Stephen A White

This course is an introduction to ancient Greek philosophy. It focuses on three major thinkers: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. We’ll examine their views and arguments on some central questions about the natural world, how we should live, and how anyone knows anything at all. We’ll begin with a swift survey of some influential earlier figures known as Presocratics and Sophists, and we’ll end with a brief look at some enduring ideas of Epicurus. The emphasis throughout will be on analyzing what these thinkers say and their reasons for saying it. The main goal is to develop a critical understanding of some problems and arguments that remain very much alive today.

Grades: weekly responses 20%, 2 midterms 20% each, final 30%, participation 10%

Texts:

Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy, S.M. Cohen, P. Curd, & C. D. C. Reeve    (4th edition 2011; Hackett pb: 978-1-60384-462-8; or e-book)

Ancient Philosophy: A Contemporary Introduction, C. Shields     (2011; Routledge pb: 978-0-415-89660-3)

The main goal of this course is to improve your facility in reading and understanding Greek. We will achieve that goal by reading, translating, and analyzing a representative selection of classical prose: parts of Plato’s Republic and work by several contemporaries, including Antiphon, Isocrates, Lysias, and Thucydides. The innovations and influence of prominent sophists and rhetoricians will be a recurrent theme. Initial assignments will be limited to what we can translate in class; but the pace will pick up as we proceed. There will be written exercises and translation tests along the way, and a comprehensive final exam; all tests will include unseen passages, aka sight translation.

Students in GK 365 will have additional writing assignments.

Students in GK 385 will have additional reading assignments.

Grades

for 365: class participation and exercises 20%, tests 30%, final exam 25%, term paper 25%.

for 385: class participation and exercises 20%, tests 40%, final exam 40%.

Texts:

Plato: Republic Book 1. ed. G. Rose (Hackett 1983)

H.W. Smyth, Greek Grammar (Harvard UP 1956)

Recommended: Platonis Respublica, ed. S. Slings (Oxford UP 2003)

This course is meant to provide new graduate students with an introduction to materials and methods of classical scholarship.  The instructor and other members of the department will present introductory lectures and bibliographies on the various disciplines involved in contemporary classical studies.  

Students will be required to attend lectures and colloquia, given by visitors and members of our department.

All students should register for this course on a credit/no credit basis.

The main goal of this course is to improve your facility in reading and understanding Greek. We will achieve that goal by reading, translating, and analyzing a representative selection of classical prose: parts of Plato’s Republic and work by several contemporaries, including Antiphon, Isocrates, Lysias, and Thucydides. The innovations and influence of prominent sophists and rhetoricians will be a recurrent theme. Initial assignments will be limited to what we can translate in class; but the pace will pick up as we proceed. There will be written exercises and translation tests along the way, and a comprehensive final exam; all tests will include unseen passages, aka sight translation.

Students in GK 365 will have additional writing assignments.

Students in GK 385 will have additional reading assignments.

Grades

for 365: class participation and exercises 20%, tests 30%, final exam 25%, term paper 25%.

for 385: class participation and exercises 20%, tests 40%, final exam 40%.

Texts:

Plato: Republic Book 1. ed. G. Rose (Hackett 1983)

H.W. Smyth, Greek Grammar (Harvard UP 1956)

Recommended: Platonis Respublica, ed. S. Slings (Oxford UP 2003)

This course is meant to provide new graduate students with an introduction to materials and methods of classical scholarship.  The instructor and other members of the department will present introductory lectures and bibliographies on the various disciplines involved in contemporary classical studies.  

Students will be required to attend lectures and colloquia, given by visitors and members of our department.

All students should register for this course on a credit/no credit basis.

