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Syllabus for Greek Religion and Myth: Sacred Spaces, Divine Heroes

Classics/Religion 331

Greece in J-Term 2008

Distribution Credit:  May count for WI and Hum distribution requirement only; also counts towards the major in Classical Studies and second Religion requirement. Note well: If you are taking it as a second Religion it will NOT fulfill your HUM distribution requirement. It will, however fulfill you WI (Writing Intensive requirement).

Class Meetings: January 7-8 in LH 230 at 9 a.m. sharp
Depart for Europe: January 9 from Chicago O'Hare Airport; Arrive Athens January 10, Carrier is Lufthansa. Meet at United Terminal #1

Credits: 4

Graded: Yes

INSTRUCTORS:
Professor Chris Renaud, crenaud@carthage.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

In this J-Term class in Greece, you will explore the intersection of Greek Religions and Greek Myth and come to understand how different the religious experience was for the ancient Greeks. They had civic cults, elective cults, cults to the underworld, hero worship, etc. Every Greek polis (city-state) had its own myth and civic cults. In addition to visiting some of the greatest cities of ancient Greece, we will also visit the sites of the Panhellenic games, where athletes from around the Greek world would compete and vie for immortality: Nemea, Isthmia, Delphi and Olympia—the grand-daddy of them all. Most importantly, you will begin to see the relationship between place, myth and ritual.

Through creative and non-creative writing assignments (reading/observation journal), you will reflect what you are learning and discovering. The capstone experience will be a five-page, well-honed essay that intertwines both the creative and non-fiction writing. See below for more details.

Along the way you will learn much about modern Greece, its people, culture, and activities

Additional classes will be held either in our hotel

Course work will be graded (daily written responses, presentation, paper, and participation).

TEXTS
Simon Price, Religions of the Ancient Greeks (Key Themes in Ancient History). Cambridge University Press, 1999
Barry Powell, Classical Myth. Fifth Edition. Pearson/Prentice Hal, 2006. Contains the major myth cycles we will be studying.
C. Renaud, Sacred Spaces, Divine Heroes. Module for the course. Free

Grading:
Creative, narrative writing                 30%
Active Participation                            30%
Critical Reading/Learning Journal    20%
Paper   (Summative Essay)=            20%

Total                                                   100%

You are expected to be engaged actively at all times. To be at your best, you need to take care of your health and thereby the health of others around you. Make sure you get enough rest. Ask questions that develop the discussion/conversation. Our guide, Smaro, is a top tour guide. To obtain your guiding license in Greece, you have to pass rigorous tests. Both Smaro and I will be tour leaders, but I will be your professor who assesses your work.

I am creating a module for the course that you are to have on you at all times.  It will have plans of the sites we are visiting as well as supplementary material not in your text books.

Writing Assignments:

• The Journal:
  For this class we are requiring you to keep a journal. Your journal entries will be responses to assigned topics or readings. Your journal should also include your reflections on what you are reading and seeing during the study tour. The journals will be collected and evaluated at least three times during the term.  They will be graded on a 1-5 scale with 5 being the best. Because of your investment of time in writing them, your journal will be a large part of your grade. Remember that your journal is not class notes or random jottings. For each entry you should have three cogent observations (insights) and three questions. That is, you should be analyzing what you are reading and relating the reading to the theme(s) of the course and your own world. Bottom line: three analytical comments (observations) and three questions. The best journals are the ones that apply the sociological models we are teaching you to what you are reading and that you make connections with either other texts in the class or contemporary society. Beware of presentism, that is, always seeing the past through the present. Whenever you approach a foreign, alien culture, you need to accept it on its own terms even if you disagree with the values of that society
• Each entry will have an introduction, body, and conclusion. If you wish to type your journal, you may but you are going to have to paste it into a notebook. Black composition books work best. Each composition book (black cover) contains 50 pages. You will be filling it up during the course of the term. Our experience indicates that you will gain a more profound and fruitful understanding of the class by keeping journals. Some of our students have continued to keep their journals beyond the class.
• The time invested in keeping a journal will assist you in writing a strong and compelling summative essay.

