Siracusa Summer Seminar in Ancient Greek Philosophy

July 24-August 4, 2023

The ability to navigate Greek texts enhances our understanding of ancient philosophy and reveals its hidden treasures. “Greek for Philosophers” provides opportunities for scholars of philosophy to cultivate their language skills and engage with the ancient texts, whether they have studied Greek before or not

The goal of this seminar is to help students and professors of philosophy develop skills reading Greek and discussing the Greek text. The program combines cultural activities and Greek language study (at two levels) with academic lectures and presentations. Participants live and study on the picturesque island of Ortigia, where they can visit ancient Greek temples, swim in the sea, and experience the vibrant Mediterranean lifestyle.

Topic: Plato’s Symposium

Faculty:

  • Heather L. Reid, Exedra Mediterranean Center;
  • George Gazis, University of Durham;
  • Chiara Blanco, University of Edinburgh.

Schedule: Sessions run Monday to Friday; an optional excursion will be offered on Saturday

  • Morning: free with optional cultural activities (archaeological visits, cooking classes, etc.)
  • 3-5 PM: Beginning or advanced study and translation of Plato’s Euthyphro in Greek
  • 5-6 PM: Break/Study time
  • 6-7 PM: Guest lectures and participant presentations, followed by general discussion

Skill Levels: participants will be separated by language skill level for the 3-5 PM sessions, then come together for the presentations and discussion to follow.

  • Level 1: one year of Classical Greek or our online course in beginner’s Greek.
  • Level 2: two years of Classical Greek
  • A group for complete beginners may be added based on demand

Paper Presentations

  • Participants wishing to present papers on or related to Plato’s Symposium are invited to submit abstracts of up to 300 words for consideration.

Fees & Housing

  • The program fee TBA
  • Housing is not included; a variety of lodging options are available on the island of Ortigia.
  • Sponsorships/bursaries covering all or part of the fee and/or housing will be available on a competitive basis

Dates and Deadlines

  • March 15, 2023 Early application deadline (necessary if applying for sponsorship or bursary)
  • May 15, 2023 deadline to submit an abstract
  • Applications for regular participation will be accepted as long as space permits (limited to 15 students per level)

*Sponsorship: Individuals and organizations are invited to sponsor a qualified participant with financial need by paying their fees. The sponsorship may be anonymous or named, and the sponsor may choose the recipient if they wish. For more details, see the sponsorship registry

Information and Registration Links

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