The program in Classics is designed to teach the Ancient Greek and Latin languages and to help students appreciate the continuing influence that both these languages and the cultures they represent have on the modern world. Although the primary emphasis in the Latin courses is on the "Classical" form of that language (i.e., the form used for most of the extant Roman literature), provision can be made for students who desire to study Medieval (or "Ecclesiastical") Latin (i.e., the form used for most sacred music texts). Although the primary emphasis in the Greek courses is on the Koine dialect (the form in which the New Testament and much of early Christian literature was written), provision can be made for those students who desire to study the Attic dialect (the form in which most "Classical" Greek literature was written).
As with the courses offered by the Department of Modern Languages, most Classics courses are taught in the original languages, but a few are offered in English translation. The courses described below under the specific language headings (Greek, Latin) are taught in the original languages. Of the courses taught in English, those dealing mainly with Greek and Roman history are listed above under the "History" heading; those dealing mainly with Greek and Roman literature and with Greco-Roman culture in a broader sense carry the label "Comparative Literature and Culture" and are listed elsewhere in this catalogue, under the heading "Interdepartmental and Non-departmental Courses."