DEPARTMENT OF CLASSICS

In this course we will examine, and learn how to write about, the role of Ancient Greece and Rome in American film and culture. Preliminary steps in this study will involve introductions to various historic eras of the ancient Greco-Roman world as well as important elements of ancient culture. Our emphasis will, however, not be analysis of antiquity itself but rather of American engagement with that antiquity, particularly in film. From reflections of ancient Rome in Star Wars to the adaptation of Greek comedy in Spike Lee\'s Chiraq, we will examine not just how antiquity perseveres in American culture, but how popular art creatively and critically engages with inherited Classical traditions. We will also consider engagement with Classical antiquity in some non-cinematic media as well, such as the graphic novel and even the architecture of the city of Chicago. Through writing and research assignments students will hone their ability to interpret and explain the role of Classical traditions in the modern world.

Students will read all seven extant plays (including Antigone and Oedipus the King) and one fragmentary play (Phaedra) of Athens' greatest dramatist, plus critical scholarship. An aristocrat, Sophocles' dramas performed to 17,000 Athenians are enmeshed in the problems and controversies of that city's democracy. What is the relationship of these texts to the democracy and to Athens' democratic leader Perikles, and how do their ideas change over time? No exams, but a weekly 1-2 page paper: either a critique of scholarship or an analysis of a play, which we then discuss in class. Students will learn about one of the world's greatest dramatists and the world's first democracy, while improving their skills in writing, critical thinking, and debate. Grades are based on the weekly papers and class participation. Attendance mandatory.

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How does a work of literature become a “Classic?” What defines the “classical” style in art, music, and architecture? What belongs in the canon or educational curriculum, and who decides? Most importantly, what do a society’s answers to these questions tell us about their values and their cultural identity?

Combining the development of Western classicism with case studies from other cultures, this course examines how the idea of the “Classic” tells a story about where a society comes from through earlier art, architecture, and literature. To answer “What Makes a Classic?,” we’ll divide our attention between the literature and art that constitute the canon and the critical apparatus that maintains this special status for certain works while excluding others. Students of the Spring 2021 course will be introduced to the Deering Library’s renowned Horace collection, which we will use to turn a critical eye towards appropriations of Greco-Roman culture that promote a false narrative of cultural superiority.

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This course will serve as an introduction to the history, culture, and peoples of the Ancient Greek world between the age of Homer (c. 7th century BCE) and the death of Alexander the Great (323 BCE). Our emphasis will be on social, political, artistic, and intellectual developments across the period. We will pay special attention to the unique nature of ancient Athenian democracy as well as the politics and culture of other city-states, including Sparta. Our primary sources will be literary, but we will also examine evidence from ancient art and archaeology for unique insights into ancient people’s lives, ideas, and values.

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The course is a general history survey, starting with Rome’s humble beginnings and ending with the collapse of the Roman Empire. It will trace the story of how a small city-state in central Italy, on the periphery of the older civilizations of Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean, established military and political dominance over Italy; how it built a Mediterranean empire and administered it for centuries; how a long period of crisis led to its decline and partition into an eastern and western half; and finally, how the western half collapsed. In addition to this chronological narrative, the course will treat several key themes and concepts in Roman culture. The Roman military will receive attention, as will gender relations and public spectacles. Roman religion and the role of slavery will also be discussed.

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What do Homer, Vyasa, and Kendrick Lamar have in common? All three practiced “oral poetry” – poetry that is improvised or composed extemporaneously before an audience. In this course, we will explore a variety of poetic traditions, beginning with the Homeric epics and weaving our way through the spaces, times, and traditions of Indian epic poets, West African djelis, Slavic bards, and contemporary hip-hop. Along the way, we will study the contents of these poetic traditions, but we will also investigate the modes and moments of poetic creation, and consider the effects of transcribing, and thus rendering immutable, that which was once spontaneous and ever-shifting.

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In this course we will study the myths of the ancient Greeks through the reading of ancient texts themselves, in translation. We will begin by studying Greek myth broadly, focusing on our very earliest texts, and then gradually narrow our focus to mythology in Classical Athens. The legacy of Greek mythology is timeless yet the myths themselves grew out of unique times and a unique culture so we will work to understand these myths within their original contexts, yet we will also keep our eye on uses of Greek mythology in the modern world, including in contemporary Chicago.

How did individuals define themselves in the ancient Mediterranean world, and how did they express their affiliation with multiple and diverse ethnic, religious, linguistic, and other collective social identities? How did groups portray perceived differencees between themselves and others? What do we know of the construction of gender identities, race, age, and class distinctions? What dynamic roles did dress, hairstyle, body decoration or ornament, and personal possessions play in establishing and expressingg individual and collective identities?

