The Ancient Greek Hero is an online educational project created by Gregory Nagy (Harvard University) and offered by edX/HarvardX. While many MOOCs focus on lecture capture and certificates, this project seeks to integrate community and content around the figure of the ancient Greek hero, a subject that Nagy has been researching and teaching at Harvard for almost four decades (learn more about The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours). Through the HarvardX project Nagy and his team foster a global and ongoing dialogue where participants can engage with ancient readings and with each other in a meaningful way. It offers access to world-class content including specially prepared primary texts, secondary texts, video dialogues, audio downloads, images and more–all free, and all designed to be equally accessible and transformative for a wide audience.
Since the project was launched in March 2013, The Ancient Greek Hero has enrolled over 36,000 participants from over 170 countries. Participants in the inaugural session completed the challenging material at promising rates. More importantly, participants describe being transformedby the content, the community, and the rare experience of “reading closely”.
The second session runs from September 3 through December 31, 2013. New participants are welcome at any time. Register now!
Watch Nagy’s video introduction to HeroesX.
Messages Posted in the HeroesX Discussion
Thank you!
padelis[edited for privacy]
I spent this warm, sweet evening here in Athens, reading the last pages of hour 24 -the texts on Socrates- right in front of the Acropolis, with tears in my eyes. Later on I finished the last assessment.
I would really like to thank from the bottom of my heart every single person who worked on this online course and made it possible for us to be part of this amazing, life-changing experience.
To Professor Nagy, to Claudia and everyone else, a huge ‘thank-you’.
Thank you
20annashadow
Thank you, Greg, Claudia, Lenny, and all the readers and visitors and staff. And especially Kevin for his wonderful poem. A wonderful, beautiful course. So much that is worth understanding. And you are all such warm people – your love for the Greeks and your concern to share it with us shone through the 24 hours.
David [edited for privacy]
Really grateful for this course!
Efterpi
I am really grateful of the chance I was given by professor Nagy and everyone else who worked for this project to study in detail so many texts from the ancient greek tradition. I feel really blessed, it was a very constructive period. Thank you all very much, you are our heroes, the lighthouse for a safe trip.
Thank you all
Lisa11
Dear Professor Nagy, Claudio Filos, Leonard Mueller, HeroesX Staff and support staff, Thank you all for making this course available to the public at large. What a wonderful way to use the internet, what an interesting way to reach out of the university system and into the world at large. I have loved being with all of you and also my fellow travelers on this amazing journey. I have loved the readings, the video lectures and the discussions begun by my project-mates. Now that I have the assessments behind me, I plan to retake the class so that I can reread the source material. I am looking forward to repeating the journey. My deepest gratitude to you all for making this possible. Best wishes, lisa
Thank you Greg, Lenny, Claudia, and Kevin
It has been a long time since I posted here. I had some health issues come to me and I thought I would not finish this course. Without the encouragement and help from Greg, Lenny, Claudia, and Kevin I would not have done so. Words began disappearing for me and these Heroes continued to help me see any participation was what this course is all about, that the finishing the race is what is important, not where I finished.
I fail to recognize most of you and to those that may remember when I posted, I want to tell you that your encouragement helped also. It seems as if I have a brief respite from what was engulfing me. I was able to finish this course. I remember some of the posts I used to read and not understand. This once bothered me – not any longer.
Through the wisdom of these mentors that led us to hidden gems of wisdom and insights, I have been able to find the serene harbor the Ancient Greek writers sought so long ago to give me. They have helped me find an inner peace tailored strictly for me. Do I read lots into their writings, you bet I do.
Dr.Nagy and the other mentors that shared their knowledge helped those like me, to see and understand that “reading into the works” is good to those of us who need this. Will I ever be a Greek expert – no and that’s okay for me. At this point in my life, I needed what I read into these Works of Art.
My finishing this course is one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done. One of the most frightening things to happen to me was when words started to make no sense. I was terrified. I poured out my fears to the four Heroes listed above and not one time, not ever was I made to feel anything but hope and support. How could I not succeed with this support system. Then, I noticed the degradation of my vocabulary had stopped, at least for a little while. One of the first things I decided to do was complete this course.
I love these 4 giants of compassion and mentoring, for helping me deal with the darkness and for caring for me, as I came to grips with what lays ahead. If all teachers were as these are. Thank you very much, Greg, Lenny, Claudia, and Kevin
Bobby
Apache Junction Arizona.
Thank you Jeff!
Mayragul
Dear Jeff,
I like to thank you for your long hours, sometimes sleepless nights and responding to our technical problems. I hope this course was a great learning experience as it was for many of us. Happy Friday!
Thank you Professor Nagy
Shirley1
Dear Professor Nagy, Despite the growing pains I have had taking this course I realize now that I have learned what years of traditional education could not teach. Thank you for your wisdom, research, and dedication to make those of us who only heard briefly of the adventures of the Greek Hero come to life. I am forever changed for the better.
Regards, Shirley from Wisconsin
Thank You Professor Nagy, the word lives…
Dear Professor Nagy and Colleagues,
Thank you so much for this course. It was challenging but well worth the effort. My only regret is that I did not have more time to take part in the discussions. I come from the Catholic tradition and studying the ‘Ancient Greek Hero’ has added depth, texture and context to my reading of the “Old and New Testaments.”
The passage from the “Iliad” that made Claudia cry (Nestor to his son) has the same effect on me. I quote it now to my own children and hope that one day they will do the same. The word lives… [edited for privacy]
Thank you from Prof Nagy
GregoryNagy
Dear fellow readers:
Thank you. I love each of the charming notes you have shared about your experience in our joint project. I’m so glad that we have been able support each other in our reading and learning in such positive and productive ways. I say this with great sincerity because our time together has also helped me to refine my own readings and procedures. Our team will share more with you about our experience and about what we know regarding the community in the coming days and months. But I can tell you now that I believe this to be the best formulation of the Ancient Greek Hero in my 37 years of teaching and researching.
These messages and the happy months I spent with you all are for me a fond memory to be treasured forever. We hope to archive these and share with the entire community.
Warmest wishes to you all,
Greg
[edited for privacy]
Dear Prof. Nagy, This course has obviously touched the hearts and souls of many, and I want to add my congratulations and thanks to you and all involved. I have been busily downloading all the videos, for I expect to revisit them often in years to come. I suspect that Socrates would disapprove of downloaded videos as being even more pernicious than books, since they can give the false appearance of being the genuine “living word.” But I will treasure them nonetheless and hope that there will be future opportunities for this great experiment to continue. Gratefully, Laura [edited for privacy] (a/k/a Tritogeneia)
Dear Professor Nagy,
Your course has fulfilled all my expectations, and much more besides. I thank you from the bottom of my heart,
Participant from Beirut
jalb
Dear professor Nagy
Thank you so much for this incredible course, it has been an honor to have been taught by you.
Best regards from Colombia, South America
Dear Professor, thanks for everything!
Best regards from Chile.
Dear prof. Nagy and Team
In the past five months I have been privileged to take part in this amazing experience, which sadly, comes to a turning point.I don’t feel, that hour 24 is The End though, the completion of a full circle, but more of a new starting line for all of us, to continue our lives in a different way . Since learning all this different concepts, practicing (poorly) the art of slow reading, sharing enlightening, different views, I have started to understand differently not only greek mythology, or ancient civilizations , but the very present, life itself. I became a better reader, more appreciative of different kind of mediums ,have found new dimensions in art,music,plays,epics. And I would have never “run” this track, if not for participating in this course.
Thank you all for the effort, time, and especially heart, that have been so gracefully sacrificed in making us better humans than we were a few months ago.
Best regards, Roxana
[edited for privacy]
Dear Professor, One short comment to thank you for the depth and quality of the course. I was glad to read great texts with a touching commentary and also to be able to understand an ancient culture thanks to your rendering of the latest research on anthropology, linguistic and philosophy of Ancient Greece. Ludovic, Paris, France.
-Not forgetting the team… Thank you all for the overall quality of the project !
OrcasVati
Dear Professor Nagy,
I like many, was not terribly sure what to expect when I enrolled in the course, only knowing that my own knowledge in this area was rather limited and I was curious. And what a journey it has been. Yesterday, reviewing the course in my mind, phrases from “Mame” tumbled across my thinking: you have certainly opened new windows, opened new doors for me, especially in my post-retirement hobby study of the development of early Christianity. Your insistence on reading out, on learning meaning of key words, on thinking carefully proved only once again, to paraphrase Mame, learning is a banquet, but many poor fools are starving to death. Thanks to you, we are feasting.
With my sincerest appreciation, [edited for privacy], Orcas Island, WA
[edited for privacy]
I see life so differently now. The beauty I have experienced through this course, these words, you, mentors and staff has been truly wondrous. I have learned so much.
Thank you.
[edited for privacy]
Boston, Mass
N19
Dear Prof Nagy,
Your erudition has affected us profoundly by making us better critical readers. This is one of the best gifts to receive. Thank you for your amazing generosity. I am so grateful to have been part of this project that has engendered a community which is hungry for more learning.
[edited for privacy].
Dubai.
