Classics

Humanities Division

Faculty

Michael J. Barich
Assistant Professor

Robert E. Bennett
Chair, Professor

Carolin Hahnemann
Assistant Professor

William E. McCulloh
Professor Emeritus

Adam C. Serfass
Andrew W. Mellon Instructor of Classics and IPHS

Clifford W. Weber
Professor

The study of the classics concerns itself with the one fixed point of reference in the liberal arts: the origins. The very notion of liberal arts is a creation of ancient Greece and Rome. Courses in the classics are intended to acquaint the student with the languages, literatures, and civilizations of those cultural wellsprings. Because classics comprehends all aspects of the ancient civilization of the West, it is in fact an interdisciplinary field. Hebrew, Modern Greek, and Sanskrit may usually be studied. Classical Chinese, another ancient language, is offered through the Asian studies curriculum.

Greek and Latin are the fundamental languages of the West, with literatures extending over three millennia. Serious study of Greece and Rome (as of most cultures) must include the study of their languages. In addition, Greek and Latin are valuable for the study of linguistics and of other foreign languages, particularly the Romance languages, English, and Sanskrit. Like the courses in classical civilization, the study of Greek and Latin enhances understanding of such diverse subjects as art history, drama, history, philosophy, political science, religion, and the modern literatures of Europe and America. Indeed, almost any study of the Western intellect and imagination looks repeatedly toward Greece and Rome and does so to greatest advantage through the lucid windows of the original languages.

The department encourages its students to study abroad, especially in Greece and Italy, either during the summer or for a year.

New Students

First-year students or students new to classics take Greek or Latin at an appropriate level, or any of the courses in classical civilization, except CLAS 471. New students are particularly encouraged to take the classical civilization courses numbered 100-199 and marked by the symbol. Two solid years of study in high school should qualify a student for an intermediate language course (if in doubt, consult the instructor). Courses in classical civilization do not require a knowledge of Greek or Latin. Under this heading, students’ particular interests may lead them to those courses that have to do with ancient history, literature, or religion.

In 2002-03, Elementary Latin has three one-hour meetings per week, while Elementary Greek meets five times a week, for 1 1/2 units of credit. No specific linguistic preparation is required or assumed for these courses, but regular attendance and thorough preparation are crucial. Courses at the 100 or 200 level, including Greek Literature in English, Classical Mythology, Athens and Alexander, Religions of the Roman World, and The Roman World, combine lectures and discussions, and the work involves papers and quizzes or tests. For further information, look for the courses numbered 100-299 and marked by the symbol, which designates those courses particularly appropriate for first-year students or upperclass students new to the classics curriculum.

Kenyon’s Language Requirement

A year of study at Kenyon in either Latin or Greek or Sanskrit, at any level, satisfies Kenyon’s language requirement. To satisfy the language requirement through previous study in Latin, a student needs a score of 3, 4, or 5 on any Latin Advanced Placement exam, or a score of 570 or better on the College Board’s subject examination in Latin. To satisfy the language requirement through previous study in Classical Greek, a student needs to achieve a grade of C or better in an examination set by the department, ordinarily administered during first-year orientation, by arrangement between the new student and the department. The examination tests the student on the equivalent of a year of Greek at Kenyon. No such examination is offered by the department in Latin.

Prospective Majors

New students thinking of majoring in classics should begin Greek or Latin in their first year. Students considering majoring or minoring in classics should take either Athens and Alexander or The Roman World or both. It is possible, however, to fulfill the requirements for the ancient history option within the classical studies major within the junior and senior years, and to complete other forms of the major even if beginning Latin or Greek is postponed until the sophomore year.

Requirements for the Major

Students majoring in classics may choose either Latin and Greek, or Classical Studies (which has three separate forms; see below). A Senior Exercise and the Senior Seminar, CLAS 471, are required of all majors. The requirements for each form of the major and minor, new for the class of 2003 and those after it, are as follows.

Latin and Greek
(6 units minimum as follows)

For the classes of 2003 and beyond:

• 5 units of Latin and Ancient Greek, with at least 1 unit in each
• Either CLAS 101 The Greek World or CLAS 102 The Roman World
• CLAS 471 Senior Seminar

Classical Studies
Three Forms: Greek, Latin, or Ancient History
(5 units minimum in one of the following)

Note: All classical studies majors in the classes of 2003 and beyond must take either CLAS 101, The Greek World, or CLAS 102, The Roman World. They may substitute for the other course, as below.

