Carolin Hahnemann

It is impossible to understand the cultures of the West without some knowledge of classical mythology. Not only are some myths wildly entertaining, they permeate popular imagination and life to this day. This course focuses on the evidence from ancient Greece and Rome but may also include material from other traditions. Class discussion explores some of the overarching themes contained within the myths themselves and how these stories have influenced modern culture through literature and art. At the same time, students have a chance to observe how the treatment of different myths changes from author to author, thus revealing what issues were important to the people who told them. This counts toward the core course requirement for the major. No prerequisite. Offered every year.

The use of language constitutes one of the defining characteristics of our species. This course provides an introduction to the academic field devoted to the scientific study of this distinctly human faculty, linguistics, by offering a survey of the basic terms and concepts that make up its main subfields, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics. In addition, we explore in some depth the ways in which different languages have changed and evolved over time, with a special focus on the ones that, like English, belong to the Indo-European family. The course includes lectures and discussions, readings from two textbooks and regular research reports. Students from all language backgrounds are welcome. This counts toward the classics major as well as toward the MLL track III major. No prerequisite. Offered every three years.

In this course, we explore ancient drama as an art form that is deeply rooted in the specific historical context where it originated and yet continues to resonate powerfully with audiences all over the world today. Readings come from the works of such famous playwrights as Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Menander, Plautus, Terence and Seneca. The scope and format of the course vary; it may take the shape of a chronological survey or focus on a particular type of play, cultural period or theme. This counts toward the classical civilization for the major. No prerequisite. Offered occasionally.

In this capstone course, the content of which changes on a regular basis, students study closely a particular topic in classics that benefits from an investigation based on a wide range of approaches (e.g., literary, historical, archaeological). The course seeks to further students' skills in written and verbal communication. Each student writes a major research paper on a subject related to the topic of the seminar and outlines the results of the inquiry in an oral presentation. This counts toward the major. Restricted to classics majors. Senior standing. Offered every year.

This course offers independent study for senior candidates for honors. Students enrolled in this course are automatically added to CLAS 498Y for the spring semester. Permission of instructor and department chair required.

This course offers independent study for senior candidates for honors. Permission of instructor and department chair required.

This yearlong course prepares students to read Ancient Greek literature in its original form. The first semester and the first half of the second semester consist of readings and exercises from a textbook designed to help students build a working vocabulary and learn the extensive and subtle grammar of this language. Twice a week students translate a short piece of authentic Greek, appreciating its artistry and situating it in its cultural context. After spring break, the hard work of the preceding months is rewarded with the opportunity to read Plato's dialogue "Crito" or another text written in Attic prose. The course is taught in English and does not presuppose any knowledge either of Ancient Greek or of grammatical terminology. Students enrolled in this course are automatically added to GREK 112Y for the spring semester. No prerequisite. Offered every year.

This yearlong course prepares students to read Ancient Greek literature in its original form. The first semester and the first half of the second semester consist of readings and exercises from a textbook designed to help students build a working vocabulary and learn the extensive and subtle grammar of this language. Twice a week, students translate a short piece of authentic Greek, appreciating its artistry and situating it in its cultural context. After spring break, the hard work of the preceding months is rewarded with the opportunity to read Plato's dialogue "Crito" or another text written in Attic prose. The course is taught in English and does not presuppose any knowledge either of Ancient Greek or of grammatical terminology. Prerequisite: GREK 111Y. Offered every year.

It is a great pleasure to read Homer in Greek, and this course seeks to help students do so with accuracy and insight. Students acquire a working knowledge of Homer's vocabulary and syntax, and explore some of the key literary and historical questions that have occupied his readers. Offered every spring.

Students improve their skills in reading Greek and discuss scholarship on the author or authors being read that semester. Each semester the readings change, so that GREK 301 and 302 can be taken, to the student's advantage, several times. Students are encouraged to inform the instructor in advance if there is a particular genre, author or theme they would especially like to study. The list of authors taught in this course includes the lyric poets; the playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes; and great prose stylists such as Plato and Thucydides, to name just a few. Offered every fall.

Students improve their skills in reading Greek and discuss scholarship on the author or authors being read that semester. Each semester the readings change, so that GREK 301 and 302 can be taken, to the student's advantage, several times. Students are encouraged to inform the instructor in advance if there is a particular genre, author or theme they would especially like to study. The list of authors taught in this course includes the lyric poets; the playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes; and great prose stylists such as Plato and Thucydides, to name just a few. Offered every spring.

Individual study in Greek allows students to study texts not covered or minimally covered in existing courses. To be eligible for an individual study, a student must also concurrently enroll in the advanced Greek course offered during the semester in which the individual study is to take place. If this is impossible, the student must petition for an exemption in the proposal to the department. To enroll in an individual study, a student should meet with an appropriate faculty member for a preliminary discussion of the project. If the faculty member is willing to supervise the study, the student must submit a proposal by email to all members of the department on campus. Departmental approval is required for the individual study to proceed. If the proposal is approved, the student should take the initiative in designing the course and, in consultation with the supervisor, develop a syllabus. The student and supervisor should meet at least one hour each week. For an individual study worth 0.5 units, the workload must be equivalent, at minimum, to that encountered in an advanced Greek course. For individual studies worth 0.25 units, the work should be approximately half that encountered in such a course. Because students must enroll for individual studies by the end of the seventh class day of each semester, they should begin discussion of the proposed individual study by the semester before, so that there is time to devise the proposal and seek departmental approval.\n

In this course, students improve their skills in reading Latin and discuss scholarship on the author or authors being read during the semester. Each semester the readings change, so that LATN 301 and 302 can be taken, to the student's advantage, several times. Students are encouraged to inform the instructor if there is a particular genre, author or theme they would especially like to study. The list of authors regularly taught in this course includes Horace and Ovid; the comic poet Plautus; and great prose stylists such as Livy, Tacitus, Petronius and Augustine, to name just a few. Offered every spring.