Assessing Journals
Grading of Reading Journals
5          Outstanding. This insightful response goes deep into the issue at hand. You have a clear understanding of conceptual framework of piece. You have identified the important themes and inter-related the material so that you demonstrate an interdisciplinary understanding of a work. Rare.

• Solid work. You have identified the important themes and demonstrate an interdisciplinary understanding of a work. You have also provided evidence from the texts read to support your ideas.  
• While you have certainly fulfilled the assignment, the evidence, insights and/or explanations are not immediately clear. Nor do you demonstrate an interdisciplinary understanding of the work

2          A minimal response to the assignment, reflecting little effort and mostly descriptive.
1          What you have written does not fulfill the assignment.
0          No response writing received.

The writing should be narrative in form, not a list of observations. To quote Flannery O'Connor, "All the rises must converge."  In other words, you need to be a critical listener and observer who notes the connections between what you will be seeing, hearing, experiencing.

2. Creative Narrative Writing

Because myth is at its essence a narrative story, you will be asked to re-write a myth associated with a site we are visiting for a given day from the point of view of a character from the myth. The basic definition of “muthos” in Greek means story. As you read the myths as the ancients told them, you will discover that they pay attention to plot, place, details, themes, motifs, and characters.  Each story has a beginning, middle, and end. Many of the myths are hero myths. The hero has a difficult upbringing, proves himself through accomplishing some great feat (or feats), and achieves everlasting glory (kleos). Heroines exist in Greek myth. Of all the cultures on earth, the ancient Greeks had the richest repertoire of hero myths. To the ancient Greeks, these stories were their history. You will find episodes from myth on pottery (in every museum), architectural decoration, and sculpture. When they wanted to recount some famous historical episode, the Greeks used myth. Myth was a common language used to communicate core values and ideas.

These assignments will be short in duration. I do not anticipate having you spend more than 30 minutes writing these creative narratives. I will assess your work every evening and give you some suggestions as to how you can make your writing more vivid.

Paper:
Your paper will be a summative essay that combines both your journal and creative, narratives writing. In other words, it should be a strong narrative essay that focuses on three themes you discovered in your journey in Greece.  The paper is due on Jan 29. You will post it on Turnitin.com, which will be a place for your portfolio. It will be easy for me to access the papers from the site. A hard copy needs to be delivered to my office by 5 pm. Jan 29.

The paper should be a word-processed and 5-8 pages in length, not including endnotes. Any paper that does not have citations and a proper bibliography (your texts, journals, etc.) will be returned to the writer with the grade of "F".  Make sure you cite your sources clearly. However, you are not writing a research paper. You can only use your journal, creative narratives, the module, and Price and Powell’s texts.  If you do endnotes, then you need to use the "Insert" footnote or endnote that is available on MS Word. 

• For endnotes and footnotes, you give the first initial of the author's first name and then the last name.
• Quotations should be indicated with quote marks ("") and the title of the text is either italicized or underlined, but not both. After the title the volume number, date and page(s) should appear. 
• Unfamiliar words from Greek should be italicized.

General Advice:
In writing a paper, you must first synthesize thoroughly the material, have a point you wish to demonstrate, and then marshal the evidence.

To visualize the relationship between your presentation and Journal, consult the follow image:

Study Abroad Policy and General Information

Although we may be off campus, according to the Dean's office, Carthage Community Code is in force. To further esprit d'corps, students will have the opportunity of setting additional guidelines. In general, we have found Carthage students to be wonderful fellow travelers and learners. At times, however, the actions of a few have detracted from the experience, hence the need for crafting our own (faculty and students) set of guidelines.

Participation

From time to time, we will be having class at our hotels. These will be discussions that should help you clarify what you are learning. To be as effective as possible, you need to demonstrate that you have read the assigned material, listened to onsite talks, and have been making connections to the theme, or themes, of the class. Remember that 30% of your grade rides on your meaningful participation.

