Classical Languages
Chairs: Professors Clayton L. Zimmerman, fall and Nancy C. Wilkie, winter and spring
Professors: Jackson Bryce, Clara S. Hardy, Nancy C. Wilkie, Clayton L. Zimmerman
Assistant Professor: Stacy N. Beckwith
Visiting Assistant Professor: Robert Burdette Hardy, III
Visiting Instructor: Tal Fishman
Courses in the Department of Classical Languages cover numerous aspects of the ancient Greco-Roman world. While the majority of our courses focus on the study of Greek and Latin literary, historical, and philosophical texts, many also incorporate evidence from material remains such as art, architecture, archaeological remains of daily life, as well as public and private inscriptions. Courses in the languages (Latin and Greek) are designed to provide students with a thorough introduction to the language and literature of ancient Greece and Rome. Courses taught entirely with readings in English (Classics courses) include those centered around literary genres, Greek and Roman history, and topics such as gender and archaeology. Classics 110, Introduction to Classical Studies, provides an in-depth study of Periclean Athens and Early Imperial Rome and is a requirement for all majors in the department. Completion of the Greek and Latin sequences, 101, 102, 103, and 204, fulfills the college language requirement.
Requirements for a Major:
The Department of Classical Languages offers four majors:
Major in Classical Studies: This major is intended for students who want a broad introduction to classical civilization. Students anticipating further work in classics should supplement the requirements of this major with more courses in the ancient languages. Requirements: 30 credits of work in Greek and/or Latin, 24 credits of course work beyond the 102 level in the student's principal language, whether Greek or Latin; six further credits of language courses, either at the upper level of the principal language or at the elementary level in the other language; 36 additional credits in the general area of classical civilization, including Classics 110 and one Greek and one Roman history course. Further courses in the languages may be included in this group. Students must choose a particular focus within the general area of classical civilization and shape their program around it. Normally this will involve a concentration on either Greek or Roman civilization with work in the appropriate language. All majors must take Classics 295 in winter or spring of their junior year, and Classics 394 in the fall and 400 in the winter of the senior year.
Major in Greek: This major is intended for students who want a thorough introduction to the language and literature of Greece; students who intend to go on to graduate work in classics will need to take more work in Latin than this major requires. Requirements: 36 credits in Greek beyond Greek 102. In addition, students must take 30 additional credits in the general area of classical civilization including Classics 110 and Greek History. Further courses in Greek beyond 102 or Latin at any level may count toward this requirement. All majors must take Classics 295 in winter or spring of their junior year, and Classics 394 in the fall and 400 in the winter of the senior year.
Major in Latin: This major is intended for students who want a thorough introduction to the language and literature of Rome; students who intend to do graduate work in classics will need to take more work in Greek than this major requires. Requirements: 36 credits in Latin beyond Latin 102. In addition, students must take 30 additional credits in the general area of classical civilization including Classics 110 and Roman history. Further courses in Latin beyond 102 and Greek at any level may count toward this requirement. All majors must take Classics 295 in winter or spring of their junior year, and Classics 394 in the fall and 400 in the winter of the senior year.
Major in Classical Languages: This major is intended for students who plan to pursue graduate work in classics or who want a thorough introduction to the language and literature of both Greece and Rome. Requirements: 30 credits in Latin beyond Latin 102, plus 24 credits in Greek beyond Greek 102; or 30 credits in Greek beyond Greek 102, plus 24 credits in Latin beyond Latin 102. In addition, students must take the following in-translation courses: Classics 110 and one course dealing with Greek or Roman history, depending on the language emphasized. All majors must take Classics 295 in winter or spring of their junior year, and Classics 394 in the fall and 400 in the winter of the senior year.
The College language requirement may be satisfied by completion with a grade of at least C- in any of the Greek or Latin languages numbered 204 or above.
The Classics Departments of Carleton College and St. Olaf College cooperate in a program under which students of either college may elect certain courses on the other campus. This option is especially appropriate for upper level language courses not offered at Carleton. Carleton students should register for St. Olaf courses through the inter-registration process.
