Elective Course in History. Introduction to Ancient Greek Literature: Epic, Lyric, and Drama 2900-HAMC-K1-ELIT
This course introduces the students to a selection of the most canonical works of Ancient Greek literature and, more specifically, poetry from the Homeric cycle until the Hellenistic period. The students will become familiar with the importance of the Ancient Greek (literary) dialects and the most common metres (and the relevance of dialect and verse type for certain genres). They will also acquire a basic understanding of the significance of the transmission of Ancient Greek literature (manuscript tradition in general and specific case studies, such as the reconstruction of Sappho’s oeuvre), in connection with the canonical status of certain works (for example the influence of the Alexandrian philologists).
The course focuses on the three most important poetic genres of Ancient Greek literature, or the so-called ‘Gattungstrinität’ (the ‘tripartite genre division’): epic, lyric, and drama; three genres that seemingly appear subsequently and suggest the existence of different ‘phases’ of Greek literature and culture. On the one hand, the students will be trained in defining these genres (and their subgenres); at the same time, they will be encouraged to nuance the boundaries of such definitions, while also questioning the apparent chronological emergence of the three genres. On the other hand, the framework of this ‘Gattungstrinität’ will be a convenient tool for the students to familiarize themselves with the most paradigmatic authors of the earliest periods of (Ancient) Greek literature. On the basis of this framework, they will acquire a broad knowledge of the (canonical) texts of the three main genres. The students will also be taught how to interpret these works (in translation) with a focus on the historical context in which they were (or are thought to have been) performed.
The authors and texts discussed in this course are: Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey; Hesiod’s Theogony and Works and Days; the fifth Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite; selected lyric, elegiac, iambic, and choral poems by, for example, Sappho, Alcaeus, Tyrtaeus, Solon, Theognis, Mimnermus, Archilochus, and Pindar; and fragments from Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Whenever relevant, adaptations and reworkings of these seminal texts in later times will be considered.
Type of course
Prerequisites (description)
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
1) Familiarity with Poets and Works
Students will become familiar with the most important poets and literary works of Ancient Greek epic, lyric, and drama, spanning from Homer until the Hellenistic period.
2) Textual Transmission and Canon
Students will understand the significance of the textual transmission of Ancient Greek literature (in general and in specific cases) and, connected with this, the relevance of the canonical status of certain works.
3) Genre Understanding
Students will be able to define the three main genres (epic, lyric, drama) and their subgenres, paying attention to the nuances and overlaps between them. They will also be able to identify epic, lyric, and tragic fragments and entire works in translation based on genre characteristics.
4) Contextual Interpretation
Students will be able to interpret epic, lyric, and tragic fragments in translation, considering the original context in which they were or might have been performed.
5) Engagement with Secondary Literature
Students will apply secondary literature to deepen their understanding of primary texts and related theoretical concepts.
Assessment criteria
Attendance (only one absence allowed, exceptions may be made on a case by case basis) and active, meaningful participation (mainly discussions about the readings). This includes:
- Engagement with texts: students should demonstrate that they have read and reflected on the assigned readings. This will be shown through (a) offering interpretations or making connections to broader themes (especially those discussed in the first meeting, cf. the schedule below); (b) responding thoughtfully to questions posed by the instructor and by fellow students.
- Active listening: participation is not only about speaking, but also about attentiveness to the contributions of others. Students are therefore expected to build on or challenge the ideas of fellow students or to highlight overlooked details in the readings.
- Respectful interaction: students should engage in discussions with respect for others, also in disagreement.
Note that quality is more important than quantity: ‘meaningful’ participation focuses on the depth and relevance of the contributions, and not on how often someone speaks. ‘Quality’ does not necessarily mean that answers to questions or responses to other contributions need to be entirely correct: comments that drive the conversation forward or questions for clarification, helping others to understand difficult concepts, are valuable as well.
A more detailed grading scale will be shared with the students on Google Drive.
[Students who are unable to attend a class, are expected to inform the instructor beforehand via email, ideally one day in advance at the latest. In these cases, an individual discussion (ca. 20 min., online or in person) of the reading material will be planned.]
Bibliography
The following (fragments of) literary works will be read in translation (cf. the schedule below). The texts can be found online (in most cases the translations of the Loeb Classical Library [LCL] will be used: https://www.loebclassics.com/) and/or in some of the commentaries and volumes included in the list of secondary literature.
- Euripides, Bacchae.
- Hesiod, Theogony, vv. 1–206 and vv. 507‒561.
- Hesiod, Works and Days, vv. 1‒201.
- Homer, Iliad, book 1.
- Homer, Odyssey, book 8.
- The Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite (HH 5).
[- A selection of the most important lyric poets.]
Secondary Literature
The following book chapters will be discussed during the classes (cf. the schedule below). Some of these can be found online (such as the LCL volumes); others will be uploaded on Google Drive.
- Athanassakis, A.N. (2020 [=1976]), The Homeric Hymns, Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press, xi–xvii.
- Budelmann, F. (2009), “Introducing Greek Lyric”, in Id. (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Greek Lyric, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1–18.
- Campbell, D.A. (1990 [= 1982, with revisions]), Greek Lyric. Vol. I. Sappho and Alcaeus, Cambridge (MA) & London, Harvard University Press, IX-XVII [LCL 142].
- Carey, C. (2009), “Genre, Occasion and Performance”, in Budelmann, F. (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Greek Lyric, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 21–38.
- Edwards, M.W. (2005), “Homer’s Iliad”, in Foley, J.M. (ed.), A Companion to Ancient Epic, Oxford, Blackwell, 302–314.
- Gerber, D.E. (1999), Greek Elegiac Poetry, Cambridge (MA) & London, Harvard University Press, 1–9 [LCL 258].
- Gerber, D.E. (1999), Greek Iambic Poetry from the Seventh to the Fifth Centuries BC, Cambridge (MA) & London, Harvard University Press, 1–10 [LCL 259].
- Marks, J. (2020), “Epic Traditions”, in Pache, C.O. (ed.), The Cambridge Guide to Homer, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 49–55.
- Mazur, P.S. (2020), “The Homeric Hymns”, in Pache, C.O. (ed.), The Cambridge Guide to Homer, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 152–153.
- Race, W.H. (2012 [=1997, with revisions]), Pindar. Olympian Odes. Pythian Odes, Cambridge (MA) & London, Harvard University Press, 1–23 [LCL 56].
- Schlegel, C.M. & Weinfield, H. (2006), Theogony and Works and Days, Ann Arbor, The University of Michigan Press, 1–10.
- Scodel, R. (2010), An Introduction to Greek Tragedy, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1–55.
- Wilson, E.R. (2018), The Odyssey. Homer, New York, W.W. Norton & Company: introduction (first 18 pp. until ‘Homer’s World’).
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: