This course deals with some of the most influential ethical writings of Greek and Roman philosophy, and explores how major thinkers approached the issue of virtue and happiness. Through close readings of primary texts read in English translation, the course focuses on the rhetorical and moralising techniques employed in the construction of philosophical ideas, and on the effects that these techniques have upon readers. Special emphasis is paid on the self-presentation of moralists, and the variety of ethical genres that were in circulation (dialogues, letters, treatises, diaries). Finally, this course casts light on the social and cultural implications of morality in ancient Greece and Rome from the 5th century BC to the 2nd century AD.

*Course content subject to change