[edited for privacy]
Throughout this project I’ve sensed the care and effort that have gone into creating the lessons and tests. The things we’ve learned from the teachers, staff, and each other have been invaluable, and we could not have learned so much pursuing the subject alone. Thank you again for giving us access to the Ancient Greek Hero and best of luck for future renditions.
MGJensen
Dear Professor Nagy,
What a privilege to have been taught by you. This course has been an unforgettable learning experience, and I am so appreciative of your generosity in sharing your knowledge with all of us.
Thank you for opening up a new world of inquiry and continuing study for me!
Kindest thanks,
[edited for privacy]
Erza
Dear Professor,
I feel so grateful for the opportunity you offered us to learn, feel and visualize so many things. “Thank you” just sounds so little and unimportant. What can I say? I feel that I followed your advice and crossed my turning point the correct hora and the proper way. Thank you, for the lessons of humanism and for being taught by an expert who is so humble at the same time.
Riverdaughter
Professor Nagy,
You have been such an awesome teacher! I loved learning about Ancient Greece through it’s heros. Your method of teaching was so good. And your love of the subject was picked up by me along with the other wonderful things I have learned.
And thank you so much to those who helped you impart the world of Ancient Greece to us. I loved the way you helped us to make connections through teaching us with film clips like from Blade Runner. Connecting through similar rituals and beliefs from other cultures was fantastic as well. And I absolutely loved learning from the images on the pottery, and the once a year shining of faces of the figures in the memorial in Boston.
Thank you so much for this amazing experience and for my new love for reading the works of Homer Plato and others. I sell books on Amazon. I was filing them the other day and found several works. Plato’s works and Virgil. I will be happily reading them during the rest of the summer now that I have a better understanding and appreciation of these works.
Sincerely
[edited for privacy] (Riverdaughter)
Ackis
Dear Professor,
I feel that I only reached the turning point, that the full circle has not been closed yet !!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!
For the Idea of the Ancient Hellenic Hero !
Στο επανιδήν!
Many regards!
Ackis.
stiliani
Dear professor Nagy,
I add my sincerest gratitude to the one of my colleagues. Thank you for sharing with me, for teaching me, for making me learn how to close-read. Thank you for all the new, astonishing things I’ve learned. I feel extremely lucky to having met you in Athens. Congratulations for the people/staff around you. I hope you all take a good summer rest and keep on your good job from September on. I’ll miss my course!!! Thank you again, “Χάριν έχω υμιν”
[edited for privacy] from Piraeus/Greece
ORPHEYS
Dear and Philoi,
All of you and especially Professor Nagy..
How we could thank you and express our gratitude for your profound work.. We learn trough your analysis to read much more carefully not the lines and the letters but behind their shade.
Our Greek Language it is a miracle and mother Tongue of the Universe beyond our Sun..
It cannot be explained what sort of a computer mind has set up, conceived , created, integrated the Greek language, the mythe, .The Texts, the names, the theories, the Theoria..
Each single word is a sema..of its meaning..
Our mind it is the cemetry of the words and only the dialogue evokes resurrection of the search for truth, it continues the life for ever keeps α – ληθεια alive for ever..
And You Professor Nagy, You are a high rated Μυστης of the hidden knowledge in the myths and their α – ληθεια .
We do thank you from the heart of our Heart.
Orpheus
[edited for privacy]
Dear professor Nagy,
Many thanks for assembling that Olympian staff of professors, readers, and all those behind-the-scenes helpers involved in providing us this wonderful opportunity to participate in this pioneering paradigm shift in education. What a fantastic course! In constant awe of the organization and the Herculean platform that supported the huge effort and the enthusiasm all around to efficiently fix bugs. Also grateful to those participants who’ve contributed with well thought out essays and timely discussions. Aphthito kleos for all.
While slow reading tancient texts under a new light and marveling at the contribution and influence of the ancient Greek civilization, I also read about today’s Greece, where recession has hit very hard. The middle class has shrunk and, increasingly, schoolchildren are going hungry. (See New York Times article in link below). Also, drastic cuts in state health care are kicking ordinary and unemployed people out of the system without medical care or vaccinations. (See Doctors Without Borders article link). All this now compounded by Syrian refugees.
As my way of kharis– it wouldn’t be proper today to sacrifice a rooster, I’ve made a donation to a Greek NGO. Since we have undertaken a sort of “journey through the night” I’ve given the equivalent of a night out. A small tribute, giving due “timê” to those who started and kept this project together. And also giving back to the current inhabitants of the demos that gave us that great heritage of the logos. Thus, in a small way, perhaps coming full circle.
[edited for privacy],
Madrid (Spain)
Luna89
I just can say – I’m proud to be part of such an great and powerful Union as this course is. Professors, companion, students, curious persons on course make this study really beautiful and interesting. I can claim that this is one of the most useful courses I’ve was enroled. It was so nice and I would like to try to translate this course in my language and make available for students and teachers in my country this helpful teaching by prof. Nagy. I’m so greatful! Greetings from Serbia.
Archaeo100
Dear Professor Nagy, Professor Muellner,Professor McGrath, Claudia, Natasha and all the team, thank you very much for this course and we are looking forward to having more courses from your team in the near future! And why not have a conference for “The Ancient Greek Hero” next year in Greece…
Looking forward to hearing soon from you again,
Kind regards and wishes for nice summer vacations, Archaeo100
Nektaria
Thank you very much for this course professor Nagy!
[edited for privacy]
A heartfelt thank you to everyone — Professor Nagy, the course team, everyone involved in making the videos, fellow participants, and all those named and unnamed creators of the ancient Greek song culture — for this beautiful, enriching experience.
[edited for privacy]
[edited for privacy]
I would also like to express my gratitude for this great opportunity! Professor Nagy, the whole Course Team and especially my fellow students from all over the world and my google hangout buddies… Evaggelia, Lena, Lena, Mirto, Roza, Maria, Voula, Stavroula and last but not least Yorgo with his wonderful thinking and amazing jokes!… Each and every one who has invested time, ideas, feelings and emotions in order to make this educational journey not just a destination where we have to cross a finish line but rather a turning point, in our course of life, which will offer us probably new opportunities and with no doubt a different way of thinking and an alternative way of dealing with things!
Thinking back of all this time that we have spent together I have to be honest; I am not really sure of how i can use this kind of knowledge but, what I know is that now words have a different meaning! Learning how to read and how to listen can help us achieve a better understanding and that is what I am planning to do from now on!
Let us keep this on going dialogue among us alive! We might not get wiser but we will become better and even better as persons 🙂
[edited for privacy]
desertbob
I would like to express my deepest thanks to Professor Nagy, participants and staff for a very unique and enlightening experience. I have many of the references that we have covered in my library, but now I know that, in examining these classics at a much greater depth than heretofore, I had missed many of the gems hidden within them.
Having spent many hours in classrooms many decades ago now, it was always refreshing to learn from someone that had that rare inborn capacity for approaching a subject with verve and je ne sais quoi that makes what could be drudgery into a thrilling journey.
The historical and mythical figures that we studied weren’t, in my mind, the only heroes that we got to know. We had the privilege of coming to know some contemporary New England heroes as well.
nickg5c
9 days ago
Deepest thanks to Prof. Nagy for making this amazing experience available to all of us, and to Prof. Muellner, Claudia Filos, and everyone else involved for making it come alive so well. I came to this course after a life spent working in science, hoping to take a couple of first steps toward finding out how the world was seen from a humanistic viewpoint. Thanks to the huge breadth and totally unexpected depth of the course, all the care taken to make its learnings accessible and attractive to people of diverse backgrounds, the stimulating questions asked, and the great access to resources for further study, I now feel equipped and energised to pursue this study for years to come. But what of the continuing dialogue that we now all have such an enthusiasm to carry on after being introduced to the ideas of Socrates? How and where to continue with that?
tiziana99
A huge thank you to everybody the Maori way! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQLUygS0IAQ&feature=share&list=PL2723F6959DE52C5A
For a magnificent course, sincere thanks to all from a Pakeha. The link seemed to work OK for me.
And thanks to Greg, Lenny, and Claudia for your work at the Center for Hellenic Studies. The CHS website is a source of pure gold.
–posted by JXM
cshea
Dear Professor Nagy,
Thank you for the wonderful gift of your class, “The Ancient Greek Hero. “ I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to participate in this project.
When I signed up for your class last March, I was hoping to grow in my knowledge and appreciation of ancient Greek literature. What actually happened over the following months was much more than I ever expected. How do I say it? I became “mentally, morally, and emotionally connected” to the world of ancient Greece in a way I never thought possible.
You gave me the chance to stand in the outermost circle of onlookers to the litigants on the shield of Achilles. I may have had to stand on your shoulders to see at all, and my view may have been imperfect, but oh, how exciting it was to be there!
You taught me not only about the Illiad, the Odyssey, and Greek tragedy, but also to love them. I know I will be re-reading these works with pleasure and wonder many times over the coming years. What an amazing gift!
Please also thank Claudia, Lenny, your other colleagues, readers, and the technical folks at EdX for helping to make this profoundly enriching experience possible.
Sincerely and with gratitude,
[edited for privacy]
yaryur
Thanks to professor Nagy
Are difficult to express
Not because he would not notice
But because he does not need them.
Some say Patroclos
Some say Kleopatra…
For us who know them as the same sema,
The most beautiful is 7th hour.