The Concentration in Archaeology will interest many students who are attracted to ancient civilization.
Certificate of Advanced Study in Foreign Language and Literature or Foreign Language and Area Studies: In order to receive the Certificate of Advanced Study in Classical Languages students must fulfill the general requirements (refer to Academic Regulations) in the following course distribution: six courses, of which at least three will be in the target language at the 200 level or above. Courses remaining may be from the Classics department or from a list of approved courses offered by other departments (philosophy, art, history, political science, etc.) Although courses for the certificate may be taken on a S/CR/NC basis "D" or "CR" level work will not be sufficient to satisfy course requirements.
Classics Courses (CLAS)
(These courses do not presume knowledge of Greek or Latin)
CLAS 109. Power and Persuasian This course will examine rhetoricthe art of speaking wellin the classical world. Students will gain an understanding and appreciation of the theory and practice of rhetoric in a writing-rich environment designed to teach the elements of argumentation and persuasian. While the course will draw upon primarily ancient texts, we will also consider how this art has survived into the modern world. 6 cr., S/CR/NC, AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
CLAS 110. Introduction to Classical Studies This course will examine in depth the two most content-rich focal points of Classical antiquity-Periclean Athens and Early Imperial Rome-since they provide a context for so much of what Classics is about and, just as important, what different ages have imagined antiquity to be about. The course will cover Athens and Rome in roughly equal units, providing different perspectives on the material from the variety of approaches that currently make up the study of the Classics: history, archaeology, anthropology, gender studies, literary criticism, philology, religious studies, etc. 6 cr., HU, Fall—C. Hardy, C. Zimmerman
CLAS 112. The Epic in Classical Antiquity An introduction to the genre of epic poetry from Classical Antiquity. Students will read in translation examples from the Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman traditions in order to trace the development of the major features and themes of this genre and to understand the considerable influence this genre has exerted both during antiquity and thereafter. Authors will include Homer, Apollonius, Virgil, and Lucan. No prerequisites. 6 cr., AL, Winter—C. Zimmerman
CLAS 114. Gender and Sexuality in Classical Antiquity In both ancient Greece and Rome, gender (along with class and citizenship status) largely determined what people did, where they spent their time, and how they related to others. This course will examine the ways in which Greek and Roman societies defined gender categories, and how they used them to think about larger social, political, and religious issues. Readings from epic, lyric, and drama, as well as ancient historical, philosophical, and medical writers. No prerequisites. 6 cr., HU,RAD, Spring—C. Hardy
CLAS 116. Ancient Drama: Truth in Performance The tragic and comic stage offered the Greeks and Romans a public arena for addressing in an engaging way such fundamental topics as love, family, justice, and the divine. Although the written word has fortunately preserved for us many ancient plays, the proper media for their communication remains, as their authors intended, the stage, the voice, and the body. This course will therefore address a variety of ancient tragedies and comedies with special attention, not only to their themes, but to the manner of their staging and performance. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
CLAS 117. Archaeology of Greece The course will concentrate on the Prehistoric Period in Greece, from the first arrival of man to the end of the Bronze Age. A major emphasis will be placed on the Minoan and Mycenaean Periods in Crete and Greece respectively. Along with the study of the culture of this period, the course will include a study of archaeological technique, so that the archaeological evidence can be evaluated. 6 cr., AL, Winter—N. Wilkie
CLAS 125. Love, Death and Destiny: The Ancient Novel The novel is an unfamiliar but delightful area of Greek and Roman literature, with its heyday in the Roman empire of the second century AD. We will study most of the nine Greek ones, which are romantic short novels about ill-fated lovers and their wild, world-wide adventures. We will also read the two Latin ones, Petronius' Satyricon and Apuleius' Metamorphoses, or Golden Ass, which are rich both in satire and an important spiritual dimension. No prerequisites. Read in English. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
CLAS 225. The Greek Mind A lecture course, surveying ancient Greek thought based on readings in English translation from great texts of ancient Greek epic, tragedy, philosophy, and history: Homer's Iliad; Aeschylus' Oresteia and Sophocles' Oedipus the King; Aristotle's Poetics and Nicomachean Ethics; the philosophers Heraclitus, Parmenides, Melissus, Zeno, Anaxagoras, Leucippus, Democritus; the Sophists; Plato's Republic, Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo; the historians Herodotus and Thucydides. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2005-2006.