Hotels:

European Hotels are unlike American ones. Hotels in Europe are for resting, not recreation. The expectation is that their guests will be out and about visiting the sites. Most hotels have bars, dining rooms, and laundry services (expensive).  Each room generally has a phone and a television and a bathroom. The hotels we will be staying at are four and three star hotels. Some may be “spartan” by American standards but they are clean, safe, and comfortable. If you have valuables, check them at the front desk where they have a safe. Often rooms have safes. Use them! Hotels do not have indoor pools or fitness rooms, nor do they exist in the vicinity of the hotels. Blankets are usually made of wool. If you are allergic, bring your own blanket.

One more note: Hotels are not dormitories. We are expected to behave respectfully; other groups travel in Europe during the winter months and retire early. Also, be careful of your state of dress when walking in the halls of hotels or going to the dining room. Walking into a dining area wearing pajamas and bare-footed is not seemly. You dress in street clothes when you leave your room.

No flip flops are allowed! They are unsanitary outside of your room—my internist told me she would ban them as they carry a lot of germs with them. The dean also has banned baseball caps as they SCREAM “I am an American—a rude rube.” Besides, as it will be winter there, a hat that covers your ears will be necessary.

You also need to keep the rooms to your rooms CLOSED!!!

Electricity

The electric current in Greece is 220-240, not 110 as in the States.  If you have a hairdryer you must bring, bring a transformer that will accommodate 1600 watts and convert your 110-120 appliance to the 220-240 current. Some hotels do have hair dryers, or so past experience has indicated. However, some students did not like the hotel provided dryers. Bring adapter plugs that will convert an American plug to a European one. These are easy to find at Radio Shack, Target, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, and travel stores (Gurnee Mills).  Do not bring an electric clock; it does not tend to keep accurate time because of the current. Instead, bring a battery-operated one.

Film or Digital Cameras:
Buy film in the States as it is cheaper.  Do not pack it in your luggage, but carry it with you on the plane.  Screeners no longer allow you to pass film around the screening machines. Don't worry; your film will not fog unless it is a very high-speed film (over 800 ASA).  Put your film in a clear plastic bag.  If you are using a digital camera, you may wish to bring batteries with you unless you have a rechargeable unit with rechargeable batteries. Batteries are more expensive overseas.  Also, if you have a traditional, film camera, bring back up camera batteries. Again, they are cheaper in the States and not as old.

If you are not going to bring a laptop, make sure you camera’s flash card is large enough to hold all the photos you are going to take. If you want to download your CD Compact Flash or SD card, bring a flash reader—very inexpensive—and go to an Internet Café with a CD-RW or DVD-RW (the latter hold a lot more information) and burn your images onto the CD or DVD.  Do not leave your cameras unattended. Although theft is a rarity in Greece, it does happen.

Personal Safety:
Greek cities, with few exceptions, are very safe. Unlike Italy, which has long been known as a haven for pick-pockets, Greece does not have as great a problem.  However, DO NOT carry your wallet in your any pockets! Even “fanny” packs are vulnerable. People will double-team, that is, one will cause a distraction while the other picks your fanny pack, back pack, purse, and/or pockets. If you place your wallet and camera in a back pack, wear that “back” pack in front of you. The Italians do. You can also a security pouch and wear your coat over it.  You should never surrender your passport, except at hotels and Customs.  Keep them away from you! You will never know when your pocket has been picked. It does not matter how tight your jeans are—you will never feel it.  Be aware of your belongings and who is around you at all times. You do not have to be paranoid, but we do not want such incidents to spoil your trip.  When in Greece, stay away from the following areas at night: Piraeus—the port city of Athens and where one can find the Hard Rock Café. On past trips, students have told me that the Hard Rock Café was too expensive, boring, and in a bad area. Ladies, do not go unattended to these places.

Behavior:
Please consult the provisos and hints on the Blackboard. I hope to have a web page up and running so information will be available to your parents and friends.

