'Birth of the Greek Gods' I - Four-week Course

Hesiod’s poetic epics Theogony and Works and Days (8th cent. BCE), are among the oldest and most influential sources on the Greek gods and their myths. They were disseminated across the ancient world through oral performances, with rich personifications that have inspired countless creatives down the millennia. Theogony has been considered a 'manifesto' on human origins, while Works and Days contains two enduring myths on the human condition. Celebrating Hesiod, this course explores:

  22 Nov. Hymn to the Muses         29 Nov. Cosmogony

  6 Dec. Cronos and Uranus           13 Dec. Spirits of Night and Hades

Beforehand, students watch a free pre-recorded lecture, Introduction to Hesiod. Then, Sasha Chaitow's live sessions follow the structure of the epic. She opens each 90-minute lecture with a recitation of the relevant part of the poem, illustrated with art inspired by Greek myth. She then gives an accessible scholarly presentation on the origins and history built into it. To trace the story's evolution and influence, she looks at the ancient Greek landscape and monuments, philosophy and literature, Roman derivatives, Renaissance and Romantic art, alchemical emblems, and cultural survivals. Each session concludes with a discussion and Q&A. Dr Sasha Chaitow is an interdisciplinary educator, scholar and artist who has lectured internationally for 20 years; a native speaker of Greek, she is able to give insights into the language and culture, resolving common misconceptions. 

'Birth the the Greek Gods' is four interlinked courses (4 sessions in each). Each course may be taken on its own. We record the live lectures as they're happening, then post them online. If a student has to miss a session they can still see it on delayed view; equally, all can re-watch any lecture until the end of the course. The course has its own Facebook group, where people can interact and post questions. At the end, students receive further resources to go deeper, and also a Treadwell’s certificate. Other courses in the series: Part2 Part3 Part4