Classics 24 Myths and Legends of the Trojan War
MWF 3:00-3:50
Votey 105
Fall 2010
Robert Rodgers
481 Main Street, Room 103
[email protected]
656-4626
Office hours: M 9:30-10:30, W 1:00-2:00, F 1:30-2:30, and by appointment
COURSE OBJECTIVE: Introducing students to a careful reading of ancient works of literature which
deal with the general theme of the war between Greeks and Trojans. The theme of the Trojan War was a
part of the Greek sense of self-identity, and it was used again and again as the historical-mythological
background against which Greeks and their successors turned in recurrent searches to know themselves.
Textbooks:
Susan Woodford, The Trojan War in Ancient Art
The Iliad of Homer, trans. Richmond Lattimore
Homer Odyssey, trans. Richmond Lattimore
Aeschylus I Oresteia, trans. Richmond Lattimore
Sophocles Plays
Euripides Ten Plays
Virgil Aeneid, trans. Fitzgerald
Week 1 (30 Aug.-3 Sept.)
Weeks 2-4 (8-24 Sept.)
Weeks 5-7 (27 Sept.-15 Oct.)
Weeks 8-10 (18 Oct.-5 Nov.)
Weeks 11-14 (8 Nov.-8 Dec.)
Introduction
Homer's Iliad
Homer's Odyssey
Athenian drama
Virgil's Aeneid
August
M 30
Introduction: Synoptic story
September
W 1
Epic as genre; Homer; Dates
F 3
Homeric narrative
M 6
W 8
F 10
LABOR DAY
Homer's Iliad, Books 1-3
Homer's Iliad, Books 4-6
M 13
W 15
F 17
Homer's Iliad, Books 7-9
Homer's Iliad, Books 10-12
Homer's Iliad, Books 13-15
M 20
W 22
F 24
Homer's Iliad, Books 16-18
Homer's Iliad, Books 19-21
Homer's Iliad, Books 22-24
M 27
W 29
October
F 1
Homer's Odyssey, Books 1-3
Homer's Odyssey, Books 4-6
M 4
W 6
F 8
Homer's Odyssey, Books 10-12
Homer's Odyssey, Books 13-15
Homer's Odyssey, Books 16-18
M 11
W 13
Homer's Odyssey, Books 19-21
Homer's Odyssey, Books 22-24
Homer's Odyssey, Books 7-9
Weekly Quizzes
Homer paper due: 15 October
Midterm Test: 15 October
Drama/Virgil paper due: 8 December
Final Exam (cumulative): 11 December
F 15
MIDTERM TEST. Homer paper due
M 18
W 20
F 22
Drama and the Polis: Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Aeschylus, Libation Bearers
Aeschylus, Eumenides
M 25
W 27
F 29
Sophocles, Ajax
Sophocles, Philoctetes
Sophocles, Electra
November
M 1
Euripides, Andromache
W 3
Euripides, Trojan Women
F 5
Euripides, Iphigeneia at Aulis
M 8
W 10
F 12
Trojans to Italy: Virgil's Aeneid, Book 1
Virgil's Aeneid, Books 2-3
Virgil's Aeneid, Book 4
M 15
W 17
F 19
Virgil's Aeneid, Book 5
Virgil's Aeneid, Book 6
Virgil's Aeneid, Book 7
M-F 22-26 THANKSGIVING RECESS
M 29
Virgil's Aeneid, Book 8
December
W 1
Virgil's Aeneid, Books 9-10
F 3
Virgil's Aeneid, Book 11
M 6
W 8
Virgil's Aeneid, Book 12
Recapitulation
DRAMA/VIRGIL PAPER DUE
SATURDAY* 11. 10:30-1:15 FINAL EXAM
(Votey 105, same as classroom)
*Students with religious beliefs that would preclude Saturday exams must set up an alternative exam time with their
instructor during the first three weeks of the semester (by Friday, 17 September)
*.Students with exam conflicts must make arrangements with instructor during the first three weeks of the
semester (by Friday, 17 September)
PAPERS. There will be two required papers, both short (!). First will be based on readings from
Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, the second will be based on readings from Athenian tragedy and
Virgil's Aeneid. Paper details will be announced later, but each will require you to choose a short
passage (scene or episode) and discuss how the narrative and/or dramatic techniques create
something you find effective as literature and meaningful for yourself as a modern reader.
GRADING: quizzes (in class), announced and unannounced*
midterm test (15 October)*
papers (two) due 15 October, 8 December
final exam (cumulative) (11 Decmber)
40%
20%
10%
30%
*ALL quizzes are required, except for CERTIFIED ABSENCE. There will be NO MAKEUPS (a missed
quiz will count as zero, EVEN for persons who register on or after the date the quiz is given). The two
lowest quiz grades will be eliminated from calculation.\
Midterm test: MAKEUP will be allowed only for CERTIFIED REASONS.
Students who require special accommodations for quizzes and/or exams should make
arrangements with the instructor as early in the course as possible.