Greek

For the classes of 2003 and beyond:

• 3 units of Ancient Greek
• CLAS 101 The Greek World, or substitute CLAS 225 or 226 or another approved course*
• CLAS 102 The Roman World, or substitute CLAS 117, 227, 228, or another approved course*
• CLAS 471 Senior Seminar
• 1/2 unit of CLAS or GREK or LATN or Sanskrit or Modern Greek or Hebrew or any approved cognate course taught in another department

*The substitution is allowed for either CLAS 101 or CLAS 102, but not both.

Latin

For the clases of 2003 and beyond:

• 3 units of Latin
• CLAS 101 The Greek World, or substitute CLAS 225 or 226 or another approved course*
• CLAS 102 The Roman World, or substitute CLAS 117, 227, 228, or another approved course*
• CLAS 471 Senior Seminar
• 1/2 unit of CLAS or GREK or LATN or Hebrew or Modern Greek or Sanskrit or any approved cognate course taught in another department

*The substitution is allowed for either CLAS 101 or CLAS 102, but not both.

Ancient History

For the classes of 2003 and beyond:

• 2 units of either Greek or Latin
• CLAS 101 The Greek World, or substitute CLAS 225 or 226 or another approved course*
• CLAS 102 The Roman World, or substitute CLAS 117, 227, 228, or another approved course*
• CLAS 471 Senior Seminar
• 1 1/2 units from CLAS or LATN or GREK or Hebrew or Sanskrit or Modern Greek or approved cognate courses taught in other departments (up to one unit of such cognate courses)

*The substitution is allowed for either CLAS 101 or CLAS 102, but not both.

Students who intend to continue the study of the classics in graduate school are advised to choose the Latin and Greek major and to develop a reading ability in both French and German.

Students who study abroad in Greece or Italy, or elsewhere, receive full credit for the work completed successfully there, but in advance each student should ascertain from the department how work done abroad will be credited to the departmental requirements for the major.

Senior Exercise

The Senior Exercise is written during the fall semester and consists of one or more examinations designed to establish that a student is able to read straightforward prose and/or verse in the ancient languages in which he or she has done (or is doing) intermediate-level coursework required by the major. This part of the Senior Exercise continues to be required of students in the classes of 2003 and beyond.

Honors

Honors in classics involves a substantial senior thesis in the area of Greek, Latin, or ancient history. The thesis is written in the senior year under the direction of an advisor, as an independent study. Few students take junior honors; it is an independent study leading toward the senior thesis.

Beginning with the class of 2003, honors majors will not be required to take an essay examination in the spring semester. Students will have the option of including the Senior Seminar, CLAS 471, as one semester of their honors work. All honors students must take the Senior Seminar, in either case.

Requirements for the Minor

Three units of work are required for the minor in classics. The minor in classics does not require study of a language, but students pursuing a minor are encouraged to study the classical languages and to include language courses among the three units required.

For the classes of 2003 and beyond, there are three possible forms of the minor, as follows:

• 2 1/2 units of Ancient Greek, or 2 units of Latin, or 2 units of Latin and Greek courses (including, in all three cases, 1 unit of courses at the intermediate and/or advanced level)
• CLAS 471 Senior Seminar
• If necessary to complete 3 units, another course in CLAS or LATN or GREK or Hebrew or Modern Greek or Sanskrit.

• 1 unit of Ancient Greek and/or Latin
• LAS 471 Senior Seminar
• Either CLAS 101 The Greek World or CLAS 102 The Roman World
• 1 unit from any combination of the following: CLAS, LATN, GREK, Sanskrit, Modern Greek, Hebrew, or cognate courses taught outside the department

• CLAS 101 The Greek World, or substitute CLAS 225 or 226 or another approved course*
• CLAS 102 The Roman World, or substitute CLAS 117, 227, 228, or another approved course*
• CLAS 471 Senior Seminar
• 1 1/2 units from any combination of the following: CLAS, LATN, GREK, Sanskrit, Modern Greek,Hebrew. This may include up to 1 unit chosen from cognate courses taught outside the department
.

