Kirk Ormand	CLAS 210: Greek and Roman Mythology
King 105a; x8394
Office Hours: T 9-10; W 10-12; Th 11-12	Spring, 2004

Purpose: This course will introduce you to a few of the vast number of stories included under the broad category of Greek and Roman Myth. Along the way, we will ponder deep questions, such as: What is a myth? What do myths do? How should we read them? How are they related to religion and ritual practice? How do they reflect the cultures that produced them, and how do they operate in our modern world? We will also focus to an unusual degree on the ways in which Greek and Roman myth defined, explored, and constructed notions of gender. To these ends, we will look at psychoanalytic and structural readings of myth in addition to the myths themselves.

Bear in mind that the world of Greek myth is large and intractable. The syllabus that follows is an attempt to force that world into some sort of schematic structure. As the class goes along, I may find it necessary to change the syllabus.

Grading: Your grade will be based on 3 very short papers and two exams, each weighted equally. Exams will cover lecture material as well as readings on the syllabus. Failure to complete any of the papers or exams will result in a grade of NC in the course.

Papers: You will be placed into one of three paper-writing groups, and paper due dates will be staggered by group throughout the term. This creates a tight grading schedule for me; as a result, I will not grant extensions for papers in this course; late papers will be graded down 1/3 letter grade for each day late (i.e. an A becomes an A- after one day). The only exception to this rule will be a legitimate, documented medical or family emergency.

Readings and Class time: Class will be a mixture of lecture and discussion on the reading for that day. I expect that you will come to class having read and thought about that dayπs assignment. If you fail to do this, discussions will be lackluster, lectures will make little sense, and you will find yourself generally unhappy. A number of readings are on E-Res. These readings are integral to the course and not optional. Print them up well in advance and save yourself a headache. The reading assignments are sometimes long, so plan ahead and give yourself time to enjoy reading them.

Attendance: For the duration of this semester and for the purposes of this class, we are a community of scholars. Please plan to attend every class session. If you miss class, it is your responsibility (not mine) to find out what you missed. A bit of friendly advice: long experience has shown that students who come to class regularly and well-prepared tend to do better on exams and papers. Ignore this simple fact at your peril.

Academic Honesty: In the unlikely event that I find that a student is has engaged in academic dishonesty (cheating, helping other students to cheat, plagiarism) he/she will fail the course. I will also report the student to the Honor Board, as required by the Honor Code. An excellent discussion of plagiarism exists in the honor code: http://www.oberlin.edu/students/student_pages/honor_code.html .

Schedule of Readings

Texts:

Apollodorus, The Library of Greek Mythology

Hesiod: Theogony (trans. West)

Athanassakis: The Homeric Hymns

Ovid: Metamorphoses (trans. Melville)

Apollonius: Jason and the Golden Fleece (trans. Hunter)

Various readings on E-Res

Feb. 10	Syllabus and texts; Expectations; Introduction to Mythology; The True Story of Balto, the Bravest Dog Ever; Pretty pictures
Part 1: The Gods, and some stories about them
Feb. 12	E-Res: Vegeti, ≥The Greeks and Their Gods≤from The Greeks The Homeric Hymns: to Apollon (pp.15-30);
17	The Homeric Hymns: to Hermes (pp.31-47) E-Res: Burkert, excerpt from Greek Religion (pp.125-149)
19	The Homeric Hymns: Hymns 5-13 (pp. 47-60); Ovid, pp. 14-18 (Apollo and Daphne), 18-23 (Io), 49-50 (Europa) E-Res: Burkert, excerpt from Greek Religion (pp.149-170)
24	Myth and ritual: Arcadia and Brauron Apollodorus, 114-116 (Callisto) Ovid, pp. 36-40 (Callisto) and 55-58 (Diana and Acteon). E-Res: Callimachus, Hymn to Athena	Group 1 Paper due
Part 2: Creating the world, creating gender
26	Zeus, Athena, and Freud Hesiod, Theogony E-Res: Caldwell: ≥Interpretation: The Psychology of the Succession Myth≤
March 2	Humanity, sacrifice, and women Re-Read Hesiod, Theogony, esp. 18-21. Works and Days, pp. 37-45. Ovid, pp. 1-14 (Creation, Flood, Deucalion and Pyhrra)	Group 2 Paper due
4	Women and the earth Homeric Hymns: To Demeter (pp. 1-15)
9	The Trouble with women Homeric Hymns to Hestia (pp. 64, 66) E-res: ≥Mestra≤ from the Hesiodic Catalogue of Women	Group 3 paper due
Part 3: Heroes and civilization
11	Structuralism and Heroes: E-Res: Levi-Strauss: ≥The Structural Study of Myth≤ Apollodorus, 96-114 (Cretan and Theban Mythology; Oedipus)
16	The Hero to beat all: Heracles of the Argolid Apollodorus, 69-95 (Heracles and the Heraclids) E-Res: Pindar, Olympian 10, Nemean 1	Group 1 paper due
18	E-Res: Loraux, ≥Herakles: The Supermale and the Feminine.≤ Class Handout: Bocaccio, from The Lives of Famous Women: Iole, Deianeira Mini slide lecture on centaurs and amazons
22	Modern Heroic Movie TBA; 8:30 in King 306
23	Discussion of whatever movie we watch	Group 2 paper due
25	Mid-term exam
April 6	An exmplary (?) hero: Jason: Apollonius of Rhodes, Jason and the Golden Fleece, Bks 1-2
8	Jason and the Golden Fleece, Bks. 3-4
13	When Heroes Marry, part II: E-Res: Euripides, Medea	Group 3 paper due
14	Special Showing of Jason and the Argonauts(Starring Todd Armstrong and Nancy Kovacs; 1963) at 8:30 in Craig Lecture Hall, Science Center
15	Discussion of film, Jason and the Argonauts
Part 4: Myths of National identity: The peculiar beginning of Athens
20	Meet in Allen Art Museum for Lecture on Rubensπ The Finding of Erichthonius Ovid, pp. 46-49 (Aglauros), Apollodorus, 130-136 (Cecrops)	Group 1 paper due
22	E-Res: Loraux, ≥The Athenian Name: Imaginary Structures of Lineage in Athens≤; Augustine, ≥The Name of Athens≤ E-Res: Barthes, Mythologies: ≥The Great Family of Man≤
27	More Heroes, more Freud: Apollodorus, 136-143 (Theseus); 64-69 (Perseus); E-Res: Bacchylides 17 (≥Theseusπ Dive≤); Pindar, Pythian 12 (The Wailing Gorgon); Freud, ≥Medusaπs Head≤	Group 2 paper due
Part 5: Greek myth in Roman hands; and some Roman myths
29	Ovid, Bk. 8, pp.171-175 (Scylla and Minos); 190-198 (Philemon and Baucis, Erysichthon), Bk.10 (all)
May 4	Ovid, Bk. 12	Group 3 paper due
6	Ovid, Bk.13 E-Res: Barthes, ≥The Romans in Film≤
11	Ovid, Bk. 14, and pp. 366-379 (from bk.15)
13	Wrap up: achieve closure; the truth revealed