Prof. Wareh's Course Pages > Greek 338: Lyric Poetry

GRK339. Lyric Poetry Spring 2009 Prof. Wareh

   email: wareht, phone: 388-6743
   S09 office hours: M 1-2, Th 3:45-4:45, and by appt. (36 Union Ave, #205)

I am usually in my office on MWF afternoons and TuTh 3:45-4:45, so please drop by anytime! You can also email me to make an appointment, which can usually be arranged on short notice. Do come by or email me as often as you like to ask questions about the readings or to run your ideas by me!

Course Goals and Requirements

Goals

1. to read extensively and carefully in Greek lyric, iambic, and elegiac poetry (in the original, with enough reading in translation so that we are working with a broader and more complete perspective)
2. to analyze closely the significance of our texts: their literary qualities, their musical and metrical form, their historical and cultural context, their religious and intellectual attitudes, the poetic traditions and possibilities they represent, their performance and place in Greek life
3. to understand the poetic evidence for the contradictions and conflicts in the politics and societies of the early polis
4. to deepen and sharpen our knowledge of the Greek language by
   • rereading as much as possible until we are understanding the unannotated original text as smoothly and naturally as possible, with the ability to stop, parse, and explain the grammar
   • doing justice to the complexity of the meaning of Greek poetic language, and practicing the process of analyzing it to arrive at a deeper grasp of the ideas with which the Ancient Greeks made sense of their world
5. to gain an acquaintance with a variety of scholarly approaches to Archaic and Classical Greek poetry, and to synthesize these in our own discussions
6. to pursue our own questions about the poetry through discussions, presentations, and writing assignments, with constant recourse to the original Greek texts
7. to experience the awe and delight that only this material offers, to hold in our gaze and our ears the sounds and images that compelled the attention of the Ancient Greeks

Requirements and Grading

Attempt a grammatical and poetic explanation of everything in each day's assignment before coming to class. Come each day ready to share your understanding of the poetry, and to ask specific questions about what you have not understood, and about the broader and deeper questions raised by the poems!

Faithful and punctual attendance and completion of all assignments (including careful and timely reading of the assigned texts) are the minimal requirements for passing this course. Any arrangements for absences or missed work must be agreed to in advance and should not be expected without a compelling reason beyond your control.

Schedule of Readings

Books and Resources

Assigned textbooks

• David A. Campbell, Greek Lyric Poetry: A Selection of Early Greek Lyric, Elegiac and Iambic Poetry, Bristol Classical Press (ISBN 0862920086)
• Maurice Balme, Greek Lyric Poetry, CANE Instructional Materials (ISBN 1934971219)
• Liddell and Scott, Liddell and Scott's Greek-english Lexicon, Abridged, Simon Wallenberg Press (ISBN 1843560267)
• David Mulroy, Early Greek Lyric Poetry, University of Michigan Press (ISBN 0472086065)

Online References

Course Policies

Academic Honor Code. All work submitted for this course must be your own; assume that any idea of another person must always be cited clearly and specifically. (This is just as true of loosely repeated ideas as of quoted ideas. And an "idea" is anything that contributes to the quality of your work: for example, not just literary analysis, but also the selection of which passages are discussed.) You may discuss the readings with your classmates but must not collaborate on any individual written assignment. If you ever have any question about proper citation or the propriety of collaboration, please consult with me. The penalty for using ideas that are not your own, in any assignment, without proper attribution, will be, at least, a failing grade in the course. Violations could also result in expulsion from college or a record of dishonesty that would exclude you from professional school. The Academic Honor Code also requires your refusal to tolerate dishonesty in quizzes and exams (copying, using any aids, or communicating). A full statement of Union's Academic Honor Code may be found in the Student Handbook (see pp. 87-90). See also Union's statement on plagiarism.

Disabilities. It is Union College policy to make accommodations for individuals with disabilities. If you have any disability or special concern, please let me know what your needs are in order that they may be accommodated. All discussions will remain confidential to the extent permissible by law. Students with disabilities needing academic accommodations must also: (1) register with and provide documentation to the Dean of Students Office; (2) bring a letter to the instructor from the Dean of Students Office indicating what academic accommodations you require. This must be done within the first two weeks of the term. For more information about services available to Union College students with disabilities, please contact the Dean of Students Office: Shelly Shinebarger, Director of Student Support Services, Dean of Students Office, shinebas@union.edu, (518) 388-6116.