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Department of Classics
Mather House
Phone 368-2348; Fax 368-4681
Donald R. Laing, Jr.
The Department of Classics offers courses in the Greek and Latin languages and literatures, in ancient history, and in various other aspects of the culture and life of ancient Greece and Rome. In general, the purpose of the department is to provide the means by which students may acquaint themselves with the character and achievements of the ancient classical civilization of the Mediterranean world, which was the cultural progenitor of the modern West. A knowledge of classical antiquity constitutes an excellent base or a strong supplement for the liberal education or professional preparation of today's student, no matter in what field he or she may ultimately earn a livelihood. Such knowledge is also a valuable source of enrichment for the student's leisure. A major in classics, or even a minor may be, as it often has been, profitably combined with programs aimed toward religious, philosophic, literary, or historical studies, careers in the fine arts (visual or performing), museum or archival work, law, medicine, banking, journalism, librarianship, management, diplomatic service, or politics.
Donald R. Laing, Jr., Ph.D. (University of Cincinnati)
Associate Professor and Chair
Ancient history and historical literature; epigraphy
Martin Helzle, Ph.D. (Cambridge University, England)
Assistant Professor
Latin language and literature; Augustan poetry
Michael Altschul, Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins University)
Professor, History
Roman history and civilization
John J. Phillips, Ph.D. (Yale University), J.D. (Northwestern University)
Adjunct Assistant Professor; Assistant University Attorney
Classical languages and literature
The classics major leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree requires 36 hours of departmental offerings. In addition, each student completing the classics major will be strongly advised to choose a related minor selected in consultation with and approved by the departmental adviser.
Courses from the Department of Classics (36 hours):
Eight courses (24 hours) in either Greek or Latin or a combination of both, provided that at least three courses are included from the most advanced level in one of the languages.
Four classics courses, of which at least two must be numbered above 300.
Recommended additional courses outside the Department of Classics (12 to 18 hours):
We strongly advocate the addition of four to six courses in a closely related field to be selected by the student in consultation with the departmental adviser. Examples of closely related fields are anthropology, art history, philosophy, comparative literature, history, theater, and English. A second major or a minor in one of these fields will normally satisfy this recommendation.
The minor programs in the Department of Classics are designed to acquaint the student with aspects of the ancient civilization of Greece and Rome by means of a coherent sequence of 15 to 18 hours of course work. In order that the knowledge acquired may have the potential for depth and provide access to primary materials, some study of one or both of the classical languages is required in every minor program. The student may choose one of three basic patterns:
Nine hours from courses in Latin above the 102 level, plus six hours from:
- CLSC 112 Classical Civilization: Rome (3)
- CLSC 201 The Ancient World (3)
- CLSC 304 Ancient Rome: Republic and Empire(3)
- CLSC 395 Directed Readings (1-3)
Twelve hours in the Greek language, plus three hours from:
CLSC 111 Classical Civilization: Greece (3)
CLSC 201 The Ancient World (3)
CLSC 301 Ancient Philosophy (3)
CLSC 302 Ancient Greece: Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic Periods (3)
(Requires consultation with departmental adviser)
Any two Latin or any two Greek courses, CLSC 111 or CLSC 112, or CLSC 201.
Three courses from:
CLSC 226 Introduction to Greek and Roman Art (3)
- CLSC 228 Theater History I (3)
- CLSC 301 Ancient Philosophy (3)
- CLSC 302 Ancient Greece: Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic Periods (3)
- CLSC 304 Ancient Rome: Republic and Empire (3)
- CLSC 305 Selected Topics in Philosophy (3)
- Courses in Greek and Roman art at the 300 level
Any of these minor programs may be varied to suit the needs of the individual student, subject to the availability of other courses, after consultation with the chairman and with the approval of the student's major adviser.
A student may, with the consent of his or her major adviser, design and propose a more radically different minor in classics suited to his or her particular needs, with the approval of the department and such other curricular authorities as may be required.