This course explores evidence for self-and group-fashioning in Greece, Rome, and their neighbors in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Persia. We examine a wide range of textual and material sources, including works of art, archaeological contexts such as burials and religious institutions, biographies, autobiographies, and legal documents, including dowries. We also consider culturally significant modes of self-representation and commemoration, such as portraits and funerarymonuments, along with the collecting and transfer of objects that represented accumulated social entanglements, such as heirlooms.

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Sophocles’ plays, including Antigone and Oedipus, are enmeshed in conflicts sparked by Athens’ new democracy: aristocrats vs. democrats, philosophy vs. religion, freedom vs. control, controversies regarding women, foreigners, and slaves. We shall study the seven plays and the different major social and political issues facing Athens’ classical democracy.

By conducting a critical survey of the main literary sources available for the study of Rome from her mythic foundation to the establishment of the Republic, this course provides a wide-ranging exploration of how the history of early Rome was shaped through centuries.  While exploring the genesis and development of the legendary traditions concerning the beginnings of Rome, students will engage questions which are central to understanding the politics of Roman identity at various stages of the city's growth and expansion. What do the stories of Aeneas, Romulus and Remus, the Sabine women, the rape of Lucretia and the expulsion of the kings from Rome tell us about the way the Romans of the Republican and Early Imperial ages conceived of their past? How and with what results did these legends aim at providing mythic justification for the centrality of Rome to the history of the Mediterranean world? Besides examining the historical and political dynamics which account for the fluid, multifaceted, at times even conflicting nature of the literary tradition, students will learn about important archaeological discoveries of the last half-century which have revolutionized our thinking about the origins of Rome.

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2,500 years after the birth of Athenian drama, classical tragedy and comedy continues to inspire and beguile us. In this course, we will read several masterpieces of Greek and Roman tragedy and comedy, as well as adaptations of these plays for the modern and contemporary stage. Throughout, we will examine how classical drama related to its original cultural contexts, how it addresses fundamental questions about human societies and relationships, why these plays continue to provoke reflection, and how audiences experienced and continue to experience classical drama. All readings will be in translation, and as part of the course we will also attend a dramatic performance.

In Rome, you are what you eat, how you eat, and with whom. In this class, we dive into Roman culture through their dining habits: what made for a fine meal? How was food acquired, prepared, and presented? How should the good host and the good guest behave? On any given table, we’ll find insight into such topics as class relations, the moral implications of diet, the effects of empire, and the cultural divide between city and country. Focusing primarily on textual evidence, this course samples a wide array of issues and genres: the cook, the marketplace, and stereotypes in Roman comedy, freedmen and upward mobility in Petronius’ Satyrica, the medicinal uses of herbs in Pliny’s Natural History, and more. We’ll end the quarter with a feast of our own, testing out some recipes from an ancient cookbook, Apicius’ On the Art of Cooking.

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Every culture, it would seem, has its wars. In this course, we will examine how the medium of comedy – both on the stage and on the page – has been used as a means to move the needle in these wars, and to force members of their cultures to reflect on the disputes and the debates that raged. Along the way, we will read comic plays by Aristophanes and Plautus, satire from ancient Rome, and many others.

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Did the Greeks and Romans believe in their myths? How was ancient religion practiced day in and day out? What role did the rites and rules of cult worship play in regulating the lives of citizens and non-citizens, like women and slaves? This course offers an introduction to how religious beliefs and practices shaped life in the ancient Mediterranean by combining literary, material, and comparative evidence. In the second half of the quarter, we take a deeper dive into two religious rites practiced by societal Others—the worship of Bacchus by noble women and the lifelong service to Cybele by castrated priests—and how the high visibility of these norm-breaking individuals in literature lay bare the anxieties of the elite male citizenry.

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The course will provide students with fundamental research skills through hands-on learning, and in-class work on an individual project. Students will learn how to use reference tools and online databases, allowing them to search, analyze and interpret ancient evidence, ranging from literary texts to inscriptions, papyri and visual material. The course is designed to reflect current developments in the field of Classics. It therefore emphasizes digital approaches, including electronic tools for the study of ancient evidence as well as digital projects that employ advanced computational methods. The seminar is intended for juniors with reading knowledge of Latin and Greek. Sophomores and seniors may participate with departmental permission.

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This course traces the development of democracy in Greece from its beginnings, in the egalitarian mentalities attested already in Homer, the hoplite military reforms of the 7th and 6th centuries, the first written constitutions and written laws, the emergence of class conflict and tyranny in the 6th and 5th centuries, and the subsequent growth of democratic ideology.  The course will also touch on the reception of Greek democracy in early modern Europe and America.

Prerequisites: None.

Evaluation Method: Two short exams; final paper.

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Latin 201-2 is designed to improve students’ understanding of Latin language by close reading of major poetic texts such as Vergil’s Aeneid, with special attention to grammar, vocabulary, and style. Class activities will include careful reading and translation of the Latin text combined with literary discussion and interpretation. The course also provides a systematic introduction to the basics of Latin metrics and versification

Learning Objectives.

