Ancient Literature E-mail (7/28/05)
Two of the books have arrived. I will put these in your mailboxes on Sunday. Since we are starting with the mythology book and it has arrived, any eager beavers can get started on Monday.
Here is my TENTATIVE schedule for the first few weeks. Keep in mind that this subject is as foreign to me as it is to all of you, so we'll be learning together. I do however have a several week head start on you!!! If the schedule proves to be too hard or not challenging enough for most of you we can make changes! I would appreciate it if the first few weeks you keep track of how much time you are spending on preparation.
Week 1: Read the Introduction to Mythology and answer and
questions
Week 2: Read chapters 1 & 3 in Mythology and answer the questions
Week 3: Do the work assigned on the attachment titled Hesiod--
Part 1 (this includes exploring a web site listed,
printing a copy of the Theogony for your personal use)
Week 4: Read the entire Theogony and answer Theogony questions,
part 2
Weeks 5&6: write a paper on Homer; read chapters 1&2 in part 4 of
Mythology; read selected excerpts of the Iliad; answer
questions on each
MORE SPECIFIC: week 5—paper on Homer; chapters 1&2 in Mythology, Part
4 and answer questions
week 6—Read Books 2,3, and 22 in Iliad and answer
questions
Weeks 7-10: Read chapter 3, part four in Mythology;Read Odyssey
Week 11: Study key events in ancient GreeceWeeks
Weeks 12-15: Read Plutarch's Greek lives
Week 16-?: Study one play each from Aeschylus (The Eumenides),
Sophocles (Oedipus Tyrannus),Euripides (The Bacchae), and
Aristophanes (Clouds)
After we have finished the above material, we will finish the year working on Roman literature and history. There is less Roman literature and it is not considered as important so we won't spend as much time on it. I have included attachments to go with the first 4 weeks (this is all that I have finished thus far).
When we read the Odyssey I will be using the translation by Robert Fagles. If any of you want a copy of this ordered let me know. (There is some benefit to using the same translation because the lines are numbered differently from translation to translation, but it is not necessary.) I picked up 2 copies at Half-price Books. I found out that you can call each store in town, and if they have it they will send it to the Greenwood store. The Iliad excerpts & the plays are available at the website I give on the Theogony-part one homework sheet so they don't have to be bought. If you want to buy copies we can do that or you can check at Half-price Books. They have a large stock of ancient Greek & Roman literature. We will probably read more of the Mythology book but I plan to add it in where it pertains to the other literature. We will also use it as a reference book.
Edith Hamilton’s Mythology
Introduction to Classical Mythology
NOTE: The answers to the first 3 questions are found in the first 3 paragraphs of the introduction.
In the first paragraph what does the author say most people consider the real interest of the myths?
Do most people who study myths teach think this was a good time or a bad time?
The author obviously does not agree that the first people on earth lived in a delightful time. What 2 adjectives does the author use to describe the first men on earth and to whom does she compare them?
Is she accurate in calling the first men on earth by these adjectives? Give scriptural reasons for
your answer.
Do you think the author believes the myths? When does Hamilton think the myths originated? (p. 7)
What is meant by “the Greek miracle” (p. 7)? What Bible verse does she quote completely out of context & without giving its reference?
Hamilton correctly says that the Greeks “made” gods in their own image (p. 8). What Bible verse clearly lets us know that the Greeks who invented these gods had no understanding of reality?
Do you know to what the author is referring when she says that Saint Paul says that the invisible must be understood by the visible (p. 8)?
The author says (p. 13) that the myths are early science. What does she mean by this?
Why does the author say (p. 15) that she avoided using Ovid as a source as much as possible even though he is the most detailed & complete writer of classical mythology?
List at least 10 of the ancient writers who have passed these classical myths down to us. We will be reading works from most of these this year. Therefore, by the end of the year these names should be familiar to you. Do you remember which of these Pastor Keddie mentioned in a sermon on Acts and what the context was?
What do you think each of the pictures in the introduction is depicting?
Is there anything in the intro you have a question on or anything else from the intro you would like to discuss?
Edith Hamilton’s Mythology
Chapter 1
According to the Greeks what came first, the gods or the earth?
According to the Bible which came first, God or the earth? Give at least one scriptural reference to support this.
Who were the Titans? Who was the most important one?
After the Titans were overthrown, the 12 great Olympians were supreme. Why were these 12 gods and other lesser gods called the Olympians? What was Olympus?
Who are the three main Olympians and what did each rule? Give Greek & Roman name of each.
What do you think the 2 pictures in this chapter are depicting?
Do you have any questions on this chapter? Is there anything else that you would like to discuss?
Edith Hamilton’s Mythology
Chapter 3
Make a chart showing the steps in creation on pages 77 through 80 (use back of this page).
Draw a picture of what earth looked like from the description in the paragraph starting at the bottom of 83 and ending on p. 84.
Discuss the three different accounts of the creation of man given in chapter 3
(pages 85-87 & 93-94)
What two accounts of the origin of women are given on page 88?
For those of you who were in our worldview class last year why was Frankenstein called the modern day Prometheus? Do you see any connection with Prometheus in this chapter?
Do you see any “echoes” of Genesis in this chapter? If so list them. Why do you think there are these similarities between Genesis & the Greek myths?
Do you have any questions on this chapter? Is there anything else that you would like to discuss?