All sequences should include CLSC 111, 112, and two courses in either Greek or Roman culture. Students should consult with the adviser (Professor Laing) on the development of an acceptable sequence. The following are sample programs:
- CLSC 111 Classical Civilization: Greece (3)
- CLSC 112 Classical Civilization: Rome (3)
- CLSC 203 Classical Literature I (3)
- CLSC 302 Ancient Greece: Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods (3)
- CLSC 111 Classical Civilization: Greece (3)
- CLSC 112 Classical Civilization: Rome (3)
- CLSC 204 Classical Literature II (3)
- CLSC 304 Ancient Rome: Republic and Empire (3)
A student desiring to earn the Bachelor of Arts degree with departmental honors in classics must make written application to the department chairman no later than May 1 of the junior year. Permission to enter the Honors Program will be granted to majors who have earned an overall grade point average of 3.0 and an average of 3.25 in departmental offerings. Each candidate for honors must enroll in CLSC 381 in each semester of the senior year for a total of six hours credit and must pass a departmental examination on the work completed. A wide range of projects is available, and every attempt is made to suit the project to the interests and individual strengths of the candidate. Some projects require the completion of a thesis as the culmination of study; others employ different demonstrations of competence.
Classics (CLSC)
* Consult department chairman if you are uncertain about prerequisites. Ability to read Greek and Latin is not required.
CLSC 111. Classical Civilization I: Greece (3).
The enduring significance of the Greeks and Romans studied through their history, literature, art, and philosophy. Lectures and discussion. CLSC 111 and 112 may be used to satisfy the Western Reserve Core requirement in history and culture.
CLSC 112. Classical Civilization II: Rome (3).
The enduring significance of the Greeks and Romans studied through their history, literature, art, and philosophy. Lectures and discussion. CLSC 111 and 112 may be used to satisfy the Western Reserve Core requirement in history and culture.
CLSC 201. The Ancient World (3).
(Also listed as HSTY 200.) Ancient history from the origins of civilization in Mesopotamia to the dissolution of the Roman Empire in the West.
CLSC 202B. Classical Mythology (3).
The myths of Classical Greece and Rome, their subsequent influence, and the problems connected with them.
CLSC 203. Classical Literature I: Human Ideals and Accomplishments (3).
First half of a year-long sequence that examines human ideals and accomplishments found in the literature of Greek and Roman antiquity. Concepts important in Classical culture and transmitted to European thought. The development of the literary genres of epic, tragedy, comedy, history, philosophical dialogue, satire, the novel, and apologia. CLSC 203 and 204 may be used to satisfy the Western Reserve Core requirement in literature and arts.
CLSC 204. Classical Literature II: Human Ideals and Accomplishments (3).
Second half of a year-long sequence that examines human ideals and accomplishments found in the literature of Greek and Roman antiquity. Concepts important in Classical culture and transmitted to European thought. The development of the literary genres of epic, tragedy, comedy, history, philosophical dialogue, satire, the novel, and apologia. CLSC 203 and 204 may be used to satisfy the Western Reserve Core requirement in literature and arts.
CLSC 226. Introduction to Greek and Roman Art (3).
(Also listed as ARTH 226.) Classical art from the eighth century B.C. to the fourth century A.D.; the major developments in the architecture, sculpture, and painting of ancient Greece, Etruria, and Rome.
CLSC 227. Ancient Cities and Sanctuaries (3).
(Also listed as ARTH 227.) A selection of cities and sanctuaries from the ancient Near East, the Aegean, Greece, Etruria, and Rome; their political and religious institutions and their relationship to contemporary art forms.
CLSC 228. Theater History I (3).
(Also listed as CMPL 228, THTR 228.) A course designed to acquaint the student with the major periods of western theater history, including the Greek, Roman, Medieval, European Renaissance, and Baroque. Prerequisite: THTR 123 and 124 or CLSC 203 and 204.
CLSC 295 (A,B).
Greek and Latin Elements in English. A self-paced, computer-assisted course in the classical foundations of modern English in which the student learns the basic principles on which roots, prefixes, and suffixes combine to give precise meanings to composite words. Advanced section oriented especially toward scientific and medical terminology. Available on CWRUnet.
CLSC 295A. The Basic Course (1.5).
CLSC 295B. Biomedical Terminology (1.5).
Prerequisite: CLSC 295A.
CLSC 301. Ancient Philosophy (3).
(Also listed as PHIL 301.) Western philosophy from the early Greeks to the Skeptics. The Pre-Socratics, Plato, and Aristotle. Prerequisite: PHIL 101 or consent of instructor.
