I was born and raised in Northwestern China, a quintessential region of the Silk Road Trade, where caravans coming from the East and the West converged. My first-year seminar “Socrates” with Professor Tobias Myers highlighted the fact that both ancient Chinese and ancient Grecian cultures are seen as two major influences throughout the course of world civilization. I immediately thought, now that I have a basic understanding of Chinese civilization, why not study Western civilization? As an international student pursuing a degree at a Western institution, it made sense for me to make comparison between my home country and the country where I was living. Thus, I became a Classical Languages major. As I embarked on my own odyssey of cultural exploration, I began to recognize both my conscious and unconscious habits of comparing differing cultures in and outside of classroom. This quest for comparative learning was highlighted by a class trip with my Classics Professor, Nina Papathanasopoulou, to Greece over Spring Break.
In Papathanasopoulou’s Ancient Greek class, we approach Homer’s Odyssey with philological and analytical skills to gain a better understanding of the hero Odysseus himself and of the ancient Greek culture. Seeing the archeological sites in person was an exciting experience which helped us contextualize the ancient texts we had read in class. The places we visited—including Athens, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia, and Delphi—all related to our Ancient Greek course in intricate ways. For instance, the Palace of Agamemnon, which I am especially fond of and is fortunately very well-preserved, helped me visualize the episode where Agamemnon tells his own tragic story. It was quite an experience entering into the palace from the main entrance, as we were welcomed by two austere-looking lion statues, while promenading our way up the winding road into Agamemnon’s house. We ended up near the bathroom towards the back corner of the household where he was killed by his wife Clytemnestra. The passages described by Agamemnon whom Odysseus met while traveling in the underworld were immediately put into perspective — a great man’s homecoming clothed in honor and majesty, ends in a shameful death at the hands of a woman in the most intimate space of his house. This tragedy, when read, evokes sympathy and a sense of wonder. While I explored the palace where Agamemnon’s death occurred, these feelings only got stronger. Little did I know, there was so much more to come.
As far as my interest in comparative studies is concerned, this trip allowed me to find similarities between the Odyssey and a classical Chinese work, the Classic of Poetry. The Classic of Poetry is a collection of verses from the Zhou Dynasty, which conquered the Shang in 1045 BCE. It celebrates the rule of Zhou and looks retrospectively upon the early years when the first Zhou founders possessed charismatic virtues. The vision of the past foretells the unfortunate truth that all powers and dynasties decline, of which Zhou power is no exception. Both the Classic of Poetry and the Odyssey are responses to the political turbulences of their times. In the Odyssey, Homer describes the disastrous effects of the Trojan War on the cities whose rulers were forced to leave in order to fight for Hellas. Homer places a heavy emphasis upon the case of Ithaka and on the post-war effects of the social and familial orders of the kingdoms. Our visits to the different palaces that appeared in the Odyssey all point to the strategy of building geopolitically well-situated palaces for military success. From Cape Sounion at the temple of Poseidon, one can see seafarers approaching from afar—this is the same viewpoint the Athenians had as they determined how they should receive these xenoi, “strangers.” Furthermore, the palace of Nestor is situated on the top of a mountain with a view of the ocean. Odysseus is known as the man of much suffering. He survives many visits to the islands of ill-wishing creatures, escapes Poseidon’s persecution, and perseveres through precarious situations. Yet, despite his suffering, Odysseus finally reaches Ithaca. Ithaca, however, is infested by social disorder at the hands of the suitors who defy and scorn the tradition of human decency established by Odysseus.
Traveling with Papathanasopoulou and my classmates was the best part of my Greek Trip. We visited museums and historical sites, which stimulated reflections on different elements of the antiquity we came into close contact with. We were able not only learn to together about the Ancient Greek civilizations, but from each other through sharing our different observations. This adventure of collective learning further enriched our academic experience. For instance, my friend Jai Gohain ‘19, was particularly interested in the influence of the Roman Empire in Greece. Whenever we came upon a statue of a Roman emperor or the Hadrian Library in Athens, he would share with us his insight about the emperor as well as how the Greek and the later Roman civilizations clashed against or were interwoven into each other.
My trip to Greece was marked by a deeper appreciation of The Odyssey. The collection of concrete historical evidence that I encountered highlighted similarities between Homer’s Odyssey and certain ancient Chinese literary works. The agreeable company of my classmates and the few Greek locals who hosted us with hospitality were added bonuses of the trip. Their sense of pride over their own civilization was contagious. I am thankful for this opportunity provided to me through the Travel, Research and Immersion Program. What a way to finish my Classical Languages major at Connecticut College.
