GRK 325 Fall
2008
9:30 TTH; 203 Craig Hall
Instructor:
J. A. Johnson Campus Office
Hours: 7:30-9:15, 1:45-2:15 TTH Craig
Hall
Office: 382
Craig
Electronic Office Hours: 2:00-2:30
MW
Campus Phone:
836-5122
email:
JulieJohnson@missouristate.edu
A.
Required Texts:
The Histories, Herodotus, translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt, Penguin
Classics
The Last of the Wine, Mary Renault, Vintage Books
The Republic, Plato, translated by D. Lee, Penquin Classics
The Persian Expedition, Xenophon, translated by Rex Warner, Penguin
Classics
B. Online Text:
Iliad, Homer http://classics.mit.edu/Homer/iliad.html
C. Films:
Trojan Women, 300 Spartans, The Warriors
| Schedule | Study Guides - Essays |
| Syllabus | Exam Guide |
Starting Schedule
Images of
Greece
Week
Class
Reading/Writing Assignments
Week I Greetings. Ground Rules.
Intro-Greek Heroes
Iliad, Books I-IV
(Aug 26/28) Age of
Heroes Books
1-4
Log 1
Trojan War Basics
Ancient Combat
Bronze Age
Week 2 Homer, ‘arete’ or
manliness/virtue
Iliad, Books VI-IX
(Sept 2/4) Homeric Values: home &
family Books
6-9
Log 2
Week 3 Film: Trojan
Women
Iliad, Books XIX-XXII
(Sep 9/11) Euripides’ views on
war
Log 3
Greek Armor
Week 4 16th- Exam I
The Histories, Bks 1 & 2
(Sep 16/18) 18th- Logs 1-3 Due;
Herodotus
Log 4
Herodotus by
Logos
Week 5
Archaic Age;
Discussion
Histories, Books 3 & 4
(Sep 23/25) Herodotus, ‘tyche’ or chance
– ‘olbios’ or blessed
Log 5
Delphi & Tyrants
Week 6 East vs. West -
Discussion
Histories, Books 5 & 6
(Sep 30/Oct 2) Values: ‘eleutheria’ or freedom
-- ‘politeia’ or community
Log 6
Lacedaemonia
Week 7 Film: 300
Spartans
Histories, Books 7, 8, & 9
(Oct 7/9) Herodotus
discussion
Log 7
Week 8
Film, continued
(Oct 14 ) [16th- Fall
Holiday]
Week 9 21st - Exam II;
23rd- Logs 4-7 due.
Last of the Wine, Chapt 1-17
(Oct 21/23) Values: ‘philia’
or friendship
Log 8
Classical Age
Map of Greek Alliances
Week 10 28th-Guest
Speaker Prof. Ed. Carawan on Greek Law & Justice Last of the Wine, Chapts
18-end
(Oct 28/30) Values: ‘dikaiosyne’
or justice Last
of the Wine
Log 9
Week 11 Discussion – ‘psyche’ or
soul Greek Philosophy Republic,
Part I, pgs 3-52
(Nov 2/4 Greek morality Greek
Athletics
Log 10
Republic Guide
Zeno's Paradox:
Achilles and the Tortoise
Week 12 Discussion
Republic, Parts II-III, pgs 53-111
(Nov 11/13) Socratic Method - Elenchus
Log 11
Republic
Outline and Guide
Week 13
Republic- Education?
Republic, Parts IV-V, pgs 112-156
(Nov 18/20) Soul & State? Who should govern? Log 12
Week 14
Exam III & Logs 5-12 due
Persian Expedition, Books I & II
(Nov 25) [27th-28th Thanksgiving Break] 
Log 13
The Persian Expedition
Week 15 Film: The Warriors Persian Expedition,
Books III & IV
(Dec 2/4)
Log 14
Week 16 Discussion; Xenophon upshots
Persian Expedition, Books V & VI (Dec 9/11) 11th- Logs 13-15 due. Values: ‘e
thalassa!’ or ‘The sea!’ Final Exam
Log 15
Final Exam Scheduled 8:45 am, Thursday, Dec 18th or on Dec 11th???
Course: GRK 325 will focus upon value concepts that played a prominent role in ancient Greek civilization, so far as they can be gleaned from a few representative selections of ancient authors and from a work of historical fiction, covering periods from the 8th to the 4th centuries BC.
Meetings: Class time will be spent in presentation of background and in the discussion and assimilation of the source materials. Students should come ready to discuss significant issues raised by the reading assignments. Learning of key terms, in Greek or transliterated into English, is expected during the course of the semester.
Participation: Regular attendance is necessary, but not sufficient, to earn a ‘C’ or better. Come prepared to engage, to raise questions, to voice opinions. The class is participatory, like a Jeffersonian “democracy”, and one must do more than simply show up. This will be ‘hands on’ paideia.
NB: Any changes to assignments or meetings will be posted on the course page and/or emailed. It is assumed that all students in the course have access to email and check it daily. (If you do not have access to email, please let me know immediately.)
