Ideas in the Western Tradition

HISTORY 013

Ideas in the Western Tradition

Fall 2003

216 L/L Commons

MWF 2:30-3:20

TEXTS:

Danny Jackson, trans., The Epic of Gilgamesh
Robin Waterfield, ed., The First Philosophers: The Presocratics and Sophists
Herodotus, On the War for Greek Freedom
Thucydides, On Justice, Power, and Human Nature
David Grene and Richmond Lattimore, edd., Greek Tragedies Volume 1
Plato, Aristophanes, Xenophon, The Trials of Socrates
Cicero, The Nature of the Gods, On Obligations
Seneca, The Stoic Philosophy of Seneca
Augustine, Political Writings

There will also be xeroxes and on-line reading assignments from time to time
Assignments listed under each date are to be read by or before the date.

Information on Papers

The Final

If anyone wants to read a short history of the ancient world, including the ancient Near East and going down to the fall of Rome, here are two suggestions (each is out of print, but available used from amazon.com; neither is in the UVM library; there is one copy of each in my office):

Michael Cheilik, Ancient History. From its beginnings to the fall of Rome.(no pictures) (235 pages of text + chronological table, bibliography, index)
Tom B. Jones, From the Tigris to the Tiber. An introduction to ancient history.(has pictures) (329 pages of text + bibliography, index)

NOTE: THIS SYLLABUS IS PROVISIONAL, SO PLEASE DON'T PRINT IT OUT AND TREAT IT AS IMMUTABLE.

September
3 Introduction. Background of ancient Mediterranean history

Epic

5 Gilgamesh Tablets I-VIII (pp. 1-56; it wouldn't hurt to read the Introduction)

Professor Mark Usher will visit class to discuss orality and Homer

8 Homer, Hesiod, and the Near East
Gilgamesh Tablets IX-XII (pp. 57-96); Herodotus 2.50-53

To read Herodotus on the web, go to Perseus

Wondering about Things

10 Natural Philosophy, the Scrutiny of Nature
The First Philosophers The Milesians and Heraclitus (also Preface and Introduction to the book, if you have time; note Timeline beginning on p. xliii)

Map of the World according to Hecataeus of Miletus

12 The First Philosophers Xenophanes, Parmenides and Zeno

15 The First Philosophers Pythagoras and Empedocles

17 The First Philosophers The Atomists

History and Epic

19 Herodotus I-III (pp. 1-50)

Map of the World known to Herodotus

22 Herodotus IV-VI (pp. 51-98)

Outline of Books 1 and 5 of Herodotus

24 Herodotus VII-VIII (pp. 99-137)

26 Herodotus VIII-IX, Epilogue (pp. 137-189)

History and Tragedy

29 Thucydides 1-2 (pp. 1-37); The First Philosophers Anaxagoras and Protagoras

October
1 Thucydides 3-4 (pp. 39-87)

3 Thucydides 5-7b (pp. 89-123)

Two translations of the stasis at Corcyra

6 Thucydides 7c-8 (pp. 123-160); Gorgias

The School of Hellas

8 Sophocles Antigone

10 Fall recess

13 Sophocles Oedipus the King

15 Euripides Hippolytus

Bringing philosophy down from the heavens

17 Aristophanes Clouds

20 Plato Euthyphro; Xenophon Socrates' Defense

Professor Jacques Bailly will visit the class to discuss Socrates

22 Plato Apology

24 No class; VCLA day

Greece transformed

A brief chronology of events in the history of Greece from the very end of the Peloponnesian War to the destruction of Corinth by Rome in 146 BCE.

27 Demosthenes First Philippic; Polybius 1.1-11, 62-64; 3.1-12; 4.17-21, 38-45; 5.104; 6.2-11, 43-57; 36.9 and 17

Map of the World known to Eratosthenes

You may read very detailed online lectures on early Roman history by Christopher Mackay at this link, and on the history of the later Republic at this link. Scroll down the page to get to the links for individual topics.

29 Cicero The Dream of Scipio; On Obligations book 2

31 Cicero On Obligations book 3

November
3 Cicero On the Nature of the Gods book 2

5 Cicero On the Nature of the Gods book 3

Rome transformed

Online lectures on Roman imperial history by Christopher Mackay at this link, and on the history of the later Empire at this link. Scroll down the page to get to the links for individual topics.

7 Livy Preface; Seneca On Providence, On the Shortness of Life

10 Seneca On Clemency, Letters 41, 47, 65, 70, 76

12 Professor William Mierse of the Art Department will visit the class

14 Seneca Letters 89, 90, 92, 102, 124

17 Tacitus Death of Seneca; Marcus Aurelius Meditations

19 The Gospel of Nicodemus

21 Ammianus Marcellinus On the inhabitants of Rome; Adrianople; Symmachus On the Altar of Victory; Ambrose's reply: Ep. 17

24 Athanasius Life of Antony

December
1 Augustine The City of God books 1-5

3 Augustine The City of God books 19 and 22 and pp. 202-217

5 Augustine pp. 218-247

8 Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks books 1 and 2

10 Abelard Prologue to Sic et Non; Historia Calamitatum

16 (Tuesday) 4:00 final exam

Final grade is based upon class participation, three papers, and final examination (20% each). Paper topics will be posted later. The papers are due 10 October, 10 November, 10 December.

Office location: 481 Main Street room 301

Office hours: Mon. 10:00-11:00, Wed. 9:00-10:00, Fri. 3:30-4:30, and by appointment
Telephone 656-4607
e-mail: bsaylor@zoo.uvm.edu