Greek Myth Syllabus PDF

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CLAS 203: GREEK MYTHOLOGY, WS2021 Class Schedule: 3:35-4:25 MWF Course website: Check myCourses

Prof. Naomi Kaloudis OH: TBD Email: [email protected]

************************************************************************************** COURSE DESCRIPTION Mythology played an important part in preserving the traditions of ancient Greek society. These stories were told and re-told, uniting Greeks through the generations while providing entertainment, education, and religious doctrine. This course introduces you to their mythology and ideas about the cosmos, power, desire, knowledge, transgression, and the afterlife. We will consider the central narratives of Greek mythology, preserved, for the most part, in poetic sources and anthologies. Lectures will address the content and historical (sometimes archaeological) context of stories about the gods (Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, etc.), ancient kingdoms (Crete, Thebes, Athens, Mycenae, and Troy), and heroes (Heracles, Theseus, Perseus, and Jason). Short written assignments will provide opportunity to explore the role of the gods in daily life and universal questions concerning themes of justice, war, fate, and love in human tragedy. ************************************************************************************** LEARNING OUTCOMES The course is designed so that each student will: 1. become familiar with some of the central myths of the ancient Greeks; 2. read carefully some of the most prominent ancient versions of those myths; 3. reflect on the possible meanings of those myths, for both the ancients and ourselves; 4. be prepared for further study in the literature, culture, and history of the Classical world ************************************************************************************** COURSE MATERIALS 1) Anthology of Classical Myth, SECOND EDITION. Ed. by Trzaskoma, Smith, and Brunet. Hackett Publishing (978-1624664977) 2) Greek Tragedy: Aeschylus, Euripides, Sophocles. Ed. by S. Dutta. Penguin Classics (978-0141439365) 3) Euripides: Medea, Hippolytus, Heracles, Bacchae. Ed. by Espostio. Focus Publishing (978-1585100484) 4) The Essential Homer. Trans. by S. Lombardo. Hackett Publishing Company (978-0872205406) ***All texts are available at Paragraphe Bookstore (https://paragraphbooks.com/collections/textbooks). You may also find these textbooks as digital copies on Amazon, or wherever you choose to purchase your digital books. Paragraphe Bookstore information: To order online for pickup or delivery: https://paragraphbooks.com/collections/textbooks To arrange for pickup: Call 514-845-5811 or email [email protected] Location: 2220 McGill College (across the street from McGill campus) ************************************************************************************** COURSE TAs · · · · · ·

Esther Marie Guillen: [email protected] Ajna Islam: [email protected] Tom Giles: [email protected] Samuel Gleave Riemann: [email protected] Lauren Parison: [email protected] Alexis Lemonde Vachon: [email protected]

***You must, muST, MUST ONLY email and submit your assignments to your assigned TA. If you submit your work to another TA, the TA will not try to find your assigned TA, but send it back. The TAs will not chase down your correct TA to give them your assignment for you.

COMMUNICATING WITH US If there is something that you need to discuss with me, please speak visit me during my office hours. Because of the large number of students taking this course, I will forward relevant electronic messages to the appropriate TA – especially if concerning grading of written assignments. If you have questions about exams, scheduling conflicts, or personal emergencies, please contact me directly with appropriate documentation. ***Do not expect an immediate reply, however (especially not in the middle of the night!). Your TAs, as well as myself, will have scheduled times when we manage emails pertaining to this class. So please do not leave important questions until the last minute! I will also post important information to the Announcements page on myCourses should something unexpected come up that requires me to miss a class (but don’t expect this happening!) or if there is an opportunity or event on campus or in the city related to class that I think you might enjoy.

************************************************************************************" GRADING THREE IN-SEMESTER EXAMS There will be 3 timed (50 minute), multiple choice exams. These exams will be administered through the myCourses platform and found under “Quizzes”. The dates for these exams are the following: February 8th, March 10th, and April 16th. These exams cover the characters, stories, and cultural context of the mythology we have learned up to that date IN LECTURE and IN READINGS. Remember to take notes while listening to lecture and reading the text. FINAL EXAM The final exam will be administered according to the university exam schedule. Check the McGill exam schedule website for updates. The final exam’s format will be different. The final exam will include short answers/essays covering ideas that come up in lecture and practiced in the microthemes (7 written assignments). The short answer/essay questions could come from material covered during the whole semester. Doing the readings, listening to lectures, and the completion of microthemes will be necessary to perform well especially on this portion of the exam. The final exam will be released during the final exam period, and it will be “take-home”. MICROTHEMES Each student will be required to write 7 “microthemes” throughout the semester. I will post the microtheme prompt on the day I teach the new material, and it will be due to your TA by the next class period. The microtheme is related to the week’s discussion and meant to encourage focused reflection on the week’s material. These microthemes will also help to prepare for the Final Exam with feedback from the TA who will be grading it. The TAs will grade on effort, content, comprehension, and ability to support your response with evidence from the text and lecture. TAs will also grade on grammar, style, and accurate citation (e.g., Ancient Author, page numbers/verse numbers: Euripides vv. 100-13 OR Simonides p. 152). These are personal analyses of the course’s lectures and the primary sources - I don’t even want to see any secondary research! Grades for the microthemes will appear as points out of 10. A well-written, thoughtful short essay (considering grammar, syntax, sources, argumentation) will earn 10/10 (scaling only on .5, i.e. 8.5 is possible, 8.7 is not). The paper must be perfect in every way to get a 10/10. Good argumentation, but lacking in grammar and style, for instance, may earn you up to 8-9/10 (but if sloppy and quickly written, this drops you to 7/10). Not giving primary source evidence, or not addressing the prompt directly will immediately earn you 6-7/10. General sloppiness, lack of evidence, poor argumentation, etc. will earn you 5/10 (or even lower if zero effort is shown). The TAs and I will norm the first microtheme to assure similar grading across the board. Microtheme Format Header: Your Name, Your TA’s name, Conference section, Date

Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt. Length: 1.25-1.5 pages, single-spaced ***No late assignments will be accepted by your TAs without valid excuse and documentation. You must turn in your microtheme by the given due date, and you will get it back within the week. Grading rubric: Exams (3 X 15%) 45% Final 30% Microthemes (7 X ~ 3.5%) 25% A = 85-100 A- = 80-84 B+ = 75-79 B = 70-74 B- = 65-69

C+ = 60-64 C = 55-59 D = 50-54 F = < 50

************************************************************************************** OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION LANGUAGE OF SUBMISSION “In accord with McGill University’s Charter of Students’ Rights, students in this course have the right to submit in English or in French any written work that is to be graded. This does not apply to courses in which acquiring proficiency in a language is one of the objectives.” (Approved by Senate on 21 January 2009 - see also the section in this document on Assignments and Evaluation.) Note: In courses in which acquiring proficiency in a language is one of the objectives, the assessments shall be in the language of the course. Conformément à la Charte des droits de l’étudiant de l’Université McGill, chaque étudiant a le droit de soumettre en français ou en anglais tout travail écrit devant être noté (sauf dans le cas des cours dont l’un des objets est la maîtrise d’une langue). ACADEMIC INTEGRITY “McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore, all students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures” (see www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/honest/ for more information). (Approved by Senate on 29 January 2003) L'université McGill attache une haute importance à l’honnêteté académique. Il incombe par conséquent à tous les étudiants de comprendre ce que l'on entend par tricherie, plagiat et autres infractions académiques, ainsi que les conséquences que peuvent avoir de telles actions, selon le Code de conduite de l'étudiant et des procédures disciplinaires (pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez consulter le site www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/honest/) DISABILITIES STATEMENT As the instructor of this course I endeavour to provide an inclusive learning environment. However, if you experience barriers to learning in this course, do not hesitate to discuss them with me and the Office for Students with Disabilities, 514-398-6009. COPYRIGHT STATEMENT © Instructor-generated course materials (e.g., handouts, notes, summaries, exam questions, etc.) are protected by law and may not be copied or distributed in any form or in any medium without explicit permission of the instructor. Note that infringements of copyright can be subject to follow up by the University under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures. **************************************************************************************

CLASSROOM CONTRACT By taking this class you indicate that you have agreed to the following obligations: •study all assigned readings, listen to all lectures and check the website frequently (once a week) •submit written assignments (7 microthemes) on time to your assigned TA •refrain from seeking an unfair advantage during exams (see policy on academic honesty above) For my part, as the instructor I agree to •begin and end lectures on time •ensure that everyone can understand the lecture •explain the exam format and protocol clearly •meet with students during office hours •answer the questions and requests of students with courtesy and respect •resolve any unusual problems that may arise as quickly as possible Likewise, your course TAs agree to •routinely check and respond to email messages •post grades as soon as possible •meet with students during office hours •answer the questions and requests of students with courtesy and respect ************************************************************************************** COURSE CALENDAR (In the event of extraordinary circumstances beyond the University’s control, the content and/or evaluation scheme in this course is subject to change.) READINGS, MEETINGS, AND EXAMS Most readings are relatively short (although some weeks require longer readings) and come from the Anthology. These readings are listed in the order they appear in the Anthology text, usually alphabetically by author and/or selection number(s), title, or sometimes vv. (= verse numbers). Readings from Homer’s epics (Iliad or Odyssey) will be listed under Essential, then the epic and page numbers. Plays come from your other two books; look for the author and play. Some readings that are confusing at first will make more sense after you have read through ALL the assigned passages. Be sure to read through each selection several times before and after the lecture and to write down any questions you may have. ***TAKE BRIEF NOTES on each reading so that review of characters/stories will be easier before exams. ***ALL LECTURES ARE PRE-RECORDED and will be posted by the start of scheduled class time. Week 1

