Herodotus Discusssion II (for Tuesday, October 1)

Please skim Books 3 and 7 of Herodotus' Histories. You might find particularly helpful Book III, Section 80 and Book VII, Sections 10-20, 28, 35, 51, 61, 135 and 140.

We've agreed that a good history should be interesting--and, occasionally, funny as well. From these sections, pick out a Herodotus story that seems to you to be particularly interesting or particularly amusing. Explain why you like this particular story.

Remembers that the midterm study guide lists HERODOTUS STORY I, HERODOTUS STORY II, HERODOTUS STORY III, and HERODOTUS STORY IV as potential ID's.  As you read through the material, be sure to look for Herodotus stories you can use for these ID's  They should be stories that either show Herodotus' strengths or weaknesses as a historian.

Herodotus' Persian War (Discussion I--Thursday, 9-26)

Please read as much of you can of Books I and II of Herodotus' Persian War. Concentrate especially on Sections 1-14 of Book I and Sections 10-27, 123-131, 160, and 174 of Book II.

Suppose that, instead of looking for a poet, Zeus and Dionysus were trying to find a great historian to bring back with them to Olympus. Cite a story or two from Herodotus showing why he might be a good candidate for the spot, and explain how this material shows Herodotus' strengths as a historian. If you're not impressed with Herodotus, cite a passage that shows why he ought to be left in Hades.

Plutarch's Life of Solon (extra credit)

Plutarch's "Life of Solon" is an important source for both Solon and Pisistratos. For extra credit, read this abridged version of Plutarch's Life of Solon.  What do you see here that makes Solon worth comparing to a legendary figure like Theseus? 

 

Plutarch's Life of Theseus (Extra Credit)

Plutarch wrote his Life of Theseus more than 1000 years after the real Theseus (if there was one) died, and Plutarch knows his sources aren't always reliable.  He tells the story anyway. A good choice?  What do you find particularly interesting/helpful to a historian in this treatment of (mostly) legendary material?

Sparta--Extra Credit

Plutarch's Life of Lycurgus, a work written more than 500 years after the time of Lycurgus, isn't a terribly reliable source, but it at least reflects what many of the Greeks thought about the earliest days of Sparta and the great Spartan law giver.  The abridged version here is well worth the 10 or fifteen minutes it will take you to read, as is this version for children.. However, to get a better picture of Sparta, you should also read this Sparta Reconsidered article.

Comment on either of these two sources here, noting what the source suggests is unusual in Spartan society and why that unusual feature may have well suited Spartan needs.  If you comment on both linked selections, please put your responses in separate comments: you'll get extra credit for both.

 

Iliad Discussion III

For Tuesday's class, I will cover the final chapters of the Iliad (Books XVIII-XXIV). I would like you to read this excellent (and short) summary of the Iliad and then Books 22,23 and/or 24. Concentrate on finding evidence to address the following prompt rather than trying to figure out the story line.

Christians and Jews turn to the Bible as a source of comfort in difficult circumstances: "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." Does Homer offer any similar consolation? Are there key lines here showing how one can/should face loss, fear, death, and destruction?

Iliad Discussion II (Thursday, September 5)

We will move on to Books VII-XVII of the Iliad Thursday.  You can skim over the descriptions of the actual fighting if you like These scenes are exciting, but it's not essential for you to try to follow the ebb and flow of the battles: I'll summarize that for you in class. Books 9 (pp. 216-235) ,14 (pp. 315-329.  15 (pp. 330-350), and 16 (pp. 351-374)  are probably the most helpful in giving you material for your potential exam essay.  That's 75 pages.  Still too much?  I want quality over quantity, so figure out what's manageable for you, even if it's only one chapter.

For the blog here, choose one incident/passage  from these books that reminds you of something in the Bible or that differs substantially from the kind of thing one might expect to find in a Bible and explain your choice, noting how this passage shows the Iliad to be either like the Bible or quite different.

You might look especially at the attempts to mend the relationship between Agamemnon and Achilles, the very odd scene between Zeus and Hera, and Zeus' lament about fate.