Council of Modern Gods Tackles Current Issues

10/29/2020

St. Stephen’s youngest classicists gathered in mid-October for a special Council of the Modern Gods to solve problems affecting our world today.

For this thoughtful assignment, Middle School Latin teacher Ashley Schneider asked her students to create their version of a Greco-Roman deity that could tackle a specific problem of the modern world and then present their god or goddess to their classmates, in full costume, in the small amphitheater next to Gunn Hall.

“We had talked in class and seen in our readings that the Greeks and Romans turned to prayer and sacrifice to help cope with the challenges they faced in the daily lives,” Schneider explained. “So students started out by identifying an issue that is meaningful to them and then created a narrative around a deity that could help address that issue.”

For their presentations, each student explained their chosen deity’s lineage, defined their specific domain, shared any nickname for the god or goddess, and then then described the weapon or tool they used to affect change when people prayed for their assistance. For example, one student created Arborus, son of the Roman Goddess Flora, who uses his special powers to combat deforestation by making trees that cannot be cut down or destroyed. Other modern deities presented by students included one that helped scientists develop vaccines to combat diseases, one with special gloves that scooped pollution from the oceans, one with a water wand that protected forests from fires, and one that protected monkeys and their natural habitats.

“The intention behind the project is to help students understand that Greco-Roman people were not fundamentally different from us; they faced similar conflicts and challenges, and they sought divine support for coping with them, just as we do,” Schneider explained. “What's amazing about studying Classics is that we have access to the thoughts and practices of people from 2,500 years ago, and we continue to explore how much and also how little has changed about human life.

“A highlight from the event for me was seeing students talk about a modern social, political or environmental issue that is meaningful to them,” she continued. “Seeing our youngest students become fired up about righting the wrongs that they see in the world gives me hope for the future.”

Next on the agenda for the Latin 1A students is an introduction to the basic rules of Latin grammar alongside a reading of an adapted version of Homer's “Iliad” called “Black Ships Before Troy.” Students will read and analyze the adaptation while discussing some of the text’s most enduring themes: the tragedy of war, the price of fame, questions of free will and divine intervention, and the traits of good leadership.

Student – Their Modern Deity

Athena Eugene – Asherah

Owen McKay – Zeta

Andres Bermudez – Environ

Joseph Shapiro – Serens

Mason Hamm - Marcos

Lila Saur – Vaccimaza

Cindy Maroney – Altura

Jared Swartz –Arborus

Josie Kastner – Amara

Back