at first. Keep at it and devote quality time to its translation and you will be amazed at your increase in Latin prowess. Williams is a very understanding man, but also expects that you spend time with the assigned Latin. Class was filled with undergraduate and graduate students as well as an MD.

Recommend isn't really the right word since it's a required class specifically for postbaccs, but it was a great class nonetheless! 1 Columbia University: Arts & Sciences Fall 2023 Course: LATNUN3980_001_2023_3-POST-BACCALAUREATESEMINAR : POST-BACCALAUREATE SEMINAR (LATN/GREK 3980, Fall 2023) Instructor: Darcy Krasne

I mean don't write a thesis if you don't want. 1 Columbia University: Arts & Sciences Spring 2021 Course: LATNUN3998_003_2021_1-SUPERVISEDRSRCHINLATINLIT : LATNUN3998_003_2021_1 - SUPERVISED RSRCH IN LATIN LIT Instructor: Katharina Volk

analyzed Vergil's Aeneid 8; Horace's Odes; Ovid's Metamorphoses 13, Tristia, and Ibis

A little on the heavier side for me. Keep in mind that I'm not a Classics major or minor. We were expected to prepare around 50 lines of poetry for each class session (although he never checked to make sure we did the homework). There were 6 translation quizzes throughout the semester. There was a take-home midterm and final essay exam, and a final research paper (approximately 8-15 pages).