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Sophocles' Antigone
trans. by Diane Rayor
presented by
Jenison High School
November 18-21

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Abelard & Heloise:
The Letters and Other Writings
Translated with introduction and notes by William Levitan

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The Homeric Hymns:
A Translation, with Introduction and Notes
Diane Rayor

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The Power of Religion in Late Antiquity
Edited by Andrew Cain and Noel Lenski, with a contribution by Charles Pazdernik

The Department of Classics

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Greek Emphasis

The earliest texts written in Greek date from around the 14th century BCE, and the language continues to be spoken today by millions of people throughout the world. During the classical period of its development, Greek was the language of one of the greatest flowerings of culture in all human history.

The eighth through the fourth centuries BCE saw the poetry of Homer and Sappho, the drama of Aeschylus and Aristophanes, the histories of Herodotus and Thucydides, and the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle. For nearly a thousand years from the fourth century BCE onward, Greek was spoken throughout the eastern Mediterranean, and in this "common" - or koine - form, it was the language of the New Testament. Students of ancient Greek gain access to these texts and more, all of which continue to fascinate and instruct, and still provide the intellectual foundations of many different fields.

Greek is the language of Homer and Sappho, of Aeschylus and Aristophanes, of Herodotus and Thucydides, of Plato and Aristotle, and of the New Testament.

Grand Valley is the only public university in West Michigan to offer a full undergraduate program in ancient Greek. It includes a major and a minor emphasis in Greek, courses to fulfill the University's B.A. cognate requirement in a foreign language, and courses in ancient Greek literature and culture in translation.

All Classics majors take the Language and Cultural Core, and the senior Capstone. Majors with the Greek emphasis will also complete 18 additional hours of Greek at the 300 level or above.

Majors who intend to continue their study in a graduate program in Classics are strongly advised to take both Greek and Latin. Students with a major emphasis in Greek and a minor in either Latin, Latin Secondary Education, or the Classical Tradition will substitute an approved set of 6 departmental hours for the Cultural Core in the minor program.

All Classics minors take the Language and Cultural Core. Minors in the Greek emphasis will also complete an additional nine hours of Greek at the 300 level or above. For three of these hours CLA 275 may be substituted. Students with a minor emphasis in Greek may, upon recommendation of the departmental advisor, substitute two courses in Latin for three hours in the Cultural Core.

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