Kirk Ormand	CLAS 210: Greek and Roman Mythology
King 105a; x8394
Office Hours: T 9-10; W 11-12; Th.12:15-1:30	Spring, 2006

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 and Roman 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/F 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 2/3 letter grade for each day late (i.e. an A becomes an B+ 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 day’s 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. (Please note that not every reading on e-res is on the syllabus; some are there as additional sources.) 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 fact at your peril. I also reserve the right to grade you down for poor attendance and/or lack of preparation.

Attendance, part II: I have become increasingly disenchanted with the notion that Spring Break should last longer than one week. You have 8 days off (Saturday-Sunday). Your travel plans are not a sufficient excuse for missing class the day before or after break.

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:

Hesiod: Theogony (trans. Lombardo)

The Homeric Hymns (trans. Athanassakis)

Ovid: Metamorphoses (trans. Melville)

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

Euripides: Ten Plays (trans. Hadas)

Livy, The Early History of Rome (trans. de Selincourt)

March, Cassell's Dictionary of Classical Mythology

Various readings on E-Res

Feb. 7	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. 9	Zeus and Apollo: Manly men March: Entries for Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Athena, Hephaestus The Homeric Hymns: to Apollon (pp.15-30); Ovid pp. 14-18 (Apollo and Daphne), Ovid, 18-23 (Io), 49-50 (Europa)
14	A Valentine's day story or two March: Artemis, Aphrodite, The Homeric Hymns: to Aphrodite (pp. 47-55) Euripides: Hippolytus
16	The entrance of a new God March: Dionysus, Hermes, Poseidon The Homeric Hymns: to Hermes (pp.31-47, 61);
21	The God from the East Homeric Hymns: To Dionysus (pp.1, 56-7) Euripides, Bacchants (aka Bacchae)		Group 1 Paper due
Part 2: Creating the world, creating gender
23	Zeus, Athena, and the Olympian order Hesiod, Theogony E-Res: Caldwell, " The psychology of the succession myth"
28	Humanity, sacrifice, and women Re-Read Hesiod, Theogony, episode of Pandora Works and Days, lines 1-235 Ovid, pp. 1-14 (Creation, Flood, Deucalion and Pyhrra) E-Res: Barthes, "Plastic" from Mythologies		Group 2 Paper due
March 2	Women and Marriage Homeric Hymns: To Demeter (pp. 1-15) E-res: “Mestra” from the Hesiodic Catalogue of Women Ovid, pp. 193-198 ("Erysichthon and his daughter")
7	Gender and sexuality, explored Ovid, pp. 60-66 (Tiresias, Narcissus), 83-85 (Salamacis and Hermaphroditus), 213-224 (Byblis, Iphis and Ianthe), 279-290 (Caenus, Battle of Lapiths and Centaurs)		Group 3 paper due
Part 3: Heroes and civilization
9	Structuralism and Heroes: March: Perseus, Theseus, Heracles March: Ovid, pp. 199-209 (Hercules), E-Res: Pindar, Olympian 10, Levi-Strauss: “The Structural Study of Myth” In class: Mini slide lecture on centaurs and amazons (?)
14	When Heroes Marry, Part I E-Res: Sophocles, Women of Trachis, Bocaccio, from The Lives of Famous Women: Iole, Deianeira		Group 1 paper due
16	When Heroes don't marry: Perseus Ovid, pp. 93-106 (Perseus) E-Res: Excerpts from The Medusa Reader (ed. Garber and Vickers) Hesiod, "Medusa and Perseus," Palaephaetus, "The Daughters of Phorcys," Freud, “Medusa’s Head”
21	When Heroes Marry, Part II March: Oedipus, Laius, Labdacus E-Res (or your favorite translation): Sophocles: Oedipus the King		Group 2 paper due
23	Mid-term exam
April 4	When Heroes Marry, part III: Euripides, Medea
6	An exmplary (?) hero: Jason Apollonius of Rhodes, Jason and the Golden Fleece, Bks 1-2
11	Jason and the Golden Fleece, Bks. 3-4		Group 3 paper due
April 12	Special Showing of Jason and the Argonauts(Starring Todd Armstrong and Nancy Kovacs; 1963) at 8:00 in place TBA
13	Ovid, 144-156 (Medea and Jason) March: Medea, Jason Discussion of film, Jason and the Argonauts
Part 4: Myths of National identity: The peculiar beginning of Athens
18	Meet in Allen Art Museum for Lecture on Rubens’ The Finding of Erichthonius March, Cecrops, Erichthonios 1, Aglaurus Ovid, pp. 46-49 (Aglauros) E-Res: Burkert: The Legend of Kekrops' Daughters		Group 1 paper due
20	The Problems with Autochthony E-Res: Augustine, “The Name of Athens” Loraux, “The Athenian Name: Imaginary Structures of Lineage in Athens” Barthes, Mythologies: “The Great Family of Man”
25	Autochthony Reconsidered March: Creusa Euripides' Ion		Group 2 paper due
Part 5: Some Roman myths, and American Myths about Rome
27	Livy, pp. 33-63 (Founding of Rome; Early Kings)
May 2	Livy, 63-101 (Founding of the Republic)		Group 3 paper due
4	Some myths that seem Roman: Ovid, 190-193 (Philemon and Baucis), 344-348 (Pomona and Vertumnus), 121-124 (Arachne), 366-370 (Hippolytus, Cipus)
May 8	Special showing of a "Roman" movie, time and place TBA
9	E-Res: Barthes' "The Romans in Film" from Mythologies Discussion of Monday night's movie
11	Wrap up: achieve closure; the truth revealed
Wed. May 17 at 2:00 pm		Final Exam