Completion of Greek 231 (or any more advanced Greek course) satisfies the college’s foreign-language requirement.
Greek 111, 112 – Beginning Greek
In this two-course sequence students learn the basics of ancient Greek. By studying the language’s vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, they not only gain appreciation for its intricacies and nuances but also learn more about their own language and about language in general. Completion of both semesters equips students to translate almost any ancient Greek text with the aid of a dictionary. Greek 111 or its equivalent is a prerequisite to Greek 112.
Textbook for Greek 111 & 112:
From Alpha to Omega: A Beginning Course in Classical Greek by Anne H. Groton (Focus Publishing, 4th edition, 2013)
Greek 231 – Intermediate Greek (counts toward Linguistic Studies concentration)
Third-semester Greek students translate selections from Plato’s dialogues (Apology, Crito, Phaedo) while reviewing vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. Topics for class discussion include the life and death of Socrates and the significance of the dialogues as works of literature. Prerequisite: Greek 112.
Greek 253 – New Testament Greek – ALS-L (counts toward Linguistic Studies concentration)
The New Testament is the most famous and most widely translated Greek text from antiquity. Students have the opportunity to read one or more of the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, or selected Pauline letters in the original language. Questions about the transmission of the text and about its theological implications provoke lively discussions. Prerequisite: Greek 231.
Greek 370 – Topics in Greek Literature
Students translate selections from one or more genres of ancient Greek literature while exploring a specific topic or theme chosen by the instructor. Close study of the text is combined with discussion of broader literary, historical, and cultural questions. Sample topics: “Tales of Odysseus,” Hellenistic Greek,” “Famous Speeches in Ancient Greek Texts.” Prerequisite: Greek 231.
Greek 372 – Greek Philosophers
It has been said that all philosophy is a mere footnote to Plato and Aristotle. In this course students translate selected works by the two renowned philosophers and their predecessors, examining the forces that influenced them and the impact that Greek philosophy had on subsequent ages. Prerequisite: Greek 231.
Greek 373 – Greek Historians
Readings in Greek from the works of Herodotus, the “Father of History,” and Thucydides, the first “scientific” historian, provide the backdrop for studying the development of Greek historiography. Students analyze the historians’ distinctive methods and writing styles and compare them with those of modern historians. Prerequisite: Greek 231.
Greek 374 – Greek Drama
Like the genre that it describes, the word drama is itself of Greek origin. From the treasure-trove left to us by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, and Menander, students translate one or two complete plays and discuss the evolution of the Greek theater, staging, and modern interpretations. Prerequisite: Greek 231.
Greek 375 – Homer and Greek Epic (counts toward Linguistic Studies concentration)
The primary texts for this course are Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, the earliest recorded literature of Western civilization. Besides translating lengthy passages from one or both of these remarkable poems, students probe the characteristics of epic poetry and investigate current topics in Homeric scholarship. Prerequisite: Greek 231.