CLSC 302. Ancient Greece: Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic Periods (3).
(Also listed as HSTY 302.) The rise of Hellenic thought and institutions from the eighth to the third century B.C. The rise of the polis, the evolution of democracy at Athens, the crises of the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, fifth-century historiography, the growth of individualism, and the revival of monarchy in the Hellenistic period.
CLSC 304. Ancient Rome: Republic and Empire (3).
(Also listed as HSTY 304.) Growth and development of the Roman state from the unification of Italy in the early third century B.C. to the establishment of the oriental despotism under Diocletian and Constantine. The growth of empire in the Punic Wars, the uncertain step toward an eastern hegemony, the crisis in the Republic from the Gracci to Caesar, the New Regime of Augustus, the transformations of the leadership class in the early Empire, and the increasing dominance of the military over the civil structure.
CLSC 305. Selected Topics in Philosophy (3).
(Also listed as PHIL 315.) Examination of views of a major philosopher or philosophical school, a significant philosophical topic, or a topic that relates to philosophy and another discipline. Prerequisite: PHIL 101 or consent of instructor.
CLSC 314. Poetics of Eros: Love Poetry from Sappho to Shakespeare (3).
(Also listed as CMPL 314.) Introduction to the love poetry of ancient Greece and Rome and its impact on the later European tradition in such poets as Petrarch, Chaucer, and Shakespeare. Readings focus especially on questions of generic convention, audience expectation, and the social setting of love poetry in the different ages under consideration. No knowledge of the original language is required.
CLSC 315. Greek Political Thought (3).
Greek theory of the state, law, the organization of society, and the role of the individual citizen. Plato's Laws and Aristotle's Politics and the way the Greeks faced the complex problem of the place of the citizen and his basic rights within the structure of the state.
CLSC 316. Roman Law (3).
The making and the growth of law in ancient Rome. The actual body of the law with the constitutional and administrative structures which gave it force; the survival of the Civil Law into the Middle Ages and its influence in modern times.
CLSC 328. Greek Sculpture (3).
(Also listed as ARTH 328.) Greek sculpture from the Archaic period through the Hellenistic; style, the development of specific types, and the uses of architectural sculpture.
CLSC 332. Art and Archaeology of Ancient Italy (3).
(Also listed as ARTH 332.) The arts of the Italian peninsula from the 8th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D., with emphasis on recent archaeological discoveries. Lectures deal with architecture, sculpture, painting, and the decorative arts supplemented by gallery tours at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
CLSC 333. Greek and Roman Painting (3).
(Also listed as ARTH 333.) Greek vase painting, Etruscan tomb painting, and Roman wall painting. The development of monumental painting in Antiquity.
CLSC 381. Special Studies (1-6).
Subject matter varies according to need. Supervised by the department chairman. Prerequisites: 18 hours in the Department of Classics. May be offered only with the approval and under the supervision of the chairman.
CLSC 395. Directed Readings (1-3).
Readings in English on a topic of interest to the student and acceptable to the instructor. Designed and completed under the supervision of the instructor with whom the student wishes to work.
CLSC 481. Special Studies (1-6).
Subject matter varies according to need. Supervised by the department chairman. Prerequisite: Approval of the department chairman.
Greek (GREK)
GREK 101, 102. Elementary Greek I, II (3,3).
Beginning course in Greek language, covering grammar (forms and syntax) and the reading of elementary selections from ancient sources. Makes a start toward reading Greek authors. (Both GREK 101 and 102 must be completed to obtain credit.)
GREK 201. Greek Prose Authors (3).
Authors such as Plato, Lysias, Xenophon, and Herodotus. Prerequisite: GREK 102 or equivalent.
GREK 202. Introduction to Greek Poetry (3).
Selections from Greek lyric and from such other poets as Homer, Hesiod, and Theocritus. Prerequisite: GREK 201 or equivalent.
GREK 305. Readings in Ancient Philosophy: Plato (3).
Reading and interpretation of selected dialogues by Plato or of other philosophical works. Prerequisite: GREK 202 or equivalent.
GREK 306. Tragedy (3).
Reading and interpretation of selected plays of Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles. Prerequisite: GREK 202 or equivalent.
GREK 307. History (3).
Extensive reading in Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, especially Books VI and VII, the expedition against Syracuse. Prerequisite: At least two years' study of Classical Greek (through GREK 202 or the equivalent).
