Greek and Roman Epic Poetry
Greek and Roman Epic Poetry Would Achilles and Hector have risked their lives and sacred honor had they understood human life and the Olympian gods as Homer portrays them in the Iliad? Why do those gods decide to withdraw from men altogether following the Trojan War, and why is Odysseus the man Athena chooses to help her carry out that project? And why, according to the Roman poet Vergil, do these gods command Aeneas, a defeated Trojan, to found an Italian town that will ultimately conquer the Greek cities that conquered Troy, replacing the Greek polis with a universal empire that will end all wars of human freedom? Through close study of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, and Vergil's Aeneid, we explore how the epic tradition helped shape Greece and Rome, and define their contributions to European civilization.
Greek and Roman Epic Poetry Would Achilles and Hector have risked their lives and sacred honor had they understood human life and the Olympian gods as Homer portrays them in the Iliad? Why do those gods decide to withdraw from men altogether following the Trojan War, and why is Odysseus the man Athena chooses to help her carry out that project? And why, according to the Roman poet Vergil, do these gods command Aeneas, a defeated Trojan, to found an Italian town that will ultimately conquer the Greek cities that conquered Troy, replacing the Greek polis with a universal empire that will end all …Read more
A kinda mediocre course on very valuable material. We read the Illiad, the Odyssey, the Aeneid, and parts of the Metamorphoses, all in new, reader-friendly translations. These are some of the greatest works of literature ever written and I highly recommend either just reading them, or taking a course to read them and discuss them in. I'm just not sure I can wholeheartedly recommend taking it with Ganiban. His lectures are a little boring and his approach of trying to integrate small-group discussions into the lectures just doesn't work that well. This course needs a dedicated meeting for discussions. The papers and exam don't really pose a significant challenge as long as you've done the readings and are willing to think about them. The saving grace of this course is that there are plenty of opportunities to give your take on the readings during the lecture - that's one way I managed to keep from dozing off. Take this course if you want to read these classic works and don't mind some boring lectures.
A kinda mediocre course on very valuable material. We read the Illiad, the Odyssey, the Aeneid, and parts of the Metamorphoses, all in new, reader-friendly translations. These are some of the greatest works of literature ever written and I highly recommend either just reading them, or taking a course to read them and discuss them in. …Read more
I think this class was very interesting. I enjoy mythology a lot, and it is clear Professor Within does as well. His enthusiasm was very apparent, and though it was easy to get lost during lectures, the discussions were great. He did a really good job engaging everyone, and if you've done a little bit of preparation, you're good to go. A lot of reading and writing but manageable and he is very lenient.
I think this class was very interesting. I enjoy mythology a lot, and it is clear Professor Within does as well. His enthusiasm was very apparent, and though it was easy to get lost during lectures, the discussions were great. He did a really good job engaging everyone, and if you've done a little bit of preparation, you're good to g …Read more
This course was very underwhelming. The professor had difficulty looking beyond his own point of view or considering student's opinions of the readings if they did not align with his own. His lectures were also very mellow and he doesn't break down concepts even though it's a beginner-level class. Honestly would not recommend.
Great prof. Ganiban is enthusiastic and empathetic toward students if they need extensions or are facing extenuating circumstances. Have taken several courses with him throughout my time at Midd and enjoyed them all.
Took this class for distribution requirements and really enjoyed it. There were weekly readings with responses and papers. Professor Ganiban is great and his lectures are very enjoyable, I would definitely take this class again.