The principal objective of teaching Ancient Greek is, by means of carefully graded and attractively presented courses, to enable students both to enjoy a critical understanding of the great works of Greek literature in the original language and to develop an understanding of the relevance of the ancient world to our own.
A secondary aim is to provide a basic ability to handle sources in the original Greek for students in the disciplines of ancient history, classical civilisation and others throughout the faculty. Instruction is also given in New Testament Greek.
The first-semester subject of first-year AGR1010 (Introductory Ancient Greek 1) presupposes no previous knowledge of the language and combines instruction in basic grammar with a wide range of simple, entertaining original Greek. In the second semester of first year AGR1020 (Introductory Ancient Greek 2) builds on this knowledge and covers a considerable amount of original reading; in AGR1030 (Introductory Ancient Greek (New Testament option)) selected passages from the New Testament are read. Students who can demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of Ancient Greek or who have passed VCE Ancient Greek will enrol for AGR1070 (Language and literature 1) and AGR1080 (Language and literature 2).
At second and third-year levels students are introduced to a representative selection of the most important ancient Greek authors. Intending honours students are also strongly advised to include the additional eight-point unit offered at second-year level (see below).
Translation from English into Greek will be used as a method of reinforcing language understanding but will not form part of the assessment.
Major sequence
A major sequence in Ancient Greek comprises:
First year
AGR1010 and AGR1020/AGR1030 or AGR1070 and AGR1080
Second year
AGR2210 and AGR2220/AGR2230
Third year
AGR3450 combined with AGR3460/AGR3480 and AGR3470/AGR3490.
Candidates for a major may, with the approval of the head of department, substitute one second or third-year ancient history or classical civilisation unit for an Ancient Greek unit at the same level.
Minor sequence
A minor sequence consists of what is listed above for first and second year. In second year a candidate may substitute a second-year ancient history or classical civilisation unit for an Ancient Greek unit.
Two additional eight-point units AGR2470 (Literature A) and AGR2490 (Literature B) are offered in alternate years for students who wish to do additional work. Both these units are strongly recommended for intending honours students.
Honours
Combined honours courses in Ancient Greek together with Latin, ancient history or linguistics are available. For combined honours in Ancient Greek and Latin a student will take in second and third years the subjects prescribed for each of the two disciplines, and in fourth year a combination of parts of AGR4300 and LAT4300, approved by the department, including a dissertation.
Graduate work
The department can provide supervision in most areas of Ancient Greek studies, except archaeology.
First-year level
Coordinator: A S Henry
* AGR1010 Introductory Ancient Greek 1
* AGR1020 Introductory Ancient Greek 2
* AGR1030 Introductory Ancient Greek (New Testament option)
* AGR1070 Language and literature 1
* AGR1080 Language and literature 2
Second-year level
Coordinator: A S Henry
AGR2210 Language and literature A
AGR2230 Language and literature B
AGR2490 Literature B
Third-year level
Coordinator: A S Henry
* AGR3450 Language and literature C
* AGR3480 Language and literature D
* AGR3490 Literature B
Fourth-year level
Coordinator: A S Henry
* AGRHonours
Students taking a combined fourth-year honours course in Ancient Greek and another approved discipline should, in consultation with the department, enrol for two of the following, while students who have been granted special permission to complete fourth-year honours in Ancient Greek over two years should enrol for two of the following subjects in each of the two years:
* AGR4320 Prescribed texts
* AGR4340 Language
* AGR4360 Special study
* AGR4380 Dissertation
Subjects