Students will learn how to

1) approach ancient Latin texts in the original language;

2) analyze Latin grammar and syntax;

3) evaluate our source materials and different linguistic interpretations of Latin texts and their composition.

Prerequisites:Latin 201-1 OR byonline Latin Placement Test.

For further information, contact the Director of Latin Instruction Prof. Francesca Tataranni (f-tataranni@northwestern.edu).

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Latin 201-2 is designed to improve students’ understanding of Latin language by close reading of major poetic texts such as Vergil’s Aeneid, with special attention to grammar, vocabulary, and style. Class activities will include careful reading and translation of the Latin text combined with literary discussion and interpretation. The course also provides a systematic introduction to the basics of Latin metrics and versification

Learning Objectives.

Students will learn how to

1) approach ancient Latin texts in the original language;

2) analyze Latin grammar and syntax;

3) evaluate our source materials and different linguistic interpretations of Latin texts and their composition.

Prerequisites:Latin 201-1 OR byonline Latin Placement Test.

For further information, contact the Director of Latin Instruction Prof. Francesca Tataranni (f-tataranni@northwestern.edu).

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This course is the first in an accelerated two-quarter series designed to teach students to read ancient Greek, making accessible much of the world's most influential literature, from the biblical New Testament to Homeric poetry and Platonic philosophy. Since this is an ancient language there will be no spoken component and we will move swiftly through the grammar and basic vocabulary required to read actual texts. These two quarters will, in fact, teach all the fundamentals of the language and lead students directly into second-year courses in the New Testament, classical Greek oratory, and Homeric epic. Thereafter students will be able to progress to a wide range of genres from the classical and post-classical periods, including ancient Greek history, poetry, philosophy, drama, and more.

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This course is the second in a two-term accelerated series designed to teach students to read ancient Greek, making accessible much of the world's most influential literature, from the biblical New Testament to Homeric poetry and Platonic philosophy. In this course we will complete our study of the fundamentals of Greek grammar, making students ready to transition into second-year courses in the New Testament, classical Greek oratory, and Homeric epic. Thereafter students will be able to progress to a wide range of genres from the classical and post-classical periods, including ancient Greek history, poetry, philosophy, drama, and more.

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This is the first course in the second-year ancient Greek series, designed to transition students into reading unaltered ancient texts while introducing them to some of the most important works written in the language. This first course will cover the Greek of the New Testament, introducing students to the history and idiosyncrasies of the texts, and allowing them their first real opportunity to know an ancient work in the original language. Accordingly, this course will focus on the gospel of Mark, the oldest, and shortest, of the gospels, which we will read nearly in its entirety. We will read selections from other gospels as well, to study the relationship between the texts. This course will also serve as a review of the grammar learned in first-year Greek and will include homework and class work specifically geared toward that end.

This course is the second of the second-year Greek series, designed to solidify the grammatical concepts learned in first-year while introducing students to the study of actual ancient literary texts. In this course we will focus on ancient Attic prose by reading from Lysias on the Murder of Eratosthenes as well as a Platonic dialogue. We will pay close attention to grammar and style, but we will also gain insight into the complexities of ancient Athenian culture, politics, and religion.

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This course is the third and final element of the second-year Greek series. In this course we will read significant sections of Homer’s Iliad in the original language. Students will develop an ability to read the Homeric dialect and gain an understanding of the conventions of ancient epic poetry. As we explore the earliest European literary work we will also survey several important scholarly issues regarding the nature and history of the poem, including the nature of its composition and its place in ancient Greek society.

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We shall read major sections of Plato’s dialogue on Protagoras in Greek, including the gods’ creation of humans, education, and this famous sophist’s defense of democracy.

In this course, we will read, in the original Greek, the entirety of one of Euripides’ most celebrated plays: Bacchae. In this tragedy, the god Dionysus himself appears on-stage and in Thebes to ensure the proper celebration of his rites. The play inspires numerous questions about the nature of divinity, justice, and the theater itself, all of which we will discuss as a group over the course of the quarter.

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Elementary Latin is a year-long course designed to provide students with the basic skills for reading, understanding, and translating both Latin prose and poetry. It helps lay the foundation for further study of western culture, as well as Medieval Latin, Renaissance Latin, and other Romance languages.

In the first quarter of the sequence students acquire knowledge of the essential grammar of the Latin language and basic Latin vocabulary, and develop an ability to read, understand, and translate simple passages in both adapted and unadapted Latin. In addition, the course provides an introduction to Roman culture, civilization, and history.

Elementary Latin is a year-long course designed to provide students with the basic skills for reading, understanding, and translating both Latin prose and poetry. It helps lay the foundation for further study of western culture, as well as Medieval Latin, Renaissance Latin, andother Romance languages.

