USING THE COURSE WEBSITE
The website includes extensive course notes
that I have written to help you understand, interpret, and appreciate
the works we will study together. There are also links to supplementary
material and illustrations of works of art. You will be responsible
for checking it regularly, and following the
instructions to print out class notes. Read the preparatory
materials before each assignment, and bring the printed notes to class.
I will periodically add material including samples of strong answers
from tests and quizzes, lecture notes, and images. These will be
announced in class and through the MyUSF/Blackboard
site, and links
to new material will be highlighted on the homepage.
These are the main types of notes:
- GOALS: For each class or pair of classes, I briefly
describe the principal
goals of the reading assignment and class lecture/discussion.
- OUTLINES: I have outlined the Iliad and the Aeneid to give you an overview of
the assigned sections and to cover
the parts that we skip. I have also written an outline and short
commentary for book one of the Republic,
and provided a brief selection of “Bible
Highlights”. The outlines will help you prepare for
class, but they do not substitute for the assigned readings.
- COMMENTARIES: I have provided commentaries on the
readings for several classes, particularly on the Iliad, the Trial of Socrates, Plato's Republic, and the Aeneid . You will be expected to
read these notes before class, and you will be responsible for this
material.
- ART AND HISTORY: I have also provided outlines, lists of
terms and additional historical information for classes that deal with
art
and architecture, or with the historical context for the assigned
readings,
e.g, Greek Pottery Painting
.
- STUDY QUESTIONS: I provide "STUDY QUESTIONS" for the
first classes on the Iliad to guide you through a careful reading of
the
text. These are mainly informational questions which focus on
"what
happens".
- DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: These are provided in the
course notes to help you "INTERPRET AND APPRECIATE" the works we read,
or
to help you analyze the works of art we study. Some of these questions
invite you to compare works, and they will help you link the different
parts of the course. I will address many of these questions in lectures
on the assigned readings, and they will help you prepare for tests. You
may also wish to address these questions on the listserv.
- KEY TERMS: These include important terms and
characters from the readings and class presentations, important works
of art, and important historical figures. Other important terms are
CAPITALIZED in the outlines and commentaries. For the Iliad, I have
provided a “Cast of Characters ” to
help you through the readings.
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"FOOD FOR THOUGHT": These questions encourage you to
relate the course material to contemporary issues. You may wish to
comment upon them on the listserv.
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Even though we may not address every question or
cover all of the material in the notes, I hope that they will help each
of you to pursue your own interests and make your study of ancient and
medieval culture a more interesting, enjoyable and rewarding experience.
Revised Sept. 1, 2006