Chapter18 |
Teacher's Guide |
Teacher's Guide: Reenacting a Visit to Epidauros
Chapters 17-18 provide an opportunity for the class to demonstrate their understanding of the cult at Epidauros by reenacting the process of visiting the sanctuary, praying to the gods, sleeping in the abaton, and thanking the gods by offering votives with inscriptions.
Context: visiting a healing sanctuary
Grammatical/lexical focus: parts of the body, expressions of illness, words for thanksgiving, dative case
Skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, culture
Sequence of student tasks:
- learn words for parts of the body: "Touch the body" (in Greek)
- review words for parts of the body (Body map exercise)
- vocab for ailments (oral drill: “How are you feeling?” “my ____ is bad” etc.)
- decide how you are going to divide up the class for the reenactment (e.g., four students to play six roles: attendant/Hygieia, priest/Asklepios, parent, sick child; or three students to play five roles: attendant/Hygieia, priest/Asklepios, patient). The narrator's part can be spoken by the student who is not in a particular scene, can be added as an additional role, or can be eliminated altogether.
- review the reading passages for chapter 17b and 18a for process of going to temple for healing; write down stages and dialogue in order to create script for the reenactment
- read typical votive inscriptions
- create one's own votive plaque with appropriate inscription thanking Asklepios and Hygieia
- rehearse the script and blocking for reenactment of temple visit
- reenact for the rest of the class the process of visiting the healing sanctuary of Epidauros.
Hints for reenactment:
- condense the three passages: shorten speeches, eliminate scenes and unnecessary dialogue. Try to keep the script to one page handwritten.
- let students use as much of the wording in the text as appropriate so that the structures and vocabulary is reinforced.
- you may wish to ask them to write the script or rehearse it outside of class, but certainly some class time is necessary so that you can coach them.