The Good Life in Ancient Greece and Rome

What is a life well lived? How do we attain happiness or at least peace of mind? Such questions are central to Classical literature. In this seminar we will explore the differing answers that influential Greek and Roman authors, writing in a variety of genres, have offered. By reading impactful authors of the time, we will consider whether the ‘good life’ results from prizes and honors won, duties fulfilled, or a state of mind cultivated through practice. Readings will be drawn from works such as Homer’s Iliad, Sophocles’ Antigone, Aristotle’s Nicomachaen Ethics, Vergil’s Aeneid, and Seneca’s Letters.