RLS008 Reading Sophocles

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jana Steklá, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jana Steklá, Ph.D.
Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jitka Erlebachová
Supplier department: Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Fri 10:00–11:40 A22, except Mon 20. 4. to Fri 24. 4.
Prerequisites (in Czech)
RLS003 Greek Grammar III || KR003 Greek Grammar III || KR016 Classical Greek IV
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Abstract
The primary aim of the course is the development of skills and abilities necessary for a successful translation of a selected Ancient Greek text. Students draw on the linguistic competences obtained in courses of Greek grammar and apply their knowledge of morphology and syntax to authentic Ancient Greek texts. In the course, students read a selected text from Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus Rex, without the choral passages.
Learning outcomes
Following the successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- analyse linguistic features of the selected text;
- translate and interpret the text properly;

- understand the metrical aspect of the Greek text

Key topics
  • 1. Introduction to the tragedy, metrical aspect, specific features of poetic text
  • 2.-13. Reading and interpretation of selected parts of the Greek text: Correct translation of the Greek original text into Czech while focusing on differences between the word-for-word and meaningful translation, looking for adequate expressions in Czech for different Greek syntactic constructions, grammatical and syntactical analysis, identification of subordinate clauses and their formal characteristics.
Study resources and literature
    required literature
  • SOFOKLÉS. Oidipús vladař. Edited by Jaroslav Pokorný. II. vydání (v Orbisu I.). Praha: Orbis, 1963, 86 stran. URL info
  • SOFOKLÉS. Tragédie. Translated by Ferdinand Stiebitz - Rudolf Mertlík - Radislav Hošek. První souborné vydání. Praha: Svoboda, 1975, 623 stran. URL info
    recommended literature
  • GOLDHILL, Simon. Sophocles and the language of tragedy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012, 296 s. ISBN 9780199796274. info
  • A companion to Sophocles. Edited by Kirk Ormand. Malden, Mass.: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012, xix, 598 p. ISBN 9781444356885. info
  • Introductions and translations to the plays of Sophocles and Euripides. Edited by Sophocles - Euripides - Harry Love. Newcastle, UK: Cambridge Scholars Press, 2006, 248 p. ISBN 9781847180636. info
  • MACINTOSH, Fiona. Sophocles : Oedipus Tyrannus. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009, xvi, 203. ISBN 9780521497824. info
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
Students are required to translate and gramatically analyze particular chapters in advance individually at home. During the classes, the text is translated and grammatically analysed.
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
The necessary prerequisite for successful completion of the course is active attendance at seminaries. The assessment method for the course is an oral examination that evaluates the student's ability to translate and grammatical analysis of a selected Greek text.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2026/RLS008