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September 20: Egypt and Mesopotamia
1. Based on Perry and the lectures, propose a definition of empire.
According to your definition, is the U.S. of the twentieth century an empire?
2. Both Gilgamesh and the Enuma Elish are stories without authors, coming from unclear origins, that (at least in the case of Gilgamesh) were widely known for long periods of time. Do we have similar stories or collections of stories today? If so, what functions do they serve?
September 27: Ancient Israel
Note that you are to bring to discussion brief written answers to the
questions below in bold.
1. Try to identify the type of literature (the genre) in each of the
following passages.
Gen. 1:1 - 2:4a; Gen. 6:1-4; Exodus 15:1-8; Exodus 21:1-25;
Joshua 6:1-22;
II Sam. 5; Isaiah 6.
Discuss the differences in how such genres must
be read in order to understand each passage
properly. Can we read these ancient passages
in the same way we read a modern
scientific or historical text? Why or why
not?
2. Discuss the concern for the poor in Leviticus 25. Is this
societal concern for the poor a realistic
concern for a modern capitalistic society?
Has this part of the Torah remained as important for religious
believers as, say, the Ten Commandments?
Both George Bush and Al Gore have proposed policies that
relate to this chapter; what do those policies concern?
3. David commits adultery, then arranges a murder to cover it up.
How, in Israel's understanding,
can such a flawed man continue to serve as an
example of religious faith? According to
tradition, Psalm 51 was written by David as his
confession to God. Read the Psalm, and then reflect on
how a culture can insist that high moral standards
be maintained, while also making provision
for human weakness. If a Furman student
were to be equally adulterous and murderous, should the
University expel him, or not? Give your
reasons.
October 4: Odyssey and Mycenaean Greece
1) Over the past three class days, you have heard three different professors
lecture on the same text, each from his or her own
disciplinary standpoint. What can you say about the similarities and
differences in our disciplines?
2) What is the relationship between gods and humans in the Odyssey? How is it similar or different to the relationships as seen in Gilgamesh or the Torah? What does the relationship suggest to you about early Greek society?
3) What are we to make of the story Odysseus tells the Phaiakians? Is he telling the truth? Why does Odysseus tell them this story? You may want to think about what you know about the Phaiakians as well as what you know about Odysseus.
October 10: Classical Greece I
1. In the last three classes, you have witnessed the beginnings of three major genres of literature--tragedy, comedy, and history. What are the modern tragedies, comedies, and histories? Do we still use these genres, or have newer genres displaced them?
2. Some people find it remarkable that the same culture could have produced both Antigone and Lysistrata. What evidence do you find in these two dramas that they are products of the same culture? To press the point further, what links do they have with Thucydides' Peloponnesian War? What with Sappho's poetry (especially poems 2 and 5)?
3. What was your response to Lysistrata? Were you offended? Do you agree with Dr. Menzer that comedy is essentially a conservative appraisal of society? Does the play challenge the typical Greek understanding of the place of women in society?
4. The thrust of the Melian dialogue is that "might makes right." Do you think the cliché is correct? Does Thucydides think the cliché is correct? Reformulate the Melian debate in contemporary terms by having the U.S. confront the small state of your choice. Does the debate work out exactly the same? Why or why not?
1. Some argue that Plato shuns Rhetoric in favor of dialectic or philosophical reasoning and other argue that a text such as the Phaedrus shows a master rhetorician at work. How would you argue and what definition of Rhetoric would you use?
2. Is writing in any ways secondary to speech? Is Plato to any extent dishonest in writing a work like the Phaedrus? How do these questions relate to our previous discussions of the role of orality in the formation of literature?
3. Write a discussion question of your own and bring it to class with you.
Some have observed that Homer makes us hearers and Virgil makes us readers. What do they mean by this? Do you think it is true?
Discuss some of the significant elements that contributed to the rise and longevity of the Roman empire. Which of these are common to the Greek empire of Alexander the Great? To some modern "empires"?
How should we understand the relationship between Virgil's Aeneid, especially book VI, and the empire of Augustus?
Compare and contrast the journeys to the underworld of Odysseus and Aeneas.
November 3: Early Christianity
1. Reflect on the type of history we get in Acts and the gospels.
Describe what this history seems to be interested
in.
Compare it to the history of Thucydides; which is
“more valuable,” and why?
Thucydides said (SR, p. 10) that the difficulties
of writing history meant that he ‘made the speakers
say what, in my opinion,
was called for by each situation.’ Does this help us understand Luke’s
account in Acts, especially
all the long speeches he quotes?
Rutledge said it was wrongheaded to expect this
kind of history to “prove” things like the resurrection; is this
just a cop-out? What
kinds of facts might prove the resurrection did or did not occur?
2. The following announcement appeared at Furman this week:
“The ROTC department will host a Military Euipment display this Saturday
before the game. Featuring the most advanced attack helicopter in
the world: The Apache. Don’t miss your opportunity to win a
T-shirt at the hand-grenade toss!!”
Jesus said, “You have heard that
it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I
say to you, Do not resist an evildoer….” (Mt. 5.38-39)
In such statements, was Jesus hopelessly naive?
impractically idealistic? exaggerating for effect?
speaking in parables?
or did he mean exactly what he said?
Should we follow Jesus, or the Furman ROTC department?
3. Compare the ways of life recommended by Socrates and by Jesus.
Do you see any way the teachings of these two men
could be combined in one "philosophy of life," or are
these ways irreconcilable?
4. Reflect on Christianity’s success in the ancient world.
How much of it depended on timing, or luck?
On the clumsy efforts by the Romans to stamp it
out through persecution?
On the appeal of monotheism?
On its unique message?
December 4: Dante and Medieval Philosophy
1. Discuss how the use of light in Medieval cathedrals is related to the imagery of light in St. Anselm's proof of God's existence and some specific passage from the Divine Comedy, that is, the Inferno and the course pak selections.
2. What are some of the specific ways in which Dante instructs us about how to read his work? Explain how they are helpful (or not) with respect to a specific passage.
3. It is apparent that in Medieval philosophy reason and faith are not antithetical. With reference to some specific parts of the Divine Comedy, discuss how Dante understands the relationship between them.
4. The Divine Comedy is a complex work which has significance from many different perspectives. Consider one or more passages and make written notes about their historical, political, moral literary, and theological significance.
5. According to St. Augustine and other Medieval philosophers, evil
is not a positive substance but a negation. The wrongdoer sins not
by turning toward something that is inherently evil, but by turning away
from what is supremely good. Discuss some of the specific ways in
which this view is reflected in the Divine Comedy.