CLASSICS 2D03: Greek and Roman Mythology (C01)

Academic Year: 2021-2022

Term: Winter
Meeting Time: Tuesdays 7:00-10:00pm EST (Zoom and ITB AB 102/Echo360)
Instructor: Christine Davidson
Instructor Email: [email protected]
Office: 728 Togo Salmon Hall
Office Hours: Tuesday 5:45-6:45pm EST (or virtually by appointment)

TA: Leah Guffroy

TA Email: [email protected]

Syllabus

Course Objectives:

This course will explore the primary sources for Greek and Roman myth, including both literary and
physical materials. We will consider what influenced the creation of myth and the limitations of its
evidence from antiquity. We will learn about the characters and narratives from myth, but also consider
the contexts in which they were used, and how they helped to explain the world in which the Greeks
and Romans lived. How they operated socially within and using mythology will be a major focus, and
by interrogating our literary and physical sources we will learn how these ancient civilizations
characterised themselves. At the end of the course, students will have an understanding both of the
myths themselves and of their context.

A Note Concerning Course Changes and Hybridity:

Due to the constantly evolving nature of university and government policy surrounding COVID-19,
the following syllabus may be subject to change throughout term. We will begin the course using
Zoom. Should there be a return to campus, recording of lectures within our on-campus classroom has
been requested (via Echo360), with live-streaming and/or 24-hour availability of lecture recordings
scheduled in order to accommodate students occasionally unable to attend in person. While this hybrid
offering of the course cannot be guaranteed, every effort will be made in order to ensure students are
able to access course content safely. Note: If the course is “in person” on the date of testing, students
must attend midterms on campus.
Changes to tests and assignments will be communicated to students in lecture and through Avenue to
Learn. Should the course be virtual on the day of a scheduled test, the test will instead be offered
remotely through Avenue to Learn.

Textbook, Materials, and Fees:

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There are no required textbooks for this course. Links and pdfs to required reading will be provided
within Avenue to Learn.

Method of Assessment:

25% Midterm 1 (February 8th, during class)

30% Midterm 2 (March 15th, during class)
15% Written Assignment (Due March 29th, printed copy due in class)
30% Final Exam (Cumulative, scheduled by Registrar)

Midterms (55%):
This course will feature two midterms, the first on February 8th and the second on March 15th. While
each will focus upon the most recent material, an understanding of material discussed prior to Midterm
1 may be necessary in order to complete Midterm 2 (i.e. tests are cumulative). Both tests will feature
a mix of multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank style questions. In an effort to transition into pre-
pandemic testing methods, the first midterm will be “open book,” for which students may use their
own notes while writing the test (for in-person testing, these notes must be in hard copy – no digital
devices will be permitted during testing). For the second midterm, we will be using the “cheat sheet”
method. Students are permitted to bring one 8 ½ x 11-inch piece of paper into the midterm with them.
Students may use both sides of the paper if desired. The course exam will be entirely “closed book”
(no notes).

Written Assignment (15%):

Students will be asked to submit a 1-2 page (double-spaced) report discussing a Greco-Roman myth
of their choice which was not covered in lecture. They will cite this myth from the primary source in
which it appears and discuss how this myth relates to course content and themes. Citations to their
primary source must follow systems of citation in Classics (an explanation will be provided in lecture
which outlines proper citation in Classics). A full guide for the completion of this assignment will be
provided closer to the assignment deadline.
All written assignments are due in class on March 29th (if course is virtual, these must be submitted to
Avenue to Learn by 10:00pm EST).

Final Exam (30%):

The final exam will be cumulative and test students in identification, terminology, and themes featured
throughout the course. The format of the exam will be nearly identical to that of the midterms, with
the possible addition of a short-answer component. The exam will be scheduled by the registrar and
be 2 hours in duration. It will be “closed book,” meaning no notes are to be consulted while writing
the test. No communication or collaboration during the test will be permitted, and students will be
penalized should evidence of collaboration or test aids be detected.

Policy on Missed Work, Extensions, and Late Penalties:

There will be no opportunities offered to make-up for midterms or assignments missed without notice.
In extenuating circumstances, students are invited to apply via the university’s MSAF (McMaster
Student Absence Form) within three days of missing a test/assignment deadline in order to receive
accommodation for missed work. Without this accommodation, students will receive a 0 for all missed

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work. If a student anticipates difficulty in the completion of a test or assignment for reasons beyond
their control, they are encouraged to contact their instructor in advance of the deadline to discuss
strategies for completion.
Students with accommodations through SAS must contact the instructor in advance of deadlines in
order to request accommodations (e.g. extensions, extra test time, specific writing conditions).
For the written assignment due March 29th, a late penalty of 5% per calendar day past the deadline will
be applied. Late assignments can be submitted to the department dropbox located outside room 706
in Togo Salmon Hall (unless the course is online, where it can be submitted to Avenue). After 5 days,
the assignment will not be accepted and a grade of 0 will be recorded.

