GREEK 1
This course introduces students to the rudiments of Attic Greek. Memorization of forms, vocabulary and syntax are stressed in order to facilitate the reading of unadapted Greek texts as quickly as possible. By the year’s end, students should be reading selected passages from Attic prose authors.

INTERMEDIATE GREEK
This course features review of material from Greek 1 and continues to round out the students’ knowledge of Greek forms and syntax. Students refine their skills through translation of selections from a variety of authors, including Herodotus, Plato, and Aristophanes, and explore the different styles and expressions employed by each. The course is intended to provide students with the skills and confidence to move on to more intensive exploration of specific Greek texts. Prerequisite: Greek 1

OEDIPUS UNBOUND
Few works of literature in any genre are so burdened by the weight of criticism as Sophocles’s Oedipus Tyrranos. The very mention of the name unleashes a torrent of BIG IDEAS: tragic hero, tragic flaw, recognition, reversal, wish fulfillment, subconscious desire, Oedipal Complex, catharsis, mimesis, hubris, etc. It is nearly impossible to read the play without Aristotle, Freud, Knox, Adorno and a host of others whispering in our ears. To combat these unwanted intrusions into our own personal understanding of the play itself, this course focuses on detailed translation of the entire play in its original language. We develop our morphological and syntactical understanding of the Greek language, thereby allowing the events, themes, and problems of the text to reveal themselves more clearly. Also, we discuss Greek tragedy in broader terms, looking at the cultural context that spawned it, along with issues of staging, performance, and poetic style. Short translations may be done of any of the following: Aristotle, Plato, Aristophanes, Empedocles, and some lyric poets. Selections of literary criticism are also read. The course consists mostly of translation, with a few short interpretive responses along the way.

HOMER’S ODYSSEY
What exactly is an odyssey? What does it mean to complete the loop of “nostos”? Can one ever return home? By reading selections of Homer’s Odyssey we consider the major critical problems of the text, examining Homer’s meter, formula, and the poetics of nostos, eros, and dike. Through a careful study of Homer’s language, including Homeric morphology and grammar, students engage Homer’s poem and begin to discover the complicated narrative that is The Odyssey. Prerequisite: Greek Drama & Lyric

FROM HESIOD TO ARISTOTLE: A BRIEF SURVEY OF GREEK PHILOSOPHY
Throughout their history, the Greeks constantly examined the nature of their existence within the realms of science and nature. Questions of identity fascinated them, and the intellectual sparring that took place over the course of centuries among mentors, students and rivals has left a legacy of richly developed, thought provoking visions of humanity. This course focuses on the development of thought from the pre-Socratic period through Plato’s writings, ending with a foray into Aristotle. Heavy emphasis is placed on translation as well as on discussion of the arguments posited by each author. Prerequisite: Homer

 
LATIN

LATIN 1
This course introduces the student to the basics of Latin forms and syntax. Memorization of forms and syntax is stressed in order to facilitate the reading of Latin literature as quickly as possible. Readings are selected from Cicero, Caesar, Martial and others. The course also covers background material on mythology, history, and Roman life.

LATIN POETRY, PROSE, DRAMA & THE NOVEL
Designed as a bridge between the introductory Latin course and specialized electives, this course emphasizes facility in reading and translating Latin authors, studying the literary forms we read, and using textual evidence to gain insight into life in the ancient world. Authors include Cicero, Ovid, Plautus, Sallust, Livy, Catullus, Horace, Caesar, Vergil, and others. The course also intensively reviews Latin grammar and syntax.

THE AENEID: VERGIL AND THE LATIN EPIC
This course is open to students who have completed Poetry, Prose, Drama & the Novel, or its equivalent. The Aeneid is the Roman epic that charts the mythohistorical founding of the Roman people and state. Books I, II, IV, VI, X and XII of the Aeneid are read in Latin, in part or in whole, and the rest of the text in English. Emphasis is on translation and textual analysis, with daily assignments for translation as well as passages for sight-reading in class. Several short critical papers examining patterns of symbolism, imagery and meter are required. This course helps prepare students for the Vergil AP exam.

LATIN LYRIC POETRY: HORACE
We slowly and carefully read selections of the Odes and Satires. Our goal is to enter the world created by these poems. We consider themes of love, friendship, public and private morality, courage, aging, and death. We examine Horace and his place in the Greco-Roman literary tradition: how does the poet create his own identity in light of and (perhaps) in opposition to a great literary tradition? Can the poet (any poet) not only create his own poetic landscape, but also redefine his identity within? Finally, we ourselves attempt to place Horace in a historical and political context. Daily translations make up the majority of our work, along with serious and engaged thinking about the poems. An occasional paper, written translation with commentary, and presentation round out the requirements. Prerequisite: Aeneid

