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CC 220:
Classical Mythology


Prof. Leslie Mechem
Ladd 211, x 5464
Office Hours: MWF 10-11:00
 


Overview
Texts
Requirements
Readings
Web Resources



[Sept] [Oct] [Nov] [Dec]

September

3: Introduction: The Nature and functions of mythical thought

5: Introduction: Theories of Myth

What are the major mythical theories (ways in which we interpret myth)?

ERESERVE
READING:
Morford, Historical Background of Greek Mythology
Morford, Interpretation and Definition of Classical Mythology

8: Cosmogony and Theogony

RESERVE READING: Genesis, Chaps. 1-3
The Creation Myth on e-reserve

Questions for the Creation Myth

10: Cosmogony and Theogony

How does the Theogony begin? Who are the first gods? What are the main narrative sections of the poem (not the lists of names)?

READING: Hesiod, Theogony ACM
ACM
, Appendix 1

12: Cosmogony and Theogony

Why is Zeus a successful monarch? Are there challenges to his power? How does he mitigate those challenges?

READING: Apollodorus, A1-A2, D1-D2 ACM
Ovid, Metamorphoses, pgs. 3-5

15: Creation of Man: The Five Ages

What typifies the five ages of man and what do they signify for humans?

READING: Apollodorus, E2-E3 ACM
Hesiod, Works and Days ACM pgs 164-167
Ovid, Metamorphoses, pgs. 5-16

17: Creation of Man: Prometheus

What is the significance of the two portions of meat with which Prometheus tries to trick Zeus at Mekone? How does the sacrifice at Mekone separate men and gods?

READING: Apollodorus, E1 ACM
Hesiod
, Works and Days ACM pgs. 160-164
Theogony
, lines 509-620

19: Creation of Man: Prometheus

Is Prometheus a benefactor or a traitor? What does Prometheus represent?

READING:

Apollodorus, H ACM
Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound
Aeschylus
, Prometheus Freed ACM

Theogony Images

22: The Gods: Zeus

READING: Homer, Iliad 1:587-735, 16:499-548
Homer
, Odyssey 1:25-52
Homeric Hymns, Hymn to Zeus, 23 ACM
Ovid, Metamorphoses, pgs. 21-27, 40-45, 54-56, 64-66, 239
Xenophanes, Fragments ACM

Zeus Images

24: The Gods: Poseidon

What kind of relationship do Zeus and Poseidon have?

READING: Homer, Iliad 13:10-97, 400-419, 15:179-259
Homer
, Odyssey 5: 309-547, 13:142-211
Homeric Hymns, Hymn to Poseidon, 22 ACM

Poseidon Images
Today's ID

26: The Gods: Hephaestos and Ares

READING: Homer, Iliad 5: 437-445, 964-1042, 18: 430-720, 21:370-494
Homer
, Odyssey 8: 300-410
Homeric Hymns
, Hymn to Hephaestos, 20 ACM
Homeric Hymns
, Hymn to Ares, 8 ACM
Ovid
, Metamorphoses, pgs. 86-87

Hephaistos Images

Ares Images

29: The Gods: Apollo

READING: Apollodorus, B5 ACM
Homer, Iliad 1:1-60
Homeric Hymns
, Hymn to Apollo, 3, 21, 25 ACM
Ovid
, Metamorphoses, pgs. 16-21, 45-48, 133-141, 237-238, 239-241

Apollo Images

1: The Gods: Hermes

READING: Homer, Iliad 24: 382-549, 789-818
Homer
, Odyssey 5: 1-129
Homeric Hymns
, Hymn to Hermes, 4, 18 ACM
Ovid
, Metamorphoses, pgs 50-54

Hermes Images
3: The Goddesses: Hera and Aphrodite

READING:

Homer, Iliad 5:347-494, 14:187-421, 15:1-59
Homeric Hymns
, Hymn to Aphrodite, 5, 6, 10 ACM
Homeric Hymns, Hymn to Hera, 12 ACM
Ovid, Metamorphoses, pgs. 86-93, 241-243, 251-258

Hera Images

Aphrodite Images

Today's ID

6: The Virgin Goddesses: Athena

READING:

Apollodorus, B4 ACM
Homer, Iliad 1: 61-261
Homer
, Odyssey 13: 212-400
Homeric Hymns
, Hymn to Athena, 11, 28 ACM
Ovid, Metamorphoses, pgs. 129-133

