Instructor: Guy Rahat
Email: guyrahat@uw.edu
Office hours: M/W 1-2:20 PM
Office location: Denny 400k (knock on door when you arrive)
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.
Class Schedule:
Please note that the schedule is tentative to change. Also, the page numbers are for the physical copy of the book and do not apply to the electronic version. If you are using the electronic version, use the headings to navigate to the relevant pages. All readings and assignments are due on the day they are listed on the syllabus.
Tuesday, April 1:
- Introduction & Syllabus
- What is Classics?
Thursday, April 3:
- Word Building Basics
- Read Chapter 1 – Word Building Basics: pp. 1-15
Tuesday, April 8:
- Word Building, Intro to Myth and Roman Religion
- Read Appendices I-III – Diphthongs, Numbers, and Colors: pp. 251-256
Thursday, April 10:
- Mythology – Theogony and Olympian Gods
- Read Ch. 4 pp. 75-84 (until section on Heroes)
- Memorize Greek Nouns/Adjectives – Ch.2 pp. 19-25
Tuesday, April 15:
- Mythology – The Heroes
- Read Ch. 4 pp. 85-89, 95-99
Thursday, April 17:
- Mythology – The Epic Cycle
- Read Ch. 4 pp. 90-95
- Homework 1 due
Tuesday, April 22:
- Quiz #1 – Word Building, Mythology, Appendix III, Greek words from Chapter 2 (pp. 19-25)
Thursday, April 24:
- Greek History & Historians
- Read Ch. 9 pp. 227-243
- Memorize Greek Adverbs/Verbs – Ch.2 pp. 25-29
Tuesday, April 29:
- Roman History & Historians
Thursday, May 1:
- Greek Politics & Law
- Read Ch. 6 pp. 145-159
- Memorize Greek Prefixes/Suffixes – Ch.2 pp. 29-36
Tuesday, May 6:
- Roman Politics & Law
- Homework 2 due
Thursday, May 8:
- Quiz #2 – History, Politics & Law, Word Building (Ch. 2 pp. 25-36)
Tuesday, May 13:
- Philosophy & Psychology
- Read Ch. 8 pp. 191-194; 205 (Arete) - 213
- Memorize Latin Nouns/Verbs – Ch. 3 pp. 45-48
Thursday, May 15:
- The Philosophers
- Read Ch. 8 pp. 195 (pre-Socratic philosophers) - 204
Tuesday, May 20:
- Commerce & Economics I
- Read Ch. 7 pp. 169-186
- Memorize Latin Prefixes – Ch. 3 pp. 48-55
Thursday, May 22:
- Commerce & Economics II
- Homework 3 due
Tuesday, May 27:
- Quiz #3 – Philosophy, Psychology, Commerce & Economics, Word Building (Ch. 3 pp. 45-55)
Thursday, May 29:
- Medicine I
- Read Ch. 5 pp. 105 -125 (until section on medical humor)
- Memorize Latin Suffixes – Ch. 55-63
Tuesday, June 3:
- Medicine II
Thursday, June 5:
- Review day – bring questions
- Homework 4 due
Wednesday, June 11, 10:30 AM – 12:20 PM:
- FINAL EXAM