CLAS 101 B: Latin and Greek in Current Use

Welcome to CLAS101! You can find the syllabus here.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, CLAS101 is currently being conducted asynchronously. Lectures can be found under Modules and are recorded on Zoom. 

Classics 101 has for many years been a popular 2-credit course option for students throughout UW.  The course is designed to improve and increase English vocabulary through a study of the Latin and Greek elements in English, with emphasis on words in current literary and scientific use.  The Latin and Greek elements learned in this course will help you better understand how many English words have evolved, and prepare you to continue expanding your English vocabulary well after the class is over.  More than that, the course examines the ever-changing relationship between language and ideas in order to better understand the continuing impact of classical Greece and Rome on modern culture.  Classics 101 gives you a sense of the words, ideas, and stories that we have adopted from the ancient Greeks and Romans, and helps you identify classical influence when you encounter it.  Knowledge of Latin or Greek is not required.

This course counts for the following General Education requirement:  VLPA

Six sections at different times available, including this one.

Week 1 

Tuesday, January 4: Introduction & Syllabus

Thursday, January 6: Word Building

• Read Chapter 1 – Word Building Basics (pp.1-15)
• Read Appendices I-III (pp. 251-256)

Week 2

Tuesday, January 11: Mythology

• Read Chapter 4 – Mythology (pp. 75-99)
• Commit to Memory: Greek Nouns and Adjectives (Chapter 2 pp. 19-25; combining form -archy to adjective therm). Memorize all bulleted bases/combining forms in these sections. For example, know that -archy means ‘rule by.’

Thursday, January 13: Mythology 

Commit to Memory: Greek Adverbs and Verbs (Chapter 2 pp. 25-29; adverb eu to verb treph)

• Homework #1: Chapter 4 Exercises 2-3 (p.101)

Week 3

Tuesday, January 18: Mythology 

• Commit to Memory: Greek Prefixes and Suffixes (Chapter 2 pp. 29-36; prefix a/an- to verb suffix -ize)

Thursday, January 20: Quiz Day

• Quiz #1 (Word Building, Mythology, Greek Bases, Prefixes, and Suffixes)
• 48 hour window to start the quiz, but one hour to complete it once you have begun
• Open book but not open internet 

Week 4

Tuesday, January 25: Greek Medicine 

• Read Chapter 5 – Medicine (pp. 105-139)

Thursday, January 27: Roman Medicine 

• Commit to Memory: Latin Nouns and Verbs (Chapter 3 pp. 45-48; aqu- to ven/vent)
• Homework #2: Chapter 5 Exercises 4a-k, 5a-h, 6a-f (pp.142-143)

Week 5

Tuesday, February 1: Greek Politics and Law

• Read Chapter 6 – Politics and Law (pp. 145-164)

Thursday, February 3: Roman Politics and Law

• Commit to Memory: Latin Prefixes (Chapter 3 pp. 48-55; prefix ab- to ultra-).

Week 6

Tuesday, February 8: Quiz Day

• Quiz #2 (Medicine, Politics and Law, Latin Bases and Prefixes)

Thursday, February 10: Commerce and Economics

• Read Chapter 7 – Commerce and Economics (pp. 169-186)

Week 7

Tuesday, February 15: Philosophy

• Read Chapter 8 – Philosophy and Psychology (pp. 191-206 – stop before “Psyche”)
• Commit to Memory: Latin Suffixes (Chapter 3 pp. 55-63; -ane to -esce)

 Thursday, February 17: Psychology and Ancient Drama

• Read: Chapter 8 – Philosophy and Psychology (pp. 206-219)

Week 8

Tuesday, February 22: Quiz Day

• Quiz #3 (Commerce and Economics, Philosophy, Psychology, Latin Suffixes)

Thursday, February 24: Greek History and Historiography

• Read Chapter 9 – History pp. 227-236 (“What is History?” – “Polybius”) and pp.238-40 (“Source Passages” – “Polybius Histories 3.31.2-4, 7-8, 11-13”)

Week 9

Tuesday, March 1:  Roman History and Historiography

• Read: Chapter 9 – History pp. 236–238 (“Flavius Josephus” – “Tacitus”) and pp. 241- 245(“Livy From the Foundation of the City preface 6-7, 9-10” –“Key Words for History”)
• Homework #3: On Canvas

Thursday, March 3: Literature

• Readings to be posted on Canvas

Week 10

Tuesday, March 8: Review Day

• Review all materials and bring questions

Thursday, March 10:  Review Day

• Review all materials and bring questions

ASYNCHRONOUS FINAL EXAM : Available Tuesday, March 15th - Wednesday March 16th on Canvas

*I reserve the right to modify the syllabus at any time; however, notice will be given*