Do not carry a package for someone—an old trick that caused legal problems for friends of friends. Public inebriation is not tolerated. If you are caught with drugs or behaving inappropriately, we can do nothing. We will also make sure you are on the next plane back to the States at your expense.

Please keep in mind that we are ambassadors of our country. Again, no baseball caps or other ostentatious American emblems!  We are there to learn about their cultures.

If you need to leave the group and return to the hotel because of illness, please let your travel leaders (Dan and Chris) know. When you leave a hotel, make sure you take a card of the hotel with you so you can show the cab driver where you are staying.

On site, stay on the path. Please do not climb walls or pick up artifacts on the ground. In museums and churches, please do not touch the art or the walls.  As we will be visiting churches, please respect those who are praying and observe a reverential silence, or at least what used to be known as speaking in a library voice.

As you will be walking a lot, you will be tired at times, but do try to be respectful of whoever is speaking. Walking away, turning your back on the speaker, sticking out your tongue, talking, pouting, listening to music on your CD players and I-pods when class is in session, etc., are not mature behaviors. If you carry a cell phone with you, put it on vibrate and walk away from the group to answer it. I will also not tolerate cell phone or Blackberry texting. When I ask for your attention or we are on site, you are to focus on the matter at hand. Also, there is no smoking allowed on archaeological sites or museums.

Professor Availability:
Like you, we do get tired. Moreover I bear more responsibilities, which I take very seriously. As much as I may wish to assist you, and I will, there are times when we cannot (late evenings or very early in the morning).  Once you are finished for the day, I am not, and so I ask that you respect my time.  At night I have to take care of the days expenses as I have to make sure we are solvent and because I have to submit a complete expense form with receipts to the Business office at Carthage as soon as I return. And I need the evenings to prepare for the next day and to grade your daily work.

If, however, you have a serious problem or are having difficulty adjusting, do let me know as soon as possible. Don't let problems fester! Also, if you are ill and need medications, let us know as soon as possible. Be sure to take care of your health, and your fellow travelers, by using common sense: resting, eating sensibly and healthfully, and being proactive.

In the past, our students have been very good at resolving personal issues they have amongst themselves. Sometimes, a roommate's snoring or needing an iron has been touted as emergencies; they are not. You will be rooming with someone you may not know well. Bring earplugs if you are a light sleeper. We cannot obtain single rooms. If you want a single, you will negotiate and pay for it.

ITINERARY FOR CARTHAGE COLLEGE
Greece, January 2008
Dr. Chris Renaud

January 3-5: Read the following texts

1. Price: entire book, pages 1-171
2. Powell: the following chapters (based on 3rd edition) Chapters 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14 (Heracles), 15 (Athens), 19 (Trojan War—Mycenae), 20 (Trojan War; Agamemnon’s return to Mycenae). You need to know the basic plot of these myths. They are associated with places we will be visiting. For instance, Tiryns is associated with Heracles, as is Olympia. Take notes. The author quotes ancient literary versions of these myths extensively. Study the narrative closely (plot, character, local color, details, themes, etc.)

Monday, January 7: Class begins at 9 a.m. sharp
            Overview of class; Greek Religion and Myth; and first Modern Greek lesson
Monday, January 8:
Introduction to Greek Sacred Sanctuaries and Architecture; second Greek lesson, and final bits of advice.

Wed Jan 09: Departure for Athens from O’Hare. Be at Terminal 1 (United). Carrier: Lufthansa. Stopover in Munich (three hours).

Thursday, Jan. 10 Athens: Arrival. Transfer from airport to your hotel, Philippos near the Acropolis. Orientation walk around Plaka. Welcome dinner at taverna in Plaka.
Overnight in Athens, at Hotel Philippos (http://www.philipposhotel.gr/homepage.asp)

Friday, Jan 11 Athens: Morning departure for tour of Acropolis and South Slope of Acropolis.
Lunch on your own in Plaka.  
Afternoon visit of the area around Acropolis; Roman Agora and Library of Hadrian. Overnight in Athens at Hotel Philippos. (http://www.philipposhotel.gr/homepage.asp)

