The Alpha Eta chapter experienced
a tremendous renaissance during the
2010–2011 academic year. We excited the
undergraduates, graduate students, and
even faculty and staff with our revitalization
efforts. Our calendar included an
event or general purpose meeting each
week school was in session.
Highlights include:
September
• Kick-off event
October
• Herodotus reading: Battle of Marathon
(Μάχη τοῦ Μαραθῶνος)
• Initiation ceremony held on the “Diag”
(the university’s central quadrangle)
• Coffee chat with Professor Ruth Caston
on a variety of topics
November
• Classical World “Jeopardy” (i.e., topics
such as divinities; modern Classics;
grammar and syntax; medicine; Latin to
English significance; Greek to English significance;
heroes and villains; philosophy,
food, and drink; geography; wars, etc.)
• University of Michigan’s 9th Annual Arthur
& Mary Platsis Symposium on the
Greek Legacy: Why Teach Thucydides?
• Movie Night: Gladiator with commentary
by Professor David Potter.
December
• Horace reading with Sarah Kunjummen,
whose thesis was relevant to Horace’s Odes
• Attended (some members acted in)
Plautus’ Mostellaria
• Spoken Latin session
• Roman Banquet — all recipes were from
Classical cookbooks
January
• Latin scrabble tournament
• Ovid: Fasti reading
• Medieval Latin presentation (“Teacherstudent
relations in the Middle Ages”)
by Professor Donka Markus
February
• Catullus reading
• Singing Latin session: Beatles’ songs,
“Hail to the Victors,” folk songs
• Reading Seneca’s version of Oedipus
• Attending the performance of Oedipus
at Williamston Theatre
• Classical linguistics presentation with
Professor Ben Fortson
March
• Ides of March reenactment of Caesar’s
assassination
• Latin reading on gladiatorial games
• Chapter succession-planning meeting
with officers and staff
April
• Article in U-M Department of Classical
Studies’ Convivium, page 12: https://
editweb.lsa.umich.edu/UMICH/
classics/Home/News%20and%20
events/Newsletter%20downloads/
ClassicsSpring11web.pdf
• Various presentations with graduate
students about graduate school, their
individual research projects, life in
Classics,
etc.
• End-of-year picnic; presentation of Eta
Sigma Phi Honor Cords to seniors