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Chair: Professor Clara S. Hardy
Professors: Jackson Bryce, Clara S. Hardy, Nancy C. Wilkie, Clayton L. Zimmerman
Associate Professor: Stacy N. Beckwith
Visiting Assistant Professors: Jorge J. Bravo III, Robert Burdette Hardy III
Instructor: Yaron Klein
Adjunct Instructor: Shadi Bayadsy
Scholar in Residence Fellow: Akira Yatsuhashi
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.
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, 227 and 228. 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 their junior year, and Classics 394 and Classics 400 in their 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 227. Further courses in Greek beyond 102 or Latin at any level may count toward this requirement. All majors must take Classics 295 in their junior year, and Classics 394 and Classics 400 in their 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 228. Further courses in Latin beyond 102 and Greek at any level may count toward this requirement. All majors must take Classics 295 in their junior year, and Classics 394 and Classics 400 in their 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 either 227 or 228, depending on the language emphasized. All majors must take Classics 295 in their junior year, and Classics 394 and Classics 400 their 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.
(These courses do not presume knowledge of Greek or Latin)
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, Winter—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, Not offered in 2009-2010.
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, Fall—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 2009-2010.
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, Not offered in 2009-2010.
CLAS 118. Archaeology of Greece: 1000-323 BCE This course surveys the material remains of Greek culture from the Early Iron Age through the Archaic and Classical Periods. Emphasis will be given to the development of art and architecture as material expressions of Greek culture, as well as to the physical and topographical definition of the Greek city-states and their institutions. 6 cr., AL, Winter—J. Bravo
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 2009-2010.
CLAS 130. Ancient Greek Religion This course will survey the principal and distinctive elements of ancient Greek religion, including the cults and festivals of the major deities of the Greek pantheon, hero cult, ritual practices such as sacrifice and feasting, civic and Panhellenic festivals, healing sanctuaries, oracles, and mystery religion. The course will depend on an examination of primary evidence, including selected readings from ancient literature, archaeological remains, and illustrations in art. Students will be able not only to recognize and describe the traits of Greek religion, but also to analyze its role in personal identity, social relations, politics, and ideology. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2009-2010.
CLAS 140. Old Situations, New Complications: Ancient Texts and Modern Cinema In this class, we will investigate the role ancient genres, such as epic, tragedy, and philosophy, played within the Greco-Roman world by pairing ancient texts with modern films. Through the same process, we will also consider what these works can tell us about our own society. Discussions will include the following topics: Is the idea of the tragic universal? What is the role of the artist in society? Is a movie just entertainment? Authors will include Homer, Aeschylus, Plautus, Bresson, Malick and Cocteau. 6 cr., AL, Spring—A. Yatsuhashi
CLAS 227. Greek History: Greek World From the Rise of the City-State to the Rise of the Hellenistic Kingdom 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 2009-2010.
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 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 2009-2010.
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, Winter—C. Hardy
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 cr., S/NC, ND, Winter—C. Hardy
(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, Winter—J. Bravo
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, Spring—C. Hardy
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, Not offered in 2009-2010.
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. Bravo
GRK 230. Homer: The Odyssey Reading of selected portions in Greek and of the entire poem in translation. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2009-2010.
GRK 233. Longus' Daphnis and Chloe Readings of selected portions of the novel in Greek and the entire text in translation. Prerequisites: Greek 204 or equivalent. 6 cr., AL, Winter—A. Yatsuhashi
GRK 244. Plato Symposium Readings of some of the most significant dialogues in translation, with selections in the original. Prerequisite: Greek 204. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2009-2010.
GRK 245. Herodotus Study in the original Greek of selections from Herodotus' Histories and in translation of the entire work. 3 cr., AL, Not offered in 2009-2010.
GRK 248. Ancient Greek Composition Practice in composing Greek prose. Prerequisites: Greek 103 or any higher-level Greek course. 3 cr., AL, Not offered in 2009-2010.
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. Bravo
GRK 351. Aristophanes Intensive study of one or two plays in the original and of the remaining plays in translation. 6 cr., AL, Spring—C. Zimmerman
GRK 353. Greek Epigraphy Study of selected inscriptions in the original and others in translation. Prerequisite: Greek 204. 3 cr., AL, Not offered in 2009-2010.
(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, Fall—R. 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, Winter—J. Bryce
LATN 103. Catullus and Other Latin Poets Readings from the works of great poets in the original Latin, and of further selections in English. Prerequisite: Latin 102 with a grade of at least C-; or appropriate score on the Latin placement exam. 6 cr., ND, Fall,Spring—J. Bravo, C. Zimmerman
LATN 204. 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 103 with a grade of at least C-. Completes the college foreign language requirement. 6 cr., ND, Winter—R. Hardy
LATN 240. Lucretius Selections from the De Rerum Natura will be read in Latin, the remainder in translation. In addition to examining the author's style and the poem's literary merits, we will study the tenets of Epicurean philosophy as expressed in the poem and thereby gain a greater appreciation of ancient thought about science, ethics and religion. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2009-2010.
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 2009-2010.
LATN 242. Apuleius Selections from the Golden Ass in the original as well as reading the entire work in English translation. Prerequisite: Latin 204. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2009-2010.
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, Winter
LATN 248. Latin Composition Practice in composing Latin prose. Prerequisites: Latin 103 or any higher-level Latin course. 3 cr., AL, Not offered in 2009-2010.
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 2009-2010.
LATN 255. Tacitus A survey of the works of the Roman Silver Age historian and rhetorician Gaius Cornelius Tacitus, reading Latin excerpts and selections in English translation. Prerequisite: Latin 204. 6 cr., AL, Not offered in 2009-2010.
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, Not offered in 2009-2010.
LATN 259. Seminar: Virgil Selections from Eclogues, Georgics, and Aeneid in Latin and all of Virgil in English. Offered simultaneously with Latin 359 without the supplemental assignments for advanced students. 6 cr., AL, Spring—J. Bravo
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 2009-2010.