How would you begin to describe the Homeric Hymns?  How would you begin to make sense of the hymns as a unit?  What themes recur throughout the hymns?  Is there a central theme?  How would you compare and contrast the tone of the Homeric Hymns with Genesis and Exodus?

How are the gods depicted in these hymns? How would you compare and contrast the Greek Gods as portrayed in the Homeric Hymns with the God of Genesis and Exodus?

How would you describe the relationship between the gods and humans as depicted in the hymns?  Why do the gods deserve human blessings?  What do they offer to humans?  How would you compare and contrast the Greek gods with the humans with whom they interact?

How are the gods related to the natural world?

Which is your favourite hymn and why?

The four major hymns include the following:  Hymn To Demeter (II); Hymn To Apollo (III); Hymn To Hermes (IV); and Hymn To Aphrodite (V).  What story does each of these hymns tell and what is most interesting about each? [one possible seminar note topic would be to engage in comparative analysis of 2 or more of these 4 hymns]