Classics 210 Winter 2025
Are you interested in great conversations about great books?
In comedy, tragedy, love poetry, epic stories of heroes, and philosophical writings, ancient Greek and Roman writers explored the complex challenges of family and civic life, war, love, and what it means to live a good life.
This thematically organized and discussion-based course develops skills in close reading and analysis to explore major literary works from the ancient Greek and Roman world in lively, modern conversations.
Instructor: Professor Catherine Connors, Department of Classics, Den 262 B.
Interested in finding out about a major or minor in the Department of Classics? You can sign up for a minor with the adviser for your major. You can sign up for the major by speaking with the advisers in Humanities Academic Services. I am the Classics Department Undergraduate Program Coordinator and am happy to speak with students anytime about coursework and other opportunities in the Department and beyond.
Please complete the Getting to know you assignment.
Course overview (see detailed schedule here)
Week 1 Introduction; Aristophanes, Lysistrata, Plautus, The Pot of Gold
Week 2 Lyric poetry: Sappho, Catullus, Horace
Week 3 Aeschylus Agamemnon, Sophocles Oedipus the King
Week 4 Euripides Hippolytus, Aristophanes, Frogs and Seneca Phaedra
Week 5 Homer, Iliad (selections)
Week 6 Virgil, Aeneid (selections)
Week 7 Ovid, Metamorphoses (selections)
Week 8 Lucretius, On the Nature of Things (selections); Elegy
Week 9 Plato, Republic (selections), Cicero Dream of Scipio
Week 10 People's choice and wrap-up
Books will be available at the University Bookstore for purchase.
Plautus, Four Comedies, trans E. Segal. (Oxford)
Aristophanes Lysistrata, Women at the Thesmophoria, Frogs, trans. Diane Arnson Svarlien (Hackett).
Greek Tragedies vol 1 Trans. D. Grene and R. Lattimore. 3rd edition (U Chicago Press).
Seneca, Phaedra trans. F. Ahl. (Cornell)
Homer, Iliad, trans. P. Green. (U of California Press)
Virgil Aeneid, trans. A. Mandelbaum (Penguin)
Ovid Metamorphoses, trans. A. D. Melville (Oxford)
Lucretius, On the Nature of Things trans. W. Englert (Hackett)
Grading
30% In class activities and quizzes
30% Midterm Mon Feb 3 in class
short answer questions and comment on passages from the readings
40% Final Exam: Thu Mar 20: 8:30-10:20 DEN 113
short answer questions, comment on passages from the readings, prepared essay question
The 4.0 equivalency that will be used is as follows.
% Score Grade Score Grade Score Grade
100-95 4.0 83 3.0 73 2.0
94 3.9 82 2.9 72 1.9
93-92 3.8 81 2.8 71 1.8
91 3.7 80 2.7 70 1.7
90 3.6 79 2.6 69 1.6
89 3.5 78 2.5 68 1.5
87 3.4 77 2.4 67 1.4
86 3.3 76 2.3 66 1.3
85 3.2 75 2.2 65 1.2
84 3.1 74 2.1 64 1.1
63 1.0
Academic Integrity
UW’s Student Conduct Code: “The University of Washington Student Conduct Code (WAC 478-121) defines prohibited academic and behavioral conduct and describes how the University holds students accountable as they pursue their academic goals. Allegations of misconduct by students may be referred to the appropriate campus office for investigation and resolution. More information can be found online at https://www.washington.edu/cssc/facultystaff/academic-misconduct.
Because this class is designed to help you develop your skills of critical analysis and communication, and because I am interested in reading what you personally think about the materials we are working with, as a general rule, use of Chat gpt or other Artificial Intelligence tools is not permitted unless an assignment specifically says that using Chat gpt has been authorized by me for that specific assignment. Misconduct may result in no credit for an assignment or exam; failing the course; and being reported to the University. See more here: https://www.washington.edu/cssc/for-students/academic-misconduct/
Access and Accommodations
Your experience in this class is important to me. If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please communicate your approved accommodations to me at your earliest convenience so we can discuss your needs in this course.
If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are welcome to contact DRS at 206-543-8924 or uwdrs@uw.edu or disability.uw.edu.DRS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s) and DRS. It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law.
Religious Accommodations
Required Syllabus Language: “Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy. Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form.
UW Student Conduct Code
UW’s Student Conduct Code: “The University of Washington Student Conduct Code (WAC 478-121) defines prohibited academic and behavioral conduct and describes how the University holds students accountable as they pursue their academic goals. Allegations of misconduct by students may be referred to the appropriate campus office for investigation and resolution. More information can be found online at https://www.washington.edu/studentconduct/
Additional Resources
- UW Academic Support: http://depts.washington.edu/aspuw/more/campus-resources/
- UW Counseling Center: http://www.washington.edu/counseling/