CLAS 101 E: Latin and Greek in Current Use

Instructor: Caden Hanrahan (he/him)

Email: kch1@uw.edu

Mailbox: Classics Dept. Office, Denny 262

Office: Denny Hall 400K

Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 11am-12pm or by appointment

Full Syllabus With Course Policies

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.

The required textbook is Dominik’s Words and Ideas.

This course counts for the following General Education requirement:  A&H

Six sections at different times available, including this one.

Schedule:

Week 1:

Tuesday, March 26^th - Syllabus Overview

• Look over Syllabus

Thursday, March 28^th  – Introduction to Language History and Word Building

• Read Words and Ideas, Chapter 1: Word Building Basics

Week 2:

Tuesday, April 2^nd  –Word Building

• Read Words and Ideas, Chapter 2: Word Building Tools: Greek Components

Thursday, April 4^th  – Mythology

• Hesiod Reading (Canvas)
• Read Words and Ideas, Chapter 4: Mythology (p. 75-90, stop at the Trojan War)

Week 3:

Tuesday, April 9^th – Mythology

• Homeric Hymn to Demeter (Canvas)
• Homework 1 Due

Thursday, April 11^th – Mythology

• Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid Reading (Canvas)
• Read Words and Ideas, Chapter 4: Mythology (p. 90- end) (Trojan War- end)

Week 4:

Tuesday, April 16^th  – Test 1

Thursday, April 18^th – Greek History

• Read Greek Historians Excerpts (Canvas)
• Read Words and Ideas, Chapter 3: Word Building Tools: Latin Components
• Read Words and Ideas, Chapter 9: History (p. 227-235, stop at Polybius)

Week 5:

Tuesday, April 23^rd  – Roman History

• Read Roman Historians Excerpts (Canvas)
• Read Words and Ideas, Chapter 9: History (p. 236-end, Polybius- end)

Thursday, April 25^th – Greek Law and Politics

• Read Words and Ideas, Chapter 6: Politics and Law (p.145-151, stop at the Roman Republic)

Week 6:

Tuesday, April 30^th – Roman Law and Politics

• Read Words and Ideas, Chapter 6: Politics and Law (p. 151- end, the Roman Republic- end)
• Homework 2 Due

Thursday, May 2^nd – Commerce and Economics

• Read excerpt from “A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” (Canvas)
• Read “Zoninus Collar” (Canvas)
• Read Words and Ideas, Chapter 7: Commerce and Economics (p.169-187, the whole thing)

Week 7:

Tuesday, May 7^th – Test 2

Thursday, May 9^th  – Medicine

• Read Words and Ideas, Chapter 5: Medicine (p. 105- 122, stop at Ophthalmology)

Week 8:

Tuesday, May 14^th  – Medicine

• Reading on the Hippocratic Oath (Canvas)
• Read Words and Ideas, Chapter 5: Medicine (p. 122-end, Ophthalmology- end)
• Supplemental Reading on Silphium

Thursday, May 16^th  – Philosophy

• Read Words and Ideas, Chapter 8: Philosophy and Psychology (p. 191- 206, Stop at Psyche)

Week 9:

Tuesday, May 21^st  – Psychology

• Echo and Narcissus Reading (Canvas)
• Read Words and Ideas, Chapter 8: Philosophy and Psychology (p. 206- end, Psyche- end)
• Homework 3 Due

Thursday, May 23^rd  – Literature: Love Poetry

• Selected Sappho and Catullus Poems (Canvas)

Week 10:

Tuesday, May 28th – Test 3

Thursday, May 30th – Final Exam Review

FINAL EXAM

Section E:  Tuesday, June 4^th 10:30AM – 12:20 PM    DEN 258

*I reserve the right to modify the syllabus at any time*