Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

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CLAS0150A-F09

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.
Course Reference Number (CRN):
90160
Subject Code:
CLAS
Course Number:
0150
Section Identifier:
A

Course

CLAS 0150

All Sections in Fall 2009

Fall 2009

CLAS0150A-F09 Lecture (Witkin)
CLAS0150X-F09 Discussion (Witkin)
CLAS0150Y-F09 Discussion (Witkin)
CLAS0150Z-F09 Discussion (Witkin)