Greek 222/322: Classical Greek Prose and Poetry

Topic Spring 2007: Euripides' Medea and Plato against Poetry
Paula Debnar
Ciruti 202
pdebnar@mtholyoke.edu

Greek 222 will meet Tu 8:30–9:45; F 11–12:15

Greek 322 will meet MF 1:15–2:30

General description:

This course focuses on Attic Greek, the dialect in which the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, the comedies of Aristophanes, Thucydides' History, and Plato's dialogues were composed. Each year the readings will focus on a particular theme as it is treated in prose and (or) poetry. Possible topics include: Socrates (e.g., Plato, Xenophon, Aristophanes); Athenian law courts (e.g., Lysias, Plato, Aristophanes); Medea (Euripides and Apollonius); Alcibiades (e.g., Thucydides, Plato, Plutarch). Greek 222 may be taken at a more advanced level (Greek 322).
On the right: MHC Alumnae Blanche Cox and Helena Sumner in the Theater of Dionysus, 1930s.
Goals: 
  • To learn the main differences between Attic and Homeric/Ionic Greek (Greek 222).
  • To develop a better understanding of Greek grammar and syntax.
  • To improve reading skills, including the ability to read Greek at sight.
  • To practice using a grammar and lexicon.
  • To learn about ancient tragedy and Plato's opposition to it.

Requirements:  Greek 222

  • 25% exam 1 (roughly, the end of February)
  • 25% exam 2 (roughly, the beginning of April)
  • 25% exam 3 (self-scheduled, during finals week)
  • 25% in-class work (attendance is required).

Requirements:  Greek 322

  • 20% exam 1 (roughly, the end of February)
  • 20% exam 2 (roughly, the beginning of April)
  • 20% exam 3 (during finals week)
  • 20% in-class work (attendance is required).
  • 20% paper (next to last week of April)

Texts

  • Michelle Kwintner , Euripides Medea, available at the Odyssey Bookstore, Village Commons (222/322)
  • Selections from Plato's Ion (& Republic, time permitting), to be distributed in class (222/322, small copying fee)
  • P. Debnar, Transition to Attic Greek ( 222 only from professor, small copying fee)

    * You should also have procured on your own a Greek lexicon and grammar, such as


    Liddell-Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (OUP, Oxford and New York)
    H.W. Smyth, Greek Grammar (Harvard, Cambridge, MA )
    or
    James Morwood, Oxford Greek Grammar (OUP, Oxford and New York)

Supplementary Course Material
Policy on the use of English translations