Cl/RS (CRN 47993 / 47885), H 11:00-11:50, 117 Victoria;
Cl/RS (CRN 47998 / 40263), F 9:00-9:50, C. L. 219;
Cl (CRN 48002), F 10:00-10:50, C. L. 130;
Cl (CRN 48007), F 11:00-11:50, C. L. 130;
Cl (CRN 48010), F 1:00-1:50, C. L. 129.
Harris & Platzner, Classical Mythology: Images & Insights, 4th edition
Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound, tr. Thomson
Homer, Odyssey, tr. Fitzgerald
Miller, Greek Lyric: An Anthology in Translation
Grant, Myths of the Greeks and Romans
Calendar. Note that you will additionally be responsible for the material presented in lectures and in subsequent handouts (including, probably, a few additional pages or parts of pages in our texts), as well as for some material which is available on-line; also, as the term progresses, there may be some adjustments in the order in which material is covered and/or in the assignments.
Readings are more or less evenly divided between (1) summary and interpretation (mainly in Harris & Platzner and Grant) and (2) original literary texts (in translation). Overall, though, the emphasis is on original literary texts and the question of what a "text" is. (Original texts are indicated below with underlining.)
Jan. 5-7 - H&P, ch. 1, pp. 3-35. Citation from Pindar, Nemean 6, H&P, p. 21, and Grant, p. 45. Introductory note on Pindar, Miller, 125. Pindar, Pythian 8, lines 95-98 ("Beings ... kindly"), Miller, p. 162.
Jan. 12-14: H&P, chs. 2-3, pp. 36-84, 100-102 (Hesiod, Theogony , lines 666-742). Xenophanes in Miller, frs. 1-13 (pp. 110-111). H&P, ch. 4, pp. 104-126. Discussion of different styles of translation, different effects of citation. Speech by Prometheus in Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound, Thomson, pp. 10-11 "Painful it is ... spectacle of shame." Antigone's speech in Sophocles, Antigone, H&P, p. 710 "I dared ... of folly" (lines 307-325 in H&P's numeration).
Jan. 21: H&P, ch. 12, pp. 357-376. Homer, Iliad , Book 1, H&P, pp. 377-393. Grant, ch. 1, sect. 1, pp. 23-27.
Jan. 26-28: H&P, ch. 13, pp. 450-468. Homer, Odyssey , Book 1 (Fitzgerald, pp. 1-15). Discussion of writing systems: Linear B, alphabetic Greek, development of the text of Homer.
Feb. 2-4: Homer, Odyssey , Books 5-8. Book 11 (Fitzgerald, pp. 79-142, 183-206). H&P, ch. 9, pp. 283-300. Cf. H&P's treatment of "Loves of Ares and Aphrodite", pp. 211-213, with the original setting in Odyssey , Book 8 (Fitzgerald, pp. 132-136). An interesting on-line recitation of this section of the Odyssey in Greek, with more or less the original pronunciation, musical accompaniment, etc. is available.
Feb. 9: Review, etc.
Wednesday, Feb. 11: TEST. Specific information concerning test will be provided around the end of January; also, cf. the information concerning previous offerings of this course in Spring, 2003 and Fall, 2003, available near the end of the instructor's homepage. The test will consist of about 7 questions and/or passages for identification. Each of these 7 or so items will require a paragraph or so of discussion.
Feb. 16-18: Homer, Odyssey , Book 19 to Book 20, line 138 (F's numbering), Fitzgerald, pp. 351-379. Odyssey, Book 23, Fitzgerald, pp. 427-441. F's "Postscript", part 2, sects. iv-vi, pp. 496-509. Odyssey, Book 24, Fitzgerald, pp. 443-467.
Feb. 23-25: H&P, ch. 16, pp. 630-648. Riddle of Sphinx, in Grant, top of p. 106 (six lines). Reread H&P on Greek humanism, pp. 20-22, and read several pages in Grant on "the Qualities of a Hero", pp. 44-50. Sophocles, Oedipus Rex , H&P, pp. 649-687.
