Description

The Hymn to Demeter tells the harrowing story of the abduction of Persephone by Hades and Demeter’s search for her. During her frantic search for her daughter, she is received as a guest in the town of Eleusis, leading to the founding of the Eleusinian Mysteries. In this course, we will read the Hymn in its Homeric Greek, discussing and explaining the text (without translation) in Ancient Greek.

ὁ Ὕμνος εἰς Δήμητρα διηγεῖται τὸν δεινὸν μῦθον περὶ τῆς Περσεφόνης ἁρπαγῆς ὑπὸ τοῦ ᾍδου καὶ τῆς Δήμητρος ζητήσεως. ἔτι δὲ ζητῶν τὴν θυγατέρα ξενίζεται ὑπὸ τῶν Ἐλευσινίων, ἐξ οὗ τὰ Ἐλυσίνια καθίσταται. ἐν τούτοις οὖν διδάγμασι ἀναγνωσόμεθα τὸν ὕμνον οὐ μεταφράζοντες ἀλλὰ ἑλληνιστὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ διαλεγόμενοι καὶ διεξηγούμενοι.

For Whom Is This Course?

• intermediate to advanced learners of Ancient Greek

Prerequisites

• good knowledge of Ancient Greek (at least one year of university studies or equivalent)
• prior experience speaking the language is recommended
• prior experience with the Homeric dialect is not required

Language of Instruction

• Ancient Greek

Text

• The text is accessible at the Perseus Digital Library.

Time & Date

• April 15 – June 17, 2026 (ten weeks in total, once a week)

  Wednesdays, 19:00-20:00 Central European Time

Teacher

 

Josef Chlachula

Josef (Ἰωσήφ) grew up in Minnesota and now lives in Prague, Czechia, where he has earned his master’s degree in classical philology. His main interests are in Greek poetry and Stoic philosophy and has previously taught classes on these topics at Argos Ancient Greek. He has participated in and led seminars at several conferences and workshops for spoken ancient Greek.

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 need 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