Please contact Dr. Eric Potter with any questions you may have
Grove City College
Literature of Greece & Rome
Crossroads of the Classical & Christian Worlds
May 18 - 31, 2015
Course Faculty:
Dr. Eric Potter
Associate Professor of English
Dr. Andrew Harvey
Associate Professor of English
Dr. David Sparks
President - Footstep Ministries
2308 York Ct. Carrollton,
TX 75006
Phone/Fax Number:
(972) 418-6103
This May Intersession, Drs. Eric Potter and Andrew Harvey will lead a literary odyssey to the central sites of the Classical world of ancient Greece and Rome. We will begin with two days in southern Greece (the Peloponnesus), followed by a 3-day cruise of the Aegean Sea (with stops at Ephesus, Rhodes, and Mykonos), two days in Athens, concluding with three days in Rome (with a day’s excursion to Florence).
Enter the palace where Agamemnon was axed down by his wife Clytemnestra. Sit in the theatre where Oedipus first discovered the horrible truth about his life. Sail where Odysseus sailed on his epic journey home from the Trojan War. Discover the sites where the Apostle Paul planted the first Christian churches in Europe and hear his sermon on Mars’ Hill at the base of the Acropolis. See where Julius Caesar met his doom, where Dante composed his journey into hell, and where Michaelangelo, Raphael, and Bernini created the most exquisite art of the Renaissance. Take a pilgrimage from the Catacombs to the Coliseum to the Vatican.
Students have two options concerning credit for this course. It may be taken as: 1) Humanities 202: Civilization & Lit; 2) English 290: Studies: Literature of Greece & Rome (to fulfill a period lit course requirement for English majors). You may also choose to audit the course as either Huma 202 or Engl 290.
If you have any further questions, please contact Dr. James Dixon (jgdixon@gcc.edu) or Dr. Diane Dixon (dmdixon@gcc.edu).
COURSE FORMAT: 
Prior to the fourteen day tour, students will be required to read or see a number of literary works related to the theme of the course, prepare and submit short response essays on these works in their journals, and attend several meetings. During our trip, students will make daily additions to their journals regarding lectures and sites visited during the trip. During the trip short teaching sessions will be incorporated into the daily activities, and guest lecturers will speak to the group on several occasions. Subsequent to the tour a 5-6 page paper must be submitted comparing two works of literature on a topic to be assigned.
SPECIFIC GOALS OF THE COURSE:
(1) To encourage students’ spiritual and intellectual development. by making them aware of the historical and cultural environment that inspired the works of Homer, Sophocles, Virgil, St. Paul, Augustine, Dante, Shakespeare, and other seminal writers who contributed to the Classical and Christian traditions in western civilization.
(2) To allow students to appreciate, first hand, the sites that inspired those writers and to the cultures in which those works were composed.
(3) To develop an appreciation for the ideals of the Classical and Christian traditions in western civilization and their continuing influence on Western Civilization to the present.
REQUIRED FILMS:
These are the six required pre-travel sessions related to the content of our course:
1. College theatre production,
2. The Odyssey (Homer)
3. Julius Caesar (Shakespeare)
4. Zorba the Greek (Kazantzakis)
5. College theatre production,
6. A Room with a View (Forster)
REQUIRED READINGS
Selections from:
The Odyssey - Homer
Antigone & Oedipus Rex - Sophocles
The Acts of the Apostles - St. Luke
The Epistles of St. Paul - St. Paul
The Divine Comedy (The Inferno) - Dante
Cantos 1-13, 18-28, 32-34; handouts from Purgatorio & ParadisoJulius Caesar - Shakespeare
Selected Romantic Poetry - Byron, Keats, Shelley, Brownings, TennysonInnocents Abroad - Mark Twain
Chapters 1, 24-28 (Italy), 32-35 (Greece), 38-41 (Turkey)Daisy Miller - Henry James
Selected storiesCOURSE REQUIREMENTS
This course provides three credits for Humanities 202: Civilization & Literature, or English 290: Studies
A. Attendance at several pre-travel sessions as detailed in the film schedule above. We will usually follow the viewing with a discussion.
B. Six Short Response Papers (of approximately two pages, or 600 words) to be submitted on each of the films and plays, due one week following the viewing. We will provide writing prompts for each paper at each discussion session.
C. Students will be evaluated more informally on their contributions to discussions throughout the trip. They will be expected to share comments on the
literary works we study, both in discussion and in their journal entries.
D. A Journal must be kept before and during the trip from which students will be asked to share during group discussion times. The journal should include both formal responses to the literature assigned (for which we will provide writing prompts) and informal responses to the lectures and sites we visit during our trip.
E. An analytical paper of approximately 1500 words (5-6 pages) comparing two works of literature on an assigned general topic related to the course. This paper will be due a few weeks following the conclusion of the course.
