KT26-27 Canonicity

Course Name

Canonicity

University

UL

EC

5/6 EC

Course date

semester 2 (2026 - 2027)

Registration open until

26/10/2026 - 10/01/2027

Location

Utrecht (UU)

Instructor(s)

Dr. Tazuko van Berkel (UL) & Prof. dr. André Lardinois (RU)

E-mail Contact

Dr. Tazuko van Berkel (UL)

Course objectives

Widening of knowledge of Greek literature; introduction to new genres (including peculiarities of the language); training in independent reading of literature in the original language and exploring new genres.

Course content

Six core texts from Greek literature that are not in the BA curriculum. These texts are selected because they are on the one hand well known, such as the New Testament or the Oath of Hippocrates, yet, on the other hand, hardly ever read in high school or in university programs in Classics. Students will learn about the history and meaning of these texts, but we will also discuss why these texts are left out of most curricula today.

Themes
1. Homeric Hymn to Demeter
2. The Pythagorean theorem (Euclides)
3. Euripides, Cyclops
4. The Oath of Hippocrates; the Sacred Disease
5. New Testament: The Sermon of the Mount; Acts/Pauline Epistle
6. Longus, Daphnis & Chloe

Educational perspective

The selected texts are also suited to present and discuss in the high school classroom. There is room in the lectures to discuss this aspect.

This aspect will be tested in the essay at the exam for students in the EduMa track.

Course requirements / Language proficiency

BA GLTC/ Classics

6 x 3 hours: 1 hour lecture + 2 hours seminar / responses (lecture + questions; discussions of the Greek).

Assessment

Written exam 100%

The exam will consist of three passages from the texts that have been studied, which have to be translated from Greek into Dutch or English, and an essay question, based on discussions about the canon in the lectures.

To obtain 6 EC, UvA and VU students read more source texts and secondary literature (1 EC) in consultation with the teachers. The additional literature will be tested during the exam.

5 EC

Most of the EC will be spent on reading texts in Greek at home with the help of commentaries: roughly 80 pages of Greek (x 1 hour), reading commentaries (20 hours), 18 hours of classes (6 seminars x 3), the rest is preparation for the exam.

 

Further information

Fridays 11:00 – 14:00

Data on campus:

Vrijdag 12/2

Vrijdag 26/2

Vrijdag 12/3

Vrijdag 19/3

Vrijdag 2/4

Vrijdag 16/4

Background Literature and Course Materials

Books/ literature will be made available.