Class Times: 6.30 to 8 pm (Melbourne time) Wednesday 23, 30 Oct & 6, 13, 20, 27 Nov 2024
Venue: The Greek Community, 168 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne (+online with zoom)
Online with zoom: zoom link for all six classes
In case of internet disruption, dial-in +61 3 7018 2005 | Meeting ID: 874 2299 1205 | Passcode: 817263
Course Outline and weekly readings
All the weekly readings are from ‘The Last Days of Socrates’ which includes the dialogues Euthyphro, Apology and Phaedo.
- Buy the recommended Penguin translation
- Download Loeb Classical Library Greek/English edition (PDF)
- Online, we recommend David Horan’s translation (Euthyphro, Apology and Phaedo) which can be printed in PDF.
Catch-up class recordings
Go to the YouTube playlist for all recordings or follow the links below
Week 1
The Drinking Party 1965 movie adaptation of the Symposium
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
After class the discussion wandered to the discovery of zero celebrated in The Golden Road by W. Dalrymple. The place value notation (requiring a marker for an empty place) derives from physical calculators such as counting boards, that did not require a marker for an empty place.
The discussion shifting on to another best seller The Swerve: How the Renaissance Began (Greenblatt) reminded Janet of a critical review by Luke Slattery that would have found some sympathy within our group.
We also discussed the relationship between Platonic myths of the afterlife and similar accounts in Buddhism. Those interested in exploring the historical links, might be intrigued by the case of Gandhara.