In the secondquarter of the sequence students continue to acquire knowledge of the grammar and syntaxof the Latin language andLatin vocabulary, andto develop an ability to read, understand, and translatepassages in both adapted and un-adapted Latin. In addition, the course provides an introduction to Roman culture, civilization, and history.

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Latin 101-3 is the third quarter of the year-long Elementary Latin sequence designed to introduce students to the basic principles of classical Latin grammar and vocabulary. In addition to the review and continued reinforcement of these tools, the class focuses on the development of reading competency and translation skills through a close reading of Cicero’s First Catilinarian Oration with attention to its rhetorical techniques and historical significance.

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The goal of second-year Latin (201-1, 2, 3) is the development of proficiency in reading Latin through the introduction of students to major works of Latin literature. During the fall quarter (Latin 201-1) we will read selections from works by Petronius and Cicero with attention to their interpretation and historical significance, in addition to the review and continued reinforcement of grammar and syntax.

The goal of second-year Latin (201-1, 2, 3) is the development of proficiency in reading Latin through the introduction of students to major works of Latin literature. During the fall quarter (Latin 201-1) we will read selections from works by Petronius and Cicero with attention to their interpretation and historical significance, in addition to the review and continued reinforcement of grammar and syntax.

The third quarter of second-year Latin combines literary analysis with mastery of grammar and syntax at the intermediate level. This is mainly a workshop course, with discussion focusing on questions to and from members of the course. Though translation will be a component in evaluation, it will be a relatively minor criterion of success. The main topics of discussion will be how meaning and emphasis are communicated throughout the poetry of Catullus.

Though Latin 201-3 concentrates on language skills, it also develops skills of analysis that are foundational for the future study of literature in any language.

A grade of C- or better in this course satisfies the WCAS language requirement.

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The third quarter of second-year Latin combines literary analysis with mastery of grammar and syntax at the intermediate level. This is mainly a workshop course, with discussion focusing on questions to and from members of the course. Though translation will be a component in evaluation, it will be a relatively minor criterion of success. The main topics of discussion will be how meaning and emphasis are communicated throughout the poetry of Catullus.

Though Latin 201-3 concentrates on language skills, it also develops skills of analysis that are foundational for the future study of literature in any language.

A grade of C- or better in this course satisfies the WCAS language requirement.

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This advanced Latin course has two goals: (1) to explore the complex dynamic between Greece and Rome through translation, adaptation, and imitation in Latin poetry and (2) to practice producing literary translations sensitive to the challenges of intercultural communication that our study of Roman translation practices uncovers. Readings in Latin will range from ancient discussions of translation (e.g. Cicero’s de Oratore, Horace’s Ars Poetica), to passages based on Greek texts (e.g. Plautus’ Bacchides, Catullus 51), to surveys of intertextual hotspots (e.g. the blush simile in epic). This course is ideal for advanced students who want to sharpen their understanding of Latin stylistics and lexical semantics while exploring the practical and theoretical concerns of translating in the past and present.

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The course will examine how Latin literature in late antiquity and in the medieval West did not simply continue classical traditions but self-consciously reinvented them.  We will begin with writers who were in direct continuity with classical Latin tradition and gave it Christian inflection (e.g., Prudentius and Faltonia Betitia Proba).  Then we will turn to Carolingian writers who in the ninth century reconceived Latin as a literary and liturgical language distinct from the emerging vernaculars.  We will see how twelfth-century poets experimented with new forms but were deeply conscious of what they viewed nostalgically as the lost culture of Latin antiquity.  Finally we will see how Humanist writers self-consciously reasserted what they viewed as classical alternatives to Scholastic and other recent trends.

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In Latin literature women’s voices are mainly qualified by their absence both because women, like other marginalized groups, “often do not appear in ancient texts, and because, when they do appear, they are so clearly figments of an elite male author’s imagination.” [Amy Richlin, Arguments with Silence. Writing the History of Roman Women, 2014.] Silence, the ancients thought, is a woman’s ornament. By bringing together a wide range of Latin texts, this course examines how ancient authors and male actors in their stories silenced mythological and historical women by cutting their lines, by cutting their tongues, or by giving them voice before cutting their lives short. Ovid’s Fasti and Metamorphoses will provide us with famous examples of women who were silenced through martyrdom or transformation, such as Lucretia, Io, Eco, and Philomela. Through the works of Cicero, Vergil, Horace, and Propertius, among others, we will examine the silencing of female voices that put the existence of Rome at risk, such as Lavinia, Dido, and Cleopatra. Ancient medical theories and theories of gender will help us explain ancient women’s imposed muteness, interrogate their silenced voices, and understand why we need to read their stories today. We will end the course by reading the only extant lyric poems written in Latin by a woman.