In Greek mythology, Hera was sister and wife to Zeus, and ruled alongside him as his queen. The goddess of marriage and of women, she was known to the Romans as Juno, after whom the month of June may have been named. Jealous of her husband's numerous infidelities, many stories about Hera revolve around the punishments she inflicted upon Zeus's consorts and their children. In her guise as the Roman goddess Juno, she is the Trojan Aeneas's formidable foe, determined to keep him from reaching Italy and founding there the city that would one day give rise to Rome.

If you're interested in the Greek gods, and you want to go beyond the surface to explore them more fully as characters, this class is for you. In this course, we will put the spotlight on Hera and some of the many stories about her, as related in both ancient Greek and Roman sources. These stories will be explored in detail, and specific stories for discussion include, but are not limited to, her marriage to Zeus, her role in the Iliad, her hatred of Aeneas, her role in the story of Heracles/Hercules (and how the Milky Way came to be), and her punishments of some of Zeus's paramours. [Please note that a number of stories in which Hera punishes one of Zeus's romantic interests (Io, Semele, Leto, Callisto) are discussed in my other classes, and though they may be mentioned here, they will not be repeated in detail here; do not hesitate to contact me if you are curious about the other classes in which these stories are explored. Similarly, the judgement of Paris, another story in which Hera plays a large role, is discussed in my Trojan Horse class.]

This course is the second in a series designed to spotlight each of the twelve major Olympian gods (the first in the series was about Zeus). Such courses are meant to go beyond the basics to give learners a deeper understanding of each of the twelve major gods in the ancient Greek (and Roman!) pantheon. This course follows the format of my traditional symposium classes, and there is no prerequisite for this course.

As with my other symposium-style courses, this course is designed to feature some of the hallmarks of a true classical symposium. I may read excerpts from ancient Greek or Latin poetry, in keeping with the tradition of poetry recitation (please note:  any such readings are so that students can hear the language; this is not a language course, so language learning is not part of the class). Together as a class, we'll also read some short passages in English. From there, via around-the-campfire style storytelling, I will weave the larger stories around our topic of the day:  Hera. This course will make use of slides to introduce new material and to provide visual representations of art and literature. Ongoing dialogue and conversation, questions directed to students from the teacher (and from students to the teacher!), and reading aloud are all part of this course (please note that students are free to listen OR to join in the reading; it is their choice, and there is no pressure to participate in this way); discussion and questions are not just welcomed, but encouraged! 

As food and drink were an important part of a symposium, we'll seek to recreate that with traditional symposium snacks (please see the supply list for more details!), and while the traditional wine isn't age appropriate, a more appropriate drink like water or juice is a suitable replacement. (Please note that students should not feel obligated to eat or drink if they do not wish to; the food is meant to enhance the experience, but it's far from necessary.)

A symposium was an occasion for people to gather together for entertainment and learning. This course is one of many symposium-style courses, with each course designed to feature a different topic. This course has no prerequisites, and it is ideal for learners who love mythology, who have a curiosity about the classical world, or who enjoy good stories. Let's sit down to a symposium together!