March 1-3: Sappho in Miller, introductory note and frs. 1 (1), 4 (16), 6 (31), 8 (44), 12 (55), pp. 51-52, 54-56, 58. Pindar, Olympian 1 in Miller, pp. 125-131. Discussion of priamel and ring-composition, cf. Miller, bottom of p. 19 and bottom of p. 54.
Friday, March 5: ESSAY (400-600 words) on assigned topic is due. See below for some details of grading. Information concerning topic and what is expected in the essay will be provided around the middle of February. Of course, it is expected that the essay will be your own work.
Week of March 8-12: Spring break, no class. A great deal of material, though, will be covered the following week, March 15-17; hence, you are encouraged to read some or all of this during Spring break.
March 15-17: Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound (Thomson translation, in Dover edition, pp. 1-47). H&P, ch. 15 pp. 543-560, Aeschylus, Eumenides , H&P, pp. 605-626; Sophocles, Antigone , H&P, pp. 698-736. Grant, chs. 7-8, pp. 190-221. H&P, pp. 735-736.
March 22-24: Pindar, Olympian 2 in Miller, pp. 131-136. Pindar, Pythian 3 in Miller, pp. 153-159. Also, H&P on Asclepius, p. 242. Herodotus (handout will be provided) and Bacchylides, Ode 3 in Miller, pp. 201-205.
March 29-31: Discussion of Near Eastern and Indo-European background of Greek mythology. H&P on Pandora and Eve, pp. 108-114. H&P on flood, pp. 125-126. H&P on Gilgamesh epic, pp. 114-115, 304-307.
April 5-7: Brief discussion of Vergil, Aeneid , H&P, 891-892. H&P, ch. 21, pp. 997-1022. H&P, selections from Dante, Tennyson, Yeats, Auden (pp. 1023-1025, 1033-1038, 1040-1041). Material concerning Nonnus; handout will be provided. (Some information concerning Nonnos is available at Tony Prost's website.)
H&P, on parallels between the worship of Dionysos and Christianity, pp. 271-276, and p. 300 (next to last paragraph).
April 12-14: Review, etc.
Wednesday, April 14: ESSAY (400-600 words) on assigned topic is due. See below for some details of grading. Of course, it is expected that the essay will be your own work.
Monday, April 19 4:00-5:50 PM - EXAM. Except in the most unusual circumstances, you should plan to take the exam at the scheduled time, rather than at some other time. Exam will be cumulative.
Essays, due March 5 and April 14, will be graded H / S / N. H is A- to A+, S is B+ to C-, N is D+ to F. Most are expected to be S. Essays with a grade of "S" will not normally raise or lower your final grade - but they are an important part of course. Of course, it is expected the essays will be your own work. Each essay should be 400-600 words (i.e., about 1 1/2 to 2 pages). Essays that are too long will be graded "N" or returned for revision.
Specific grade for the term will be based primarily on Feb. 11 test and April 19 exam. If the test grade is higher, both the test and exam will count 50%. If the exam grade is higher, the test will count 1/3 and the exam 2/3.
The essays are also important. Final grade will be reduced for missing essay(s), and/or for essay(s) with grade of N. Grade may be raised for Honors essay (but these tend to be written by students with high grades anyway.) If average on test and exam is C or lower, two essays of "S" will arbitrarily be counted as B- for 2/5 of grade - a procedure which should improve final grade. If average on test and exam is B to C+, two essays of "S" will arbitrarily be counted as raising final grade by one step (i.e., from C+ to B-, B-to B, or B to B+).
If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and Disability Resources and Services, 216 William Pitt Union, (412)-648-7890 / (412)-382-7355 (TTY), as early as possible in the term. DRS will verify your disability and determine reasonable accommodations for this course.