GREK 308. Comedy (3).
Origin, ambiance, and development of Greek Old Comedy and persisting characteristics of the genre. Translation of selected plays from Greek into English. Prerequisite: GREK 202 or equivalent.
GREK 311. Homer (3).
Reading and translation of extensive selections from the Odyssey. Introduction to the epic meter, to Homeric Greek, and to the poet's style. Consideration of evidences of oral composition and discussion of the heroic tradition. Prerequisite: GREK 202 or equivalent.
GREK 380. Advanced Topics in Greek Literature (3).
Study and discussion of important authors, works, and topics not covered regularly. Content will reflect particular interests of students and faculty and timeliness of the topics. Prerequisite: GREK 202 or equivalent.
GREK 395. Directed Readings (1-3).
Readings in Greek of authors selected to serve the individual interests and needs of undergraduate students. Each program planned and completed under the supervision of the instructor with whom the student wishes to work.
Latin (LATN)
LATN 101, 102. Elementary Latin I, II (3,3).
An introduction to the elements of Latin; pronunciation, forms, syntax, vocabulary, and reading. (Both LATN 101 and 102 must be completed to obtain credit.)
LATN 201. Latin Prose Authors (3).
Reading and discussion of such prose authors as Caesar and Cicero. Prerequisite: LATN 102 or equivalent.
LATN 202. Vergil (3).
Primarily readings from the Aeneid; selections from Vergil's other work may he introduced at instructor's discretion. Prerequisite: LATN 201 or equivalent.
LATN 305. Literature of the Republic (3).
A reading course in prose and poetry of the Roman Republic. Extensive selections from Cicero and Catullus, and one comedy of Terence. Prerequisite: LATN 202 or equivalent.
LATN 306. Survey of Latin Literature (3).
Reading and discussion of selections from the various genres of Latin literature of the Roman Republic and Empire such as historical narrative, lyric and elegiac poetry, comic drama, forensic rhetoric, philosophical dialogue, didactic literature, letters, and epigrams. Prerequisite: Three or four years of high school Latin, or LATN 102 and consent of instructor, or LATN 202 or equivalent.
LATN 307. Livy (3).
Readings in Books I and XXI, with other selections from this major Augustan historian. Prerequisite: LATN 202 or equivalent.
LATN 308. Horace: Odes and Epodes (3).
Reading and discussion of extensive selections from the poetry of Horace; consideration of Horace as exemplifying the spirit of the Augustan Age. Prerequisite: LATN 202 or equivalent.
LATN 309. Medieval Latin Translation (3).
Reading and interpretation of Latin texts from the Middle Ages. Material selected according to the needs and interests of the students. Prerequisite: LATN 202 or equivalent.
LATN 351. Latin Didactic Literature (3).
Reading and interpretation of such works as Lucretius, De rerum natura, Vergil's Georgics, or the philosophical works of Cicero and Seneca. Prerequisite: LATN 202 or equivalent.
LATN 352. History (3).
Works of Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus; his Annals I-VI dealing with his portrait of Emperor Tiberius and empire after death of Augustus. Prerequisite: LATN 202 or equivalent.
LATN 353. Epic (3).
Extensive readings in Latin epic poetry, probably Vergil's Aeneid. Particular attention to the artistic and literary qualities of the work and to the development of Latin epic tradition. Prerequisite: Two 300-level LATN courses.
LATN 354. Drama (3).
Reading of at least one play each by Plautus and Terence. Attention to the history of Latin drama, the relation of Latin to Greek New Comedy, and the contrasting style of the two authors. Prerequisite: LATN 202 or equivalent.
LATN 356. Elegiac Poetry (3).
Translation and interpretation of selected elegies by Tibullus, Propertius, and Ovid. Prerequisite: LATN 202 or equivalent.
LATN 380. Advanced Topics in Latin Literature (3).
Study and discussion of important authors, works, and topics not covered regularly. Content will reflect particular interests of students and faculty and timeliness of topics. Prerequisite: LATN 202 or equivalent.
LATN 395. Directed Readings (1-3).
Directed readings in Latin of authors selected to serve the individual interests and needs of undergraduate students. Each program planned and completed under the supervision of the instructor with whom the student wishes to work.
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