The Restoration of the Golden Age
Ancient Greek online course, 9th November, 2024- 19th December, 2024
One day the peasant Chremylos walks towards Delphi with the intention of asking the god if his son is destined to live, like himself, in misery. The Pythia’s answer is obscure: once outside, Chremylos is to follow the first man he encounters. Obeying the oracle, the peasant approaches a blind beggar (exactly the first man he sees outside the temple) and after chatting with him he discovers that the man is in fact Plutus, the god of wealth. Here begins a phantasmagoria of adventures and paradoxical situations that lead to an incubation in Epidaurus, Plutus’ arrival in Athens and an explosion of joy for what everyone perceives as the return of the Golden Age. The fair distribution of wealth is not satisfying to all: hence a parade of sinister characters that once took advantage of others’ misery and now feel deceived, such as a sycophant and a lustful old woman.
In this course, which will take place in the last two months of 2024, Schola Humanistica proposes an immersion in Aristophanes’ last extant comedy, in which more than ever before the Athenian playwright detaches himself from the political affairs of the day to explore the rarefied atmosphere of dreams and timeless fantasies. It is precisely for this reason that, of all the ancient comedies, Plutus is the most capable of provoking the reader’s hearty laughter and of capturing him powerfully in the folds of the plot.
Part 1: Aristophanes’ Plutus
The first part of the course is structured as a reading of the most savoury and fascinating passages of Aristophanes’ Plutus.
This part of the course will take place in seminar format via zoom (webinar) every Saturday from 17:00 to 18:15 CET.
Each seminar will be conducted entirely in Ancient Greek (Attic).
Each session will be recorded and made available up for 12 months.
Part 2: Writing and Conversation in Ancient Greek
Every Thursday at 18:00 CET, 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 module we will explore the semantic fields of wealth and poverty, begging, incubation, the Golden Age, denunciation and senile love.
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: 8th November 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:
Aristophanes’ Plutus
| Schedule | Topic |
| I. Saturday, 9th November, 17:00-18:15 CET | The mendicant Wealth |
| II. Saturday, 16th November, 17:00-18:15 CET | A speech on poverty |
| III. Saturday, 23th November, 17:00-18:15 CET | In Asclepius’ temple |
| IV. Saturday, 30th November, 17:00-18:15 CET | The restoration of the Golden Age |
| V. . Saturday, 7th December, 17:00-18:15 CET | The sycophant |
| VI. Saturday, 14th December, 17:00-18:15 CET | The lustful old woman |
PART 2
Writing and Conversation in Ancient Greek
| Schedule | Topic |
| I. Thurdsay, 14th November, h. 18:00-19:15 CET | Mendicancy |
| II. Thurdsay, 21st November, h. 18:00-19:15 CET |
Poverty and wealth
|
| III. Thurdsay 28th November, h. 18:00-19:15 CET | The incubation |
| IV. Thurdsay 5th December, h. 18:00-19:15 CET | The Golden Age |
| V. Thurdsay, 12th December, h. 18:00-19:15 CEST | Sychophants |
| VI. Thurdsay, 19th December, h. 18:00-19:15 CEST | Senile love |
