Description

Euripides just died and has arrived in hell. Will Aeschylus give up the throne of tragedy in hell? Dionysus sure wants to know.

To find out, this course will take an “inverted” approach to reading Aristophanes’ Frogs: instead of discovering every word while reading the text, we will learn and practise all of the vocabulary beforehand.

Classes will alternate between vocabulary-and-grammar sessions, with lots of active, repeated practice, and reading sessions where we put that preparation to work. This means less time painfully decoding individual sentences and more time following the plot, enjoying the jokes, and noticing what Aristophanes is actually doing with the language.

The aim is to read the whole play in Greek over several terms, at roughly 400–500 lines per term.  

Εὐριπίδης ἀποθανὼν εἰς ᾌδου ἀφῖκται. τοῦ δὲ καινοῦ ποιητοῦ ἥκοντος, ἦ μεθήσεται τοῦ τῆς τραγῳδίας θρόνου ὁ Αἴσχυλος; ὁ Διόνυσος πανταχῇ πυνθάνεται ἐφιέμενος εἰδέναι!

τοὺς Βατράχους ἀναγνωσόμεθα τρόπον τινὰ παράδοξον. τὰ γὰρ ῥήματα καὶ ὀνόματα πρότερον ἅμα μαθόντες καὶ πολλάκις μελετήσαντες, μετὰ ταῦτα τὸ ἔργον ἀναγνωσόμεθα.

ἐν δὲ τοῖς διδάγμασιν ἐναλλάξ ταῦτα ποιήσομεν. ἐν μὲν τοῖς ἑτέροις τὰ καινὰ ὀνόματα ἐκμανθάνομεν. ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἑξῆς ταῦτα εὖ γνῶντες τοὺς στίχους ἐξέσται ἡμῖν εὐκόλως ἀναγνῶναι. οὐ γὰρ βραδέως τὰ καθ΄ἕκαστα ἐξετάσομεν, ἀλλὰ ἤδη ἔμπειροι ὄντες χαιρήσομεν εὐτρόχως ἀναγιγνόσκοντες τὰ τοῦ Ἀριστοφάνους σκώμματα.

σκοπὸς δ᾽ ἡμῖν ἐστιν ἅπαντα διελθεῖν κατὰ μικρόν, ὡς τετρακοσίους ἢ πεντακοσίους στίχους κατὰ τρίμηνον.  

For Whom Is This Course?

• intermediate to advanced learners of Ancient Greek

Prerequisites

• good knowledge of Ancient Greek
• prior experience speaking the language is strongly recommended

Language of Instruction

• Ancient Greek

Texts

•  Available online. Instructor will also provide text on screen.

Time & Date

• Tuesdays, 17:00-18:00 Central European Time
  September 15-November 17, 2026

Teacher

Roberto Salazar
Roberto Salazar is a seminomadic classicist and polyglot obsessed with speaking Greek, Latin and Arabic and trying to always stick to proper Platonic idiom (and failing, of course). Now an Athenian, a ποτε fellow of the Ecole Normale Supérieure, and often a Cairo resident, he still dreams of Paris while guiding students through the mazes of ancient Knossos and the packed cavea of the theater of Epidaurus.

Registration

To register, please put the class into your digital shopping card and proceed to checkout. Alternatively, you can also send us an email: info@argos-didaskei.com

FAQ

Which pronunciation do you use?

We use the Erasmian pronunciation of Ancient Greek.

How many students are there in each class?

Classes are capped at six students.

Where do classes meet?

We will meet on Zoom or Teams. The teacher will send you the meeting link before the first session.

What happens after my purchase?

After you have paid you will receive a confirmation email. A week before the class starts, the teacher will send you the meeting link as well as other useful information.

Which payment methods do you offer? Can I pay by bank transfer or wire transfer?

We are currently offering the following payment methods: bank transfer (US or SEPA), wire transfer (US), Wise, PayPal, credit card.
If you want to pay via bank transfer or wire transfer, please contact us directly: info@argos-didaskei.com
If you want to pay via PayPal or credit card, just put the class or item into your virtual shopping cart and proceed to check out.

What happens if I have to cancel a class?

You can cancel your registration any time via email. If you cancel before a class has started, you will receive a full refund of the course fee you have paid minus a ten percent administration fee. If you have to cancel a class that has already started, you will receive a partial refund in direct proportion to the number of classes that you have attended minus the ten percent administration fee. For example: If you have to cancel half way in of a course, you will receive a 50% refund minus 10% percent of the originally paid course fee.

I have further questions: Who can I contact?

Feel free to write us an email: info@argos-didaskei.com