CLAS 227. Greek History: The Greek World From the Rise of the City-State to the Rise of the Hellenistic Kingdo A survey of the civilization of the ancient Greeks, emphasizing the evolution of the city-state as a cohesive social, political, and economic organism. The development of the city-state as a response to the physical environment of Greece will form a component of this study, as will a discussion of the historical method: how do we use the few surviving archaeological remains and little written evidence to reconstruct the history of these people and their institutions? The period covered in depth will run from the beginning of the city-state ca. 750 BC to the conquests of Alexander the Great (336-323 BC) and the legacy of international monarchies that followed. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2005-2006.
CLAS 228. Roman History, Republic and Principate Introduction to the basic facts of political history from the Etruscan period to the early third century AD. Readings in literary works and primary sources with emphasis on historiography and interpretation of evidence. Some attention to art and architecture. Prerequisite: one Carleton course in History, Classics, or Latin. 6 credits cr., HU,RAD, Spring—J. Bryce
CLAS 229. The Later Roman Empire, Byzantium and Islam Introduction to the basic facts of political history of the Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic empires from the third to the ninth centuries AD. Readings and discussion of primary texts from the points of view of social, intellectual, and particularly religious history. Some attention to art and architecture; individual projects of research and interpretation. An important goal is to understand the phenomena of Christianity and Islam in their native context, the Mediterranean world of late antiquity. Prerequisite: one Carleton course in history, classics, Greek or Latin. 6 cr., HU,RAD, Not offered in 2005-2006.
CLAS 295. Junior Skills Portfolio A portfolio to be completed by majors in the Department of Classical Languages in the junior year, ensuring their preparation for the senior capstone experience. The portfolio will demonstrate specific skills using basic tools, as outlined in the majors' handbook. 2 cr., S/CR/NC, ND, Spring—Staff
CLAS 394. Senior Seminar As part of their senior capstone experience, majors in the classics department will formulate a call for papers developing the current year's theme for a colloquium, and following standard guidelines of the field produce proposals ("abstracts") for their own papers to be presented in the winter term. Prerequisite: Classics 295. 3 cr., ND, Fall—Staff
CLAS 400. Senior Symposium From proposals ("abstracts") developed in Classics 394, departmental majors will compose a twenty minute presentation to be delivered at a symposium on the model of professional conferences. The talks will then be revised into articles to be submitted to a journal of professional style, accepted and edited by the group into a presentable volume. Prerequisite: Classics 394. 3 credits cr., S/NC, ND, Winter—Staff
Greek Courses (GRK)
(These courses all involve acquiring or using ancient Greek)
GRK 101. Elementary Greek Study of essential forms and grammar, with reading of connected passages. 6 cr., ND, Fall—C. Hardy
GRK 102. Intermediate Greek Study of essential forms and grammar, with reading of original, unadapted passages. Prerequisite: Greek 101 with a grade of at least C-. 6 cr., ND, Winter—J. Bryce
GRK 103. Greek Prose Selected prose readings. The course will emphasize review of grammar and include Greek composition. Prerequisite: Greek 102 with a grade of at least C-. 6 cr., ND, Spring—C. Zimmerman
GRK 204. Greek Tragedy Selected readings from Greek Tragedy with an introduction to Greek meter. Prerequisite: Greek 103 with a grade of at least C-. Completes the college foreign language requirement. 6 cr., ND, Fall—J. Bryce
GRK 230. Homer: Selections Reading of selected portions in Greek and either The Illiad or the Odyssey in translation. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
GRK 244. Plato, Gorgias Readings of some of the most significant dialogues in translation, with selections in the original. Prerequisite: Greek 204. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
GRK 245. Herodotus Study in the original Greek of selections from Herodotus' Histories and in translation of the entire work. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
GRK 248. Ancient Greek Composition Practice in composing Greek prose. Prerequisites: Greek 103 or any higher-level Greek course. 3 cr., AL, Winter—J. Bryce
GRK 258. Greek Orators
This course will examine in Greek selected public and private orations of Lysias, Derrious themes, and/or others of extant Attic Orators. We will focus on issues both of rhetoric and law, as well as studying Athenian court procedure and political background to the speeches. Supplmentary reading in translation. Prerequisite: Greek 204 or equivalent. 6 cr., AL, Spring—C. Hardy
GRK 304. Greek Tragedy for Advanced Students Intensive study of one play in the original and the remaining plays in translation. Offered simultaneously with Greek 204, with additional assignments for the advanced students. Prerequisite: Greek 204. 6 cr., AL, Fall—J. Bryce
GRK 351. Aristophanes Intensive study of one or two plays in the original and of the remaining plays in translation. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
GRK 352. Thucydides Study in the original of selections from Thucydides--Peloponnesian War--and in translation of the entire work. Prerequisite: Greek 204.