Saturday, Jan 12 Athens: Morning departure at 8:30am to visit of the National Archaeological Museum (by subway). Optional visit on your own to visit the Cycladic Museum (open until 4pm). Overnight in Athens. (http://www.philipposhotel.gr/homepage.asp)

Sunday, Jan 13 Athens: Morning: Agora of AthensLunch on your own. Afternoon visit of Kerameikos and Academy—Plato’s school (open until 3pm). Overnight in Athens. (http://www.philipposhotel.gr/homepage.asp)

Monday. Jan 14 Athens-Sounion Morning departure at 10:00 a.m. for guided visit by bus to Vorres Museum (11-12:30pm). Stop at about 1:00pm in Anavyssos for cheese pies in the bakery and continue to Cape Sounion (2:30-3:30pm).  Possible visit of the small Greek Orthodox Nunnery of St Paul to meet with nuns from all over the world, for example, Germany, US, Canada etc., to get a briefing on their monastic life, their organic products. (4:15-5:30pm). Continue in the scenic coastal road.  Optional dinner in Glyfada at George Steakhouse (6-7 pm). Overnight in Athens. (http://www.philipposhotel.gr/homepage.asp)

Tuesday, Jan 15:  Leave Athens for Nauplion: Departure (early) by private bus with your guide, Smaro.  Breakfast on the way at Corinth Canal.  Visit of Isthmia (place of one of the Panhellenic games) and Epidaurus, the sanctuary of Asklepios.  Lunch on the way on your own.  Overnight in Hotel Marianna (http://www.hotelmarianna.gr/site/en/home.html)

Notes: be packed the night before we leave Athens. Make sure you pay for any bills at hotel before departure.

Wednesday, Jan 16 Nauplion: Early morning departure to visit the site of Mycenae and then Tiryns with the Cyclopean walls and the galleries. Afternoon free in Nauplion. Overnight at Hotel Marianna (http://www.hotelmarianna.gr/site/en/home.html)

Thursday,  Jan 17: Nauplion-Nemea: Morning departure for the nearby town of Nemea, famous for its red local wine, Agiorgitiko. Visit one local winery and have a tour of the facilities and learn how the red wine is being produced. Wine tasting and light lunch provided at the premises if possible. Return to Nauplion for free afternoon and overnight. (http://www.hotelmarianna.gr/site/en/home.html)

Friday, Jan 18: Nauplion – Corinth Morning departure for Ancient Corinth. Then, pass by Patras and continue towards Olympia (possibility of cog train from Kalavryta to Diakofto-if time permits). Lunch on the way on your own. Arrival in Olympia for dinner and overnight in Hotel Europa or Olympion Asty.  (http://www.hoteleuropa.gr/en/index.html)

Saturday, Jan 19 Olympia: Depart at 8:30am for drive to Olympia. Visit of Ancient Olympia. Visit the new museums, the Archaeological and the Olympic Games one (with findings from the ancient games) and the ancient site. Lunch in taverna in Olympia (at extra cost). Overnight and dinner in Olympia, at Hotel Europa. (http://www.hotelmarianna.gr/site/en/home.html)

Sunday, Jan 20 Olympia – Delphi: Depart early morning to pass by Rion/Antirion bridge, Galaxidi, Itea to reach the town of Delphi. Lunch on the way.  Arrive in Arachova for overnight at Hotel Lykoria.

Monday,  Jan 21 Delphi : Visit the ancient oracle of Delphi and the museum. After lunch, return to Athens. Overnight in Athens.  (http://www.philipposhotel.gr/homepage.asp)

Tuesday, Jan. 22: Depart Athens. Day trip to Marathon – Brauron (Sanctuary of Artemis). Morning departure by bus and guide to visit Brauron and Marathon, where the famous battle took place with its museum. Return to Athens in the afternoon. Overnight. (http://www.philipposhotel.gr/homepage.asp)

Wednesday, Jan 23: Athens:  Free day in Athens.  Farewell dinner in old town of Athens. Overnight. (http://www.philipposhotel.gr/homepage.asp)

Thursday, Jan 24: Return to USA: Transfer to the airport and return to U.S. Departure very early. Lufthansa with connecting flight to Chicago in Munich.