Cognate Courses

Several of the forms of the classics major and minor allow 1/2 unit or 1 unit of cognate courses taught outside the department to be used to meet requirements. These courses include, but are not limited to, the following:

ARHS 110 Survey of Art of the Ancient World
ARHS 220 Greek Art
ARHS 221 Roman Art
DRAM 51 Classical Theater
HIST 437 Late Antiquity
IPHS 1/2 unit from IPHS 113-114
PHIL 200 History of Ancient Philosophy
PSCI 220 History of Political Philosophy: The Classical Quest for Justice
PSCI 422 Thucydides: War and Philosophy
RELN 225 The New Testament

To determine whether a particular course taught outside the department may be counted as a cognate course for a major or minor, see the chair of the classics department. To determine whether a course may serve as an approved substitute for some form of the major or minor, see the chair of the classics department.

CLASSICAL CIVILIZATION

The following courses in classical civilization do not require a knowledge of Greek or Latin.

Year Courses

Junior Honors
CLAS 397-398 (1 unit)
Staff

This course offers independent study for junior candidates for honors. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.

Senior Honors
CLAS 497-498 (1 unit)
Staff

This course offers independent study for senior candidates for honors. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.

First-Semester Courses

The Roman World
CLAS 102 (1/2 unit)
Bennett

A knowledge of Roman literature and history is essential to every educated person, since it is the fundamental basis for understanding modern politics. This course is a survey of Roman history from the Trojan War through the second century of the common era, but principally is a survey of masterpieces of Latin literature and later Greek literature during that period. Readings will include plays of Plautus and Terence, selections from the historians Polybius, Livy, and Tacitus, Virgil’s Aeneid, the poetry of Catullus, Horace, and Juvenal, and novels by Petronius, Apuleius, and Longus. Particularly appropriate for first-year students, but available for all students, the course is a foundation for the classics major and minor. Work will include a term paper prefaced by short papers, oral presentations, regular quizzes, and a midterm and final examination. Lecture and discussion. No prerequisite, no limit. We expect to offer the course every other year.

Classical Mythology
Clas 114 (1/2 unit)
Bennett

It is impossible to understand English literature throughout its development, or indeed any modern Western literature, without a knowledge of classical mythology. Not only are the myths entertaining, but they permeate literature, popular culture, and life. This course acquaints students with the important myths of ancient Greece and Rome through reading them in primary texts, including works by Homer, Hesiod, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Virgil, and Ovid. The course explores the nature and evolution of these myths in antiquity, along with various modern interpretations that have made them foundations for Western thought and literature. Work will include short papers and creative projects, an oral presentation, regular quizzes, and a midterm and final examination. No limit, no prerequisite. The course is ordinarily offered every year.

Athens and Alexander CLAS 226 (1/2 unit)
Barich

This course examines the history of Greece from the beginning of the Peloponnesian War (431 b.c.) to the aftermath of the death of Alexander the Great (323 b.c.). Topics include the great war between Athens and Sparta, the collapse of Athenian power, the political and military competition among Greek city-states in the fourth century, the rise of Macedon as the dominant state in Greece, and the unprecedented conquests of Alexander the Great. We will also study the remarkable society and culture of Athens during this period in all its aspects, including government, the economy, social structure and dynamics, religion, families and the lives of women, and the intellectual and artistic achievements of artists, orators, and philosophers. Readings will include the narratives of the ancient historians Thucydides and Xenophon, selections from other writers of the period such as Aristophanes, Plato, and Demosthenes, and contemporary inscriptions, both public and private. We will examine all forms of available evidence and make extensive use of archaeological material. Students prepare an oral presentation in which they examine specific pieces of ancient evidence. They discuss the inferences that can be made from this evidence and the problems of its interpretation. They also write a term paper that explores broader but still clearly articulated questions. They submit a first draft of the paper and then revise and develop their arguments in response to the instructor’s comments. No prerequisites.

Individual Study
CLAS 393 (1/2 unit)
Staff

This course may be taken either to supplement the work of another course in the department or to pursue a special course of reading not otherwise provided. Prerequisites: permission of instructor and department chair.

Second-Semester Courses

Greek Literature in English: Drama
CLAS 112 (1/2 unit)
Hahnemann

In this course we explore the productive tension between tradition and individual creativity by comparing various dramatic treatments of a few central myths. Modern digests usually retell each Greek myth in the version which has most influenced subsequent literature, omitting, for the sake of readability, whatever variants of the story occur in other sources. In antiquity, however, there was no such “canon,” and especially the tragic poets sought to win the applause of their audience by giving the mythical material a new and different shape. Among the figures we study closely are Antigone’s father Oedipus and Agamemnon’s daughter Electra. Since many of the relevant plays survive only in fragments, we must engage in much detective work regarding formal conventions and ancient stagecraft. Readings include plays and fragments by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes, Apollodorus’ compendium of myths, and Aristotle’s Poetics. No prerequisite.

