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EUH 2011, Sect 1

Early European Civilization: The Greeks and Romans

Summer A, 2012; Mon/Wed, 9:30-12:15

Ryder 120

Professor Pyron, Office: DM 387B

tele: 348-2035; [email protected]

Office Hours - after class;

Always electronically and by appointment,

Teaching Assistants:

Joseph Holbrook [[email protected]]

Rene Silva [[email protected]]

TA Hours: TBA

I. PRELIMINARIES: WORK AND COURSE SCHEDULE

All history courses require considerable reading and writing. This one is noexception. They also demand a critical mass of time for conceptualizing and think-

ing. Especially as most students are not used to critical reading and formal writing,

you must allow yourself plenty of time to study if you want to pass or to pass well.

The short summer session multiplies this by 2.5. Thusthe short summer course is

the equivalent of more than two regular courses. Thus, two short term summer

courses equal a five course load in the spring or summer semesters. You do NOT

want to sign up for more than two courses per short session.

In addition, you should be very especially cautious about your course sched-

ule in relation to your employment. As a rule of thumb, consider every 10 hours ofemployment the equivalent of an additional regular session class. The math is

clear: twenty hours of work plus two summer courses equals about a 50-hour

week. Anything over this becomes exponentially difficult. You might have ac-

commodated a schedule like this before, do not expect to do so this semester.

II. COURSE OBJECTIVES

A. Content Objectives

First, this course examines the values of our civilization from its origins with

the Greeks in the eighth century BC through Alexander the Great. Second, it con-

siders the legacy of Greek civilization through the Roman who succeeded them inpower and influence in the Mediterranean world. While touching upon the great

events and great men of this thousand year epoch, it emphasizes the intellectual

history of Greco-Roman civilization, chiefly, the following:

1. The idea of law and politics

2. Consensual government

3. Military practices

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4. Art and literature

5. Philosophy and science

6. More generally still, the celebration of humanity itself and individ-

ual achievement. In the process, the course also examines contemporary culture

and how it reflects, alters, or rejects concepts first promulgated among the Hellenes

almost three millennia ago.

The courses uses primary source material, that is, documents produced by

the ancients themselves. You will be expected to apply yourself diligently to each

of the "great works" assigned. To encourage your diligence, a short objective quiz

will be assigned for every class reading. Follow the syllabus closely, and observe

that as summer sessions have double sessions, many days will have two sets of

readings, and, consequently, two quizzes.

B. Writing and Form

The Greeks and Roman considered mastery of language - literature or "art

talk" and "reasoned speech" or political talk - the sine qua non of civilization andthe chief glory of man. Besides introducing this idea in its content, this course also

demands you practice the ancients' literary discipline as well. Your ability to de-

velop lucid arguments and to express yourself clearly in writing ranks equally with

your mastery of data and information. More practically, this is a Gordon Rule

course, and you will write 6000 words of original and redrafted material in order to

pass.

As an exercise in writing, the course has two objectives:

1. First, you will learn to analyze texts and make arguments based on

these analyses. You will produce three essays towards this end. The course allows

the opportunity of redrafting the first two of these in order to improve your style -

and of course, your grade. The highest grade always counts. Making an historical

argument involves the following steps:

a) reading the material closely,

b) generating a thesis out of this material

c) organizing the relevant data into a coherent and convincing

essay. This argument should consist of an introductory paragraph or thesis state-

ment and a series of subsequent paragraphs that sustain your thesis or argument

about the material.

2. Second, you will develop or sharpen your skills in word usage,grammar, syntax, and the technicalities of good writing, such as constructing good

paragraphs and vigorous sentences.