Athena Images

Passage ID

8: The Virgin Goddesses: Artemis

READING: Euripides, Hippolytos
Homer, Iliad 21: 533-590
Homeric Hymns, Hymn to Artemis, 9, 27 ACM
Ovid
, Metamorphoses, pgs. 61-64

Artemis Images

10: The Gods: Dionysos

READING: Apollodorus, M4 ACM
Euripides, Bacchae
Homeric Hymns, Hymn to Dionysos, 1, 7, 26 ACM
Ovid
, Metamorphoses, pgs. 73-82

Dionysos Images

13: Life after Death: Demeter-Kore (Persephone) and the Eleusinian Mysteries

READING: Homeric Hymns, Hymn to Demeter, 2 ACM
Ovid
, Metamorphoses, pgs. 118-125

Demeter, Persephone, and Hades Images

15: Life after Death: The Underworld and Hades

READING: Homer, Odyssey 11
RESERVE READING:

Vergil , Aeneid 6 ACM

17:Life after Death: Orpheus

READING: Apollodorus, B2 ACM
Ovid, Metamorphoses, pgs. 234-237, 259-261
Vergil
, Georgics 4 ACM
Orpheus Images
20: MIDTERM
22: Tang Visit

Meet in the Tang museum lobby at 11:15 sharp!

27: The Hero: Perseus

READING:

Apollodorus, J1-J2 ACM
Lucian
, Dialogues of the Sea Gods: 12 Danae and Perseus in the Chest, ACM
Ovid, Metamorphoses, pgs. 100-114
Pherecydes, The Histories, 10, 11, & 12 ACM
Simonides, Perseus in the Chest ACM

ERESERVE
READING:
Nisetich, Pythian 12

Perseus Images

29: The Hero: Herakles

READING:


ERESERVE
READING:
Apollodorus, K1-K21 ACM
Euripides
, Herakles
Homeric Hymns, Hymn to Herakles, 15 ACM
Pindar, Nemean 1

31: The Hero: Herakles

READING: Ovid, Metamorphoses, pgs. 209-219
ERESERVE
READING
Ovid, Heroides, Deianira to Hercules

Herakles Images

October

November

3:The Hero: Theseus

READING: Apollodorus, L1-L2, N1-N7 ACM
Bacchylides, Dithyramb 17 ACM
Euripides, Herakles, Hippolytos
Ovid
, Metamorphoses, pgs. 165-167, 181-190
Ovid, Heroides, Ariadne to Theseus ACM
Plutarch, Life of Theseus ACM

ERESERVE
READING:

Fagles, Theseus

Theseus Images

Short Essay Due

5:The Hero: Jason

READING: Apollodorus, G1-G5 ACM
Ovid, Metamorphoses, pgs. 153-165
Ovid, Heroides, Medea to Jason ACM
ERESERVE
READING:

Nisetich, Pythian 4

7: The Hero: Jason

READING:

Euripides, Medea
Ovid, Metamorphoses, pgs. 153-165
Ovid, Heroides, Medea to Jason ACM
Jason Images

10: Myth of the House of Atreus

READING: Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Pindar, Olympian 1 ACM

12: Myth of the House of Atreus

READING: Aeschylus, Agamemnon

House of Atreus Images

14: Myth of the House of Laius

READING: Apollodorus, M1-M10 ACM
Callimachus, Hymn to Athena ACM
Sophocles
, Oedipus

17:Myth of the House of Laius

READING: Ovid, Metamorphoses, pgs. 57-61, 67

Oedipus Images

19: The Epic Cycles: Introduction

READING: Proclus, Summaries of the Cyclic Epics ACM
Homer, Iliad 1


21: The Epic Cycles: The Iliad

READING: Homer, Iliad 6, 9, 14

Venus de Milo clip

24: The Epic Cycles: The Iliad

READING: Homer, Iliad 16, 19, 22

December

1: The Epic Cycles: The Iliad

READING:

Homer, Iliad 24
Ovid, Heroides, Briseis to Achilles ACM
Iliad Images

3: The Epic Cycles: The Odyssey

READING: Homer, Odyssey 1, 5, 6, 9, 10
Theocritus, Idylls 11 ACM

5: The Epic Cycles: The Odyssey

READING: Homer, Odyssey 13, 16-17

8:The Epic Cycles: The Odyssey

READING: Homer, Odyssey 19, 21-23
Ovid, Heroides, Penelope to Ulysses ACM
Odyssey Images

10: Final Summation and Presentation of Projects

18: Final Exam 1:30-4:30 Bolton 100