The Religions of the Roman Empire
CLAS 230 (1/2 unit)
Serfass

The Romans ruled an empire of remarkable religious diversity, whose population embraced a variety of polytheistic, Jewish, and Christian practices and beliefs. Combining lecture and discussion, this course will examine these three religious traditions in the cultural and historical context of the Roman empire, from the first century b.c.e. through the fifth century c.e. Recurrent issues in our examination will include religion and the state; “licit” and “illicit” religions; the architectural context of religious practice (e.g., temples, churches); proselytism and religious conflict; the relationship between ritual and belief; and, finally, the problems encountered in studying ancient religion from a contemporary perspective. Although some secondary scholarship will be read, most readings will be taken directly from ancient sources in translation, including Cicero, Livy, and Celsus; the Mishnah, Josephus, and Philo; St. Paul, Origen, and Augustine. Students will have the opportunity, therefore, to read, discuss, and write about texts seminal to Western religious thought. Evaluation based on class participation; a series of short papers (one to two pages) on primary sources; an oral presentation; a midterm; and a final. No prerequisite.

Individual Study
CLAS 394 (1/2 unit)
Staff

This course may be taken either to supplement the work of another course in the department or to pursue a special course of reading not otherwise provided. Prerequisites: permission of instructor and department chair.

Senior Seminar in Classics
CLAS 471 (1/2 unit)
Bennett

This course is required for senior majors and senior minors in classics. Junior majors and minors may also take the course, which can be repeated, since its content varies each year. Other juniors and seniors with a background in the classics may also take the course by permission. Each student will prepare a research paper for the course, written in multiple drafts in consultation with the class. The class reading will consist of background for all the papers, all on classical topics, and several other themes of mutual interest to the class. The group will plan the course during the fall semester, so it is essential that you inform the instructor early in the fall that you intend to take the class. Other faculty in the classics department will present guest lectures. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.

GREEK

Year Courses

Elementary Greek
GREK 101-102 (1 1/2 units)
Hahnemann

In this course, students develop the ability to read classical prose and dramatic dialogue in verse as a solid basis for studying Greek literature in the original language of its authors. By the time they finish the main textbook in the spring, students will have read more than fifty pages of increasingly sophisticated Greek. At that point they will begin to read verbatim selections from great writers such as Plato and Euripides. These excerpts and the earlier readings in the textbook will introduce important topics in the history and culture of classical Athens. Depending on the interests of the class, time may also be devoted to readings in the Greek New Testament.

No specific linguistic preparation is required or assumed. The course introduces the grammatical concepts necessary to learn Greek rapidly and accurately. A student assistant will conduct practice and problem-solving sessions for those who would like additional help. Quizzes and tests are given frequently throughout the year. No prerequisites.

Junior Honors
GREK 397-398 (1 unit)
Staff

This course offers independent study in Greek for junior candidates for honors. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.

Senior Honors
GREK 497-498 (1 unit)
Staff

This course offers independent study in Greek for senior candidates for honors. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.

First-Semester Courses

Intermediate Greek: Prose and Drama
GREK 201 (1/2 unit)
Hahnemann

This course comprises a reading of stories from Herodotus and of Euripides’ Medea. The twin aims of the course are to increase proficiency in reading Greek and to explore important literary and cultural issues of the fifth century. Prerequisite: GREK 101-102 or permission of instructor.

Advanced Greek: Greek Literary Genres
GREK 301 (1/2 unit)
Bennett

The readings vary each year and are designed to explore major authors within the great spectrum of Greek literature, such as Pindar and other lyric poets, the pre-Socratic philosophers, Aeschylus’s Agamemnon, Sophocles, Aristophanes, Thucydides, Plato’s Symposium, Theocritus, and Daphnis and Chloe. Selections from Byzantine and modern Greek may be included. The course may be repeated. Prerequisite: GREK 201-202 or equivalent.

Individual Study: Ancient Greek
GREK 393 (1/2 unit)
Staff

This course may be taken either to supplement the work of another course in the department or to pursue a special course of reading not otherwise provided. Prerequisites: permission of instructor and department chair.