Thank you, professor Nagy,
For making us read Sophocles,
Which opened for us “Flies” by Sartre
And likewise all other wordings.
First Iliad like a picture
Then Odyssey like a story
Then Aeneid like a movie –
Three running legs of the culture.
What would convey the meaning?
What would show us the images?
H24 by Jupiter!
Written by the professor.
Who was Socrates in his time?
What is the use of a rooster?
How to choose the true answer
Veiled among wrongful decisions?
Being engaged in the dialogue,
Near and dear classmates,
We are to fulfill our telos
We are to answer the questions
That will not cease to appear
In never-ending dialogue.
[edited for privacy], Saint-Petersburg
LILIANA1
Dear Professor Nagy, I am so grateful for this amazing learning experience. Your lessons of the past and your accurate vision of the present are a precious legacy .
Thanks one more time for your generosity! Warmly Liliana From Cordoba, Argentina
EliasP
Needless to say it was a good course, you have all said so – and I agree. I wish to add that it was also a great lesson into ethics. Ethics in content, scope, handling communication with a motley crew, as Dimitra_21 aptly described us further up the responses, in outlying ethics between the vast community, despite minor mishaps. It was a great example both in dedication to desired academic outcome and its practical function,and that should not be underestimated. R-e-s-p-e-c-t, in the way of Aretha.
Dear Profs. Nagy and Muellner,
Tech problems are sure to be averted over short time. Make it better,make it big and maintain the high educational ethics you issued in view of the oncoming struggle for retaining autonomy on free educational platforms. A suggestion: go live, once it becomes possible. Real-time viewing, let alone interaction, would be an apotheosis for the course. Those who saw you at the conference in Athens know the difference – same as your domestic students do.
May you all have a great rooster-crowing continuance..
[edited for privacy]
Athens
Texican
How odd: to feel sadness and a wistfulness at having come full circle. I perhaps need to lament the passing of this experience because, even in my skepticism, I have learned a great deal. Perhaps the most important lesson, or at least one of them, is in these last two videos. By studying the humanities I keep in touch with my own humanity.If I may make a political aside: that is what is lacking in those who criticize “secular humanity.” To me they have lost their humanity especially when disparaging the poor. Of course, that occurs in some of the texts we read which is a bit confusing.
Anyway, it’s been an interesting journey and I shall be interested in seeing the additional staff posts.
claudia67
Dear Mr Nagy and & team I thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for your competence, kindness, ecc. You transmit to me your enthusiasm for the greek world of heroes and you teach me to read in a more consciuos manner. This course give me so much and I love every hours that I have dedicated to it. Grazie mille e un grande abbraccio dall’Italia da Claudia
Bat-tina
I went into this experience because of nostalgia, 21 years after graduating from university. Soon it was for the nos that I spent every free minute watching and reading and waiting for the next videos. Then I was caught by the communication in the videos as well as here in the discussion. Seldom I took part into a course that was so alive and where I found people that were so engaged into learning – and teaching! All you members of the staff really gave us the feeling of being individually taught and talked to.
And then – I hesitate to write this, but it’s true and therefore it has to be said, learning for life got a completely new meaning to me when my wonderful father became seriously ill. I know that we read Apologia and Phaedo for theoria and dialogue as the foundations of the academic and philosophic discourse and, dear Prof. Nagy, I enjoyed this turn in H24H immensely. But if you read Plato’s Socrates words about immortality as someone who is very very near and dear to you is dying than these words get another dimension: the word of Socrates becomes actually alive and bears its message to you. My father died the night I finished Hour 24.
Concentrating on questions and close reading exercises and achieving my 86 % has helped me keeping my mind together during the last weeks. And every word I heard and read and had to write had meaning and gave comfort and consolation.
I’m not sure if I really want to post that and I know that – when I will read the printed H24H book in some month or so – I will look on it more rational again. But at the very moment I just want to tell you all that philosophy and the studying of believes of old like the hero-cult do not only deepen our scientific knowledge but can also accompagny us on our own journeys of the souls when we are in troubled waters.
And isn’t that what learning is all about? Finding answers when you have essential questions?
Anyway, this course which I started for mere fun became a part of my life. I want to thank you, Prof. Nagy, and everyone here for this experience.
Dear professor Nagy: Thank you from the bottom of my heart! You are such a charming person, and I admire so much the perfection with which you find the right word to say in every moment. It has been such a joy to me this course. I´ll come often to read all I did not read out of the material of the course due Twitter temptations, distractions. I did not participate in the discussions, either, due same mentioned distraction. Hope I can make it in the future. And I´ll never forget about sacrificing a rooster to Asclepius now and then. I answered wrongly the answer about the eternity of the word, because I read world, isn´t that something? Maybe because I´m already a grandma. -Already? says Socrates, are not you the one who already has 3 grandchildren attending college? -Is that an open-ended or a rude question, Socrates? -Well, let´s see….
–posted by criscrac
Bat-tina
I totally relate to what you experienced. We have a wonderful friend she has been a good friend since we moved here in 1966. We traded baby sitting and we finished school and became mothers.
Our children grew up playing and growing with each other. They were like brothers and sisters.
One of my friends daughters, Moon, got real bad diabetes and lost one foot three years ago, her other foot last Christmas season, And she has been on kidney dialises for over several years. She told us all that she was tired and the dialisis hurt real bad. So she decided to get off dialisis. She said goodbye to us all. And she died the night I completed our class. In fact I was joining in the discussion question as my Sister called me on the I pad.
I went outside that night and the mist was just enough to make the stars dim, but the moon shone so bright. I sat there a long time remembering Moon and how she shined and brightened up our lives when she came into this world and throughout her life journey.I composed a haiku for her and shared it with all of us who loved Moon.
It was sad to let someone who played with my children and who I babysat and watched grow up pass on to wherever we go when we pass over. But I tearfully respect her right to choose her own end. There has been much calling and talking n facetime and facebook as we in my family group continue Socrates words his discussions about what happens when we go. And so Socrates lives on, his word lives on, and I feel in my very heart that My Moon lives on and your Father as well.
I hope you do not mind me sharing with you. I feel a connection because we both lost someone near and dear to us. And we were connected through our loss at the very moment we were learning from Platos Socrates. Hugs and blessings to you and yours. Riverdaughter ([edited for privacy])
–posted 10 days ago by Riverdaughter
Bat -Tina Συλλυπητήρια,sharing your πένθος reminds us of our own , I am sure!Be well !
–posted by Ackis
Thank you Ackis, and thank you Dorothy for writing this.
There IS a connections and now I’m so glad that I posted my thoughts and feelings here. I always felt that we who participate in this course were not alone and that this here is a deeply human experience. And isn’t it a real sema that Socrates even shared his words with more than one of us? It gives me comfort in my grief – and a very good feeling for Moon and my father too! Dorothy, hugs and blessings to you and yours. We will live on with the memories and continue the dialogue.
–posted by Bat-tina
Here is to Moon’s holy essence Dorothy! to yours and to that in all of us and in all of creation! We shall never forget!
–posted by yorgo
Dear Bat-tina and Riverdaughter, my deepest and sincerest sympathy for your losses. I believe I can share your feelings, because one main reason for me to take this course was the loss of my parents in a 6 months period. One after the other. The course has really helped me to overcome, not to forget. But its help was not only important but also precious and meaningful to me.
–posted by stiliani
Dear Bat-tina, Riverdaughter, stiliani, and all, thank you for sharing these heartfelt expressions of sorrow and consolation. Sending all good thoughts your way. With love, Claudia
–posted by [edited for privacy]STAFF
WN44
I add my appreciation to that of the other course participants. It was a wonderful experience, far exceeding my expectations…and I discovered that even an octogenarian may have something to learn about improving his reading technique!
yorgo
Nietzsche (what a way to spell a name!), said I hear, that eros is so looked up to because it is in ever such short supply! And it brings us to the need to re-invent it, take care of it etc. I am sure I do not know how humans get to wonderful junctures like these and others but there it is. We have to thank our excellent luck for a start and hope for more. Gratitude!
Carmen2014
Prof Nagy, I expect you and your team go on in the following editions of this course. I thank the effort in order to plan and develop this course and my sincere appreciation for all knowlegde you share with us. Greetings from Carmen in the north of Spain
[edited for privacy]
Dear Professor Nagy: My very sincere gratitude and thanks to you, Prof Lenny and the wonderful Claudia, and the whole team. I began this course with fear in my heart that I would not be able to learn and absorb all the knowledge that you were going to provide. I am 79 years old (80 in September) and my mind is not as quick as it used to be. Yikes! Enough whining! My first barrier was simply getting on line for the course. Claudia and the team managed to help me succeed. Happy Day! I have loved every minute of the course, assessments included. I bought your beautiful book which helped me tremendously as I was easily able to reread the materials. I have already registered for two more courses – St. Paul’s Letters and Shakespeare. Can’t wait. I love to learn. You have given me the confidence to pursue goals that I had thought impossible at my age. Many, many thanks. [edited for privacy]
Dear Janet Moriarty, you are THE example for me. You encourage me that the pursuit of learning never ends. I wish you all the best and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Stella.