Aristotle on TragedyThis course examines classical Athenian tragedy through the lens of Aristotle's Poetics. We will focus on the Poetics and Aristotle's methods of critical analysis. We will also look at related material in his work on rhetoric, along with other works of his and representative samples of tragedy and oratory. Our main texts will be the Poetics (ed. Lucas) and Rhetoric (OCT). Students in GK 385 will also have additional reading in Greek and scholarship.Grades for 365 will be based on class participation and preparation (10%), class presentations (15%), 2 midterms (30%), research paper (20%) comprehensive final (25%).Grades for 385 will be based on class participation and preparation (10%), class presentations (15%), 3 midterms (30%), research paper (20%) comprehensive final (25%).

Aristotle on TragedyThis course examines classical Athenian tragedy through the lens of Aristotle's Poetics. We will focus on the Poetics and Aristotle's methods of critical analysis. We will also look at related material in his work on rhetoric, along with other works of his and representative samples of tragedy and oratory. Our main texts will be the Poetics (ed. Lucas) and Rhetoric (OCT). Students in GK 385 will also have additional reading in Greek and scholarship.Grades for 365 will be based on class participation and preparation (10%), class presentations (15%), 2 midterms (30%), research paper (20%) comprehensive final (25%).Grades for 385 will be based on class participation and preparation (10%), class presentations (15%), 3 midterms (30%), research paper (20%) comprehensive final (25%).

This course is an introduction to reading ancient Greek - the language of some of the world’s oldest and best loved writings, including Homer, Herodotus, Plato, and the New Testament. We will cover enough basic grammar and vocabulary for you to begin reading short passages from a wide range of ancient Greek writers. 

Greek 506 is the first half of a two-semester sequence that continues with Greek 507 and prepares students to advance to Intermediate Greek (GK 311 and 312), where students read selected works by authors like Plato and Homer.

Greek 506 can be counted as partially fulfilling the foreign language requirement, or the General Culture requirement, or as an elective. 

Grades will be based on participation, homework, weekly quizzes, and four tests (three midterms and a final).

Texts:

Texts:C. Luschnig, An Introduction to Ancient Greek (Hackett: 978-0-87220-889-N)

This course continues the introduction to reading Ancient Greek begun in Greek 506. In the first ten weeks, we'll review and complete the study of basic grammar using Crosby and Schaeffer's Introduction to Greek. Then we'll spend the rest of the semester reading selections from Herodotus, Plato, and other authors. There will be daily assignments on grammar, vocabulary, and translation. Regular attendance and active participation are essential. Texts: An Introduction to Greek, H.L. Crosby & J.N. Schaeffer.A Greek Reader for Schools, C.E. Freeman & W.D. Lowe.  Grades will be based on homework, participation, and weekly quizzes (25%), three tests (45%), and a final exam (30%).

Prerequisite: Greek 506 or equivalent (i.e. one semester of Greek). This course can be counted for partial fulfillment of foreign language requirements.

The main goal of this course is to improve your facility in reading Greek. We will achieve this goal by reading and translating a representative selection of classical prose: Plato’s Protagoras and work by several contemporaries, including Antiphon, Isocrates, Lysias, Thucydides, and Xenophon. The activities and influence of Protagoras and other “sophists” will be a recurrent theme. Initial assignments will be limited to what we can translate in class; but the pace will steadily increase as we proceed. There will be occasional exercises and two translation tests along the way, and a final exam (all tests will include unseen passages, aka sight translation), but no research paper. Grades: exercises and tests 55%, final exam 35%, and daily participation and progress 10%. Texts: Plato: Protagoras, ed. N. Denyer (Cambridge UP 2008).

Platonis Opera, vol. 3, ed. J. Burnet (Oxford UP 1903).  H.W. Smyth, Greek Grammar (Harvard UP 1956).

