CTI 310 / C C 301: Introduction to Ancient Greece Unique #33755, 32910 MWF 2:00 3:00 PM Waggener Hall, Room 308 1 Instructor: Dr. Erik Dempsey Office: Waggener 401b Office Hours: Monday 3:00-4:30, Thursday 2:30-4, and by appointment Email Address: ed6335@utexas.edu Office Phone: *** Cell Phone: *** Course Description This course introduces students to the history, the culture, the religion, and above all the thought of the ancient Greeks. In studying the Greeks, we will have a twofold goal. First, we will try to develop a better understanding of a society which is in some ways very different from our own, but which is very much like it in others, and will exercises an influence over us that is still easy to see. Second, we will engage the Greeks as fellow students of enduring questions that still matter to us today questions about justice, love, the divine, and the nature of the world. In that way, we will try to learn from them about ourselves. The material for this course will consist almost entirely of primary sources. We will begin with a unit on Greek history in which we will try to see what was unique about the Greeks, and what they saw as unique about themselves. For that, we will look at selections from Herodotus and Thucydides. We will then study closely some of the chief literary and philosophic works of ancient Greece, including Homer s Odyssey, Sophocles Antigone, Aristophanes Clouds, excerpts from Herodortus and Thucydides, and three of Plato s dialogues: the Apology of Socrates, the Gorgias, and the Symposium. In addition to the readings, students will be expected to learn the Greek alphabet and some very basic Greek vocabulary based on the readings we do for class. This will be a small, discussion intensive class. Students will be expected to read carefully for every class meeting so that they can participate actively in discussions. Class Meetings The class sections will proceed mainly by way of close textual analysis. Make sure you do each reading carefully before coming to class. You are required to bring your copy of the assigned text to every class so that you can follow the discussions. Roughly once per week, there will be pop quizzes to ensure that you are doing the reading. Your cell phone should be turned off during class and stored in your bag, not on your desk. If you are caught texting or talking on your phone, it will be counted as an absence. Use of laptops in class is not permitted. If you have a laptop with you, it should be turned off and stored. Take notes using a pen and paper. You ll find it easier to pay attention in class and you ll find you understand the material better. You ll even enjoy being in class more.
Course Requirements and Grading Rubric 2 25%, each Three papers on topics to be assigned in class. Each paper will have a length requirement of 1200-1500 words. The first will be worth 20you re your final grade; the others will be worth 25% apiece. Papers will be graded on substance and on the quality of the writing. The papers are due September 21, November 4 and December 5. When you turn in your papers, you should bring two copies with you. You ll exchange one copy with another student and you will write reviews of one another s papers. You will be allowed to rewrite your first two papers to improve your grade. Your grade for each will be calculated as the average of the original paper and the rewrite. 15% Quizzes and paper reviews. There will be unannounced reading quizzes at the beginning of many class meetings. Your paper reviews will factor into your quiz grade; each will count as the equivalent of three reading quizzes. There will also be announced quizzes on the Greek alphabet and on basic Greek vocabulary. 10% Attendance and participation. Attendance is required at all classes. Each absence after the first, not excused by a doctor s note, will subtract 10% from your attendance and participation grade (which is equal to 1% of your overall final grade). If you have more than 10 absences total, it will result in automatic failure of the course. University Requirements This course carries a Global Cultures flag, and may be used to satisfy the University s Visual and Performing Arts core requirement. This course counts towards the Certificate Program in Core Texts and Ideas, a 6-course sequence in the great books, ideas, and controversies that have shaped Western civilization. The program is open to students in all majors and colleges. For more information, visit http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/coretexts/ or email the academic director, Professor