Courses
The Classical Studies Program offers a major and a minor.
Competence in Greek or Latin is required for the major. Familiarity
is recommended but not required for the minor. Through both the
major and the minor, the program aims to develop in the student an
appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of classical literature
and a comprehension of the abiding principles of the Western
heritage. The program is also interested in students who wish to
relate Classics to work in wide array of other disciplines such as
English, history, modern languages, philosophy, political science,
or religion,
Students may receive credit towards the major or minor for
courses in Latin or Greek taken before enrolling at Butler. A
student who places at the 300 level and takes two 300 level courses
with a grade of C or above will receive 9 credits. A student who
places into 203 and takes two 200 level courses and two 300 level
courses with a grade of C or above will receive 3 credits. Students
who take the AP Latin test may also receive 3 credit hours for a
200 level course.
Requirements for the major:
A minimum of 30 hours combined of CL, GK, and/or LT. A minimum
of three 300 level courses in any section, including at least one
300-level course in GK or LT. Students may test out of the
200-level courses in GK or LT.
Requirements for the minor:
A minimum of 18 hours combined of CL, GK, and/or LT. A minimum
of two 300-level courses all together. Note: It is recommended that
students learn either Greek or Latin, at least at the beginning
level. If they continue with two courses at the 200-level or above,
these courses will count both towards their minor and towards
fulfilling the foreign language requirement for a liberal arts
degree.
Core Courses Offered by Classical
Studies
TI200-CLA. Roman
Perspectives: This course will examine civic
engagement in the Roman world, both as a pagan and Christian
capital for the West. We will undertake this investigation by
looking at a variety of original sources translated into English.
As we examine the texts of these authors, we will also have the
opportunity to think about how the ideas of the ancient Romans have
influenced cultures from Britain, France and Spain in the West to
the shores of North Africa to the civilizations of the Eastern
Mediterranean. (U)(3). Fall only, counts also for major/minor
credit.
TI201-CLA. Ancient
Greek Perspectives: An examination of areas
of ancient Greek culture. Sources include texts of poetry, history,
drama, law, medicine and philosophy, as well as works of art.
Themes will vary depending on the professor. Possible themes: deep
thinking and free thinking, participating in democracy, gender
roles, warfare and empire. (U)(3). Spring only, counts
also for major/minor credit.
PCA262-CLA. Greek Art & Myth:
Art illuminates myth; myth makes sense of art. Students will
acquire a sense of the major periods of western art, will consider
artistic questions large (is art subjective? is there a proper
subject matter for art?) and small (what is contrapposto?), will
study in some depth about sixty artistic images, mostly Greek,
and will become acquainted with a set of Greek myths. The course
will include a museum visit, a skit and a creative art project.
(U)(3). Fall only, counts also for major/minor
credit.
Foreign Language
Courses
LT101. Elementary Latin I: An
introductory course that prepares the student to read the Latin
prose and poetry of Virgil, Livy, Ovid and others. (U)(4). Fall
only.
LT102. Elementary Latin II: An
introductory course that prepares the student to read the Latin
prose and poetry of Virgil, Livy, Ovid and others. LT 101 is
prerequisite. (U)(4). Spring only.
LT203. Intermediate Latin I: A
course at the intermediate level, with emphasis on vocabulary
acquisition. Material will be chosen for accessibility. Readings
may include: Cicero's orations, Virgil's Aeneid, Pliny's Letters.
Prerequisite: LT 101 and 102 or placement at the 200 level. (U)(3).
Fall only.
LT204. Intermediate
Latin II: A course at the intermediate level, with
emphasis on vocabulary acquisition. Material will be chosen for
accessibility. Readings may include: Cicero's orations, Virgil's
Aeneid, Pliny's Letters. Prerequisite: LT 101 and 102 or placement
at the 200 level. (U)(3). Spring only.
LT301. Advanced
Latin: A course at the advanced level with a vocabulary
stretch and arcane points of grammar. Readings may include: Ovid's
Metamorphoses, lyric poetry by Catullus, Propertius, Tibullus and
Ovid, satire by Horace or Juvenal, the comedies of Plautus and
Terence. This course is repeatable for credit. Prerequisite: LT 203
and 204, placement into the 300 level, or permission of the
instructor. (U)(3). Spring even-numbered years.