III. TEXTS

A. READINGS

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*1. Homer, The Iliad, Fagels, ed. HARDCOVER REQUIRED

2. Aeschylus, The Persians ELECTRONIC COPY

2. Aristophanes, The Clouds ELECTRONIC COPY

3. Euripides, The Trojan Women ELECTRONIC COPY

*4. Plato, The Republic,

Penguin edition/Selections HARDCOVER REQUIRED

5. Juvenal, A Greek Struck Rome;

6. Polybius, The Constitution of Rome

Selections ELECTRONIC COPY

7. Livy, History of Rome

Selections ELECTRONIC COPY

*8. Virgil, The Aeneid,

Fagels, ed. HARDCOVER REQUIRED

8. St. Augustine, Confessions

Selections ELECTRONIC COPY9. Pope Benedict, Regensburg Address ELECTRONIC COPY

B. FAVORITE PASSAGES

For most of the readings, you will have the chance to pick the pas-

sages from the texts that you like best, that inspire you, or otherwise grab your at-

tention. You must use the class FP forms for credit. You will receive these be-

fore. Fill these out and you will receive credit when you turn them in.

IV. CLASS SCHEDULE: Note: each class has two sections, A and B. These cor-

respond to the fall/spring classes in coverage and length. Sometimes each requires

its own reading. Stay tuned!

May 7 A. Syllabus; Writing

Style Sheet ELECTRONIC COPY

B. Hail Poseidon! The Issue of Western Superiority

May 9 A. The Greeks: The What, The Where The When

Greek Chronology ELECTRONIC COPY

B. Greek Innovations: Alphabet, Science, Law and Politics

May 14 A. Literature: What Poetry Means

The Iliad, Books 1-5 FAVORITE PASSAGEB. Theology: Science of the Gods

The Iliad, Books 6-9 FAVORITE PASSAGE

May 16 A. Fate and Free Will


B. Warriors and Individuals: Naming Things and Competition


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May 21 A. The Iliad as History and Bible


May 23 A. Mycenaean Greeks (1600-1200) and the Dark Ages -

1200-800

B. Polis Order: Representative Government; Constitutional

Law, Patriotism and the Army

May 23 FIRST WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE

May 28 A. The Persian Wars and the Rise of Athens

Aeschylus, The Persians

ELECTRONIC COPY FAVORITE PASSAGE

B. The Periclean Golden Age - 460-430May 30 A. The Peloponnesian Wars and Internal Change

Euripides, The Trojan Women


B. Comedy and Thinking

Aristophanes, The Clouds


June 4 A. Philosophy and the Invention of the Mind

Plato, The Republic, I. 327-392FAVORITE PASSAGEB. Objectifying the World:

Standard section numbers: III. 412-421, IV. 427-V. 466, VI.

509-VII. 521, X.613 - end FA-

VORITE PASSAGE

June 6 A. Continuity and Change: Rome and Roman Hellenism

Juvenal, A Greek Struck Rome ELECTRONIC COPY

Polybius, The Constitution of Rome


B. Post-Hannabalic Rome:

Livy, History of RomeELECTRONIC COPY FAVORITE PASSAGE

June 11 A. The Augustan Settlement and the Golden Age

B. Roman Virtues: Military and Civil

Virgil, The Aeneid, Bks 1-3 FAVORITE PASSAGE

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June 11 SECOND WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE

June 13 A. The Roman Translation and Transformation of Greek Epic


B. The Pax Romana


June 15 A. The Roman Legacy


B. Christians and Western Values

June 20 A. Pagan Leaning/Christian Theology

St. Augustine, Confessions FAVORITE PASSAGEB. What It Means

Pope Benedict, Regensberg Address

June 22 FINAL ESSAYS DUE

A. The Death of Heracles - and Resurgence

B. Resurgence and Modern Decline

V. WRITTEN WORK

A. Due Dates

1. Initial exercise (1000 words) . . . . . . . . May 30

2. Second exercise (1000 words). . . . . . . .June 8

3. Third exercise (1000 words). . . . . . . . . June 22

B. Assignments

Prior to each assignment, the professor will circulate on the website a series

of questions. You will chose one or more as the basis for creating a sharp, well-de-

fined, nicely argued essay. You should use the course Style Sheet to assist your ef-

fort. This is electronically available. Most of its rules involve matters of common

sense and logic. They all aim to encourage one end: simplicity and clarity in ex-

pression.

