Last updated: November 28, 2011

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Classics Section 
Major/Minor Programs in Classics at BGSU
Romance and Classical Studies
Bowling Green State University



Achilles and Hector 
  Achilles drags dead Hector behind his chariot.
(Mosaic from the Vatican Museums.)
(Photo ©2006 by JMP. All uses forbidden and banned forever.)
(You could, however, go there next summer and take your own pix.)


CLCV 3800: Classical Mythology

3:30-4:20 Mon/Wed/Fri
Olscamp 106

Instructor:

James M. Pfundstein, Ph.D.
Shatzel 222
Office Hours: Tues.12:30-1:20, Wed. 1:30-2:20, or by appointment.
Office phone: 419-372-8278
e-mail: jmp.bgsu@gmail.com
web-page: http://blogs.bgsu.edu/pfundblog

Required Texts
(with Amazon links):
Powell, Barry B. Classical Myth (6th edition: Prentice Hall, 2009)
website: http://wps.prenhall.com/hss_powell_classical_5/0,12083,3357389--t,00.html
Lombardo (trans.), Hesiod: Theogony & Works and Days (Hackett)

Smith & Traszkoma (trans.), Apollodorus: Library & Hyginus: Fabulae (Hackett)

Online Resources:
The Ancient Library has put on-line a useful edition of Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/

Affiliated with the Ancient Library is the Theoi Project, a copiously illustrated and scholarly guide to Greek mythology.

Encyclopedia: http://www.theoi.com/Encyc_A.html

Galleries: http://www.theoi.com/Galleries.html

Tufts University's Perseus Project: Texts, Translations, Images.
www.perseus.tufts.edu/art&arch.html
Carlos Parada's Greek Mythology Link: Images and summaries.
http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/index.html
Archaeology Magazine has a few stories (in the May/June 2004 edition) in print and on the web, about the archaeology supporting the notion of a historical Trojan War, along with some links to stories about the recent movie Troy and the well-regarded graphic novel Age of Bronze.
http://www.archaeology.org/0405/etc/troy.html
The single best resource for urban legends (our modern myths) is Barbara and David Mikkelson's site, snopes.com.

 http://www.snopes2.com/


Grading
:
 

quizzes

(Wed. Sept. 4, Mon. Sept. 19, Wed. Oct. 26, Wed. Nov. 30)

midterms
(Wed. Sept. 28, Fri. Nov. 2)

review
(Due: Fri. Oct. 28;
see description at link above)

short research paper
(Due: Fri. Dec. 2); 
see description at link above)

final exam
last class period (Dec. 9)
OR
official final time: (Thurs. Dec. 15, 3:30-5:30)


20%


22.5% ea.


 
5%


5%



25%
 

 
THE FINE PRINT:
No makeups given due to absence without prior arrangement with the instructor.
No one can pass the course without passing the final examination and turning in both papers.
No incompletes issued except for pressing reasons and by prior arrangement with the instructor.
"There was no great genius without some madness in the mix."--Seneca
The instructor reserves the right to recognize significant improvement (or decline) in student performance when awarding the final grade.
The maximum amount of extra credit which may count towards the final grade = 5% of the total course points.
The syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor; changes will be announced in class and posted on-line.

 
SCHEDULE
CLASS DATES READING ASSIGNMENT OTHER
Week 1
Aug. 22, 24, 25
 Powell Chs.1-3: Nature of Myth, Cultural Contexts of Myth, Development of Myth;
Hesiod: Theogony
Hyginus: 238-246, 253, 255-256
 
Week 2
Aug. 29, 31, ---
  Powell Chs. 4-5: Myths of Creation;
Hesiod: Works and Days;
Hyginus: 138, 141-144, 150-152, 153, 176, 220
Apollodorus: 1.1, 1.2, 1.5.34-45, 1.7
Fri. Sept. 2: Get out of Town Day
No Myth class.

