CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY

This course examines mythical narratives from the ancient Greek and Roman traditions. Students explore some of the central patterns and themes in classical mythology. These include narratives of birth and creation, war and the warrior, fire and flood, animals, gods and humans. The course examines how these symbolic themes are incorporated into a diverse range of myths, including stories of the birth of the cosmos, Zeus's rule over the world, the foundation of cities and peoples, and hero myths in which men confront monsters. It also reviews the story of Troy, which is the quintessential Greco-Roman myth, and the many classical tales of metamorphosis. The course engages directly with these narratives in the surviving literary sources (especially epic and drama), and in classical art, which is a major source for the Greek and Roman myths.