Courses in Greek.

[For more information about major requirements, see Classical and Romance Languages and Literature]

Short Term 2000 Greek Addendum Notes

Ancient Greek attracts students both for its intrinsic beauty as an elegant and subtle language, and because it opens the door to Homer, Sappho, Sophocles, and Plato. Two semesters of elementary Greek sufficiently train students to begin reading in the ancient authors.

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. D. O'Higgins.

201-202. Intermediate Greek. A continuation of Greek 102, this course introduces students to important Greek texts and their cultural milieu. In addition to improving their Greek, students learn about the historical, literary, religious, and philosophical implications of the works they read. Texts may include: Plato, Apology, Phaedo; Euripides, Bacchae, Alcestis, Medea; Hesiod, Theogony, Works and Days; Herodotus, History of Greece; Homer, Iliad, Odyssey. Prerequisite(s): Greek 101 and 102. Open to first-year students. H. Walker.

301. Explorations in Greek Prose. This course introduces the student to prose literature in the original Greek, and it assumes a reading knowledge of the language. The course focuses on one of the major genres of Greek prose: historiography, philosophy, law court rhetoric, or political writing. It examines the style and rhetorical ploys of the writers, and heightens the student's awareness of the use and abuse of public discourse. It also includes class presentations and discussions on the social and political outlook of these writers, who created the imaginary past and political ideology of every democracy since that time. Prerequisite(s): Greek 201 or 202. This course is the same as Classics 301. D. O'Higgins.

302. Advanced Studies in Homer. This course is an upper-level reading course in Homer. Students divide their time between the Homeric Hymn to Demeter and the last three books of The Iliad. They also study epic diction and meter, and read some of the secondary literature on these famous poems. Staff.

360. Independent Study. Independent study of individually selected topics. Periodic conferences and papers are required. Permission of the department is required. Students are limited to one independent study per semester. Staff.

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

s20. Readings in the Odyssey of Homer. The Odyssey had proved an inspiring and inexhaustible text over the centuries. This unit explores the poem in detail, examining its cultural and literary context and considering modern approaches to this most enigmatic text. The unit is taught in English, but students who have completed one or more years of ancient Greek are encouraged to read sections in Greek, and learn how to "perform" the poetry. Recommended background: Classics 100. Written permission of the instructor is required, with priority given to students of Greek. Enrollment is limited to 15. This unit is the same as Classics s20. D. O'Higgins.

s26. Reading in the Greek New Testament. Intensive introduction to New Testament Greek. Students begin reading immediately 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. This unit is the same as Classical and Medieval Studies s26 and Religion s26. Enrollment limited to 8. R. Allison.

s50. Individual Research. Registration in this unit is granted by the department only after the student has submitted a written proposal for a full-time research project to be completed during the Short Term and has secured the sponsorship of a member of the department to direct the study and evaluate results. Students are limited to one individual research unit. Staff.

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