Week 2: Vulgata: Moses. Background | Background Quiz | Starting Assumptions | Resources | Extras Vocabulary | Etymology | Grammar | Perseus Dictionary | Perseus Tool Reading Overview | Reading Quiz: English | Reading Quiz: Latin Discussion Questions | Latin Composition | Weekly Checklist

Starting Assumptions

Please write a good solid paragraph where you comment on any of the following topics, raise any questions that come to mind: what do you know about this week's topic already? what interests you about this topic? what more would you like to learn about it? When you are done, post your comments in the "Starting Assumptions" section of this week's Blackboard Discussion Board. Please make sure that you do this by Tuesday midnight; it is up to you whether you want to do this before or after the Background assignment (either way is fine).

Note: you do not have to answer all these questions; just pick the ones that are the most relevant to what's on your mind.

Jerome's Vulgate:

• are you familiar with the life/career of Jerome? are you interested in the history of the late Roman empire (the famous "decline and fall")?
• have you ever been to Rome? to Jerusalem or Bethlehem? to Antioch? if you could visit any one of these cities, which one would you choose?
• have you done any reading from the Vulgate Bible before? has Latin been a part of your religious education? have you ever attended a Latin mass?
• have you studied any Greek? Hebrew?
• do you have a Bible translation that you prefer? do you like translations that read smoothly, or do you prefer "bumpy" translations that might be more literal?

Story of Moses

• how familiar are you with the story of Moses? how did you get to know the story? (Bible? other book? film?)
• what are the most significant moments in the story of Moses as you know it?
• have you seen the old Cecil B. DeMille Ten Commandments starring Charleton Heston? what is your impression of that film? do you have any favorite scenes?
• are you familiar with other "foundling" heroes of folklore and literature, such as the Greek Oedipus? the Hindu hero Karna? the Welsh hero Pryderi? others?
• do you think about the Biblical account of the Exodus when you look at current events in Israel and Palestine? do you think that the Biblical account is an important element in the political debate?
• at the bottom of the page you will find some images from this week's unit; if any of these images make a big impression on you, you can share your thoughts about the image and what it suggests to you