This fall, Professor Cathy Keane represented Washington University at the annual Langford Conference in Classics, hosted by Florida State University in Tallahassee. The 2025 conference theme, “Narrating Power,” brought together nine scholars from across North America to explore how ancient texts construct and critique authority.

Professor Keane’s talk, “The Emperor that Epigram Built: The Rise and Fall of Domitian in Juvenal Satire 4,” examined the interplay between two major Roman authors: Juvenal and Martial. She argued that Juvenal strategically “recycles” Martial’s epigrams in his satire on Domitian—altering their tone and meaning to undermine Martial’s earlier, more favorable portrayal of the emperor. This nuanced reading sheds light on how literary forms like epigram and satire could shape imperial reputation in antiquity.

The conference concluded with a memorable excursion to Wakulla Springs State Park, where Professor Keane traded discussions of imperial power for encounters with natural power—spotting birds, alligators, and the stunning Florida landscape.