Gateway to Western Literature

Letter to Teachers i
Letter to Students iv

Part I Classical Mythology

Introduction to Classical Mythology   

Stories of Origins
1. Origin of Heaven, Earth and Sky   
2. Origin of Stars, Animals and Men  
3. Origin of the Titans and the 12 Great Olympians

Geographical Stories
1. Jove and Io: The Transformation of Io into a Heifer
2. Jove and Europa: Europa’s Rape
3. Daedalus and Icarus

Religious Cults and Honors
1. Pygmalion and Galatea
2. Perseus and Medusa
3. Hercules’ Great Labors

Love Stories of Gods and Goddesses
1. Apollo and Daphne
2. Echo and Narcissus
3. The Rape of Proserpine
4. Cupid and Psyche
5. Venus and Adonis
6. Pyramus and Thisbe
7. Theseus and the Minotaur
8. Orpheus and Eurydice

The Trojan War─the Iliad
1. The Judgment of Paris
2. The Elopement of Paris and Helen
3. The Wrath of Achilles
4. Hector Makes His Move
5. Achilles Thinks Again
6. The New Achilles

Ulysses’ Journey Home─the Odyssey
1. Book I: The Council of the Gods
2. Book IV: Telemachus at the House of Menelaus
3. Book VI: The Meeting Between Ulysses and Nausicaa
4. Book VIII: The Phaeacian Games and Banquet in Honour of
Ulysses
5. Book IX: The Voyages of Ulysses─Cicons, Lotus Eaters, and
the Cyclops
6. Book X: Aeolus, Laestrygonian, Circe
7. Book XI: Ulysses in the House of Hades
8. Book XII: The Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, The Cattle of the
Sun
9. Book XIII: Ulysses is Taken Back to Ithaca
10. Book XV: Telemachus Returns
11. Book XXII: The Killing of the Suitors
12. Book XXIV: The Suitors in Hades, Ulysses Makes Peace with
Ithaca

Greek Tragedies
1. Agamemnon
2. Oedipus the King
3. Medea

Part II The Bible and Its Influence

Introduction to the Bible

In the Very Beginning
1. The Creation [Genesis 1-2]
2. The Fall of Man [Genesis 3]
3. The First Murder [Genesis 4]
4. Noah and the Flood [Genesis 6-9]
5. The Origin of Languages [Genesis 11]

Israels’ Journey Home to the Promised Land
1. Father and Son: Abraham and Isaac [Genesis 22]
2. The Twin Brothers: Jacob and Esau [Genesis 25, 27]
3. Joseph: The First Two Dreams [Genesis 37]
4. Joseph: The Interpretation of Dreams [Genesis 39-40]
5. Joseph: The Pharoah’s Dreams [Genesis 41]
6. Joseph and His Brothers [Genesis 42-46]
7. Moses and the Law [Exodus 19-20]

A Philosophical Debate
1. A God-fearing Man [Job 1-2]
2. The First Debate [Job 3-11]
3. The Lord’s Answer [Job 38-42]

The Book of Psalms
1. How Excellent is Thy Name [Psalm 8]
2. The Glory of God [Psalm 19]
3. The Lord is My Shepherd [Psalm 23]
4. In Your Presence is Fullness of Joy [Psalm 16]

The Divine Romance
1. Draw Me, We Will Run After Thee [Song of Songs 1]
2. Rise Up , My Love, My Fair One [Song of Songs 2]
3. Behold, Thou Art Fair, My Love [Song of Songs 3-4]
4. Thou Art Beautiful, O My Love [Song of Songs 5-6]
5. I Am My Beloved’s [Song of Songs 7]
6. Set Me a Seal upon Thine Heart [Song of Songs 8]

The Tragic and Suffering Servant
1. Vanity of Vanities [Ecclesiastes 1-2]
2. The Wisdom of Solomon [Ecclesiastes 9,11,12]
3. The Good News, Glad Tidings of Peace and Salvation
[Isaiah 52]
4. Jesus as the Suffering Servant [Isaiah 53]

The Life of Jesus
1. Birth and Childhood [Luke 2]
2. Sermon on the Mount [Matthew 5-7]
3. Parables [Luke 15]
4. Why Jesus Taught in Parables [Matthew 13]
5. Betrayal [Matthew 26]
6. Trial and Crucifixion [Matthew 27]
7. Resurrection and Ascension [Mark 16]