CLST 200 Lecture 2: clst lecture week 1

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Classical Studies
• Course: CLST 200
• Professor: George Bevan

Document Summary

Looking outward: an overview of the greek experience. Like their legendary hero odysseus, the greeks were irresistibly drawn to distant shores and far away lands. By the fifth century bc, they had planted colonies from spain to the west coast of asia and from north africa to the black sea. The distinct culture they forged was marked by astonishing creativity, versatility, and resilience and their speculations on government, war, law, religion, education, etc. continue to influence our own culture. Greek history is defined less by a place than by a language and shared culture. Greeks spread across islands into asia, egypt, north africa, Mediterranean in the west, italy, spain, france, onto island is crete. Like his fellow greeks, odysseus was irresistibly drawn to travel, explore, and confront new and astonishing things. Determined to hear the sirens" song, despite the risk, odysseus is tied to his ship mast and thus cleverly satisfies his curiosity.