Lorraine Pangle, at: lorrainepangle@austin.utexas.edu. Grading Policy We will use the plus / minus grading system for this class. Quizzes, tests, and attendance will be graded numerically. Papers and participation in discussion sections will be given letter grades. In order to calculate your final grade, these will be translated into number grades as follows: A: 96; A-: 91; B+: 88; B: 84.5; B-: 81; C+: 78; C: 74.5; C-: 71; D: 65; F: 30 Final grades are calculated numerically, then translated into a letter grade using the following scale. Please note: Grades will not be rounded up! You need a 93 average to get an A. A: 93-100; A-: 90-93; B+: 87-90; B: 83-87; B-: 80-83; C+: 77-80; C: 73-77; C-: 70-73; D: 60-70; F: below 60
Required Texts 3 NB: You are required to have the edition of each text that we use in class. If you do not want to acquire the right edition, do not take the course. Sophocles. The Theban Plays. Trans. Thomas Pabge and Peter Ahrensdorf. Cornell University Press. ISBN 0801478715. Homer. Odyssey. Trans. Richmond Lattimore. Harper Perennial. ISBN 006124418X. Herodotus. The History. Trans. David Grene. The University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0226327728. Plato and Aristophanes. Four Texts on Socrates. Cornell University Press. ISBN 0801485746. Plato. Gorgias. Trans. James Nichols. Cornell University Press. ISBN 0801485274. Plato. Symposium. Trans. Seth Benardete. The University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0226042758. Schedule of Readings Wednesday, August 24: First Day of Class Friday, August 26: Sophocles, Antigone, lines 1-400 Monday, August 29: Sophocles, Antigone, 401-987 Wednesday, August 31: Sophocles, Antigone, 988-end Friday, September 2: Sophocles, Antigone, continued Monday, September 5: LABOR DAY NO CLASS Wednesday, September 7: Odyssey I-II Friday, September 9: Odyssey III-IV Monday, September 12: Odyssey V-VI Wednesday, September 14: Odyssey VII-VIII Friday, September 16: Odyssey IX-X Monday, September 19: Odyssey XI-XII Wednesday, September 21: Odyssey Continued (first paper due) Friday, September 23: Odyssey XIII-XV Monday, September 26: Odyssey XVI-XIX Wednesday, September 28: Odyssey XX-XXII Friday, September 30: Odyssey XXIII-XXIV Monday, October 3: Herodotus, Histories, I.1-5, III.61-97 Wednesday, October 5: Herodotus, Book V, paragraphs 55-96 Friday, October 7: Herodotus, Book III.38; Book I.131-140; Book II,35-64; Book VIII 143-144 (NB: The order of these readings is deliberate)
4 Monday, October 10: Reading from Thucydides (distributed electronically) Wednesday, October 12: Thucydides continued Friday, October 14: Thucydides continued Monday, October 17: Aristophanes. Clouds (entire; in Four Texts on Socrates volume) Wednesday, October 19: Continued Friday, October 21: Plato, Apology 17a-24b Monday, October 24: Plato, Apology 24b-42a Wednesday, October 26: Plato, Apology continued Friday, October 28: Plato, Gorgias, beginning 461a Monday, October 31: Plato, Gorgias 461-470c Wednesday, November 2: Plato, Gorgias 470c-481b Friday, November 4: Plato, Gorgias continued (second paper due) Monday, November 7: Plato, Gorgias 481b-491d Wednesday, November 9: Plato, Gorgias 491d-499d Friday, November 11: Plato, Gorgias 499d-513d Monday, November 14: Plato, Gorgias 513d-527e Wednesday, November 16: Plato, Symposium 172a-180b Friday, November 18: Plato, Symposium 180b-189a Monday, November 21: Plato, Symposium 189a-193e Wednesday, November 23: NO CLASS THANKGIVING HOLIDAY Monday, November 28: Plato, Symposium 193e-206c Wednesday, November 30: Plato, Symposium 206c-212d Friday, December 2: Plato, Symposium 212d-223d Monday, December 5: LAST CLASS (final paper due) Other Policies Students with disabilities: Students with disabilities may request appropriate academic accommodations from the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, Services for Students with Disabilities, 471-6259, http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/!!! Academic dishonesty: Academic dishonesty will be treated extremely seriously. Plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the course. The university s policy on academic integrity may be found at the following website: http://registrar.utexas.edu/catalogs/gi09-10/ch01/index.html Accommodations for religious holidays: If anyone needs to miss class for a religious observance, I will hold a make-up session and the absence will be excused. If anyone misses a religious observance for class, they can take it up with their god.
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