The main goal of this course is to improve your facility in reading Greek. We will achieve this goal by reading and translating a representative selection of classical prose: Plato’s Protagoras and work by several contemporaries, including Antiphon, Isocrates, Lysias, Thucydides, and Xenophon. The activities and influence of Protagoras and other “sophists” will be a recurrent theme. Initial assignments will be limited to what we can translate in class; but the pace will steadily increase as we proceed. There will be occasional exercises and two translation tests along the way, and a final exam (all tests will include unseen passages, aka sight translation), but no research paper. Grades: exercises and tests 55%, final exam 35%, and daily participation and progress 10%. Texts: Plato: Protagoras, ed. N. Denyer (Cambridge UP 2008).

Platonis Opera, vol. 3, ed. J. Burnet (Oxford UP 1903).  H.W. Smyth, Greek Grammar (Harvard UP 1956).

Prerequisites:

Graduate Standing and Consent of Graduate Advisor or instructor required.

The Symposium is one of Plato's most seductive dialogues - and one of his most perplexing. What to make of its extraordinary polyphony and generic diversity? Its elaborate dramatic occasion/s and multiple layers and reversals? Its widely divergent conceptions of eros? Its pervasive blending of sacred and profane, bawdy and transcendent? Or its relation to other Platonic dialogues, or to other writings, older, contemporary, and later?

The seminar will explore the dialogue from multiple angles: literary and historical as well as philosophical. Topics on the agenda are likely to include: dialogue form/s, prosopography, rival disciplines and genres, Socratic method, Platonic theories of desire, philosophical accounts of eros, the symposium as a site for cultural criticism, Plato's use of myth and rhetoric, and ancient reception, including contemporary reactions.

Although much of our material will be accessible to all, readings and discussion will make frequent use of Greek, and some material will require analysis of Plato's own language. Some facility with Greek is therefore strongly recommended; anyone unfamiliar with Greek should see me before registering.

Format will be mainly presentations and discussion. Course grades will be based on active participation, including seminar presentations (number and scope depending on our size), some shorter written work, and a seminar paper (at least some for presentation to the seminar). Within those general parameters, requirements will vary according to registration: some oral and written translation for GRK 390, critical responses for PHL 381.

Everyone should have a personal copy of the dialogue and familiarize themselves with it before we begin. Burnet's OCT vol. 2 is still the standard Greek text; and good translations by Allen, Gill, Griffith, Howatson, Nehamas and Woodruff, and Rowe are widely available. Helpful background reading includes other dialogues, especially Lysis, Phaedrus, and Republic 4.

This course satisfies the History Requirement.

This course is an introduction to reading ancient Greek - the language of some of the world’s oldest and best loved writings, including Homer, Herodotus, Plato, and the New Testament. We will cover enough basic grammar and vocabulary for you to begin reading short passages from a wide range of ancient Greek writers. 

Greek 506 is the first half of a two-semester sequence that continues with Greek 507 and prepares students to advance to Intermediate Greek (GK 311 and 312), where students read selected works by authors like Plato and Homer.

Greek 506 can be counted as partially fulfilling the foreign language requirement, or the General Culture requirement, or as an elective. 

Grades will be based on participation, homework, weekly quizzes, and four tests (three midterms and a final).

Texts: Crosby and Schaeffer, An Introduction to Greek (Dover 2009)

This course continues the introduction to reading Ancient Greek begun in Greek 506. We'll review and complete the study of basic grammar using Crosby and Schaeffer's Introduction to Greek; and we'll also read selections from Herodotus, Plato, and other authors. There will be daily assignments covering grammar, vocabulary, composition, and translation. Regular attendance and active participation are essential.

Texts: 1)  An Introduction to Greek, H.L. Crosby & J.N. Schaeffer (1928 etc.).
2) A Greek Reader for Schools, C.E. Freeman & W.D. Lowe (1917 etc.).
OPTIONAL: Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, H.G. Liddell & R. Scott (1889 etc.)

Grades will be based on homework, participation, and weekly quizzes (25%), three tests (45%), and a final exam (30%).

Prerequisite: Greek 506 or equivalent (i.e. one semester of Greek).

This course can be used to meet elective or Area D requirements, or in partial fulfillment of the foreign language requirement.