Suggested Readings

It is the expectation and hope of the Instructor that the student will have read all (or at least some) of the items listed under each class meeting before that class actually meets. This will mean that the student will have a sense of what the basic outline of the myth or mythological character is, will have read some at least of the ancient sources about that character (This is, after all, a course in a language and literature department, and the literature in itself interests your Instructor, at least), and will perhaps have problems or questions that can be addressed efficiently. The Instructor welcomes questions at any time: better to say you aren't following some thing and get a clarification, than to have the course move on into deepening perplexity. The readings also form the basis for the quizzes and exams. The quizzes basically test whether you have read and discovered the major facts in a chapter or topic; the midterm and final test whether you can organize and compare on a larger scale so that you can see the significance of sets of myths and themes.

NOTE: Below is the FOURTH EDITION reading list, for those who have purchased a used copy of the textbook..

Week 1

INTRODUCTION. Books and Course rules. "What is mythology?"
BASIC PRINCIPLES: ANCIENT IDEAS (Euhemerism; Xenophanes
MODERN IDEAS:

- Powell, Chapter 1, pp. 1-14;

Week 2

CREATION: MESOPOTAMIA and HESIOD

- Powell, pp. 335-337 (Danae); p. 170-171; 635 (Daphne). pp. 611-618 (Aeneas, Numitor & Amulius, Rhea, Romulus & Remus)
- Powell, (Xenophanes) pp. 138; 633-635; (Euhemerus) pp. 637-638.
- Powell, Ch. 3: pp. 50-59; Ch. 4: pp. 98-107. (Hesiod).
- Powell, Ch. 4: pp. 75-87.

Week 3

THE THIRD GENERATION (Zeus and the Olympians)

- Powell, Ch. 4: pp. 88-97.
- Powell, Ch. 5: pp. 109-115.

Internet Assignment

Week 4

THE FIVE AGES OF HUMANITY.

- Powell, Ch. 5, pp. 115-136; Ch. 6:, pp. 138-149 (Zeus and his children).

Internet Assignment

Week 5

THE SEA: POSEIDON

- Powell, Ch. 7: pp. 155-158; 338-342 (Medusa)

SEX AND CHASTITY ( Theseus, Ariadne, Phaedra )

- Powell, Ch. 15, pp. 402-406; Ch. 16: pp. 422-445 (Theseus, Ariadne, Phaedra, Minotaur)

Week 6

APHRODITE (Gilgamesh, Adonis & Aeneas)

- Texts in Course Materials and Handouts "Aphrodite & Inanna"
- Powell, pp. 197-202; 318-324 (Gilgamesh); 248-251 (Adonis)

ATHENA. (Athens and the Contest with Poseidon. Arachne.)

- Powell, pp. 214-219; 479 (Argo); pp. 338-344 (the Gorgon).

Week 7

A POSEIDON STORY: (Theseus & Hippolytus):

- Powell, pp. 402-419; 246-252 (Cybele & Attis, Aphrodite & Adonis)

APOLLO (Cassandra, Cumaean Sibyl, Coronis, Asklepios)

- Powell, pp. 159-174; 556-565 (Cassandra, Orestes).

Week 8

THE AFTERLIFE, I: THE GEOGRAPHY OF HADES.

- Powell, Ch. 11: pp. 288-300.

Week 9

THE AFTERLIFE, II: THE CULT OF DEMETER AT ELEUSIS

- Powell, Chapter 9, pp. 221-239.

DIONYSOS. Death, Communion, Resurrection. (Myth)

- Powell, Chapter 10, pp. 254-286

Week 10

DIONYSOS

- Bacchanalia (Livy, on the Senatusconsultum de Bacchanalibus 186 B.C.)

Week 11

DEATH AND RESURRECTION. ORPHEUS and Eurydice myth. -Orphic Cults and Practices (Spiritual purity)

- "Orphic" lamellae [Text in Handouts]
- Powell, 300-306.

Week 12

HERAKLES: THE TWELVE LABORS

- Powell, Chapter 14 (pp. 351-384 only)
- "Twelve Labors of Herakles" in Class Materials & Handouts

Week 13

SAGA: THE TROJAN WAR. Causes: The House of Pelops. Atreus & Thyestes. Agamemnon and Menelaus. Tyndareus and his family. Achilles, Patroclus.

- Powell, chapter 19 (pp. 511-529)