Why did the Greeks and Romans remain fascinated with the same stories of gods and heroes for more than a thousand years? On the other hand, how did they adapt old stories to fit new times and places? Our aim is to explore the history of classical poetry as a history of reading even older classical poetry. The course is also an excellent introduction to ancient literature in general. Readings might include Homer's 'Odyssey,' Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Ovid, and Seneca.