Δημοσθένης

Sycophants, hetairai, desperate actors

Ancient Greek online course, 2nd March, 2024- 25th April, 2024

Cicero considered him to be the prince of orators, capable of expression in every register of the Greek language and the uncontested master of sublime style. Demosthenes is an author who has inflamed the thoughts and words of soldiers, statesmen, and philosophers of all eras, and even so an author who is rarely read today. This is due in part due to the dazzling density of his work and in part due to the staggering amount of gloss needed to progress through his oratory, particularly his political speeches.

Even more, Demosthenes is a superb storyteller whose narrative tapestries can draw his audience along with rapt attention. For contemporary readers, the political speeches of Demosthenes provide an opportunity to immerse oneself in the life of 4^th century Attica through a kaleidoscope of people and events. In this course, conducted entirely in ancient Greek, we will encounter debauched young men, hetairai and pornai, charlatans, sycophants, pimps, soldiers, destitute actors. We will also embark on a journey from the citadel of Athens to the outskirts of Corinth situated between the Attic countryside and the Athenian forces. In this way we will be able to engage with one of the greatest oratorical works in literature by an author of equal stature for his narrative at times best characterized as smooth, at times piquant, and at other times even pugnacious.

Part 1: Selected Speeches of Demosthenes

The first part of the course focuses on reading Demosthenes’ selected speeches: Demosthens’ On the Crown, Against Conon, Against Eubulides, Against Neaera; Aeschines’ Against Ctesiphon.

This part of the course will take place in seminar format via zoom (webinar) every Saturday from 17:00 to 18:15 CET/CEST.

Each seminar will be conducted entirely in Ancient Greek (Attic).

Each session will be recorded and made available up through the end of the course.

Part 2: Writing and Conversation in Ancient Greek

Every Thursday at 18:00 CET/CEST, Schola Humanistica will offer a series of Zoom sessions organized around on the themes of the readings with a focus on the practice of conversational and written ancient Greek. These sessions may be attended independently of the reading sessions.

In this course we will explore the semantic fields of offense and curses, of incompetence and fraud, of political factions, military life, of violence and agression, of language and tone, of hetairai, and invective.

Each of these sessions will be designed to provide participants with an opportunity to converse with one another and engage with them face to face on the Zoom platform.

Each of these special exercises will likewise be recorded and made available for the duration of the course.

Last day to Register: 1st March 2024

Enrollment in both parts or only one part of the course is possible (see the columns below for more information).

Program schedule

Enrollment in both parts or only one part of the course is possible (see the columns below for more information).

PART 1:

Selected Speeches of Demosthenes

Schedule	Topic
I. Saturday, 2^ndMarch, 17:00-18:15 CET	Demosthenes vis a vis Aeschines
II. Saturday, 9^thMarch, 17:00-18:15 CET	On the Crown I: scribes, actors, orators
III. Saturday, 16^th March, 17:00-18:15 CET	On the Crown II: μισαθήναιοι and μισοφίλιπποι
IV. Saturday, 23^th March, 17:00-18:15 CET	Life in an Athenian Military Camp: Against Conon I
V. . Saturday, 30^thMarch, 17:00-18:15 CET	The violence of soldiers: Against Conon II
VI. Saturday, 6^th April, 17:00-18:15 CEST	A slightly Attic Accent
VII. Saturday, 13^th April, 17:00-18:15 CEST	Sex workers and the slums of Corinth: Against Neaera I
VIII. Saturday, 20^th April , 17:00-18:15 CEST	Catching the lovers of a wife: Against Neaera II

PART 2 Writing and Conversation in Ancient Greek

Schedule	Topic
I. Thurdsay, 7^th March, h. 18:00-19:15 CET	Cursing
II. Thurdsay, 14^th March, h. 18:00-19:15 CET	Desperate actors
III. Thurdsay 21^th March, h. 18:00-19:15 CET	For Macedonia and Against Macedonia
IV. Thurdsay 28^th March, h. 18:00-19:15 CET	Military Encampment
V. Thurdsay, 4^th April, h. 18:00-19:15 CEST	Beatings, Whippings, Violence
VI. Thurdsay, 11^th April, h. 18:00-19:15 CEST	An Athenian without an accents
VII.Thurdsay, 18^th April, h. 18:00-19:15 CEST	*Hetairai and Sex Workers*
VIII.Thurdsay, 25^th April, h. 18:00-19:15 CEST	Sycophants

Demosthenes

Hetairai

Sycophants

Soldiers

Destitute actors

Aeschines

Instructor

Paolo Pezzuolo

Intended course audience

Teachers, students and scholars of the ancient world.

Where

Online, using Zoom as a platform

Language

Ancient Greek

Level

Intermediate or advanced

Professional development credit

At the end of the course, a certificate of participation will be issued on request.

Registration fee

98 € for part 1

98 € for part 2

150€ for both parts

Course registration and Availability to Recorded Sessions

Upon successfully registering for the course, you will be entered on the list of course participants and you will be emailed the sign in information needed to join the session meetings. At the end of each session, a recording will be made available for the entirety of the course.

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