What can the remains of early Latin tell us about the Romans and their neighbors in Italy before the heady days of the late Republic and the Augustan age? What Latin(s) and other languages did the Romans of the early- and middle-Republic speak, or regularly hear being spoken? Why did a Latin literature emerge quite suddenly in the mid-third century, like Minerva springing fully armed from Jove's head? Why was so much early Latin literature written by people whose native language was not Latin? How did the Latin language and its literature change between the early and late Republic, and how do these changes provide evidence for a complex "multicultural" society and for momentous changes in that society during the same period? These are some of the questions we will address as we read a variety of texts: early Latin inscriptions, fragments from literary giants like Livius Andronicus, Naevius, Ennius, Lucilius, and Cato, and selections from the comedies of Plautus and Terence, including a complete comedy by one of these playwrights. For purposes of comparison, we will occasionally read short selections from later Latin poetry and prose. Evaluation will be based on quality of preparation for each class, two or three essays/written exercises, and midterm and final exams. Prerequisite: Latin 202 or permission of the instructor.