Middlebury

CLAS 0150

Greek and Roman Epic Poetry

Greek and Roman Epic Poetry
Would Achilles and Hector have risked their lives and sacred honor had they understood human life and the Olympian gods as Homer portrays them in the Iliad? Why do those gods decide to withdraw from men altogether following the Trojan War, and why is Odysseus the man Athena chooses to help her carry out that project? And why, according to the Roman poet Vergil, do these gods command Aeneas, a defeated Trojan, to found an Italian town that will ultimately conquer the Greek cities that conquered Troy, replacing the Greek polis with a universal empire that will end all wars of human freedom? Through close study of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, and Vergil's Aeneid, we explore how the epic tradition helped shape Greece and Rome, and define their contributions to European civilization. 3 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc.
Subject:
Classics
Department:
Classics
Division:
Humanities
Requirements Fulfilled:
CMP EUR LIT PHL
Equivalent Courses:
CMLT 0150

Sections in Fall 2005

Fall 2005

CLAS0150A-F05 Lecture (Witkin)
CLAS0150B-F05 Lecture (Witkin)