F. Approximate cost: TBD
ITINERARY
Day 1 & 2 - May 18/19 Depart USA; Arrive Athens, Orientation Tolo
Welcome by Footstep Ministries staff. We drive to the Peloponnese for our overnight in the coastal town of Tolo. Introduction to Greece and its culture. Basic language skills and overview of our time of travel in the land of Greece, both ancient and modern. (D)
Day 3 - May 20 Mycenae, Epidaurus
Today we explore the Peloponnesus, the region of southern Greece. We will visit the ruins of Agamemnon, where we will discuss the roots of the Trojan War and Homer's epic The Iliad. We will also visit Epidaurus, the site of the most perfectly preserved of all ancient Greek Theatres. Overnight in Tolo. (B,L,D)
Day 4 - May 21 Corinth
Crossing the Isthmian Canal we visit ancient Corinth where we see the Temple of Apollo, agora, bema, Peirene Fountain, and Stoa. While in the agora we celebrate the Lord’s Supper (I Corinthians 11) and spend time in worship. We also examine Paul’s cultural context of life in the urban centers of the Roman world. We then climb the Acrocorinth, an abandoned Venitian Castle and the city's highest peak. On our return to Tolo we explore picturesque Nafplion and its wonderful shops and cafes. (B,L,D)
Day 5 - May 22 Cruise: Mykonos
On Mykonos you will find beautiful beaches, chic boutiques, and elegant nightclubs. Beneath its sophisticated surface, lies a quite essential Greek island. Hundreds of tiny chapels dot this blue and white-washed island with its beautiful windmills. Find a table on the waterfront and bask in the serenity of sunset over its picturesque harbor. Begin discussion of Homer's epic, The Odyssey. (B,L,D)
Day 6 - May 23 Cruise: Ephesus (Turkey) and Patmos
A tour to nearby Ephesus should not be missed, for here history truly comes to life. Walking towards the ancient harbor, down a marble road rutted by the wheels of countless chariots, you pass architectural masterpieces like the Library of Celsus before arriving at the Great Amphitheater where the Ephesians shout the praise to Artemis in reaction to the Gospel proclamation of Paul. Discussion of the Acts of the Apostles and Paul's epistle to the Ephesians. We then continue to Patmos, Greece. This island is known as the site of the apocalyptic Revelation of John, written here during his exile from the Roman Empire. The cave where he lived is now an Orthodox chapel that captures a glimpse of the vision of the heavens. Discussion of John's writings. (B,L,D)
Day 7 - May 24 Cruise: Crete and Santorini
Paul ministered on Crete with his traveling companion, Titus, who became the first overseer of the Christian community founded here. We also visit the Minoan Museum with its amazing artifacts of the Minoan Civilization with its labyrinth and minotaur.
The island of Santorini is perhaps the most breathtaking of all the Greek Islands. The town of Fira boasts beautiful white-washed houses, narrow streets, open-air cafes and glittering boutiques clinging to steep cliffs. Lying on the upper rim of a dormant volcano, Fira is only accessible by either cable-car or mule ride. (B,L,D)
Day 8 - May 25 Athens: Acropolis
Our tour of Athens includes a visit to the Acropolis, Parthenon, Erectheion, Temple of Athena Nike, Propylia, and Acropolis Museum. We will visit the Theatre of Dionysus, where the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides were first performed in the 5th c. B.C. We also visit the Areopagus (Mar’s Hill) and look at the sermon of Paul to the Athenians of his day. The afternoon brings us into the Plaka of a walking orientation to the modern historical district. Discussion of Greek theatre. Dinner and overnight in Athens. (B,L,D)
Day 9 - May 26 Athens: Museums
We continue our tour of Athens with a visit to the Pan Athenian Stadium, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Temple of Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch, and the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Dinner and overnight in Athens. Discussion of Sophocles' tragedies Oedipus the King and Antigone. (B,L,D)
Day 10 - May 27 Romantic and Modern Rome
This morning we fly to Rome and begin to explore its many sites. We start our tour at the Piazza del Popolo, then we stroll down the Corso filled with shops before visiting the Pantheon which also contains the tomb of Renaissance artist Raphael. The Trevi fountain is our next stop with time to toss our coins into it. We wrap up our walking tour at the famed Spanish Steps, where Romantic poets John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley lived and where Keats spent his final days. (B,L,D)
Day 11 - May 28 Ancient Rome
On our way to the ancient Roman Forum, we visit Rome's most outstanding landmark, the Coliseum. Its monumental size gives tribute to the Romans and their harsh forms of entertainment. Then we explore the Roman Forum and the site where Antony gave his funeral oration memorializing Julius Caesar. We see the rostrum, the mile marker (all roads lead to Rome) and the many temples that litter the landscape. Discussion of Shakespeare's tragedy, Julius Caesar. (B)
Day 12 - May 29 Excursion to Florence
Today we take a day's excursion to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. We will begin by visiting the Ponte Vecchio and the Plaza before walking through Florence's picturesque streets to the Church of Santa Croce. Next we head to the Accademia, the museum that holds Michelangelo’s greatest work, the
sculpture of David. After visiting the grand Duomo cathedral, the day is free to explore Florence's wonderful shops, cafes, and art collections. Discussion of E. M. Forster's A Room with a View. (B,L)
Day 13 - May 30 Rome: Catacombs and Vatican
We start our day with a visit to the Catacombs and recount the days of the early Christians in Rome. Then we make our way to the Vatican for a tour of its overwhelming museum of art throughout the ages. Our attention focuses on the art of the Renaissance and the magnificent Sistine Chapel. We end our tour with a visit to St. Peter’s to view the Pieta, the Baldacchino, and Altar commemorating Peter’s martyrdom. (B,L,D)
Day 14 - May 31 Flight to USA
We journey home with wonderful memories.
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