Jan. 8

Introduction to Class, Syllabus, Textbooks, and TAs

Week 2

Jan. 11 Introduction to the study of Greek Mythology Jan. 13 Creation Stories & Primal Gods Hesiod Theogony (Th.) vv. 1-455 and Works and Days (WD) vv. 21-57; Homeric Hymn (HH) 30; Genesis 1 (p. 498 ff.) Jan. 15 Zeus’ Rise to Power Antoninus Liberalis 28; Apollodorus A1, A2, D1, D2; Hesiod Th. vv. 456-508, 621-969

Week 2

Jan. 18 Creation of Humans Jan. 20 The Nature of Justice and Monotheism of Zeus ; ; Jan. 22 Zeus, Hera, Poseidon

Last day for add/drop ;

; ,

,

Week 3

Jan. 25 Athena, Hephaestus, Ares I

Jan. 27 Athena, Hephaestus, Ares II Jan. 29 Dionysus I Week 4

Feb. 1

Dionysus II

Feb. 3 Aphrodite & Artemis I Aelian 13.1; Apollodorus B5, F, M3; Eratosthenes 7; HH 5, 9, 27; Lucretius 1.1-1.101 (“Lucretius Invokes Venus”); Plato “A Myth About the Origins of the Sexes” (pp. 332-4); Sophocles 941 Feb. 5 Aphrodite & Artemis II Continue readings from Monday; Euripides Hippolytus Week 5

Feb. 8 Test 1 Feb. 10 Apollo, Hermes, Pan I Apollodorus B3, B5; HH 3, 25; Hyginus 9, 93; Lucian Dialogues of the Gods 16 and Dialogue of the Sea Gods 9; Parthenius 15 Feb. 12 Apollo, Hermes, Pan II Continue readings from Monday, plus HH 4, 1

Week 6

Feb. 15 Demeter & Persephone Callimachus 6; HH 2; Pausanias K; Appendix 2, M Feb. 17 The Underworld Essential, Odyssey Bk. 11 (pp. 332-51); Plato Republic 10 (pp. 326-31); Vergil Aeneid 6a-j (pp. 380-89) Feb. 19 Heracles I Apollodorus K1-K21; Hyginus 30, 31; Diodorus of Sicily 2.45-46; Xenophon Choice of Heracles (pp. 394-96)

Week 7

Feb. 22 Heracles II Continue readings from Monday Feb. 24 Cretan Tales Apollodorus L1, L2, N1-N7; Ovid Heroides 10; Bacchylides Dithyramb 17; Pausanias A; Plutarch (pp. 335-36) Feb. 26 Theseus Continue readings from Monday

Week 8

Mar. 1 Mar. 3 Study Break Mar. 5

Week 9

Mar. 8 Perseus & Bellerophon Apollodorus I, J1-J2; Conon 40; Hyginus 57; Lucian Dialogues of the Sea Gods 12; Pherecydes 10, 11, 12 Mar. 10 Test 2 Mar. 12 Pre-Trojan War I Hellanicus 145; Hyginus 89, 91, 92, 95, 96, 98, 102, 105; Lucian Judgment of the Goddesses; Statius (pp. 354-57); Proclus A

Week 10

Mar. 15 Pre-Trojan War II Continue readings from Friday

Mar. 17 Iliad I Essential, Iliad Bks. 1, 3, 6, 9, 18, 24 Mar. 19 Iliad II Continue Iliad readings Week 11

Mar. 22 Odyssey I Essential, Odyssey Bks. 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 19, 21, 23 (mostly skim books 9, 10, 12, BUT pay special attention to Circe and Polyphemus episodes) Mar. 24 Odyssey II Continue Odyssey readings Mar. 26 Odyssey III Continue Odyssey readings

Week 12

Mar. 29 Mycenae Antoninus Liberalis 27; HH 17, 33; Hyginus 77-79, 82-84, 88, 98, 117; Pausanias E; Pindar Olympian 1 Mar. 31 Story of Agamemnon Aeschylus Agamemnon Apr. 2 Good Friday

Week 13

Apr. 5 Apr. 7 Apr. 9

Week 14

Easter Monday Thebes Apollodorus M1-M6, M8; Conon 37; Hyginus 66, 67; Palaephatus 41 Story of Oedipus Sophocles Oedipus the King

Apr. 12 Jason I Aelian 5.21; Apollodorus G1-G5; Hyginus 2, 3, 25; Ovid Heroides 12 Apr. 14 Jason II Continue readings from Monday Apr. 15 Open discussion to review for Final Exam Apr. 16 Test 3

The Final Exam schedule runs from April 15th through the 30th....