Course: Great Books: Ancient Greece and Rome

Grade: 9

Credits: 2

A. Course Description:

Great Books: Ancient Greece and Rome is a survey of great western literature and historical sources from the Greek and Roman Eras.

B. Course Objectives/Methods:

This course is an in depth exploration of the Philosophy, Literature, and History of the classical Greeks and Romans and surrounding cultures. Great emphasis is placed on understanding each author and work in their historical context. Classes are conducted using the Socratic method to encourage independent research and critical thinking skills.

C. Course Goals:

Students will be able to do the Following:

  • Take organized and useful reading notes and reading outlines;
  • Take organized and useful classroom notes;
  • Accurately paraphrase daily readings in speech and writing;
  • Define key philosophic terms;
  • Identify the basic worldview of each author or work read;
  • Break down difficult ideas in course material into an organized and lucid manner both verbally and in writing;
  • Relate ideas raised in course to modern events and contexts in discussion and writing;
  • Critically analyze, in discussion and writing, authors' ideas from Scriptural perspective;
  • Specify and explain the influence of the works studied on culture, especially as the students see it in their own contexts and worldviews.

D. Teacher Materials:

Class notes, outlines. See required student texts.

E. Student Texts:

Baldwin, J.F. The Deadliest Monster. Fishermen Press. ISBN: 0972089039. (Only available at Amazon.com)

Hesiod. Works and Days trans. David W. Tandy and Walter C. Neal. University of California Press. ISBN: 0520203844

Homer. The Odyssey. trans. D.S. Robert Fitzgerald.  Farrar, Straus and Giroux; Seventh edition. ISBN: 0374525749

Sophocles. The Oedipus Cycle: Oedipus Rex; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone. trans. Robert Fitzgerald. Harvest Books. ISBN: 1581347537.

Plato. Great Dialogues of Plato. trans. W.H.D. Rouse. Signet Classics. ISBN: 0451530853

The Gospel of John ESV Translation. ISBN: 1581347537

Aristotle. The Basic Works of Aristotle. ed. Richard McKeon. Modern Library. ISBN: 0375757996

Virgil. The Aeneid. trans. Robert Fitzgerald. Vintage. ISBN: 0679729526

Suetonius. The Twelve Caesars. trans. Robert Graves. Penguin Classics. ISBN: 0140449213

The Acts of the Apostles ESV Translation.

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