Week 3
---, Sept. 7, 9
 Powell Chs. 6-7: Zeus & Hera, Male Olympians
Hyginus: "Theogony", 28, 52-55, 140, 152a, 154-161, 179, 183, 194, 196, 202-203, 205
Apollodorus: 1.3, 1.4, 2.1.5-9, 3.8.100-102, 3.10.110-122
Mon. Sept. 5: Labor Day
(no classes)

Wed. Sept. 7:  Quiz 1 
(lectures & readings
weeks 1-2)

Week 4
Sept. 12, 14, 16
  Powell Ch. 8: Female Olympians
Hyginus: 58, 94, 146-148, 164-166, 177, 180-182, 192, 195, 197, 204, 259
Apollodorus: 1.5.29-33, 3.4.30-32, 3.14.183-185
12 (or so) Olympians (PDF file)

Week 5
Sept. 19, 21, 23
  Powell Ch. 9-10: Demeter, Dionysus
Hyginus: 129-134, 167, 184, 191
Apollodorus: 3.4.26-29, 3.5.33-39
 Mon. Sept. 19: Quiz 2 
(lectures & readings weeks 3-4)
Week 6
Sept. 26, 28, 30
 Powell Ch. 11: Myths of Death ; Hyginus: 60-62, 82-83, 168-170
Apollodorus: 1.9.85-89,
Epitome 2.1-2.2
Wed. Sept. 28: Midterm 1
(lectures/readings weeks 1-5)
Week 7
Oct. 3, 5, 7
  Powell Chs. 12-13: Heroic Myth, Perseus etc
Hyginus: 56-57, 63-65, 136-137, 149, 163, 185, 189-190, 193, 200-201, 206, 219, 221, 224, 275, 277
Apollodorus: 2.1.10-53, 3.8.103-109

Week 8
---, Oct. 12, 14
Powell Ch. 14: Heracles
Hyginus: 29-36, 49-51, 162
Apollodorus: 1.9.104-106, 2.4.49-2.7.160
Oct. 10-11: Fall Break
(no classes)
Week 9
Oct. 17, 19, 21
Powell Chs. 16-15 Athens & Theseus, Theseus & Crete
Hyginus: 37-48, 187, 198
Apollodorus: 3.1.1-3.3.21, 3.14.177-182, 3.14.186-218,
Epitome 1.1-1.24

Week 10
----, Oct 26, 28
Powell Ch. 17, Oedipus & Theban Cycle;
Hyginus: 66-75, 178
Apollodorus: 1.8.76-79, 3.4.21-25, 3.5.40-94
No Myth class, Mon. Oct. 24

Wed. . Oct. 26
: Quiz 3
(lectures/readings weeks 8-9)

Fri. Oct. 28: Review due
Week 11
Oct. 31, Nov. 2, 4
Powell Ch. 18: Jason & the Argonauts; Calydonian Boar Hunt
Hyginus: 1-27, 171-175, 188
Apollodorus: 1.8.64-74, 1.9.80-84, 1.9.90-103, 1.9.107-147
Friday Nov. 4: Midterm 2
(lectures/readings weeks 6-11)
Week 12
Nov. 7, 9, 11
Powell Ch. 19: The Trojan War
Hyginus:  77-81, 89-106, 121, 261
Apollodorus: 3.10.126-176
Epitome 3.1-4.8

Week 13
Nov. 14, 16, 18
Powell Ch. 20: The Fall of Troy
Hyginus: 107-116, 135
Apollodorus: Epitome 5.1-5.25

Week 14
Nov. 21, ---, ---
-------
Nov. 23-27: Thanksgiving Break
(no classes)
Week 15
Nov. 28, 30, Dec. 2
Powell Ch. 21: Odyssey
Hyginus: 84-88, 117-128, 199, 258
Apollodorus: Epitome 2.1-3.1, Epitome 6.1-7.40
Wed. Nov. 30: Quiz 4
(readings weeks 11-14;
lectures through Mon. Nov. 28)

Fri. Dec. 2: Final Paper due
Week 16
Dec. 5, 7, 9
Powell Chs. 22-23: Aeneas,
Early Rome
Optional Early Final :
Fri. Dec. 9, 3:30-4:20
Finals Week
Dec. 12-16
--------------------
Final Final:
Thurs. Dec. 15
3:30-5:30

 
 
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