Second-Semester Courses

Intermediate Greek: Homer
GREK 202 (1/2 unit)
Bennett

The course covers readings of extensive selections from Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and a Homeric Hymn. We will emphasize interpretation in the light of oral techniques of composition, basic Greek values and cultural problems reflected in the poems, and the distinctive characteristics of both major and minor characters. Prerequisite: GREK 201 or permission of instructor.

Advanced Greek: Greek Literary Genres
GREK 302 (1/2 unit)
Barich

This course is a continuation of GREK 301. The readings vary from year to year. Suggestions from students are welcome. Prerequisite: GREK 201, 202, or equivalent.

Individual Study: Ancient Greek
GREK 394 (1/2 unit)
Staff

This course may be taken either to supplement the work of another course in the department or to pursue a special course of reading not otherwise provided. Prerequisites: permission of instructor and department chair.

HEBREW

Year Course

Individual Study: Elementary Hebrew
HEBR 293-294 (1 unit)
Miriam Dean-Otting, professor of religious studies

This course may be offered on an individual basis. See the instructor for details.

LATIN

Year Courses

Elementary Latin
LATN 101-102 (1 unit)
Weber

This course meets three times a week. Its aim is to give students a thorough knowledge of the linguistic forms and grammatical constructions employed by Roman writers of the classical period (roughly 80 b.c. to a.d. 20). After completion of this course, little further grammatical study should be necessary in order to read with good comprehension the works of writers such as Cicero and Virgil. Students enrolled in LATN 101-102 also commonly experience an improvement in their ability to think analytically and to deal with language in abstract terms. The importance of these skills extends, of course, far beyond the study of Latin.

Class assignments usually require from one-and-a-half to three hours to complete. Experience has shown that prior study of a foreign language has little effect on a student’s success in this course. Regular attendance in class, however, is critical, as is the on-time completion of all assignments. Written exercises are limited to eight one-hour examinations in the course of the year, and one three-hour final in May. A student’s final grade is determined by the scores on these examinations. No prerequisites.

Junior Honors
LATN 397-398 (1 unit)
Staff

This course offers independent study for junior candidates for honors. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.

Senior Honors
LATN 497-498 (1 unit)
Staff

This course offers independent study for senior candidates for honors. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.

Intermediate Latin: Prose
LATN 201 (1/2 unit)
Weber

This course is intended for students who have completed LATN 101-102 or have mastered the fundamentals of Latin grammar through two or more years of study in high school. Readings typically include a speech or dialogue of Cicero read in its entirety. Prerequisite: LATN 101-102 or equivalent.

Advanced Latin: Roman Historiography LATN 301 (1/2 unit) Serfass

This course will survey the development of Roman historiography from its origins in the Roman republic through the fourth century of our era. In the first part of the course, we will read primarily from Livy; in the second, we will read primarily from Tacitus’ Annals. Although we will focus on these two writers, we will also read excerpts from other historians, including Cato, Sallust, and Ammianus Marcellinus. We will discuss these authors’ distinctive literary styles, their approaches to research and historical method, and how the contexts in which the authors write may influence the focus and tone of their works. Attention will also be paid to the authors’ considerable influence on later writers, including Machiavelli, Gibbon, and Ronald Syme. Evaluation is based on active class participation, an oral presentation, a midterm, a final, and a term paper. Prerequisite: LATN 202 or equivalent.

Individual Study: Latin
LATN 393 (1/2 unit)
Staff

This course may be taken either to supplement the work of another course in the department or to pursue a special course of reading not otherwise provided. Prerequisites: permission of instructor and department chair.

Second-Semester Courses

Intermediate Latin: Virgil’s Aeneid
LATN 202 (1/2 unit)
Weber

More than any other single poem, the Aeneid has embodied the idea of the West. The course will provide an introduction to Virgil’s unparalleled poetic language and his vision of passion and politics. Prerequisite: LATN 201 or permission of instructor.

Roman Elegy
LATN 371 (1/2 unit)
Weber

This course presents a study of the development of the Roman love elegy from its rudiments in Catullus to its Augustan flowering in the verse of Propertius, Tibullus, and Ovid. Prerequisite: LATN 202 or the equivalent.

Individual Study: Latin
LATN 394 (1/2 unit)
Staff

This course may be taken either to supplement the work of another course in the department or to pursue a special course of reading not otherwise provided. Prerequisites: permission of instructor and department chair.

SANSKRIT

Year Course

Individual Study: Sanskrit
SANS 293-294 (1 unit)
McCulloh

Prerequisites: GREK 101-102 or permission of instructor and department chair.

Additional courses available another year include the following: