Clouds, Aristophanes
1. What is the belief of the sophists concerning speaking and education, as seen in the agon(contest) between Just and Unjust Speech (lines 889-1101) and the teaching of Pheidippides in the Thinkery?
2. What is the purpose of the parabasis(digression) at lines 518-562?
3. How is Socrates characterized in this comedy?
Euripides' Trojan Women Study Questions
Lines 1-709
Prologue: 1-152
1.What background to this tragedy does Poseidon present? What does Poseidon say about the Trojan War and its aftermath?
2. What does Athena propose to Poseidon? Why?
3. Who is Hecuba? What metaphor does she use in describing her present situation?
4. How does Hecuba characterize Helen?
Parodos (entrance ode of the chorus): 153-96
What does the chorus of Trojan women sing of as they enter the orchestra?
Stasimon 1 (Choral Ode in Place): 197-239
1.What does the chorus of Trojan women fear their fate will be?
2. To what Greek city would they prefer to be brought? Which city do they wish to avoid?
Episode 1: 240-510
1.What news does the herald Talthybius give to Hecuba?
2. What is Cassandra's reaction to her captivity?
3.Why does Cassandra say that the Trojans are "happier than the Achaeans"?
4. What final role does Cassandra see for herself?
5. How does Hecuba characterize her fate?
Stasimon 2 (Choral Ode in Place): 511-66
What is the subject of this second ode of the chorus?
Episode 2: 567-709
1.In the lament of Andromache and Hecuba, how have they said their lives have been transformed?
2. Reading between the lines, how would you characterize the relationship between Andromache and Hecuba? What is your evidence?
Euripides' Trojan Women Study Questions
Lines 710-end
Who is Talthybius? How does Euripides characterize this fellow?
Stasimon 3 (Choral Ode in Place): 799-859
What is the subject of the chorus' song?
Episode 3: 860-1010
1.Characterize the relationship between Menelaus and his wife Helen.
2.What perspective does Hecuba bring to the relationship between Menelaus and Helen?
3. In the debate between Helen and Hecuba, how does Helen defend herself? What is Hecuba's counterargument?
4. What is the attitude of the chorus?
Stasimon 4 (Choral Ode in Place): 1060-1122
What does the chorus sing?
Episode 4: 1118-1332
What does Talthybius say of the fate of Andromache, Astyanax, Hecuba?
Apology, Plato
1. What are the charges brought against Socrates at his trial?
2. What connection does he make between these charges and his depiction in the Clouds of Aristophanes?
3. Why didn't Socrates go into exile rather than face death?
4. What did Socrates do and think?
Republic, Plato
1. How do Cephalus, Polemarchus and Thrasymachus define ‘justice'? How does Socrates /Plato define ‘justice'?
2. What are the three parts of the State? How does the individual soul reflect the three parts, their functions and virtues?
3. What education do the Rulers receive in the State? How does this education enable the Ruler to Know the Good?
4. In what way does the Allegory of the Cave reflect the Four Stages of Cognition in Plato's theory?
5. How does the Myth of Er explain why it is better to live a ‘just' rather than an ‘unjust' life, according to Socrates/Plato?
Study Questions for Virgil's Aeneid
Book 1:
1. The Aeneid begins in medias res. Explain.
2. What is the goal of Aeneas and why is Juno (Hera) attempting to block this?
3. Identify one simile and explain its significance.
4. Who is Dido and what is her story?
Book 2:
1. For Priam, compare
Aen. 2. 184 - 92, 629-92
Il. 24. 281-506
2. For Hector, Andromache, compare
Aen. 2. 339-75, 566-71
Il. 3. 38-94; 6. 237-529; 16. 712-854; 22; 24
3. For Helen, cf. Aen. 2. 704-27
Il. 3. 121-45, 149-76; 24. 760-75
4. Describe the Fall of Troy, mentioning Ulysses (Odysseus), Minerva (Athena),Thymoetes, Capys, Laocoon, Sinon, Palamedes, Calchas, the image of Pallas Athena (Palladium), Cassandra, Aeneas, Panthus, Coroebus, Androgeos, Priam, Cruesa, Anchises.
5. Identify an epic simile and explain its significance.
6. How does the snake imagery comment on the action?
Book 4:
1. Trace the imagery of flame/fire and wounds as it leads to the death of Dido. Relate this to the hunting/huntress/hunter motif.
2. How does Dido die?
3. Who is Anna? What reasons does she give to Dido for marrying Aeneas?
4. Explain the plot of Juno. What is her motive?
5. Compare Aen. 4. 278- 97 to Aen.1. 307-55.
6. Who is Iarbas? How does he advance the plot?
Book 6:
1. Describe Virgil's picture of the Underworld.
2. What is the future that Anchises reveals to Aeneas?