–posted by stiliani
Dear Stella: Thank you for your kind words. And I wish you a beautiful and happy life and the good health and energy to accomplish all of your goals. jmm
–posted by moriartyjanet
Thank you so much.
–posted by stiliani
Dear Janet, thank you for sharing this experience with us. Good luck with your next classes and please stay connected. Best, Claudia
–posted by ClaudiaFilosSTAFF
Dear Janet and Heroes of Professor Nagy. I am almost 84. I enrolled “cold turkey” with the selfish goal of staying young to be like you. Little did I anticipate the passion shown by Professor Nagy, his love and enthusiasm, precision and beauty of language, explaining it’s ancient derivations. Like you, I gave up bed time, having already relinquished the press and TV, to keep on the wild ride of enrichment with him. Among fall courses, I am wondering if American Poetry will reveal something about my 17th century origins in New England. Hampton
–posted by hterryt
Rien
Dear Professor Nagy, Claudia, and all others,
Thank you for the learning and the “experience” of participating in this “project”. I am glad to hear that also for you this project is a great achievement and a crown on 37 years of teaching and learning. I wish you a successful continuation of the project.
Best regards,
Rien
ElizabethHammond
Dear Professor Nagy, As so many others have said here, it has been a great privilege to have had the opportunity to learn from you. Many times, as you told me about the Ancient Greek Song Culture, I found my understanding stirred and my heart touched by your deep love of your subject. It is only the beginning for me. I hope to register again and read again all the texts – especially the Iliad, read and loved (though understood only as story) at the age of 16 and again now at age 64 when its force has astounded me anew.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
[edited for privacy] Toronto, Canada
Chrisv1963
Dear Professor Nagy,
Thank you and everyone involved in the course its been a wonderful academic and technical achievement to bring this to so many of us. I have learnt a great deal not least about myself.
Best Regards
Chris
Elsebeth
Dear Professor Nagy
Thank you so much for this incredible journey!
Best regards from Norway
Elsebeth
GALAMAR
A turning point indeed for all of us.
A deep thank-you to our dear professor not only for the new horizons opened but also (or maybe mainly) for the feeling that I had throughout the course that what really matters is to make connections and understand.
My fellow travellers, I wish you all an interesting life journey and thank you by sharing with you this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpo2430b7Ek
Martha (Thessaloniki – Greece)
PriscillaN
I am struck by how often we are saying “life changing” about this class. It has given us the opportunity to grow, to get to know an amazingly diverse group, to work hard and to learn about ourselves as well as the heroes. What an accomplishment for us all.
Your right Priscilla. For me it has been life changing. A few weeks into the courses I really for the first time in my life felt my brian properly open up, and engage “whole brain” thinking. I was also thinking through some other complex stuff in Chinese Ancient Literature. However the main catalyst was this course. I started for the first time to see with a completely different perspective, and broke out what was really a bit of restricted reality concept.
–posted by [edited for privacy]
Turrean
Dear Staff,
In looking back over the class, I realized one of the things that really set this class apart from others I’ve taken was the readers who read and performed the various texts for us. How brave, to go on camera knowing thousands of people would watch your performance of lines from The Iliad or Agamemnon! And listening to Kevin McGrath read in the last hour was a real treat.
I finished the class just days before my 50th birthday. I learned so much that was completely new to me–I’ve never studied Greek literature or history before. And I made so many discoveries about myself as a learner: I loved reading on a Kindle, I loved watching the readers who brought the literature alive for us, and while I can learn by watching videos, closed captions are absolutely necessary!
I certainly found this class, at times, to be difficult, frustrating, and time-consuming…just like all the things that are really worth doing. It was WONDERFUL!
Most sincere thanks,
[edited for privacy] (NY,USA)
Tchristi
Our dear and near professor Nagy,
I propose: Rename the course to “Ancient Greek Heroin”. Its’ so addictive.
The course changed lifes. Middle aged fellow readers “created” spare time in the middle of hard days’s nights to study, 65+ retired felt really happiness and are looking for a teacher of ancient greek language, people from outer space learned what kleos means and speak Sappho’s language.
As for me: I finished the “job” and here I am again,everyday, wandering around in the discusiion forum. I’m stucked there ες αεί.
Life won’ t be the same anymore after your heroism. Let’s meet together again in the fall. New Ithacas are waiting for us… [Edited for length]
Sterlyn
Dear Sir,
No no no
I insist –
thank you.
Sterlyn
KatPik
Dear Professor Nagy
I want to thank you personally and all your team for this unforgettable “theoria”. It was a light in my heart in the middle of these bad days that Greece is suffering. You gave me hope! I want to see Greece as Dionysos in the Homeric Hymn. In the right moment Greece will transform to a lion and throw the “pirates” to the sea. I pray for that day to come!
It was a great privilege to have you as a teacher! I will never forget what I have learn! I hope that our “psychai” will meet again!
Best wishes
ΧΑΙΡΕ
[edited for privacy]
solasathak
Dear professor Nagy
You gave a new meaning to the Ancient Greek Hero and to the ancient literature, generally, as we saw them from another (foreigner to us) view. I thank you for these difficult, productive and very interesting months we spent together!
With appreciation to you and your team,
[edited for privacy]
kaoru9282
I somehow hesitated to write a note of “thank you” because It also signified to me “farewell” and I was not ready to say good bye.
So, I would like to write a note of “thank you” without any implicit message of good bye. Who knows I may audit this course again, although I did pass quite well.
I learned lots from this course, but what I cherish the most is that the course re-kindled in me the passion for learning, for fine literature, philosophy, arts– The list is long and I thank you.
I also had the opportunity to get to know many of my “fellow learners” and the friendships that sprung from such encounters have been precious. I believe, you the staff had provided for us the great role model for this, the genuine interactions based on humanity.
Thank you. kaoru
mvsp
Dear professor thanks for the knowledge you distributed to us and thanks for the thoughts you shared with us. Many thanks also to the people who helped you in your educational duties. thanks Manolis
aliertenu
Dear Prof. Nagy and team, Thank you for teaching this wonderful course. It has been a great experience. What I learned about the Ancient Greek Hero will accompany me during and after my future visits to the beautiful shores and the sites of Greece. Best regards and greetings from Istanbul. Ali Ertenu
Dimitra_21
Last March we embarked on an epic course. Our helmsman, Professor Nagy, along with his crew – the readers, the staff and all those heroes who helped to materialize this project – took us on a trip beyond the time and place natural restrictions. We visited the dark cavern of the Cyclop and the bowels of the Earth to meet the dead heroes. We flew along with Hermes at the top of the Olympus mountain and we joined the immortals feasting on ambrosia and nectar. We camped outside the walls of the windy Ilion and we visited Odysseus’s palace in Ithaca to relish his nostos.
Our voyage was anything but an easy one since at the same time it was a theoria. But we have been taught the art of slow reading, the medium that allowed us to enjoy and complete this course, coming full circle but more wise and full of experiences. During the course we came to know many people’s minds and we forged mental friendships that will probably be remebered forever. It is heart-warming to know that there is a community out there, a motley crew of “heroes” who, having been initiated in hero cult – in our case the idea of the Ancient Greek hero, will always recognize the signs. I believe that we all keep a piece of this course alive and relay it to our near and dear ones and thus the word will live forever.
Thank You!
KaterinaM
Dear Professor Nagy, I want to express my gratitude for this course, because it helped me gain a deeper and broader understanding of the ancient Greek world. It seems to me that you were a kind of Nestor for us, directing our way through the world of heroes by explaining the numerous semata. I am grateful as well to the rest of the teaching stuff, Professor Muellner, dearest Claudia and all the others for their amazing work. Also, I want to thank my fellow students for their enthusiasm, warmth and insightful comments. I believe that this course shows what humanities really stand for and how important they are for a balanced and meaningful life. In a few words, what an exciting experience! Katerina, Paros.
nygaard
I want to say thank you for this great course. I don’t know how it is possible to make this free for all to take part in, but it is indeed wonderful. Thank you to Gregory Nagy and his staff for all your very inspiring contributions. It has been happy monyhs for me too.
[edited for privacy] Denmark
Producer
I’m still finishing, but thank you so much for the wonderful and fun course, I loved it all–but especially the videos. You all put so much thought into your discussions, it was a real inspiration to watch.
May they someday sing the kleos of CB22x!
dappled
Dear Professor Nagy and Staff,
Wow. To be able to participate in this quality of instruction at no cost is an incredible gift. In my working life, I was a teacher of elementary students for 37 years. Now that I am retired, I have the time to enter this learning community. And it is here for me through this computer and a world of generous, hard working, and almost alarmingly brainy people like yourselves! I will be returning to learn more. Thank you so much.
Martha (Texas)
[edited for privacy]
I have taken a couple of MOOC courses before this one, and this is by far the best one I have completed so far. Everything was high quality. In addition, I have read most of these texts before, but I feel I understand them so much better now. Thank you for this opportunity.
[edited for privacy]
Thank you again to Professor Greg Nagy, Lenny Claudia, Jeff and every member of the team, the readers, those techs working behind the scenes, Judith who wove such a beautiful tapestry and all my fellow learners.
As I mentioned before, defamiliarization came as a gift and I also encountered many texts for the first time (Pindar! Euripedes!). It was a tremendous privilege for someone like me using an old dial-up circa 1994 from Zimbabwe or sitting in a small village in the Overberg mountains of southern Africa to be able to do a course of this calibre.