University Policy and Academic Integrity:

Academic Integrity:
You are expected to exhibit honesty and use ethical behaviour in all aspects of the learning process.
Academic credentials you earn are rooted in principles of honesty and academic integrity. It is your
responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty.
Academic dishonesty is to knowingly act or fail to act in a way that results or could result in unearned
academic credit or advantage. This behaviour can result in serious consequences, e.g. the grade of zero
on an assignment, loss of credit with a notation on the transcript (notation reads: "Grade of F assigned
for academic dishonesty"), and/or suspension or expulsion from the university. For information on
the various types of academic dishonesty please refer to the Academic Integrity Policy, located at
https://secretariat.mcmaster.ca/university-policies-procedures-guidelines/

The following illustrates only three forms of academic dishonesty:

• plagiarism, e.g. the submission of work that is not one’s own or for which other credit has
been obtained.
• improper collaboration in group work.
• copying or using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations.

Authenticity/Plagiarism:
This course may use a web-based service (Turnitin.com) to reveal authenticity and ownership of
student submitted work. Should the course be offered virtually at the time of submission, students
will be expected to submit their written assignment electronically directly to Turnitin.com or via
Avenue to Learn (A2L) plagiarism detection (a service supported by Turnitin.com) so it can be
checked for academic dishonesty.
Students who do not wish to submit their work through A2L and/or Turnitin.com must still submit
an electronic and/or hardcopy to the instructor. No penalty will be assigned to a student who does
not submit work to Turnitin.com or A2L. All submitted work is subject to normal verification that
standards of academic integrity have been upheld (e.g., on-line search, other software, etc.). To see the
Turnitin.com Policy, please go to www.mcmaster.ca/academicintegrity.

Academic Accommodation of Students with Disabilities:

Students with disabilities who require academic accommodation must contact Student Accessibility
Services (SAS) at 905-525-9140 ext. 28652 or [email protected] e-mail to make arrangements with a
Program Coordinator. For further information, consult McMaster University’s Academic
Accommodation of Students with Disabilities policy.

Email Correspondence Policy:

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It is the policy of the Faculty of Humanities that all email communication sent from students to
instructors (including TAs), and from students to staff, must originate from each student’s own
McMaster University email account. This policy protects confidentiality and confirms the identity of
the student. Instructors will delete emails that do not originate from a McMaster email account.

Modification of Course Outlines:

The University reserves the right to change dates and/or deadlines etc. for any or all courses in the
case of an emergency situation or labour disruption or civil unrest/disobedience, etc. If a modification
becomes necessary, reasonable notice and communication with the students will be given with an
explanation and the opportunity to comment on changes. Any significant changes should be made in
consultation with the Department Chair.

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Topics and Readings:

Required readings must be completed in advance of lectures. These readings will be

provided as pdfs (or web/video links where necessary) within Avenue to Learn. A
general outline of readings is provided below, however students will only be required
to read select passages from each text, as provided within Avenue.

Dates Lectures/Testing Reading

Jan. 11 Lecture 1: Myth in Context
(Online)
Jan. 18 Lecture 2: Cosmos and Creation Hesiod, Theogony (Hes. Th.)
(Online) Hesiod, Works and Days (Hes. WD)
Jan. 25 Lecture 3: Tyranny and Kingship Pausanias, Description of Greece (Paus.)
(Online) Hesiod, Works and Days (Hes. WD)
Aeschylus, Agamemnon (Aesch. Ag.)
Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound (Aesch. PB)
Feb. 1 Lecture 4: Life, Death, and Punishment Virgil, Georgics (Verg. G.)
(Online) Homeric Hymn to Demeter (HH 2)
Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite (HH 5)
Feb. 8 Lecture 5: Patronage, Revenge Aeschylus, Eumenides (Aesch. Eum.)
Midterm 1 (Lectures 1-4): 8pm

Feb. 15 Lecture 6: Trickery Herodotus, Histories (Hdt.)

Homeric Hymn to Hermes (HH 4)
Homeric Hymn to Apollo (HH 3)

Feb. 22 READING WEEK – NO CLASS

Mar. 1 Lecture 7: Madness Euripides, Bacchae (Eur. Ba.)

Mar. 8 Lecture 8: The Trojan Epic and Birth of Euripides, Iphigeneia in Aulis (Eur. IA)
Heroes Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus (Soph. OT)
Illiad (Il.)
Vergil, Aeneid (Verg. A.)
Mar. 15 Lecture 9: Wicked Women Euripides, Medea (Eur. Med.)
Midterm 2 (Lectures 5-8): 8pm

Mar. 22 Lecture 10: Quest Heroes Odyssey (Od.)

Vergil, Aeneid (Verg. A.)
Mar. 29 Lecture 11: Quest Heroines, Exam Odyssey (Od.)
Discussion Ovid, Metamorphoses (Ov. Met.)
Writing Assignment Due in Class Euripides, Iphigeneia in Tauris (Eur. IT)
Apr. 5 Make-up/Review if needed
Note: The above is a general guide and should there be any schedule changes, students will be
notified by their instructor.