[Classical and Romance Languages and Literatures]

The study of Greek and Latin language has practical and professional benefits. Graduate programs in English and modern languages, for example, frequently require reading knowledge of either Greek or Latin, and professional programs in law and medicine often favor applicants who have studied an ancient language. Studying either Greek or Latin not only offers insight into English vocabulary but also leads to understanding how languages work and hence to improving one's own writing skills and logical thinking. While these practical and professional benefits make the study of Greek or Latin valuable, they do not capture the pleasures and rewards of such study. The inspiration of poets, philosophers, holy men and women, kings and queens—Greek and Latin words have been and continue to be catalysts for some of the most influential intellectual and political movements in Western civilization. The study of Greek and Latin words is the most compelling and intimate way to learn about the civilizations of Greece, Rome, and their cultural offspring, Europe and the Americas. Ancient languages are the royal road to a complicated and vital past that, for better or worse, still haunts our present.

Courses at the 200 and 300 level have been created for second-, third-, and fourth-year students. Students who have had only one year of college-level Greek or Latin at Bates or the equivalent at another institution should register for the 200-level course. All other students should register for the 300-level course. During some semesters, second-year students may meet separately from upper-division students. Other semesters, students will meet collectively for two of three classes per week and divide into smaller groups to accommodate their individual needs. All courses focus on improving language skills (developing vocabulary, increasing reading comprehension, and learning meter if appropriate) as well as exploring the historical context of the author(s) studied.

Cross-listed Courses. Note that unless otherwise specified, when a department/program references a course or unit in the department/program, it includes courses and units cross-listed with the department/program.

Greek Courses

GRK 101-102. Elementary Ancient Greek. The objective of the course is to begin a study of Classical Greek as a foundation for upper-level reading courses. It covers the basics of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary building. Students learn to read Greek sentences and passages and to translate from English into Greek. During the early stage much learning by rote of forms and rules is necessary, but students find that Greek is a structured and beautiful language, and the pleasure of reading "in the original" is inestimable. Normally offered every year. D. O'Higgins, M. Imber.

GRK 201. Classical Prose. Called the "age of enlightenment," classical Greece witnessed the invention of democracy, philosophy, and medicine, to name but a few. Students read Plato, Thucydides, Demosthenes, or Lysias in order to understand how and why the Greeks created these disciplines and institutions. Prerequisite(s): Greek 101 and 102. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every other year. L. Maurizio.

GRK 202. Classical Poetry. From Oedipus' self-blinding to the trial of a cheese grater, Athenian tragedies and comedies portrayed the human condition and the Athenian political world. Students read the works of the comedians, Aristophanes and Menander, and the tragic poets, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, who dramatized and satirized the human condition. Prerequisite(s): Greek 101 and 102. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every other year. H. Walker.

GRK 203. Prose about Archaic Greece. As the population exploded in archaic Greece, so did political, social, religious, and cultural institutions. The Persians invaded Greece, the Olympics were inaugurated, tyrants were overthrown, and law courts invented. Students examine these momentous events in archaic authors such as Herodotus and Antiphon or in later writers such as Plutarch and Pausanias. Prerequisite(s): Greek 101 and 102. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every other year. Staff.

GRK 204. Poetry from Archaic Greece. Homer sang about Troy's destruction and Odysseus' travels, Hesiod about the birth of gods and his cheating brother. Sappho praised the power of Aphrodite and Alcaeus, the power of wine. Students explore how the poets in archaic Greece sang about their lives and their world. Prerequisite(s): Greek 101 and 102. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every other year. Staff.

GRK 301. Classical Prose: Advanced. This course covers the same material as Greek 201, but is designed for students who have completed two or more years of college-level Greek. Open to first-year students. Not open to students who have received credit for Classics 301. Normally offered every other year. L. Maurizio.

GRK 302. Classical Poetry: Advanced. This course covers the same material as Greek 202, but is designed for students who have completed two or more years of college-level Greek. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every other year. H. Walker.

GRK 303. Prose about Archaic Greece: Advanced. This course covers the same material as Greek 203, but is designed for students who have completed two or more years of college-level Greek. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every other year. Staff.

GRK 304. Poetry from Archaic Greece: Advanced. This course covers the same material as Greek 204, but is designed for students who have completed two or more years of college-level Greek. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every other year. Staff.

GRK 360. Independent Study. Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester. Normally offered every semester. Staff.

GRK 365. Special Topics. Designed for the small seminar group of students who may have particular interests in areas of study that go beyond the regular course offerings. Periodic conferences and papers are required. Written permission of the instructor is required. Staff.

Short Term Units

INDS s26. Reading in the Greek New Testament. Intensive introduction to New Testament Greek. Students begin reading in the Gospel of John, while studying the Koine, or commonly spoken Greek language of late classical and early Christian times. No previous knowledge of Greek is assumed. Cross-listed in classical and medieval studies, Greek, and religion. Enrollment limited to 8. Not open to students who have received credit for Classical and Medieval Studies s26, Greek s26, or Religion s26. Offered with varying frequency. R. Allison.

GRK s50. Independent Study. Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study during a Short Term. Normally offered every year. Staff.

[Classical and Romance Languages and Literatures]