LITERATURE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Despite the ostentatiously “republican” aspects of the Augustan program, Octavian established a new, hereditary, autocratic rule for Rome , which would combine energetic geopolitical conquest with economic dominance to monopolize the western world. The families in whose hands imperial power was concentrated were famously prone to intrigue and drama. We are left with sensational accounts of their behavior, often in lurid detail, but also with a tremendously, fascinatingly complex picture of life under the authority of Rome . How does one orient oneself under deified dictators? How do poets and knights manage the tantalizing appeal of urbanity under a glowering moralist emperor? What pull does nostalgia for Rome ’s faded glory exert on the average citizen? This Pax Romana, this Golden Age? This is a reading course that explores literary sources and other documentary evidence of the time. Tacitus, Seneca, Pliny, Vergil, and Ovid occupy our study; Martial, Suetonius, Propertius, Horace and other sources help color the picture. Daily translation and discussion are emphasized. Prerequisite: Aeneid

ROMAN DRAMA
The Roman comedies and tragedies that have survived history offer fascinating insight on elements of society otherwise ignored. The bawdy characters and irreverent plots that mark the comedies of Plautus and Terence present a satiric view of plebian Rome and served as influences on Shakespeare and Molière, while Seneca’s tragedies appealed to the more ghoulish desires of their audiences. This course features extensive translation of these three playwrights, supplemented by readings and discussions regarding their own Greek influences. Prerequisite: Aeneid

CHINESE

Chinese classes at all levels are aimed at developing the students’ communicative ability in Chinese. Students learn language structures, functions and related cultural knowledge as well as acquiring listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Far East Chinese for Youth and the Practical Chinese Reader series are used. Volumes One and Two interweave campus life with everyday experience, introducing cultural norms and customs associated with speaking and comprehension. The third volume concentrates on topics of interest to students illustrating cultural differences between China and the West. Contemporary Chinese is used at the higher levels.

CHINESE 1
This course is an introduction to the Chinese language, with emphasis on pronunciation—Pin Yin and four tones. At the same time, students study radicals, stroke orders, characters and basic sentence structures. Chinese songs, poems, and rhymes are learned.

CHINESE 2
The review of Pin Yin and tones continues throughout the year with an emphasis on speaking Chinese with a good accent. This course offers additional study of grammar, sentence structure and vocabulary, while students gain the knowledge and confidence to discuss the related topics in each text. More Chinese poems are introduced.

CHINESE 3
This course is designed to help students solidify their grasp of grammar and vocabulary. The emphasis is on fluency in situational Chinese and reading comprehension. Students also practice writing Chinese with reversed word order and additional vocabulary.

CHINESE 4
Besides introducing more vocabulary and grammatical points, the lessons concentrate on complex sentences and paragraphs. Intensive study increases the students’ command of linguistic structures and functions and gives them a firmer grounding in speaking and writing more idiomatic Chinese.

CHINESE 5
In this course students begin to use Contemporary Chinese, which offers them the chance to observe the full complexity of Chinese society from the point of view of an American student living in China . Reflecting the wide diversity of Chinese society through everyday experience, this text fosters a growing mastery of Chinese in speaking, reading and writing.

CHINESE 6
Students continue Contemporary Chinese with more probing texts that reflect the many facets of Chinese society. China ’s strengths and problems are revealed through analysis, explanation and debate. Some chapters deal with crucial social and intellectual concerns in current Chinese society. Students continue to hone their overall abilities in speaking, reading and writing Chinese.

CHINESE CONVERSATION
Students who have completed Chinese 4 are strongly encouraged to take this course in addition to their regular Chinese class. Through the use of various practical scenarios, it offers an opportunity to gain confidence and facility in speaking more idiomatic and spontaneous Chinese. By enlarging vocabulary and improving oral/aural skills, students gain fluency in discussions about daily life, education, politics, food, travel, and so on.

 
JAPANESE

JAPANESE 1
This course serves as an introduction to the Japanese language. Students are asked to master two sets of Japanese phonetic syllables: 46 hiraganas and 45 katakanas, modified and combination forms respectively. Emphasis is placed on the Japanese accent system, basic Chinese characters with Japanese pronunciation, basic sentence structures and cultural background.

JAPANESE 2
The study of Japanese grammar and Chinese characters is continued and extended. Students learn practical sentence patterns and further their conversational abilities. Reading Japanese is explored as well. Students begin writing journal entries.

JAPANESE 3
Students move on to an intermediate level. The course focuses on consolidating grammar and vocabulary from previous years. Students are asked to use their language skills to function in various social situations with an emphasis on customs and culture. Vocabulary words with previously acquired Kanji are introduced as well.

JAPANESE 4
This is a continuation of the work begun in Japanese 3. In addition, the course focuses more on developing reading skills. Students learn more complicated grammatical structures and more sophisticated Kanji vocabulary as well.

JAPANESE CONVERSATION/COMPOSITION
Students further their abilities to express themselves effectively. Communication skills in writing and speaking are enhanced; we use news articles, videotapes, and other materials to expand vocabulary, gain an understanding of social customs, and increase spontaneity. Based on what we discuss in class, students work on writing assignments at home.