Schedule
Lectures Recitation Sections Readings Topic Assignments
Mon. Sept. 24 What is Greek and Roman Epic?
Wed. Sept. 26 Gilgamesh, pp. 61-96 Gilgamesh: folk lore and oral tradition
Fri. Sept. 28 Gilgamesh pp. 97-119 Pessimism or Humanism?
Mon. Sept. 31 Iliad, Bks 1-2 Who's who: names and ships. A wrath [menis] story. Study Question Due
Wed. Sept. 2 Iliad, Bk 3 Oral-Formulaic Theory
Fri. Sept. 4 Iliad, Bks 4-5 Alternative Heroes Greece in the Bronze Age
Mon. Sept. 7 No Class Labor Day
Wed. Sept. 9 Iliad, Bks 6 [7-8] Discussion, Paper #1
Fri. Sept. 11 Iliad, Bks 9-10 Women of Troy Homeric Weapons and Armor Paper #1 Due
Mon. Sept. 14 Iliad, Bks [11], 12, [13] Kleos vs. nostos: the Embassy Type Scenes and Epic Similes
Wed. Sept. 16 Iliad, Bks 14-15 The Epic Simile; Discussion
Fri. Sept. 18 Iliad, Bks 16 [17] Divine parody of human events Aristeia and death of Patroclus
Mon. Sept. 21 Iliad, Bks 18-19 Ecphrasis Women and Lament
Wed. Sept. 23 Iliad, Bks 20 [21], 21.136-382, 22 Censor Homer? Plato's opinion. Death of Hector
Fri. Sept. 25 Iliad, Bks 23-24 Homeric Sports The Iliad as a tragedy? [Paper #1 Back]
Mon. Sept. 28 Odyssey, Bk 1-4 Return stories and the Epic Cycle Fitzgerald's Homer; the Telemachy
Wed. Sept. 30 Odyssey, Bk 5-6 Discussion, Paper #2
Fri. Oct. 2 Odyssey, Bk 7-8 Folklore I: Seductive Women Odysseus' Raft Paper #2 Due
Mon. Oct. 5 Odyssey, Bks 9-10 Folklore II: Monsters
Wed. Oct. 7 Odyssey, Bks 11-12 Kleos vs. Nostos in the Odyssey: the Nekuia
Fri. Oct. 9 Odyssey, Bks 13-15 Comic Relief Ethical Development of the Hero?
Mon. Oct. 12 Odyssey, Bks 16-18 Penelope [Response to questions]
Wed. Oct. 14 Odyssey, Bks 19-20 Midterm Preparation [Paper #2 Back]
Fri. Oct. 16 Odyssey, Bks 21-4 Shooting through axe-heads? Divine Justice; the Argonautica myth
Mon. Oct. 19 Argonautica, Bks [1, 2] 3 Apollonius & Hellenistic Poetry Eros (love); Medea
Wed. Oct. 21 Argonautica, Bk 4 Homeric echoes; Jason as Hero
Fri. Oct. 23 Midterm
Mon. Oct. 26 Aeneid, Bks 1-2 'Rome's Greatest Poet' Latin Epic; Carthage and Troy
Wed. Oct. 28 Aeneid, Bk 3 Prepare Presentation for Paper #3 Discussion
Fri. Oct. 30 Aeneid, Bk 4 Dido vs. Medea; Aeneas & Jason?
Mon. Nov. 2 Aeneid, Bks 5-6 Sports in Virgil; Future Rome Transformation of Aeneas
Wed. Nov. 4 Aeneid, Bk 7 Presentation and Discussion Presentation
Fri. Nov. 6 Aeneid, Bk 8 Another Mad Queen The Epic Catalogue Paper #3 Due
Mon. Nov. 9 Aeneid, Bks 9-10 Virgil and Homer: the Doloneia, Pallas and Patroclus
Wed. Nov. 11 Aeneid, Bk 11 Camilla as epic hero? [Response to questions]
Fri. Nov. 13 Aeneid, Bk 12 Murex shells and epic clothing The resolutions: plausible? just?
Mon. Nov. 16 Metamorphoses, Bks 1-3 Ovid biography; Gods and Women Is the Metamorphoses epic?
Wed. Nov. 18 Metamorphoses Bks 4-5 Discussion, Paper #4 [Paper #3 Back]
Fri. Nov. 20 Metamorphoses Bk 6 Theodicy; Ovidian Organization (?) and Editorializing Paper #4 Due
Mon. Nov. 23 Metamorphoses Bks 7-8v Ovid 'does' other genres Portrait(s) of the Artist
Wed. Nov. 25 Metamorphoses Bk 9v Translating Ovid; Ovid Websites
Fri. Nov. 27 No Class Thanksgiving
Mon. Nov. 30 Metamorphoses Bks 10-11 Elegiac Lament: Pygmalion A 'visual' poet? [Paper #4 Back]
Wed. Dec. 2 Metamorphoses Bks 12-13 Ovid, Virgil and Homer
Fri. Dec. 4 Metamorphoses Bks 14-15 Apotheosis: Ovid and Rome
Mon. Dec. 7 Catch up. Greek and Latin Epic and Beyond [Response to Questions]
Wed. Dec. 9 Review Review Section
Sat. Dec. 12 Ramaley N1B23 Final Exam


Note on the Readings In response to student request, the Iliad reading assignments have been shortened. Books in square brackets (mostly books of fighting) are optional for everyone except Classics and literature majors, who will of course want to be thoroughly familiar these poems for future work. All students are expected to be aware of major plot developments, even in the optional readings. N.B. Students who have already read these poems are going to find the readings fairly easy. For the majority, however, the readings may be challenging at first because of the many names and events. Just keep track of main figures and major plot developments, use the glossary at the back of the book, and don't despair! Many of these characters and situations recur in the later poems. These texts will seem much less difficult by the end of the term, I promise