If the course is repeated, I would love to do it again and am happy to help out with transcripts or any long-distance administrative voluntary work. You all worked so hard and were so helpful.
Here’s to the ongoing conversation…
[edited for privacy]
qnh320
Thank you, Prof Nagy for the beautiful gift of this project. “H24H” and lectures opened up for me so many new ways of appreciating Ancient Greek literature and song culture. I love it, love it, love it!
Warm Minnesota wishes,
[edited for privacy]
[edited for privacy]
Dear Professor Nagy, Lenny, Claudia and other staff: Thanks for offering this great course that taught me much about Greek literature. If you offer an evaluation form to participants, I think you will gain insights that will make the next iteration of the course run more smoothly. Not to detract from what you accomplished, but there were frustrations that could be eliminated or reduced so the next version sails more smoothly. Thanks again for a great course.
French
I decided to partecipate to this course to complete my learning about script writing (see the so called the journey of a hero).
I found myself in front of some deep considerations about life that have enriched me so much in a broad way.
I will never forget all the Hours we went thru and I hope, one day, to make our dialogues still alive in any script I will manage to write for films or theater.
Thanks from my heart!
If you manage to capture the spirit and the essence of this course in a script, the final product will definitely be a box office hit. I am looking forward to it!
–posted by Dimitra_21
Let’s touch wood, then! … and thanks for yr comment!
–posted by French
margiegg
Dear Prof. Nagy and staff
If you have not received my Thank You note by now. allow me to post it again. Just wanted to say Thanks to you and your staff for such a great and awesome time in learning about Greek cult heroes and so much more.
bhatiar
Dear Prof. Nagy and the team of scholars,
Thank you so much for presenting a very memorable course. I can’t thank you enough for your hard work in presenting this course and allowing all of us to participate. It was wonderful revisiting the classics with you over the past few months. I was truly enlightened and am so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn through all of you. In high school and college, I was introduced to the classics, but never have I had such meaningful lessons and understanding . I shall always be grateful for the ‘words’. May we continue always on this journey of learning called life!
Warmest Regards,
Ranjit
Magdalini
Addictive, indeed! When do we start again?
Dear wonderful Magdalini, you are such a cherished member of our community. Thank you for all you have done! More very soon about your question… Best, Claudia
–posted by ClaudiaFilosSTAFF
It is I that I am thankful. I have learned a lot from this experience. It was more than just academic knowledge for me.
–posted by Magdalini
P00ch
Amazing course Prof Nagy! Its gripped me right from the beginning and inspired me. Its also made realize that I do have some brain cells up there after all! 🙂
A very well taught course and thanks to all!
All the best, Jill
Zhengwen
Dear Professor Nagy and every hero,
Thank you for leading me to the Ancient Greek Culture.It is truly inspiring and shocking me for my perspective to the world.I’m learning it full of hope and beautiful.I realized The Ancient Greek Hero is the first eye for my meaning of life though I have seen many great things this before.Showing me the direction in the fog.I have never been such happy and confidence.Growing with your encouragement,I will keep calling up all my sleeping spirit.
I’m sure it will never be the best.We may live happier after going out of it.
Honest wishes to everyone.
[edited for privacy]
Jiaozuo,Henan,China
Bat-tina
Just listened to your epilogue, Prof.Nagy. What a larger-than-life course and lesson of life you gave us! Thank you so much.
[edited for privacy]
To a Teacher par excellence et al,
Thank you for the amazing journey of initiation and, for me, resurrecting the Word
MCV
Thank you, Prof Nagy. I just finished the Afterword videos five minutes ago. And yes, I do promise to sacrifice that rooster to Asklepios and will watch out for its crowing in the morning. Though I live in the city, there is a rooster that heralds the morning which I can hear. And it will forever make me never to forget.
My theoria has to keep on developing.
Maurizzio1976
Thank you very much for your support…great experience!
CorinnaB
Thank you Prof. Nagy! I know it could sound weird to read the deep gratitude of students you didn’t even know to have, but EdEx gave to all of us such a great opportunity… I live in Italy and I’ve always loved mythology. I never thought I could have the opportunity to study something that I love with the guidance of such an expert and a great theacher of a great university. These have been intense and interesting lessons that I’ll never forget. And of course I will keep on using this great tool that EdEx proved to be for people who just can’t be phisically there. Thank you! I feel very honoured and look forward to have the certificate of mastery that I will keep right beside my degree (and of course I can’t forget how my English got better!). All the best, Corinna
HelenRouso
Dear Prof Nagy,
I would like in my turn to thank you for this amazing opportunity. To be part of this course, of this group of participants was one in a lifetime experience! It was, also, a challenge for me to do well so now I feel good because I succeeded in my effort.
I hope you will teach this course for many years to come and wish you will learn even more things each time you connect with the texts and your students.
Καλή συνέχεια
[edited for privacy], Greece
[edited for privacy]
Dear Professor Nagy,
For me I left full time education at the age of 16, which was 30 years ago.
I completed an earlier Edx course on Global Poverty, which in a way is connected with my business life in Africa. I registered on Heros, thinking initially to merely observe, but not to participate.
I found the course to be of outstanding interest and value in many areas. Initially it takes some time, as you mention in your introduction to get some form of a grasp, on the diversity, complexity and contexts of the subject. Lenny at some point quoted that we were on a “mind opening course”. Boy, it sure is that and then some.
What was presented was of very high quality, and clearly well considered. The support and interaction from teaching staff exceeded what I imagined. It was wonderful to, from time to time receive comments from Kevin, Lenny or Claudia, as well as the many other mentors participating, to threads I participated in.
Thus the more I participated the more I was drawn in, and so, whilst still with a few sections to complete, I wanted to take the opportunity to say a few things. Firstly, your modest, humble, respectful approach to your profession is a model for any professional in any field. Secondly, your style and approach has with it an energy that is in fact a force, perhaps a super-human force, that draws in a participant in a manner that I have never experienced before.
By way of example, around six weeks ago, I found myself waking up at around 4am, with a sense of urgency and motivation, and creeping downstairs, afraid of waking my family, feeling the need to edit, and add to a post I had made the previous evening. I have never felt the urge do anything such as that before.
The product, I feel, as I am towards the point of completion, despite my initial intention, is most certainly “a mind opening experience” which the more you consider it, the more it draws you in. To the point where the beauty, splendor and magnificence of the topic illuminates. As a teacher, you have a gift, which outstrips any teacher I have had in my limited educational experience. That is because you have the capability and capacity, to take the myriad complexity of the topic, with reality, integrity, and insight, with the skill to project and illuminate with great clarity and precision, in a manner that is not only simple to understand, but finds the participant constantly wanting more.
So thank you.
And thank you, to Lenny, Kevin, Claudia, all of the staff, participants on the videos, mentors and fellow students. You have provided me with something of great quality and value, which I will never forget, for which I owe you all a debt of gratitude.
Best wishes
Iain
Zimbali, South Africa
“I found myself waking up at around 4am, with a sense of urgency and motivation, and creeping downstairs, afraid of waking my family, feeling the need to edit, and add to a post I had made the previous evening.”
Ha! same here!
–posted by [edited for privacy]
Jacqui, isn’t that just great. I wish I had been so motivated when I was at school!
–posted by [edited for privacy]
Exactly the same with me! Motivation = teacher.
–posted by stiliani
Culminating in 24, I had to be dragged out of the house before finishing the relevant post! There was always something amiss – and still is. Hadn’t had that feeling in years. You’ve hit bull’s eye for many, Iain!
–posted by EliasP
A very touching and heart-felt note of thank you, Iain.
Thank you.
kaoru
–posted by kaoru9282
Eva2
Dear Professor Nagy and every person that made this project work,
after completing the project, I want to thank you all for giving us access to these treasures of knowledge! It has been an extremely fulfilling experience and I thank the whole team for your excellent work on making it easy for us to achieve ‘telos’ to this journey with your answers to our questions, your feedback and your restless effort to make the project reach such a high educational level!
As a Greek, I want to thank you especially for presenting us with some remarkable views of the Ancient Greek Hero, that some of us, although we know the stories of the ancient heroes more or less, didn’t have the opportunity to learn before!! Personally, I am grateful for that because it contributed to a new circle which starts for me from now on!
Best regards from Argos, Greece!
Eva
fernir
dear all, Teachers and fellow learners.It grieves me to say goodbye but I must thank you all for being there. Teachers and staff doing their best to help in the learning process and with everything else and my fellow learners for their help, comments and support. I have never felt more motivated in my life. I will miss you all and I hope we can work together on yet another project quite soon.Till then don’t forget to keep the logos alive otherwise everything we have learned will be wasted.From the northwest mountains of Greece enjoy what’s left of your summer.
[edited for privacy]
Dear Professor Nagy,
Thank you and your wonderful Colleagues and Staff (in front of and behind the cameras and at the computers) for your generosity of time and effort in teaching The Ancient Greek Hero to me and my fellow learners, from all over the world.
I registered for CB22x, my very first Online Course, in February, with trepidation because I am a computer Neanderthal, compared to my children and grandchildren!
