Classical Studies
33466 CLAS 100 – C01 David Meban
Civilizations of Greece and Rome MWF 1130 – 1220
In a 2009 survey of Canadian undergraduate students, 87% of the respondents believed that Gerard Butler led the Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae. 91% of the respondents indicated that Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon in order to face down Xena Warrior Princess. If you are among these numbers, and are in the midst of giving yourself a congratulatory pat on the back, do the future of Western culture a favour and register for CLAS 100 Introduction to the Civilizations of Greece and Rome. Today's high school and university curriculum sadly neglects the classical world. This course aims to remedy this shortcoming by providing students with an introduction to the history and culture of ancient Greece and Rome. To this end we will discuss important historical developments such as the emergence of civilization in Greece, the expansion of Classical Athens, and the growth and consolidation of the Roman empire. But we will also devote a considerable portion of the course to an examination of other topics such as (but not limited to) Athenian democracy, Roman leisure, artistic production, religious practice, and daily life.
30097 CLAS 150 – C01 David Meban
Latin Language I MWF 1330 – 1420
Barrack Obama, Mahatma Gandhi, Sigmund Freud, and Will Ferrell. Beyond their extraordinary contributions to the political, scientific and artistic life of the last one hundred years, one thing unites these individuals: as undergraduates they all majored in Latin. No doubt these cultural giants were well aware of Latin's coolness factor, and the street credibility it confers. But they also realized there was no skirting one undeniable and universal truth: success in this life and the next depends on one's knowledge of Latin. Be forewarned: learning Latin is not for the weak, humble, or pathetic. Many who register will be overwhelmed with self doubt as they are ground to dust under the wheels of my chariot, distraught by the peals of laughter reverberating throughout the classroom. But for those who endure there awaits one sure reward: a mitochlorian count that is off the charts.
31239 CLAS 160 – C01 Darca Tkach
Greek Language I MWF 1030 – 1120
In this class, students will quickly master the exotic alphabet of the ancient Greeks and learn the basic grammar and vocabulary necessary to take the first steps in the language memorably used by Homer, Herodotus, Sappho, Plato, Sophocles, and Euripides, as well as the New Testament. Rather than be “barbarians” (from the ancient word for “people who do not speak Greek”), students will be able to say: “It was Greek to me!”
33467 CLAS 200 – C01 Deborah Hoffmann
Greek Mythology TR 1300 – 1415
Cosmic and divine myth; saga, folktale; study of recurrent motifs; the relationship of the myths to history, archaeology, and art; myth as a medium for the expression of beliefs about religion and human values.
32205 CLAS 210 – C01 Darca Tkach
Greek and Roman Epic TR 1000 – 1115
This class explores the ancient mythological epics of the heroes and heroines of the Trojan War: Achilles, Odysseus, Hector, Paris, Aeneas, Helen, Penelope, and many others. We jump right into battle with Homer's war story The Iliad. The fates of the Greek heroes after the war are told in the sequel, the fantastical journey The Odyssey. Several centuries later, the Roman author Vergil wrote another sequel, but from the Trojan point of view: the action-adventure tale The Aeneid. The poet Ovid rounds out these three narratives with a unique story-telling style in The Metamorphoses. In addition to a close reading of the texts, we will examine concepts such as the definition of a hero, the roles of the gods, fact vs. fiction, the scholarly debates of critics, and the modern reader's own perceptions.