Meta Description: Join Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle as they dive into Carl Richard’s The Golden Age of the Classics in America. Discover why Antebellum Americans—from schoolgirls to presidents—were obsessed with the Latin language, and why George Washington always kept a bit of mutton handy.
Introduction: Loofahs and Corrigenda
Welcome back to the “bunker vomitorium,” listeners! In Episode 154 of the Ad Navseam Podcast, hosts Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle are back in the basement of the RHB bookstore to discuss a pivotal era in classical reception: the Antebellum United States.
But before they can get to the heady days of the 19th century, there is some housekeeping to attend to. Dr. Winkle pitches his latest “get rich quick” scheme: a crafting book titled 50 Ways to Loaf Your Loofah (sponges shaped like bread, naturally). Dr. Noe, ever the skeptic, advises him to “slip out the back, Jack.”
The hosts also face the wrath of listener Thomas Flynn, who issues a stern corrigendum regarding Episode 151. It turns out the Council of Chalcedon didn’t technically “issue a creed,” and Mark Antony was indeed naked (more or less) at the Lupercalia. Consider the hosts chastened.
The Main Event: Carl Richard and the Antebellum Golden Age
The core of the episode focuses on the work of historian Carl Richard, specifically his book The Golden Age of the Classics in America. Longtime listeners may remember Richard from Episode 44 (“Fathers’ Foundings”), which covered the classics in the Revolutionary era.
In this sequel, Richard argues that the classical flame didn’t die out after the Founding Fathers; in fact, it burned brighter than ever during the Antebellum period (roughly 1820–1860).
Why Did They Care? (The 9 Reasons)
Dr. Winkle, donning his metaphorical overalls to “glean” from Richard’s text, identifies nine reasons why 19th-century Americans were obsessed with a Classical Education:
- Virtue and Liberty: They believed the classics encouraged civic virtue and undergirded American liberty (though Dr. Noe notes the irony, given Rome’s own slide into tyranny).
- Mental Discipline: The study of the Latin language was seen as a way to develop mathematical precision in thinking.
- The New Hellenism: Unlike the Founders, who preferred Roman models, Antebellum Americans saw ancient Greece as a “shining city on a hill” worthy of imitation.
- Aesthetic Beauty: The achievements of Greece and Rome were seen as inherently beautiful and inspiring.
- Cultivation for the “Rubes”: Classics weren’t just for the elite; they brought culture to the frontier.
- Classics for All: The curriculum was accessible to men, women, and people of all races and classes.
- Greek Superiority: A belief that Greek culture had never been (and never would be) surpassed.
- Universal Truths: The ancient past speaks to the present because poetry deals in universals.
- The German Model: A reverence for the rigorous German Gymnasium system of philology.
Classics for All: Women and African Americans
One of the most surprising takeaways from Richard’s research is the democratization of the classics during this period. Far from being the exclusive domain of white, wealthy men, Greek and Latin were eagerly studied by marginalized groups.
- Women’s Education: Between 1810 and 1870, over half of female academies taught Greek or Latin. At the Sparta Academy in North Carolina, a group of 13-year-old girls actually outperformed the boys in classical exams. These academies fostered literary societies that later became networks for abolition and reform.
- African American Education: In Philadelphia and Baltimore, institutes for Black youth taught Vergil, Horace, and the Greek New Testament. The Philadelphia Colored Reading Society argued that classical literature improved taste and formed an acquaintance with human nature.
The McGuffey Reader Phenomenon
No discussion of 19th-century education is complete without the McGuffey Readers. Edited by William McGuffey (a professor of ancient languages), these textbooks sold a staggering 120 million copies between 1836 and 1920.
While they were English readers, they were steeped in classical themes. Students reading them would encounter Lord Byron’s The Isles of Greece, scenes from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (including the quarrel between Brutus and Cassius), and descriptions of the Colosseum. It was a stealth classical education delivered to the masses.
Sponsors
This episode is supported by:
- Hackett Publishing: Whether you need a copy of The Golden Age of the Classics or a trusty translation of Homer, Hackett has you covered. Use code AN2024 for 20% off and free shipping at hackettpublishing.com.
- Ratio Coffee: Avoid the “brackish tang” of lesser machines. Get the coffee maker that blooms before it brews. Use code ANCOJ3 (J for “Java” or “July”) for 15% off at ratiocoffee.com.
Gustatory Parting Shot
Dr. Noe wraps up the episode with a quote from the Pater Patriae himself, George Washington. Writing to George William Fairfax in 1786, Washington described his simple tastes:
“My manner of living is plain, and I do not mean to be put out of it. A glass of wine and a bit of mutton are always ready. Those who look for more will be disappointed.”
As Dr. Winkle notes, it’s always good to have a “ready-peel mutton” in your pocket, just in case.
Valete!
Resources for the Language Learner
- Moss Method: Dr. Noe’s Greek course takes you from “neophyte to erudite” with self-paced lessons and weekly “Moffice Hours.” Visit mossmethod.com.
- LatinPer Diem: Start your journey ab initio with Dr. Noe’s LLPSI course. Visit latinperdiem.com.