But when dear Claudia Filos e-mailed to welcome me, on Valentine’s Day, I took it as a sign to rekindle my love for Homer!
The last time I read The Iliad, The Odyssey and other Epics of the world, from beginning to end, was in the early 1960’s for my Master’s!
Thank you and all your Colleagues and Staff, once again, for my very first Online learning experience, which I shall treasure forever!
With best wishes, [edited for privacy]
[edited for privacy], lovely to read about your experience…
Nusrat.
–posted by N19
Dear [edited for privacy],
Thank you. I have enjoyed reading your and our fellow learners’ messages on our Discussion forum.
With best wishes, [edited for privacy]
–posted by [edited for privacy]
Shinclyde
I think the professor is underestimating the reach of this online course!
More so than a physical traditional course, this class has been imparted in such a geographical and cultural diversity, that it is truly global.
I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your knowledge and skill with the rest of us. Your passion is really contagious!
I feel that the teaching are not only to enhance our reading comprehension skills but also our comprehension of life too.
We are reading about a 4000 year old culture that endures, truly this is what the human nature is about!
Thank you and the rest of the wonderful staff of this course!
amiralouf
Dear professor Nagy, course team, fellow students, I too want to express my gratitude for this course and for what it leaves us all with after its completion. For many of us participants it will become a recurrunt cult ritual. The word will live on. Thank you all for everything! [edited for privacy], Greece
stubag
You guys did an incredible job on the course, the experience, and the word. I look forward to taking part in this journey again, if the course is repeated.
I can find words to thank you on your wonderful course. Accompanied by your father figure, we sailed our own personal nostos and we became better people… We found light and life in our souls and we earned a mental treasure , a handful of diamonds filled with knowledge, inspiration,optimism, fine mentality and hope! yes, you filled our hearts with hope and a sense of progressing, achieving without an end … full circle… Thank you….
–posted by LYAN
Aleka
Dear all, i hope this course will be repeated one day with the same Prof. They were very helpful . I know i will miss the course and i found myself a little sad. But on the other hand i feel enthusiasm because it is a journey that will last forever in my heart ,in my memory, in my mind. This is so because this course helped me to see life in a different perspective and myself too. All this knowledge that i acquired ,with the help of communication through this course , helped me understand better how people think ,helped me react to certain situations, to reason.And i appreciate it a lot. I think that whatever we study, like this course,that it is systematic knowledge and very well prepared , it is not only for education, for us to become more educated . It is for the knowledge that it has to be applied into our lives . I am again thankful .
z4
Dear Professor Nagy: Thank you very much for this wonderful course! I have lived intensely these 24 hours and I have kept your lessons in my heart, I will take them with me forever. Yours sincerely. Mónica from Argentina.
dooodah
That which is beautiful is near and dear forever!
Thank you Professor, staff, fellow students for your dedication, erudition, hard work, and the wonderful dialogue!
nicktaou
Dear Prof Nagy, Ευχαριστώ για το ταξίδι.
pgf5
Thanks, Professor, to you and the staff. This course has been a truly gift in any possible sense. I am so glad that I, after hesitation, decided to enter the course. I have learned, and I have travelled, I have thought, I have dreamt, I have now new skills to think over such an enormous field of things, issues, and aspects of life. Thank you all very much.
aristeagr
Thank you Prof.Nagy for this great voyage to the ancient Greek heroes.I feel really privileged for taking this journey of knowledge.I would like to thank also the staff and the edx organization.See you all on Sept 3!!Have a great summer!
Roulagratsioni
Dear Professors Nagy and Muellner, staff and fellow students,
Although my goodbye note comes a bit late, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the opportunity all of you have given me not only to refresh my existing knowledge of Ancient Greek literature but also to learn so many new things and most importantly from a different perspective. Though a Greek Philology degree holder (many many years ago) I have never experienced such passion and dedication not only to the Ancient Greek logos but also to its essence and what it should represent for our lives nowadays. The humanistic approach of the course has taken me to places I had never expected when I was simply dealing with the mere technicalities of the texts. This course has opened me up to the world and has made me do some serious thinking over issues that are universal and diachronic. It has given me the opportunity to share opinions with co-students of all walks of life and from all over the world and be part of a lively community. I sincerely thank you for that.
I hope that you will continue your efforts to spread the word and I am sure that the seeds you have planted inside all of us will grow to become beautiful flowers of truth-seeking, empathy, tolerance and understanding which, after all, is what dealing with literature and culture should be all about.
Excellent course, for all staff: THANKS.
[edited for privacy]
Bogotá,Colombia
mhshea
from Hour 7: “Make your left side horse get as close as possible to the turning point, so that the hub will seem to be almost grazing the post…” Yes! Successfully finished my first online course, and didn’t crash my chariot! Thank you Prof Nagy, Claudia, Lenny, all the readers (you guys were great, I loved it!) and everyone involved, including fellow learners.
DESPOINA1
Dear Prof.Nagy, I would like to express my gratitude along with my fellow students to you,your collegues and your team for the theoria so magnanimously you offered to us. I feel really olbios for being a part of it. You have become philos to me. And although I feel akhos for we have reached the telos ,I am glad to hear there is nostos.
[edited for privacy]
To study under you has been a priceless experience, something which would be remarkable in a small classroom, but to have the opportunity to do so in the global classroom is truly awesome! Socrates’ idea of the living word continues through what edX has done. You have opened a new world for me and I am eternally grateful. See you on September 3rd. [edited for privacy]
Siracamacho
Hi, Prof. Nagy! In Portugal we have a word that describes my feelings exactly. It’s a powerfull word and it cannot be translated into any other language without losing it deeper meaning: SAUDADE. We can say that it means missing something or someone, or being nostalgic, but its more than that. I’m already getting nostalgic about this course and I’m certainly going to miss our ‘classes’. I don’t know if I’m going to be able to take it again this Sepetembre for there are so many other courses I want to take.
Best wishes to you and all the team members behind this course.
kat3ryna
Thank you a lot. The course was amazing.
Best regards, Kate
mfinn
“There is a crack in everything/ That’s how the light gets in”
Thanks to the Prof and his team, first for showing us the crack (and the craic!) and then for letting the light shine in.
And thanks to all the generous contributors, too.
Best and grateful thoughts from Dublin
mohitk
It’s been a real pleasure going through each of these 24 hours under your passionate, compassionate guidance. This project has truly set the standard for what an online course should be all about – great teachers recording and sharing their best material for generations of students to access. Your word will truly live on.
Thanks also to the entire team that has brought all this together beautifully – Prof Lenny, Claudia and everyone else. It’s clear all of you too have given your best to ensure that the word lives on.
Thanks, Mohit
(from India)
sdeorym
Thank you very much.
I am getting married next Saturday, and the other day at hairdresser (I went very unconvinced) I started thinking “OK, this is my tribute to Hippolytus, to spend two hours making my hair”. I also wonder if we will feel like Hector and Andromache or if Sappho will come to my mind at the very moment of the wedding.
Really, thanks to all your efforts I have approached ancient hero from new enriching perspectives. I got emotional when Odysseus reached Ithaca, or when Leonidas said his famous quote. It was already part of my cultural legacy, but I have really embraced noos about heroes.
Poli eukharistos.
FerGH
Dear Professor Nagy, Leonard and Claudia,
Maybe this is another drop of water dissapearing in the vast ocean but I want you to be participant of my most sincere gratitude for making this course and experience free and worldwide available.
By the end of this course and thanks to the methodology of reading out of the text I have been able to live a wonderful experience of knowledge in one of the relevant topics of the most wonderful culture and civilization (to my standards) of all times.
Thanks for your professionality, devotion and enthusiasm towards a unique learning experience I will never forget. I feel like I have been the passive subject of the filoxenia of some kings of hero knowledge.
All my best wishes
Fernando from Barcelona (Mediterranean Sea)
Bronstein7
Dear Professor Nagy, Claudia, and Lenny,
Thank you for the opportunity to explore some of this wonderful literature with you. I don’t know where to start to express how rich this experience has been — maybe it’s enough that soon after we got started, I found myself putting aside pretty much everything else I would normally do with any free time. It was worth every minute.
Good luck and thanks!
Dave
Ainalain
Dear Prof. Nagy, dear team and all fellows, I’m so sad that this course is touching the end and at the same time I’m so happy that I had the opportunity for participate in this amazing theōriā. Thank you with my whole heart for your patience and mastery, for your sincerity and profuse generosity in sharing with us the knowledge, life experience and thoughts.
I was interested in the Ancient Greek culture from childhood and it seemed to me that there were enigmas in this world, something impenetrable like the Eleusinian mysteries that I would never see… When I found this course, I couldn’t believe that my dreams about understanding this world came true. I feel myself a bit more grown-up and I think that it’s only the beginning of my initiation.
Dear Professor, I’m so honored to have encounter teacher like you. I think professors from my university are competent and benevolent. But this course is for me a revelation in the sphere of education and exploration: I’m fascinated with the reading out of text and with poetry of research that I find in every your lesson. I wish you many returns of the days and of this course, I wish you inspiration and every success in you generous work.
Helen [edited for privacy], Moscow, Russia
frenchman
Thank you so much …this thanks is for Prof Nagy, for Lenny, and for Claudia (so grateful for all you did!), and all those on the team. It has been an incredible experience. I cannot recall a class that has made such an impression upon me. And yes, I remembered about taking care of the rooster…I just signed up to take the class again.