3 cr., AL, Winter—N. Wilkie
Latin Courses (LATN)
(These courses all involve acquiring or using Latin)
LATN 101. Elementary Latin Study of essential forms and grammar. This course should be elected by all students who have taken less than two years of secondary school Latin or who have not studied the subject for two or more years before entering college. 6 cr., ND, Winter—C. Hardy
LATN 102. Intermediate Latin Continuation of essential forms and grammar. Prerequisite: Latin 101 with a grade of at least C-; or placement by examination during New Student Week. 6 cr., ND, Spring—C. Zimmerman
LATN 103. Latin Prose Review of essential forms and grammar, with introduction to Latin prose through the study of medieval texts, Cicero and elementary Latin prose composition. Prerequisite: Latin 102 with a grade of at least C-; or appropriate score on the Latin placement exam. 6 cr., ND, Fall—J. Bryce
LATN 204. Catullus and Other Latin Poets Readings from the works of great poets in the original Latin, and of further selections in English. Prerequisite: Latin 103 with a grade of at least C-. Completes the college foreign language requirement. 6 cr., ND, Winter—C. Zimmerman
LATN 241. Petronius and Apuleius Selections from the Satyricon and/or Golden Ass in the original as well as reading the entire works in English translation. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
LATN 243. Medieval Latin Reading from representative works of prose and poetry, and from the Roman liturgy. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or equivalent; students with a strong high school background of three-four years may also register upon taking the Latin placement exam. 6 cr., AL, Spring—J. Bryce
LATN 245. Cicero Representative readings, in Latin, across the range of Cicero's literary activity, including oratory, philosophy, criticism, and correspondence. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or equivalent. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
LATN 248. Latin Composition Practice in composing Latin prose. Prerequisites: Latin 103 or any higher-level Latin course. 3 cr., AL, Winter—J. Bryce
LATN 254. Survey of the Latin Silver Age Readings from representative works of prose and poetry from the Silver Age of Latin literature. Authors will include Pliny, Juvenal, Seneca, Martial, Suetonius, and Tacitus. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
LATN 258. Seminar: Horace Selection from Horace's Odes, Epodes, Satires and Epistles in Latin and the remaining works in translation. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or equivalent. 6 cr., AL, Fall—C. Zimmerman
LATN 345. Roman Comedy Selected readings in the original from Plautus and/or Terence; study in translation of both Roman Comedy and its predecessor Greek New Comedy. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
LATN 347. Themes in Latin Love Elegy This course will consider several major themes comprising the rhetoric of desire among the three Roman elegiac poets of the Augustan Age. The course begins with Tibullus and traces the development of certain images and ideas though Propertius, culminating with Ovid. We will examine how each author makes use of these poetic conventions and adapts them to his own particular style. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
LATN 349. Ovid's Metamorphoses In this seminar we will read selections from Ovid's poetry in Latin, as well as representative passages from elsewhere in Ovid's corpus, in English translation. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or above. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.
LATN 359. Seminar: Virgil Selections from Eclogues, Georgics, and Aeneid in Latin and all of Virgil in English. Prerequisite: Latin 204 or equivalent. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2005-2006.