Euripidean Women: Medea
aka "How to Read Greek Good"
GRW3104 / GRW 5909 sec. 3
MWF 11:15-12:05
LSB 002
1. Contact Information
instructor: Dr. Allen J. Romano, Assistant Professor of Classics
email:
office: Dodd 328
office hours: M 2:30-4:30 and by appointment
course website: campus.fsu.edu
2. Description and Goals
In this course we will read Euripides' Medea. The primary goal is to develop your facility in translation and advance your knowledge of ancient Greek syntax, semantics, and style. The course focuses on the basic skills necessary for further study of Greek poetry and drama. In addition, the thematic focus will be Euripides' distinctive portrayals of women. To that end, we will look especially at the figure of Medea, the development of the Medea myth, and we will compare figures from other plays read in English translation (e.g. Electra, Andromache, Helen).
3. Course Materials
3.1 Course Books
There is one required text for this course, available in the bookstore:
Euripides Medea, Donald Mastronarde (ed.), Cambridge. 2002. ISBN: 978-0521643863.
Other texts will be distributed online or during class. In addition, a number of standard reference works are not, strictly speaking, required texts but are highly recommended. You should regularly have on hand during your class preparation a good dictionary, either the "Middle Liddell" or the "Great Scott". (Both are available in the Thompson library). Smyth's Greek Grammar is the standard reference grammar in English (also in the Thompson).
3.2 Course Website
There is a website for the course at campus.fsu.edu. You must have access to the website; if you have any trouble, please let me know asap. For technical difficulties, see http://helpdesk.fsu.edu. For Blackboard difficulties, contact .
4. Evaluation (i.e. Grades)
4.1 Assignments
Class Participation / 50%Midterm Exam / 20%
Final Exam / 20%
Textual Depths Report / 10%
4.1.1 Class Participation
The most straightforward requirement for the class -- Show up regularly, on-time, and well-prepared to translate; participate fully in class activities. You must read Mastronarde's commentary along with the assigned lines in the Greek text. It is expected that you consult grammars and dictionaries as needed. You are welcome to make vocab lists and to write out translations as part of your preparation. However, you should not use vocab notes, translations, or other crutches during in-class translation. It's just you and the text.
4.1.2 Exams
When we have read approximately half of the play, there will be a midterm exam covering all the material up that point. You will be required to translate and answer questions about syntax and morphology. The final exam will be similar in format but cover the entire play and any additional texts read during the term.
Note: The midterm exam may be taken early or late only in the event of an emergency and absences of this nature must be supported by documentation and/or my prior approval. However, it is in all cases against University policy to take the final exam early.
4.1.3 Textual Depths
This writing assignment takes you through the process of interrogating a Greek text in order to introduce you to basic tools of philological scholarship. Specific instructions are provided on a separate handout. You will be required to pick 5 lines, follow the steps outlined in order to examine your 5 lines, and write up your findings. (Typically these range in length from 3 to 6 pages.) This assignment is due Nov. 21 by 5:00 PM.
Note on late assignments: Late papers will be penalized 4 points (out of 100 total) per day until submission. This includes weekends and holidays.
4.2 Grade Scale
A / 93-100% / C / 73-76.9%A- / 90-92.9% / C- / 70-72.9%
B+ / 87-89.9% / D+ / 67-69.9%
B / 83-86.9% / D / 63-66.9%
B- / 80-82.9% / D- / 60-62.9%
C+ / 77-79.9% / F / 59.9% and lower
5. Other fine print
5.1 Honor Code
Students are expected to uphold the Academic Honor Code published in the FSU Bulletin and the Student Handbook. The Academic Honor Code is based on the premise that each student has the responsibility to uphold and foster the highest standards of academic integrity in the student’s own work and in the university community. Students are responsible for reading the Academic Honor Policy and for living up to their pledge to “be honest and truthful and...[to] strive for personal and institutional integrity at Florida State University.” (Florida State University Academic Honor Policy, found at http://www.fsu.edu/~dof/honorpolicy.htm.)
5.2 University ADA Policy
Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should (1) register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC), and (2) bring the letter provided by the SDRC, indicating the academic accommodations that are needed, during the first week of class. For more information about services available to FSU students with disabilities, contact:
Student Disability Resource Center
97 Woodward Avenue, South
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4167
(850) 644-9566 (voice)
(850) 644-8504 (TDD)
5.3 Multiple Submission Policy
No work completed in a previous or concurrent class may be submitted for credit in this class.
5.4 Collaboration Policy
You are encouraged to hold group study and review sessions and, if you so choose, share resources such as vocabulary lists and class notes. You may work on translations together in preparation for class. Note however that such study partnerships should be mutually beneficial and should be aimed primarily at helping each of you improve your facility translating. That is to say, everyone in such study partnerships or groups must contribute and each individual must complete the entire assignment.
5.5 (Non-) Use of Published Translations
The text for this course is canonical and, therefore, readily available in various English translations. Such translations can be helpful references when reviewing for tests. However, published translations are tools which must be used with extreme caution. Often they make choices which mask the nature of the original text. Therefore, you should avoid relying on such translations as a means to complete daily assignments. Though published translations often give you an immediate "answer", they will undermine your ability to improve in reading the language over the course of the semester. More to the point, I have read the vast majority of these translations and the features of each are readily recognizable. In short, it is required that all translations for this class be your own. This is more important than whether your prepared translations is "right" or not.
5.6 Syllabus Change Policy
Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.
6. Schedule
The schedule will be maintained online at campus.fsu.edu. Typically, you will prepare a set number of lines before Monday and Wednesday classes. Friday classes are reserved for reading at sight (i.e. unprepared translation), introductions to some of the technical aspects of Greek tragedy (e.g. meter), and discussion of thematic issues relevant to understanding the play (gender, ethnicity, etc.). Assignments for Friday classes will vary, but often will include reading translations of other Euripidean plays, secondary readings on Athenian history and culture, or sections from Mastronarde's supplementary materials (e.g. on metrics or language).
The final exam is scheduled for Friday Dec. 12 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.
3