PROPOSED COURSE: ORIGIN STORIES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD
AN INTRODUCTION TO GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Origin Stories of the Ancient World: An Introduction to Greek Mythology
[Abbreviated Sample Syllabus: For the sake of illustration, I have given a brief course synopsis and a list of
topics.]
Synopsis
This course introduces Greek mythology with an idiosyncratic twist. Origin stories, as a specialized form of
myth-making, are often at the core of a particular society's myths. Some theorists have described the
function of all mythology as etiological -- i.e. explaining the origins of things. In this class, we will use the
theme of origin stories as a thread connecting many of stories which have come to be collected as "Greek
Myth." In addition, we will discuss the role of origins and searching for origins in the modern study of
mythology and classical literature. The focus on origins will also bring to the forefront issues of causality
(e.g. what sorts of ideas did ancient Greek authors have about explanation and causal relationships?), time
(e.g. what sort of image of the past is at work in various versions of myths?), and space (e.g. where were
certain stories localized and what difference does this make for interpreting them?). Finally, origin stories
raise important questions about the relationship between "scientific" explanations and the many types of
explanation found in ancient myths.
A text of modern retellings of myths (e.g. R. Martin's Myths of the Ancient Greeks) would serve as the
backbone for the class so that students could learn the details of the stories quickly and efficiently. With this
basic knowledge in hand we would then turn to the ancient sources. Most readings of this type would
consist of ancient texts related to the topic each week (e.g. Hesiod's Theogony for the topic of cosmic
creation, the Catalog of Women during the week on genealogy). I have suggested in what follows how K.
Dowden's The Uses of Greek Mythology (1992) could serve as a useful secondary text throughout the
course.
Topics
Week 1
DIVINE CREATION AND DIVINE ORDER
On Origins
Steiner, G. Grammars of Creation [excerpt]
Polydore Vergil, De Inventoribus Rerum book 1 (trans. Copenhaver)[ = an origin of
the modern study of origin stories]
Week 2
Origins of the Ancient Cosmos
Hesiod Theogony
Dowden, Chapter 1
Week 3
Origins of the Gods
Week 4
The Natural World
Land, Sea, and Air
Animals and Creatures
Week 5
Human Origins
The Origin of Man
The Origin of Woman
PROPOSED COURSE: ORIGIN STORIES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD
AN INTRODUCTION TO GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Week 6
Week 7
Metamorphoses
Hellenistic fragments, [Ovid], Palaephatus
INSTITUTIONS AND FAMILIAL CONNECTIONS
Marriage
City Foundation
Dowden Chapter 5
Week 8
Sacrifice
Ritual
Dowden chapters 6 and 7
Week 9
Heroic Foundations
Heracles, Theseus
excursus: Romulus and Remus, Aeneus
Dowden Chapter 8
Week 10
Genealogy
Hesiod Catalog of Women
Dowden Chapter 9
Week 11
ANCIENT AND MODERN CONTEXT
Ancient Theories about Myth
Dowden chapters 2, 3, 4
Week 12
Ancient Concepts of Causality
The Greek Story
The Roman story
Week 13
Myth and History
Archeological evidence for cult and city foundation -- what "really" happened
Week 14
Modern Origin narratives (Anthropological and Cosmogonic)
Week 15
The Never-ending Muthos: Death and Renewal