This class will introduce you to the basics of ancient Greek grammar, syntax and vocabulary. We will concentrate on the fifth-century BCE Attic Greek, the language of the so-called ‘golden age’ of Athens. The goal of the introductory sequence of Ancient Greek is to begin developping the fundamentals of the language, so that you will be in a strong position to explore whatever aspect of the ancient Greek world you are interested in.

Learning Goals

 To acquire knowledge of basic vocabulary, word forms, and syntax structures of Attic Greek.
 To use your newfound knowledge for reading and understanding sentences and simple continuous texts.
 To be able to translate accurately sentences and simple continuous texts from Greek into English and from English into Greek.
 To become a more conscious user of your native tongue, as we reflect on the mechanisms underlying the functioning of a language.
 To become familiar with the cultural, historical and literary institutions of the ancient Greek world.
This class will introduce you to the beautiful prose of Plato. We will read and analyze one of his most famous dialogues, the Symposium. In this work, Plato attempts to answer a question over which all of us must have pondered at least once: what is love? The primary aim of this class is to become more competent readers and translators of Attic Greek prose by improving your understanding of its morphology, syntax, and vocabulary. At the same time, we will discuss some broader historical, literary, and philosophical issues that this work brings to the fore, such as Greek views on gender and sexuality, the stylistic features of Platonic dialogues, and the true meaning of ‘Platonic Love’.

Learning Goals
 To increase your understanding of Greek morphology, syntax, and vocabulary, and your ability to render it in English.
 To increase your capacity to perform literary and stylistic analysis of Greek prose works.
 To become familiar with some of the core tenets of Plato’s philosophy and with the main features of his style.