Homer

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Homer’s Odyssey is one of the most influential works of the western tradition. This course builds on Intermediate Greek to provide a solid introduction to Homer, looking at the language, meter, poetics, narrative, and tradition of the Odyssey. At its core is a reading program in Greek which will focus primarily on the Apologoi, Odysseus’ narration of his journeys in Books 9-12. In addition we will read the entire poem in translation. Over the course of our study, we will examine how Odysseus’ encounters with the Cyclops Polyphemos, the sorceress Circe, the god Helios, and the suitors of Penelope reflect the important Greek institution of xenia, the guest-host relationship, upon which the framework of the Odyssey is established. The study of the primary text will be supplemented by a selection of secondary literature as we investigate what the epic hero’s journey reveals about core cultural concepts, including leadership, societal and familial duty, gender roles, hospitality, alterity, and mortality. Intermediate Greek (or equivalent) is a prerequisite for this course.