French [edited for privacy], Escondido, California
claragrifol
Dear Prof. Nagy and all the team,
thank you so much, I really enjoy this project.
Warmest regards from Barcelona,
Clara
GuidoEer
Dear team and fellow stduents from all over the world,
Not only the delights of the course itself will I remember, like the story of the Greek otrhodoxian saint who resembles Odysseus, but moreover the kindhearted community of readers will I remember. This was really great and reading all your nice comments about how this course has ment so much for you, and even the donation for Greek children, it was really heartwarming.
So thank you all, fellow students, and thank you, wonderful team of the wonderful Prof. Nagy,
Guido,
The Netherlands
sofiakam
Dear fellow readers,
I have just finished the last hour and I feel emotionally excited. I passed those last months learning things I could’t even imagine of existing (although I am Greek and I have graduated in greek literature). I am so grateful to Dr.Gregory Nagy, that I can’t express it with words. He opened for me new horizons, new ways of thinking through this journey and I feel just like an other Odysseus. I thank him and all the staff that made this journey possible for everyone, even for us across the seas, the ones that cannot afford coming to Harvard but our hearts and minds are there with you.
With all my heart, Sophia [edited for privacy]
P.S. Is there a way of downloading the whole course at once in order to return whenever I want and relive the experience?
genghis
Dear Professor Nagy, Professor Muellner, Claudia, and Staff.
I only took half, but this course has changed my life. Thank you. I’m looking forward to another round.
Sincerely, Genghis
vinery
A heartfelt thank you to the entire Heroes team for the most enjoyable, enriching, and life–changing educational experience I have ever had. I wish everyone the best for version 2 of Heroesx.
odinl
Dear Nagy,
It may sounds totally exaggerating or worn out after so many thank you from your students, but after a whole week since I finished the course and reflecting about this half year of study on Greek classics with your video, I have to say “Ancient Greek Hero” (AGH) is the best course I have taken for my life. And I will explain why.
I am from Hong Kong, have been away from university for years (and was a student of Information Tech back then). My interest in ancient Greek was started by Allan Bloom’s book and his Great Book approach, but ancient Greek study is a non-existent in HK (except professor of philosophy dept.) For reason I can’t recall I bump into edX and registered AGH. I think it is just an introductory course of Ancient Greek, same as introductory course in literature, music, architecture, etc. i.e. familiarize you with concepts, events and peoples, nothing more. I was wrong. The unexpected, which is exactly the strength of the course, is how the classic texts, through itself as such and the interpretation & re-presentation of professor Nagy, has connected to us deep in the heart, culturally and personally.
Reading List – this seemingly insignificant part plays a great role. The promise of reading the real texts of ancient Greek “lure” me in. The comprehensiveness of the texts (lyrics, epic, historical studies, tragedies, treaties, dialogues) forced me to put aside per-existing categories on different works. The teaching and promise of reading technique (fast-slow reading) made the reading tasks much much less intimidating and giving me confident to finish till the end. And of course, much more turns and twists of soul’s path came during the reading.
Epic – It is an excess to say how “good” the texts are. But during the read, there was a strong overwhelming feeling of understanding more of one self and my world (yes, FYI even in China Western influence is predominant) by understanding the origin and meaning of words. I believe language do shape thoughts. This understanding of ancient give you a instant check with the pop psychological explanation of human being and the value system of modern mind.
Cult Hero – I was puzzled by the concept of cult hero until I have read Philostratus’s Heroikos, and I was then astonished. “This is what hero really means!” Now it shows another great feat of professor Nagy, he seems long-winded and repetitive at times, but he has in fact restrain from telling some important points and let the students/readers find out themselves. i.e. There are deliberate jump of concept that you have to catch up through really reading the texts itself to get it.
Investigation – This is another beautiful stretching that asked you to find out more about the cities, peoples and events of the ancient Greek in general, classical age in particular, then link them together with other texts.
Drama & Tragedy – Again, a part that hit a lot of grounds and ring a lot of bells on understanding modern political concepts, drama as a art form, and tragedy as a genre. Through the concept of Hero and ritual, professor Nagy kept putting tragedy, instead of a literature genre, back in the whole picture of its meaning in their culture and community.
Dialogues – I have participated in a reading club reading Republic during the same time of AGH. The reading itself is enjoyable and fruitful, but professor Nagy’s interpretation on Phaedo and his explanation on its linkage to the rituals and cults reminded me that it maybe too narrow to treat Plato’s works as philosophical works as what we understand a philosophical work should be nowadays. Even naming him a “thinker” is not sufficient. If there is one thing that this course has taught me, it is that to understand ancient, is to read out from the text — means I should understand ancient Greek in their own terms. And it is not just a slogan, the “How” is demonstrated fully and gracefully (i.e. seems without effort:) in the progress of the course.
Hero – should I say more?
Why this course has lasted 24 years and became a Core Curriculum course in Harvard has became evident to me at last. It reminds me of a quote from Isaiah Berlin.
Only barbarians are not curious about where they come from, how they came to be where they are, where they appear to be going, whether they wish to go there, and if so, why, and if not, why not.
And to all who live in modern world and is curious to know “where they come from”, I think AGH is the definite starting point.
Thank you. Thank you. It was a great pleasure to study with you all!
Regards, [edited for privacy]
Beautifully said! I read this thank you note and followed it with all my heart. And, all the course I followed with utter curiosity, yes.
–posted 4 days ago by yaryur
Maroulou
Thank you so much professor Nagy for this challenging and amazing course. I finally learnt to read into the text and to have the wording as a guide. I’ll keep that in mind! You are a source of knowledge, a great teacher, a shining paradigm for all of us. I wish you all the best! Kind regards, Maria [edited for privacy]
Putty
I’ve just finished the course, so I’m late in adding my gratitude to the chorus of thanks in this thread. However, I do want to offer my most profound thanks to Professors Nagy and Mueller, to Claudia and to the rest of the staff, and also to the readers, who contributed substantially to my understanding of the texts. I especially liked Kevin McGrath in the last hour. I have been amazed, over and over again, by the thought, care and yes, love, that has gone into preparing this free course. That’s pretty rare.
I couldn’t bear the idea that I would never again listen to Prof Nagy’s “Wow!” or “I love this!”, or “It’s all there!”, not to mention seeing Claudia overcome by the emotion of a particular passage (was it the lament of Andromache? I’m not sure). I’m delighted that I don’t have to give up this particular fix – I’ve signed up for the next iteration. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
JaxAttacks
I’d like to thank everyone involved in this wonderful project, it was challenging and thought provoking. I’m glad I stuck with it.
-Jax in California
Sponchiado
This is my first experience in course EDX, in a course at a university outside of my country and in a exclusive course about classical Greek culture. I signed up in the middle of the course, so I interacted little in discussions, but I intend to do other courses EDX and participate more often. I was very pleased and very grateful for this opportunity.
[edited for privacy]
Thank you Professor Nagy for the amazing trip in ancient greek hero world. I think that you have changed the way that we see the ancient greek literature and you have opened our horizons. It was an honor being taught by you.
Thanks also to Professor Muellner, Claudia, and Staff who have brought all this together beautifully.
Best regards from Ioannina, Greece.
Maia2013
Dear Professor Nagy,
Thank you so much for the beautiful gift of The Ancient Greek Hero!
I share all that has been said by my fellow students and I’m sure that you must be very proud to see that so many of us are eager to join in the second edition of this project. I believe the reason for this is that your profound knowledge and love of the ancient Greek culture and the passion with which you convey it have been an inspiration to all of us.
You have taken us on a beautiful journey through the ancient Greek song culture and it has often made me wonder why does the beauty of those texts still affect us so profoundly. I believe it is the beauty of words said for the first time, the beauty of truth.
So thank you once again Professor Nagy, and a special thank you also to dear Claudia and Professor Lenny Muellner and to all the AGH wonderfull team!
Best wishes to you all,
Maia [edited for privacy] (Buenos Aires)
Helen[edited for privacy]
I just completed the assessments of this fantastic course and I couldn’t omit to give all my thanks to Prof. Nagy and his great team for the hard work they have done. Prof. Nagy you are an exceptional pedagogue. I’m Greek and I have studied our ancient history at school. But you have given me the chance to see closer and deeper to that history again and share it with so many people around the world who are interested in our culture. These “24 Hours” were of the best I ever had and I would be very glad to participate in your future courses.
So, to all of you: Let’s not say goodbye, let’s say, until we meet again!
Best regards!
Helen [edited for privacy], Crete – Greece
Mirtozoi
Dear Dr.Nagy,
Dearest Greg, thank you for taking me by the hand around this beautiful garden of the world’s top university, https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/08/harvards-gates-on-the-screen/?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=08.13.daily%2520%281%29 , including me in such a qualitative and vivid community, worldwide.
Thank you for taking me to the ancient epic, drama, poetry, lyrics, lamentation, philosophy – the mother of all science, all without ever making me feel unsafe, unprotected, alone.
