This course will serve as an introduction to classical antiquity for students pursuing studies in ancient Greece and Rome, for those interested in the classical tradition and the impact of the study of antiquity on Medieval and Renaissance Europe, and for those seeking a general background in the western tradition. The centerpiece of the course will be an examination of Greek and Latin literature within their larger social contexts. Readings (in English) will include Greek and Latin epic, lyric, didactic and tragic poetry; history and historiography; philosophical, political, and mathematical treatises. The physical remains of classical antiquity, theoretical issues, and the classical tradition in the Middle Ages and Renaissance will also undergo scrutiny.
The course will proceed chronologically, and after the introductory week (which is devoted largely to materials, methodology, and the Internet), sections on first Greek and then Roman civilization will follow. Each subsection (e.g., Greek history, Latin literature, etc.) will be followed by a discussion section led by the faculty who delivered the relevant lectures. In addition to the required texts, faculty will provide secondary readings on reserve. CL 200 will include annual lectures by visiting scholars; the initial presentation will be by Michael Putnam, Brown University, on "Virgil and History."

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Required texts:

Greek

OHG=Boardman, J., Griffin, J., and Murray, O., eds. The Oxford History of Greece and the Hellenistic World. Oxford, 1991. 0-19-285247-7.
Homer. Iliad. Ed. R. Fagles. Penguin, 1991. 0-14-044592-7.
Grene, D., and Lattimore, R., eds. Greek Tragedies. Vol. I, including 'Agamemnon,' 'Oedipus the King,' 'Hippolytus'. 2nd ed. Univ. of Chicago, 1991. 0-226-30790-5.
Aristophanes. Lysistrata. Trans. D. Sutherland. Harper and Row, 1961. 0-8102-0031-7.
Plato. The Symposium. Trans. Nehamas and Woodruff. Hackett. 0-8722-0076-0.

Roman

OHR=Boardman, J., Griffin, J., and Murray, O., eds. The Oxford History of the Roman World. Oxford, 1991. 0-019-285248-5.
MacKendrick, P., and Howe, H.M., eds. Classics in Translation. Vol. II: Latin Literature. Univ. of Wisconsin, 1980. 0-299-80896-3.
Virgil. The Aeneid of Virgil. Trans. A. Mandelbaum. Bantam, 1981. 0-553-21041-6.

Participating faculty:

Classics: Michael Arnush, Lisa George, Leslie Mechem, David Porter
Art History: Penny Jolly
English: Terry Diggory, Kate Greenspan
French: Marc-André Wiesmann
History: David Baum
Library: Ruth Copans
Mathematics: Una Bray
Philosophy: Frank Gonzalez

Course requirements:

Essay: one 5-7 page paper (due week 6): 15%
Take-home Midterm Essay (due beginning of week 8): 20%.
Research Paper: one 7-10 page research paper (due week 15): 25% each
Final Exam (as scheduled by Registrar): 20%
Class Participation: 20%. Class participation is an essential aspect of this class, and consists of two components: preparation of readings and assignments, and participation in class discussions. If you do not attend class you can not participate. Throughout the semester we will select readings to be discussed by the class on an electronic bulletin board accessible via Netscape. The Netscape CL 200 newsgroup will form an essential corollary to the course, for we will use it to generate discussion, disseminate texts, announcements and other information, and raise issues of interest. Reader responses will be required and will count towards the 20% of the grade devoted to class participation.


NOTE: Absence from any exam without a written medical excuse will result in a grade of F for that exam. No late papers will be accepted.

Reading Schedule (subject to change)

WEEK 1

Mon.: Introduction; Literary/Historical Material and Methods

Arnush, George
Wed.: Archaeological Materials and Methods; Bibliographic Resources

Mechem, Copans

Fri.: Prehistoric Greece

Arnush, Mechem