Info Meeting: Nov. 15, 2006
Important Information

Passports
Passports: If you have not ordered or renewed your passport (if it needs renewing as it expires during the first 6 months of 2007), do so immediately. At this point, you will have to put a rush to get your passport because of the holidays. Prof. Magurshak had to pay $172.00 (that included his pictures). You should receive your passport in time.

Class Requirements

THIS CLASS DOES NOT, I REPEAT, DOES NOT, FUFLILL THE SECOND RELIGION REQUIREMENT. IT COUNTS FOR CARTHAGE SYMPOSIUM AND HUM DESIGNATION. I have been consistent in telling folks and yet some still think it counts. It does not.  It will also fulfill certain requirements for the Classics and Philosophy majors

Registration

Do you have to register for the J-Term? YES, you do have to register the class under Classics or Philosophy. It does not matter which. The class is called Italian Humanism.

Flight Regulations

Are their flight regulations? Yes. Because of the scare in London this summer, you will be restricted in what you can bring with you on the plane. I will get the latest, as it always changes, and let you know where you can find the information. Last Monday, Europe adopted the same regulations that were instituted in the U.S. last summer.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/index.shtm
http://www.lufthansa.com/online/portal/lh/us/info_and_services?tl=1&l=en or just go to http://www.lufthansa.com 
Airlines have become more restrictive about how much luggage you can check in and how much you can carry on board. All liquids can be more than 3 oz. and have to fit into one (1) quart size, clear, ziplock bag. When you do through security, you need to have it out for the TSA officials to check at security points. If you have a laptop, you must take it out. You also have to remove all jackets, blazers, belts and shoes and put them through the screening machines.

Also, airlines no longer allow you to check in or carry a lot of luggage. To cut costs, they have reduced the amount you can check in and they are really prohibitive, especially in Europe, regarding what you can carry onto a plane. Don't call the airlines. They tell you what you want to hear. At the airport, they play by their own rules.

The TSA site gives you the latest do’s and don’ts of traveling domestically and internationally

Medications

New regulation went into effect just the other day. You will need a note from your doctor(s) for all, all the meds you will be bringing with you. If you are susceptible to colds or flu, bring over the counter remedies that help you in the States. I have asthma, as do some other participants, and I can easily get a cold that can develop into an infection very quickly.

Greece uses the Euro. To find out what the exchange rate is, go here:

http://www.xe.com/ucc/
As of January 2, 2008 the Euro was $1.44—much more than predicted so plan accordingly. It is best to get Euros in Europe. It is cheaper. Best way is through a credit card if you have a pin number. Call your company or bank and tell them you will be in Greece. Also ask them how much they charge to withdraw money from your credit card. They do charge commission though they call it a cash advance charge. To save money, do not take out small amounts, say, 20 Euros.

Again, the Euro has skyrocketed. It is now over $1.44 I hope it holds at $1.44 or less but be prepared. It is cheaper to use your ATM/Credit card to get money. However, check with your bank and credit-card company as some have started to charge fees.  Also tell your bank that you are going to be in Greece so they do not think your card or identity has been stolen.

All these regulations should not be an impediment. I have learned that one can get by with a lot less than one assumes.

Books

I have ordered the following texts for our class:

Simon Price, Religions of Ancient Greece (see syllabus for full information)
B. Powell, Classical Myth.

Both books have been ordered through Carthage’s Bookstore.

One more recommendation. You need to stay on top of the information. When I sent out a letter at the beginning of August, very few returned the required information. In doing so, certain members of our trip added to my workload. You will soon discover that neither your professor nor your fellow students appreciate high-maintenance folks. Be proactive! Although I have done this trip many times, that does not mean I can anticipate what may or may not happen.

When you tell a professor that you are “busy,” the professor hears: “O, they think I am not busy.”