Any student who misses a meeting will, nonetheless, be responsible, for all material covered. That said, please use due discretion during hazardous driving conditions.
Logs: Each student will maintain a weekly study ‘log’ made up of three parts: (1) a brief summary of the reading assignment for that week, (2) material in that assignment that speaks to the topic of cultural values, and (3) the significance of the week’s reading to you . Each week’s log is limited to one sheet of paper (2 sides), font size and page margins are your own choice. (Logs will be handed in according to the posted schedule.) Logs will be graded on both form and content. From time to time each student, alone or in a small group, may be asked to lead a class discussion of the weekly assignment.
N.B.: Written assignments will not be accepted electronically. Hard copies of all written assignments must be handed in during class on the day they are due. Assignments turned in late will be docked 3 points for each day in arrears and no written assignment will be accepted that is more than one week late.
Course Objectives:
1. Assimilate representative literary sources for Greek civilization with
particular attention to the axiology of
ancient Greece and its heritage in the west.
2. Assimilate axiological terminology, in Greek or in English transliteration.
3. Appreciate cultural differences/similarities between ancient Greeks and
ourselves.
4. Note the literary forms and styles of select Greek writers, as well as
cultural/philosophical/social/political/civic/etc. issues that arise for the
Greeks, marking the continuity of such issues in contemporary culture.
5. Develop ability to write and to speak coherently about the Greeks.
Exams: There will be three formal exams and a final, comprehensive exam. Exams will include essay questions, short answer, and identification, and will cover the reading assignments, films, and class discussions/activities. The final exam will be held at the day and time specified in the Final Exam schedule and at no other day and time. (Do not request exceptions to the final schedule unless you have the signature of the Dean of your college on a slip that grants permission for a rescheduling.) A portion of the Final Exam will consist of a 3-page essay on the connection between your life and the ancient Greeks.
Grading:
3 exams = 90 points
total (3 @30 points each)
Logs = 100 points total (4 @25 pts each)
Participation = 25 points
Final Exam = 50 points (30 points in class; 20
points take-home essay)
-------------------------------------------------------------
265 points total possible
At the end of the semester a course grade will be assigned on the basis of the percentage of points achieved out of the total possible on the following basis: 100-90%=A; 89-80%=B; 79-70%=C; 69-60%=D; 59-0%=F.
Procedures for Grade
Inquiries:
To raise an enquiry about course formalisms
(grades, procedures, progress) you
should consult your instructor in the first instance. Should we be unable to
resolve the matter, I shall then refer you to Professor Madeleine Kernen, Head
of Modern & Classical Languages, as the next step in the process. Any inquiries
about grading during the term should be made within a week of receipt of the
grade in question. Questions about final course grades should be raised within
one semester.
Courtesies: Please attend to ordinary courtesies and show due respect to other members of the class and to the instructor. As late arrivals to and early departures from class can be both rude and disruptive to the entire group, plan not to come late or leave prematurely except under extreme conditions and only with an explanation to the instructor. If special circumstances pertain (e.g., a 50-mile drive), please let me know at the start of term.
Integrity: I presume at the outset that everyone is of the highest moral character and probity. However, in a case of suspected cheating or plagiarism (‘Plagiarism’ means the theft of intellectual property, stealing the ideas or words of another and passing them off as one’s own.), I shall return the assignment without a grade, and the student must see me immediately. When good faith has been restored, a grade will be given. In the case of unquestioned dishonesty, the test or written material will be given an automatic zero; and the student must see me immediately. In the latter instance, the student will be counseled to drop the course and the Academic Integrity Council may be notified.
MSU is a community of scholars committed to developing educated persons who accept the responsibility to practice personal and academic integrity. You are responsible for knowing and following MSU’s student honor code, Student Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures, available at http://www.missouristate.edu/assets/provost/AcademicIntegrityPolicyRev-1-08.pdf and also available at the Reserves Desk in Meyer Library. Any student participating in any form of academic dishonesty will be subject to sanctions as described in this policy.
Accommodations: To request academic accommodations for a disability, contact the Director of Disability Services, Plaster Student Union, Suite 405, (417) 836-4192 or (417) 836-6792 (TTY), www.missouristate.edu/disability. Students are required to provide documentation of disability to Disability Services prior to receiving accommodations. Disability Services refers some types of accommodation requests to the Learning Diagnostic Clinic, (417) 836-4787, htthttp:http://psychology.missouristate.edu/ldc.
Nondiscrimination: Missouri State is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution, and maintains a grievance procedure available to any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against. At all times, it is your right to address inquiries or concerns about possible discrimination to Jana Estergard, Equal Opportunity Officer, Siceluff Hall 296, (417) 836-4252. Other types of concerns (i.e., concerns of an academic nature) should be discussed directly with your instructor and can also be brought to the attention of Professor Madeleine Kernen, Head, Department of Modern & Classical Languages.