Classics Courses
Spring 2015
Greek and Latin
CG 110: ELEMENTARY GREEK (4 Cr.)
M 11:15-12:10, TuTh 11:10-12:30
Leslie Mechem
This course is designed for students with no prior knowledge of Greek who are interested in learning this complex and compelling language. Students learn the syntax and grammar of Attic Greek, the dialect of Athens in the fifth and fourth centuries BCE, in an effort to prepare them to read Homer, Plato, Sophocles and the New Testament. Prerequisite: None
CG 310: SEMINAR IN GREEK POETRY: EURIPIDES' MEDEA (4 Cr.)
TuTh 2:10-3:30
Leslie Mechem
Husband commits adultery. Witch of a wife exacts revenge by killing their children. This is Euripides' Medea. We will read one of the most compelling of all Greek dramas, which offers a vision of human experience that combines the power of love and jealousy. We will examine the play from literary, artistic, social, dramatic and historical perspectives, and look at such topics as witchcraft, the woman as "other," and the influence of Greek tragedy at the end of the Periclean Age. Prerequisite: CG 210 or permission of the instructor.
CL 210: INTERMEDIATE LATIN (4 Cr.)
M 10:10-11:05, TuTh 9:40-11:00
Michael Arnush
Students will refine their mastery of Latin grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. We will explore the lives of women and slaves, the role of the family and education in Roman life, religion, justice and Christianity. We will then turn to Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars, a fascinating study of the differences between Romans and barbarians. Prerequisite: CL 110 or permission of the instructor.
CL 310: SEMINAR IN LATIN POETRY: OVID'S METAMORPHOSES (4 Cr.)
TuTh 9:40-11:00
Dan Curley
In the early Roman empire, Publius Ovidius Naso, or Ovid, composed his epic poem Metamorphoses to rival Vergil's masterpiece in scope and scale. Ovid employs motifs as diverse as violence, imperialism, gender, desire, spectacle, and narrative within the framework of supernatural transformations. An inspiration for future generations of writers, artists, and musicians, the Metamorphoses will allow us to understand Ovid's reinvention of Roman epic poetry. Prerequisite: CL 210 or permission of instructor.
Travel-Study
CC 265: READING ROME (3 Cr.)
MWF 9:05-10:00
TX 201: WRITING ROME (1 Cr.)
May 17–June 3, 2015
Dan Curley and Gregory Spinner
"All roads lead to Rome." This venerable maxim guides our survey of Rome from classical to modern authors. This course is a prerequisite for Writing Rome, a study tour of the Eternal City slated for May-June 2015. In Reading Rome, students will explore the construction of Rome, not only the geographical layout, layering, and growth of the city over time, but also the reception of the city in the texts of ancient and modern authors. Every text about Rome, including stories of its foundation, praise of its buildings and monuments, and laments by those forced to leave it, creates a new Rome, which replicates, reimagines or even replaces the actual city. The intersection of physical and textual space, and the many Romes that abide there, is the subject of this course. Students must enroll in CC265 and TX201 concurrently. Prerequisite: None.
Classics in English
CC 200: CLASSICAL WORLD (4 Cr.)
MWF 1:25-2:20
Dan Curley
This class offers an introduction to classical antiquity for students interested in ancient Greece and Rome, the impact of antiquity on Medieval and Renaissance Europe, and a general background in the Western tradition. This interdisciplinary course, team-taught by faculty from the Classics Department, includes studies in literature (epic, dramatic, and lyric poetry, rhetoric, and fiction), history and historiography, art and architecture, philosophy and political theory. Podcasts, travel to NYC's Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the annual David H. Porter Lecture all complement the course. Fulfills Humanities requirement. Prerequisite: None.
CC 395: THE CLASSICS MAJOR AND BEYOND (1 Cr.)
W 5:30-6:30
Dan Curley
"Classics? What are you going to do with that?" In this transitional course, senior majors will reflect on their work in the Classics curriculum and look ahead to life as Skidmore graduates. Working both individually and collaboratively, students will examine the relevance of classical studies to continuing intellectual, cultural, and civic engagement; explore options for future work and study; compile a portfolio documenting and evaluating coursework in the Classics major; and strengthen the presentation and communication skills essential to professional success. Prerequisite: Senior standing as a Classics major or minor. Must be taken S/U.
AH 222: GREEK ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY (3 Cr.)
M/W 4:00 - 5:20
Leslie Mechem
This class provides an exploration of the major developments in architecture, sculpture, and painting from Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations through the Hellenistic period. Attention is given to the influences on Greek art from the East and to the influence of Greek art on other cultures. Fulfills Humanities requirement. Prerequisite: None.