Greek Set Book
Classes
Tuesday 28 April - Tuesday 07 July 2026, 6pm-9pm
10 sessions - Check class timetable
Overview
Greek Set Book: 'Greek Oratory from Classical Athens to the Roman Empire'
Our Greek Set Book short course is distinct in that it gives you the chance to study Classical Greek texts in depth under specialist tutors with active research interests in that area. You will learn to tackle complex Greek literary writing and to appreciate its artistry and ideas. Your tutors will also help you to place the set texts in their wider intellectual, social and political context. The texts we study each year change in response to student needs and preferences.
This year’s course will focus on Greek oratory. We will look first at the oratory of Classical Athens and focus on extracts from two of the most famous representatives of the 'Canon of the Ten Attic Orators': Lysias and Aeschines. Lysias' On the Murder of Eratosthenes is an excellent example of forensic oratory, allowing us a glimpse into Athenian private life, Greek law, gender roles and Lysias' skill in speech composition. We will then read extracts from a speech on connected themes, Aeschines' Against Timarchus. The speech focuses on citizenship and expectations. It accuses Timarchus of transgressive behaviour unbecoming of his social status, a classic example of an 'ad hominem' argument.
The later parts of the course will offer an unusual opportunity to study the evolution of Greek oratory in the ancient world after the Classical period. After Alexander the Great's conquests, Classical Athenian techniques and ideals were imitated and reinvented in complex ways. We will study extracts from lesser known oratorical texts: some Hellenistic inscriptions, followed by samples from the Euboicus of Dio Chrysostom, one of the great Greek orators of the Roman Empire.
The course involves close analysis of the text from a linguistic, literary, historical and cultural point of view. You will be expected to prepare portions of the text in advance and we will translate them together in class, as well as discussing language, context and composition. By the end of this course you will be able to:
- read Greek in prose and analyse different styles of speech writing from different centuries
- translate and appreciate complex Classical Greek literature in the original
- explore rhetorical devices, speech composition, historical background, gender and public speaking
- place the speeches in the context of contemporary events, politics and culture.
The course will be taught jointly by Dr Dimitra Kokkini and Dr Benjamin Gray.
This course is non-credit bearing, so carries no credit points.
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Entry requirements
Entry requirements
This course is suitable for anyone interested in studying Greek, but not seeking formal qualifications in the language. It involves close study of a Classical Greek text in the original, so it requires substantial prior experience in Greek, but we are flexible with precise qualifications and experience: please contact Dr Benjamin Gray.
As part of the enrolment process, you may be required to submit a copy of a suitable form of ID.
International students who wish to come to the UK to study a short course can apply for a Visitor visa. Please note that it is not possible to obtain a Student visa to study a short course.
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How to apply
How to apply
You register directly onto the classes you would like to take. Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis - so apply early. If you wish to take more than one short course, you can select each one separately and then register onto them together via our online application portal. There is usually no formal selection process, although some modules may have prerequisites and/or other requirements, which will be specified where relevant.