Lecture 1

Question 1

Classical

Answer 1

• designates a geographic region and time period

- world of Greece and Rome from ca. 800 BCE to ca. 20 CE

Question 2

Myth

Answer 2

• a word, something one says, story
• set in remote past
• involved actions of divine beings, and/or human heroes
• expressed societal values, accepted norms of behavior, and the consequences of deviating from them

Question 3

Mythology

Answer 3

• a system of individual stories that fit together to tell the story of the world
• the study of myth

Question 4

How do we study Classical Myths?

Answer 4

• Step 1: oral tradition
• Step 2: transcription and adaptation
• Step 3: copying and translating

Question 5

Oral tradition

Answer 5

• storytelling: myths arise in preliterate societies and are transmitted orally from person to person
• Homer

Question 6

Transcription and adaptation

Answer 6

• with development of writing, myths are written down for the first time.
• over time various authors play with myths