Two of the books have arrived. I will put these in your mailboxes on Sunday. Since we are starting with the mythology book and it has arrived, any eager beavers can get started on Monday.
Here is my TENTATIVE schedule for the first few weeks. Keep in mind that this subject is as foreign to me as it is to all of you, so we'll be learning together. I do however have a several week head start on you!!! If the schedule proves to be too hard or not challenging enough for most of you we can make changes! I would appreciate it if the first few weeks you keep track of how much time you are spending on preparation.
Week 1: Read the Introduction to Mythology and answer and
questions
Week 2: Read chapters 1 & 3 in Mythology and answer the questions
Week 3: Do the work assigned on the attachment titled Hesiod--
Part 1 (this includes exploring a web site listed,
printing a copy of the Theogony for your personal use)
Week 4: Read the entire Theogony and answer Theogony questions,
part 2
Weeks 5&6: write a paper on Homer; read chapters 1&2 in part 4 of
Mythology; read selected excerpts of the Iliad; answer
questions on each
MORE SPECIFIC: week 5—paper on Homer; chapters 1&2 in Mythology, Part
4 and answer questions
week 6—Read Books 2,3, and 22 in Iliad and answer
questions
Weeks 7-10: Read chapter 3, part four in Mythology;Read Odyssey
Week 11: Study key events in ancient GreeceWeeks
Weeks 12-15: Read Plutarch's Greek lives
Week 16-?: Study one play each from Aeschylus (The Eumenides),
Sophocles (Oedipus Tyrannus),Euripides (The Bacchae), and
Aristophanes (Clouds)
After we have finished the above material, we will finish the year working on Roman literature and history. There is less Roman literature and it is not considered as important so we won't spend as much time on it. I have included attachments to go with the first 4 weeks (this is all that I have finished thus far).
When we read the Odyssey I will be using the translation by Robert Fagles. If any of you want a copy of this ordered let me know. (There is some benefit to using the same translation because the lines are numbered differently from translation to translation, but it is not necessary.) I picked up 2 copies at Half-price Books. I found out that you can call each store in town, and if they have it they will send it to the Greenwood store. The Iliad excerpts & the plays are available at the website I give on the Theogony-part one homework sheet so they don't have to be bought. If you want to buy copies we can do that or you can check at Half-price Books. They have a large stock of ancient Greek & Roman literature. We will probably read more of the Mythology book but I plan to add it in where it pertains to the other literature. We will also use it as a reference book.
Edith Hamilton’s Mythology
Introduction to Classical Mythology
NOTE: The answers to the first 3 questions are found in the first 3 paragraphs of the introduction.
In the first paragraph what does the author say most people consider the real interest of the myths?
Do most people who study myths teach think this was a good time or a bad time?
The author obviously does not agree that the first people on earth lived in a delightful time. What 2 adjectives does the author use to describe the first men on earth and to whom does she compare them?
Is she accurate in calling the first men on earth by these adjectives? Give scriptural reasons for
your answer.
Do you think the author believes the myths? When does Hamilton think the myths originated? (p. 7)
What is meant by “the Greek miracle” (p. 7)? What Bible verse does she quote completely out of context & without giving its reference?
Hamilton correctly says that the Greeks “made” gods in their own image (p. 8). What Bible verse clearly lets us know that the Greeks who invented these gods had no understanding of reality?
Do you know to what the author is referring when she says that Saint Paul says that the invisible must be understood by the visible (p. 8)?
The author says (p. 13) that the myths are early science. What does she mean by this?
Why does the author say (p. 15) that she avoided using Ovid as a source as much as possible even though he is the most detailed & complete writer of classical mythology?
List at least 10 of the ancient writers who have passed these classical myths down to us. We will be reading works from most of these this year. Therefore, by the end of the year these names should be familiar to you. Do you remember which of these Pastor Keddie mentioned in a sermon on Acts and what the context was?
What do you think each of the pictures in the introduction is depicting?
Is there anything in the intro you have a question on or anything else from the intro you would like to discuss?
Edith Hamilton’s Mythology
Chapter 1
According to the Greeks what came first, the gods or the earth?
According to the Bible which came first, God or the earth? Give at least one scriptural reference to support this.
Who were the Titans? Who was the most important one?
After the Titans were overthrown, the 12 great Olympians were supreme. Why were these 12 gods and other lesser gods called the Olympians? What was Olympus?
Who are the three main Olympians and what did each rule? Give Greek & Roman name of each.
What do you think the 2 pictures in this chapter are depicting?
Do you have any questions on this chapter? Is there anything else that you would like to discuss?
Edith Hamilton’s Mythology
Chapter 3
Make a chart showing the steps in creation on pages 77 through 80 (use back of this page).
Draw a picture of what earth looked like from the description in the paragraph starting at the bottom of 83 and ending on p. 84.
Discuss the three different accounts of the creation of man given in chapter 3
(pages 85-87 & 93-94)
What two accounts of the origin of women are given on page 88?
For those of you who were in our worldview class last year why was Frankenstein called the modern day Prometheus? Do you see any connection with Prometheus in this chapter?
Do you see any “echoes” of Genesis in this chapter? If so list them. Why do you think there are these similarities between Genesis & the Greek myths?
Do you have any questions on this chapter? Is there anything else that you would like to discuss?
posted by Ancient Literature & History at 2:24 PM
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