Thank you also for taking me to the theater, to the concert, to the movies, to the opera, through your exquisite skills of analytical and synthetical thinking powers. Thank you for even taking me to the casino between “and”, “so” and “but”; who could think three so small words could be so intriguing; thank you for never telling me that the rest 20 – 18 hrs that remained from the reading time needed would be spent in pondering around the heroes; I might have been discouraged and missed all the fun.
Thank you for the love and respect with which you approach your subject and all of your participants/ co readers/ staff; thank you for taking “zeros” and turned them into heroes – as to my eyes, this is the most difficult thing one educator can do; thank you for doing that by teaching us that no grade is more important than true learning, though this has been a difficult to accept / quite revolutionary concept for many classmates.
Thank you for being so modern, “ancient” as you are; all the technology included made it not only, all the more easier to cope with but interesting and inviting as well; — the production crew of the shootings / great job, lighting, cameras, sound,editing and all, — the IT department, what a fantastic job! (can’t tell you how much I appreciated the notes) — all the readers, guys,it was very moving to see you acting / speaking the words out loud — staff thank you for all the sharing / caring — we love you, you already know that.
Finally, I want to thank you for creating such a lovely memory for me of the summer of 2013, which we shared both in thinking and in presence – what a dream come true! amazing moment in my life, which I will cherish forever, thinking that I, too, had my line of “stand tall and proud”, same year as Mrs Winfrey had hers in “walk decisively Mrs. Winfrey”.
“Η σωτηρία της ψυχής, είναι πολύ μεγάλο πράγμα” – “The salvation of the soul, is a very big thing”– here, a Greek song dedicated to all of us : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_bbwMpsLhU
My professor, If progress is a quest for humanity, your teaching is a medium to achieve it.
See you oh! so soon!!! —
Love, M.
opineda
Dear Professor Nagy, Professor Muellner, Claudia, and Staff.
Thanks for this excellent course, I always love all about ancient greek’s cult. And this course make me love it more.
mattnawrocki
Thank you, prof. Nagy!
This was my first EdX course/project and I can only say I hope all other EdX classes I enrolled for will match the qualities and experiences of this one.
Matt from Poland
Namita19
Dear Prof Nagy,
Thank you sounds trite but Thank You. It’s been wonderful listening in to you, Claudia and Lenny. The discussions were interesting and the book even better (especially when it came to answering questions with close choices!) It was personally a very satisfying experience for me. Studying Greek Mythology was something that i thought I wouldn’t get around to doing but doing it the Harvard way – was a dream come true. This is indeed complete democratisation of education. Thank you EdX.
Best regards,
Namita [edited for privacy],
Hyderabad, India
walaiporn
Dear Prof Nagy
It seems that people above me have said what a lot of students have felt including me. The joy and the excitement of learning even in the dark hours of not understanding the text has completely changed my way of seeing the world.
Now I am yearning to return to the world of the Ancient Greek Hero – the world that is so extraordinary..the world that helps us see who we can truly be.
This journey is marvellously incredible – never have I learned in such a meaningful way of thinking of what true humanity is. This course has an immense impact on me.
I am yearning to return..to be a witness of this extraordinary world..to wonder in the land of the Greek Hero.
This is indeed a course that is hard to define except to say it is truly magnificent.
Your true being as a great teacher has taken us to this world – and also the whole team that has made this course an excellent platform of learning.
With my sincere gratitude – thank you so much for your time and effort. I am so looking forward to seeing you all again.
With warmest regards
Walaiporn [edited for privacy] (Chiang Mai, Thailand)
Catharina
I have just written a thank you note separately (upon just having completed my last hour), but realise what I didn’t mention was the excitement this project awakened in me, again and again. And how the teachings stayed with me in between doing each hour – all the time, seeing to other demands, working – I was also paying thinking of, living with, what has been revealed through these texts and your conversations, Prof Nagy, with Claudia and Lenny and others. I got a real education too, far beyond the texts we studied – about life and the whole damn catastrophe!
With gratitude, Catharina
naomiguttman
Dear Greg, Claudia, Lenny, and the rest of the AGH team,
Thank you for orchestrating this theoria, and I want to join in the chorus of praise for the course. It has been a fascinating and illuminating journey, back in personal time to early reading and studying of Greek myths, to the present in depth study of familiar and unfamiliar texts, to hopefully a future of continuing study and dialogue. Resurrecting the Greek Heroes and learning Greek terms and thinking about concepts that are so relevant today has been a wonderful experience. I find myself talking about ideas from the course, and about the course itself, in my daily life. You have truly given continuing kleos to the heroes by teaching this material in such an inspiring way. I was unable to participate in the discussions due to time constraints, but the multimedia approach added interesting facets to the material. Taking a course online had its own challenges.
A few thoughts – It would interest me to know more about my fellow students, if you have the information, or even by sending out a questionnaire. Is there any possibility of a trip? Or at least an itinerary? I live close to Greece/Turkey and would be interested in suggestions. And whatever happened to the son of Achilles???
The telos has come, but there are always new beginning, turns of the helix.
Thank you all again, and especially Greg for your loving enthusiasm, adorable!
Yours, Dr. Naomi [edited for privacy]
EshaLall
Thank you for this course! I have truly enjoyed learning about the ancient Greeks and am eager to keep learning more. Thank you for sharing your understanding and wisdom on the subject. For a beginner like me, it has helped me understand the Greeks better than I ever would have if I had picked up these works on my own. This is truly knowledge that will stay with me.
Thank you again!
Warm regards from India!
Esha,
Sappho’s songs and Achilles
Ainalain
A want to confess that I had read the Iliad twice several years ago and I was on the side of Trojans. In my ascending scale of affection of iliadic characters Achilles was the least person and Hector was absolutely on the first place of dear heroes. I couldn’t understand why Achilles was so important and why he was the winner in the battles: as for me, it was wrong that the gods gave him good luck in the fighting. Yes, I thought that it was a luck, a kind will of Zeus which made Achilles the greatest hero. And the tragic figures of Hector and Andromache were incomparable dearer than this figure of cruel and pitiless warrior. For a girl without background a love story (Hector + Andromache) is always more attractive, you know.
And now I’m so grateful to dear Professor Nagy for his explanations and connections with lyric song culture which is often very surprising for me. At the first Hours I was doubting whether I would appreciate Achilles as the greatest hero. Bur now, after this Hour5 and reading the songs of Sappho I have finally felt sympathy and compassion to Achilles. From a proud in his solitude person he had became an ideal hero and he had revealed himself as the focus of many poetic dreams, dramatic stories and connections of different feelings. Sappho’s songs helped me to see that ‘being equal to a god’ isn’t a luck or caprice of fortune – it’s the prize of sacred moment when the one pays his own life and Achilles is the best warrior because he knows about this price and he knows the human condition as well. He is an ideal bridegroom so he has a lot of ‘love links’ in the song culture. Hector and Andromache had have their climatic moment at their wedding but the moment of Achilles is deferred for eternity and that’s why his figure is more attractive and tragic than the others.
I can’t explain well my thoughts and feelings but I’m so happy now, although it’s so difficult to hold all these links together in head. And when I was reading the final scroll of the Iliad I was weeping a little at the scene of meeting of Achilles and Priam. I think the songs of Sappho had awoken some associations in my mind and had helped me to comprehend the beauty of the Iliad and Achilles in particular.
Thank you for these remarkable texts and videos!
Getting better!
ComicKev
For the first time, I got close in understanding all of the “close readings”. Pun intended. I got all four of them (still missed two on the general questions). I can’t tell you how that feels- to be over sixty, with little exposure to this kind of deep analytical onion of understanding. I would like to thank you all ( Gregory, Claudia and Leonard), for making it possible. Those video clips (and the readings done by those students) enable me to pick up many nuances I would have missed. Like when Claudia “stumbled over the words”, just as if her tongue failed her. Priceless. When I listen to the readers, I just close my eyes, and pick up the cues they impart to how they interpret what they are saying. Some of the accents, and accentuated words give clues to us older people who have listened to speech our whole lives. I don’t know which kind of certificate I will end up earning, but I have already learned way more than I expected too. Validation is nice – and I do want the certificate, but just knowing where I started from, to how I did in hour five; well, my knowledge may not be a freeway, but I am on the “on ramp!” Smiles, Kevin
To Prof Nagy: Just finished the REALLY slow reading of Hour 5. So huge.. so difficult… so fabulus!
Tchristi
I am speechless. That hour was THE experience. But I need time, time to ruminate the “exegesis”. It’s such a shame to strangle these wonderful lessons in a few days.
Making connections
RA16415504
What makes this course unexpectedly enjoyable for me–beyond Prof. Nagy’s skill at communicating with clarity and concision–is his facility at making connections. Connections of two kinds: of elements within the macro-narrative and connections between the world of the Iliad and ours. The most striking examples to date: in scroll 6, Andromache’s lament to Hector about the loss of all her family to the murderous Achilles, that Hector is all she has left: in effect–as Dr. Nagy proposes–her ‘song’ should be entitled “You’re my Everything” (a hit from 1967). And then, in scroll 9 when the embassy comes to Achilles’ shelter and finds him singing, he is playing the lyre that used to belong to Andromache’s father–whom he had killed. Which leads to Dr. Nagy reminding us of the Roberta Flack 1973 haunting hit “Killing me Softly with your Song.” How much richer can it get?