C. FormPlease observe the following technical rules when you submit papers:

1) Begin with a cover sheet that includes

a) the assignment number

b) the question number and the question itself;

c) the title, if any

d) the exact word count of your essay

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e) for redrafts, always include the number of the redraft and

attach the original

2) Allow generous margins for comments, but also attach a blank page

at the end of the paper for additional comments.

3) Do not write your name on the cover sheet or anywhere in the body

of your essay; include your name only on a completely separate name page at the

paper's end that contains nothing except your name.

4) Attach the sheets with one staple in the upper left corner - no paper

clips, no bent down edges, no fancy folders, etc.

5) Allow about 250 words per page; double space, dark ink.

D. Redrafts

You should strive for your best effort on every assignment, but the course

also allows you the opportunity to improve your writing by redrafting. You may

redraft your first two assignments. The graders will make every effort to return

your essays in time for you to do so (summer is hard on graders, too.) If you re-draft, you should use the occasion to rethink your entire essay. You should base

this rethinking, however, on the specific and general recommendations of the

graders. Your essays will contain copious notes. Follow and respect them to im-

prove your writing - and, of course, your grade. Finally, while it is not mandatory,

you should, please, take advantage of the graders. Visit in person or virtually.

They will walk you through the problems. This is particularly important relative to

your introductory paragraphs. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF

YOUR ESSAY. DO IT WELL AND NOTHING BETTER IMPROVES YOUR

CHANCES OF SUCCESS. The highest grade always counts.

VI. QUIZZES

Every time you have an assigned reading, you must be prepared to stand a

short objective quiz. Such quizzes are assigned in order to encourage you to 1)

keep up with the material, 2) read the material on time, 3) discuss the reading

matter in class on the assigned dates, and 4) guarantee your attendance. Failure to

take the quiz on the assigned date merits a zero. Do not expect make-up quizzes

except in the case of sickness or other grave emergency, and advance warning to

the professor. In the circumstance of emergency make-up quizzes, you must make

up within a week of the missed test.

VII. GRADING

Quizzes and Participation. . . . .1/3

Essays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/3

Your quiz score is calculated after the final test. It is curved against the

highest number of correct scores in the class, not against the total possible correct.

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"Participation" comes into play when your grade is border-line. It involves regular

class attendance, active engagement in the course, and the redrafting your essays.

Your Quiz and Participation score will be reduced, however, for class absences.

Around mid-term, you will receive a card with your grade to date.

Extra credit

You will receive extra credit for when you select your FAVORITE PAS-

SAGE from the primary texts. To get this credit, you must submit the Favorite

Passage form, available electronically.

VIII. ACADEMIC HONESTY

Do not cheat or crib on the quizzes. In addition, if you turn in any papers

that or not your own work, you will get an F. You should not consult anyone else's

paper who has taken the course previously. Note, too, the person who assists an-

other in plagiarizing is as culpable as the receiver. If you study with someone or

let someone read your essay and they crib from it, you, too, will be charged withcheating. If you have doubts about the assignments, speak with the teacher.

Use only sources assigned in class. Do not use any sources not assigned in

class, and cite all of your references from in-class material. Do not use material

from the internet (however tempting) nor anything from the text introductions or

Cliffs Notes or the like. The object of essays is to demonstrate your own engage-

ment with the material and to prove your own judgments and arguments rather than

to follow someone elses opinions. Do your own work. Do not cheat. Do not pla-

giarize. Practice virtue.

IX. ATTENDANCE

You are expected to attend every class meeting and to come on time. You

will be allowed one absence; otherwise your grade will drop with each session

missed. If you must miss class unavoidably, you should confirm with your profes-

sor about taking your quizzes.

X. GOOD MANNERS

Never chew gum in class; never eat crunchy food or soft food that comes in

crinkly packages. Never whisper or mutter to your classmates or pass notes. Bar-

ring emergencies, don't leave class early and expect to escape unscathed. If youread newspapers, magazines, or other material in class, the professor will ask you

to excuse yourself and give you a zero for the day's work. Turn off any cell phones

or beepers before the lecture begins. Under no circumstances should you text mes-

sage or play with computers in class. If so, you will be asked to leave.

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