LT360. Topics in Latin: In-depth
study of works not covered in earlier courses. This course is
repeatable for credit. Prerequisite: LT 203 and 204, placement into
the 300 level, or permission of instructor. (U)(3). Spring
odd-numbered years.
LT400, 401, 402. Independent
Study: Directed reading in Latin. Consult head of
department before registering. (U/G)(1, 2, 3). Fall and spring.
LT499. Honors Thesis: Thesis
Research (U)(3). Fall and spring.
GK101: Elementary Greek
I:Introductory course which prepares students to read the New
Testament and the works of Homer, Sophocles, Plato and others.
(U)(4). Occasionally.
GK102. Elementary Greek
II: Introductory course which prepares students to read
the New Testament and works of Homer, Sophocles, Plato and others.
GK101 is a prerequisite. (U)(4). Occasionally.
GK203. Intermediate Ancient Greek:
A course at the intermediate level, with emphasis on vocabulary
acquisition. Material will be chosen for accessibility. Readings
may include: Euripides' Alcestis, Plato's Crito, selections from
Homer's Iliad or Herodotus' History or Lysias' speeches, or
selections from the New Testament in Koine Greek. Prerequisite: GK
101 and 102 or placement at the 200 level. (U)(3).
Occasionally.
GK204. Intermediate Greek: A
course at the intermediate level, with emphasis on vocabulary
acquisition. Material will be chosen for accessibility. Readings
may include: Euripides' Alcestis, Plato's Crito, selections from
Homer's Iliad or Herodotus' History or Lysias' speeches, or
selections from the New Testament in Koine Greek. Prerequisite: GK
101 and 102 or placement at the 200 level. (U)(3).
Occasionally.
GK301. Advanced Ancient Greek: A
course at the advanced level with a vocabulary stretch and arcane
points of grammar. Readings may include: tragedies of Aeschylus,
Sophocles or Euripides; Plato's Apology, Symposium, Phaedrus or
selections from the Republic; Thucydides Peloponnesian War. This
course is repeatable for credit. The author will change each
semester. Prerequisite: GK 203 and 204, placement into the 300
level, or the permission of the instructor. (U)(3).
Occasionally.
GK360. Topics in Ancient
Greek: In-depth study of works not covered in earlier
courses. This course is repeatable for credit. Prerequisite: GK 203
and 204, placement into the 300 level, or permission of instructor.
(U)(3). Occasionally.
GK400, 401, 402. Independent
Study: Directed reading in Greek. Consult head of
department before registering. (U)(1,2,3). Occasionally.
GK499. Honors
Thesis: Thesis Research (U)(3). Fall and spring.
Classical Studies Courses
CLA301. Epic Poetry: An
in-depth study of the ancient epic. Course will focus on Homer's
Iliad, Homer's Odyssey or Virgil's Aeneid. Other material will be
brought in as background. (U)(3). Spring even-numbered years.
CLA302. Lyric Poetry/Love
Poetry: An in-depth study of ancient love poetry. Course
will focus on love poetry in Greek and Latin. Other ancient love
poetry (Hebrew, Sanskrit, Chinese) may be included. (U)(3). Fall
odd-numbered years.
CLA303. Drama on the Ancient
Stage: Course may focus on Greek or Roman tragedy or
comedy. Performance may be part of the course. (U)(3). Fall
even-numbered years.
CLA304. History of Ancient
Philosophy: A study of important figures of ancient
philosophy, with particular emphasis on Plato and Aristotle.
Prerequisite: One philosophy course or permission of instructor.
(U)(3). Every third semester.
CLA360. Topics in Classics: In-depth study of
special topics not covered in regular courses. (U)(3). Spring only.
Past topics have included:
- Transformations in Mythology
- Ancient Law
CLA400, 401, 402. Independent
Study:Individual study of a specific topic in Classics
that does not involve the reading of Latin or Greek
texts.(U)(1,2,3). Occasionally.
Courses Offered Through Other Departments
HS 326. Sex, Gender, Love and Friendship in the
Classical World: Examines classical Mediterranean culture
from the inside out. Course focuses upon dimensions of private life
and interplay between private and public worlds. Discussion/seminar
format. (U/G)(3)
PO 381. Ancient and Medieval Political
Thought: This course examines the foundation of
Western political thought and considers the ways in which the
successors of a tradition simultaneously criticize and incorporate
the work of their predecessors as they seek to construct new
theories of politics. (U-G) (3)