BY THE PEOPLE The Roman Republic & Satire

Professor Will Adams Valencia College

THE ROMAN REPUBLIC

THE HISTORY OF EARLY ROME

§  From the founding of Rome in c. 753 B.C.E. to c. 509 B.C.E., Rome was a monarchy, ruled by Etruscan kings.

§  In 509 B.C.E., the Romans expelled their Etruscan king Tarquin and established the Roman Republic.

§  Having witnessed the problems of monarchy on their own land, and aristocracy and democracy among the Greeks, the Romans opted for a mixed form of government, with 3 branches of government.

THE HISTORY OF EARLY ROME

§  The Romans, who were already fed up with their Etruscan kings, were spurred to action after a member of the royal family raped a patrician matron named Lucretia.

§  The Roman people expelled their kings, driving them from Rome.

§  Even the name of king (rex) had become hateful, a fact that becomes significant when the emperors took control as (but resisted the title of) king later.

THE HISTORY OF EARLY ROME

§  Following the last of the kings, the Romans did what they were always good at: copying what they saw around them and adapting it into a form that worked better.

§  That form is what we call the Roman Republic, which endured for 5 centuries, beginning in the year 509 B.C.E., according to tradition.

THE MEANING OF REPUBLIC

§  The word republic comes from the Latin words for “thing” and “of the people”.

§  The res publica or respublica is defined as “the public property” by the Lewis & Short Latin Dictionary, but it could also mean “the administration”.

§  Thus, the term “republic” as first employed as a description of Roman government had less baggage than it carries today.

THE THREE BRANCHES OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC

CONSULS: THE FIRST BRANCH

§  They formed the monarchical or executive branch of Roman government in the Roman Republic.

§  Two magistrates called consuls carried on the functions of the former kings, holding supreme civil and military authority in Republican Rome.

§  However, unlike the kings, the office of consul lasted for only one year.

§  At the end of their year in office, the ex-consuls became senators for life, unless ousted by the censors.

POWERS OF THE CONSULS §  Consuls held imperium and had the

right to 12 lictors each. §  Each consul could veto the other. §  They led the army, served as

judges. represented Rome in foreign affairs.

§  Consuls presided over the comitia centuriata.

§  The 1-year term, veto, and co-consulship were safeguards to prevent one of the consuls from wielding too much power.

§  Emergency Contingency: In times of war a single dictator could be appointed for a 6-month term.

SENATE: THE SECOND BRANCH

§  The Senate (senatus: “council of elders”) was the advisory branch of the Roman government, that early on composed of about 300 citizens who served for life.

§  They were chosen by the kings, at first, then by the consuls, and by the end of the 4th century, by the censors.

§  The ranks of the Senate was drawn from ex-consuls and other officers.

§  Property requirements changed with the era.

§  At first senators were only patricians but in time plebeians joined their ranks.

ASSEMBLY: THE THIRD BRANCH

§  Collectively, The Assembly consisted of two distinct bodies:

§  The Assembly of Centuries (comitia centuriata), which was composed of all members of the army, elected consuls annually.

§  The Assembly of Tribes (comitia tributa), composed of all citizens, approved or rejected laws and decided issues of war and peace.

§  The Comitia Centuriata elected the judicial magistrates known as Praetors.

WHAT IS SATIRE?

THE DEFINITION OF SATIRE §  It is a literary work that ridicules its subject in order

to make a comment or criticism about it.

§  Although satire is usually witty, and often very funny, the purpose of satire is to criticize in order to shame someone or something into reform.

§  Satire usually has a definite target, which may be a person or group of people, an idea or attitude, an institution or a social practice.

THE FIRST TYPE OF SATIRE

§ Formal §  In formal satire, the satirical voice

speaks, usually in the first person, either directly to the reader or to a character in the written work.

§ There are two types of formal satire: § Horatian or Juvenalian.

HORATIAN SATIRE §  Horatian Satire,

named for the Roman poet Horace, is gentle, urbane, and smiling in its tone.

§  It aims to correct an attitude or behavior through gentle and sympathetic laughter & criticism.

HORATIAN SATIRE

JUVENALIAN SATIRE §  In contrast, the second

type of formal satire, Juvenalian Satire, is named for the Roman poet Juvenal, and is biting, bitter, & angry in its tone.

§  It points with contempt and moral indignation to the corruption and evil of human beings and institutions.

JUVENALIAN SATIRE

THE SECOND TYPE OF SATIRE

§  Indirect Satire: §  In indirect satire, the satire is expressed through a

narrative, and the characters or groups who are the focus of the satire are ridiculed not by what is said about them, but by what they themselves say and do.

§  Much of the great literary satire is indirect. §  In additionally, the majority of contemporary

humor has its roots in indirect satire.

EXAMPLES OF INDIRECT SATIRE

§  The Simpsons §  Family Guy §  South Park §  Brave New World §  Great Expectations §  Scary Movies 1, 2 & 3 §  Chappelle’s Show

§  Clueless §  Saturday Night Live §  MAD TV §  Naked Gun §  The Truman Show §  Scrubs §  Huckleberry Finn

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER §  When analyzing a work

of satire, it important to ask one’s self the following questions:

§  What is the author’s tone? §  What is the author’s

purpose? §  Is it effective? §  What is the dominant

satirical technique used?

FOUR TECHNIQUES OF SATIRE

1. Exaggeration To enlarge, increase, or represent something beyond normal bounds so that it becomes ridiculous and its faults can be seen.

2. Incongruity To present things that are out of place or are absurd in relation to their surroundings.

3. Reversal To present the opposite of the normal order (e.g. the order of events or hierarchical order).

4. Parody To imitate the techniques and/or style of some person, place or thing.

EXAGGERATION

INCONGRUITY

REVERSAL

PARODY

LET’S PRACTICE! Identify the satire being utilized.

HORATIAN OR JUVENALIAN?

HORATIAN OR JUVENALIAN?

HORATIAN OR JUVENALIAN?ı

HORATIAN OR JUVENALIAN?ı

HORATIAN OR JUVENALIAN?

HORATIAN OR JUVENALIAN?ı

HORATIAN OR JUVENALIAN?ı

HORATIAN OR JUVENALIAN?ı

HORATIAN OR JUVENALIAN?ı

HORATIAN OR JUVENALIAN?

HORATIAN OR JUVENALIAN?

LET’S PRACTICE! Identify the technique being utilized.

WHICH OF THE TECHNIQUES?

WHICH OF THE TECHNIQUES?

WHICH OF THE TECHNIQUES?ı

WHICH OF THE TECHNIQUES?ı

WHICH OF THE TECHNIQUES?ı

WHICH OF THE TECHNIQUES?ı

WHICH OF THE TECHNIQUES?ı

WHICH OF THE TECHNIQUES?ı

WHICH OF THE TECHNIQUES?ı

WHICH OF THE TECHNIQUES?ı

WHICH OF THE TECHNIQUES?ı

WHICH OF THE TECHNIQUES?ı

WHICH OF THE TECHNIQUES?

THE HARVARD SAILING TEAM’S “BOYS WILL BE GIRLS” – ALL FOUR TECHNIQUES!

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – MODERN POLITICAL SATIRE USING THREE OF THE FOUR TECHNIQUES!

ACTA EST FABULA