University of Arkansas
Spring, 2001; WLIT 2323 Greek and Roman Mythology
Professor Daniel B. Levine
Gods, Monsters, and Heroes in Classical Literature and Art
Welcome to Greek and Roman Mythology! This semester we will read some important
ancient works which contain the stories which have shaped the way Europeans have thought,
acted, and dreamed for millennia. We will see how the ancient Greeks formed literary works
out of their ancient stories, and how they portrayed these myths in stone, clay, metal, and paint. We
will examine the religious beliefs and practices which the Greeks associated with their
myths, and look at the relationship between myths and ancient society, culture, and history.
We will see how ancient mythology has left its legacy in our world, including its imprint on
our language.
WEB SITE
You will find this syllabus and most of the assignments, questions, and other notes on the
class web site: www.uark.edu/campus-resources/dlevine/.
PROFESSOR
You may contact the teacher by email, fax, telephone, letter, or note:
Daniel Levine, Classical Studies
502 Kimpel Hall
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville AR 72701
Telephone: 575-5937, 575-2951 (office); 521-3294 (home, not after 9:00 PM).
Fax: 501-575-6795
email: dlevine@uark.edu
Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:30-10:20, and by appointment. If you come
to my office and I am not there, please leave me a note. If you call and speak to my
secretary, please leave a message. If you email me to set up an appointment, please let me
know what times are good for you to meet.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
THE VOYAGE OF ARGO Apollonios of Rhodes, tr. Rieu
HOMERIC HYMNS Tr. Athanassakis
WORKS & DAYS/THEOGONY Hesiod, tr. Lombardo
HOMER ILIAD tr. Lombardo
HOMER ODYSSEY tr. Lombardo
GREEK TRAGEDIES vol. 1 Univ. of Chicago, ed. Grene
(including Agamemnon, Prometheus, Oedipus, Antigone, Hippolytus)
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COURSE PROCEDURES:
We will have class twice a week, and for each class there will be a reading assignment. For
each reading assignment there will be a set of study questions. Students are required to write
answers to the study questions that end in the same number as the last number of their
student identification. For instance, the last number of my ID is "3", so I would have to hand
in answers to study questions #3, 13, 23, 33, etc. The purpose of these questions is to be
sure that everyone has read the assignment and therefore can get the most out of our
meetings and can participate actively in class discussion. These written responses should be
typed, but I will also accept hand-written answers. Please, be sure to come to class prepared
with these written responses. I WILL NOT ACCEPT LATE ANSWERS.
2. MYTH WORDS
The English language has been enriched by the mythology of our classical past. Part of our
exploration of Greek and Roman Mythology this term will be to expand our understanding
of our own language via the etymologies of its vocabulary.
To this end, students in WLIT 2323 will present the myths behind the words at the
beginning of each class meeting. Most of these words are to be found in a good English
dictionary, and on the Internet in the "Words and Phrases Glossary" of Oxford's
"Classical Mythology Sixth Edition On-line" (http://www.oup-usa.org/sc/0195143388/).
Student presentations will involve writing the word or phrase on the board, and BRIEFLY
(in 2 -3 minutes) explaining the mythological figure associated with the words. [Please give
a note to the professor at least two days before your presentation, showing what you have
found.]
3. ESSAYS
Students will write two essays for this class:
1. Zeus Essay. Outline due Wednesday 02/21; Essay due Wed. 3/07
2. Art Essay. Outline due Mon. 04/16; Essay due Wed. 05/02.
Details of essay assignment are given separately. LATE ESSAYS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Consult the Paper Tips page for suggestions on how to write good papers.
4. EXAMINATIONS
There will be a midterm (Wed. March 7) and final examination on the last day of class, on
material covered in class and assigned readings. It will contain questions in multiple choice format,
short answer questions, slide identifications, and 'myth words' presented in class.
5. GRADES
Grades will be determined as follows:
Myth Word Presentations: 15%
Written Answers to Daily Questions 20%
Essay #1: Zeus Paper 15%
Essay #2: Art Paper 20%
Midterm Examination 15%
Final Examination 15%
A= 90-100; B= 80-89; C=70-79; D=60-69.
6. BAD WEATHER POLICY
If the University is open, we will meet for class. Students who are unable to come to class
because of a weather emergency will not be penalized.
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