Greek Literature
A.Y. 2020/2021
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide the students with the basic informations about the Greek literature through his historical development, from the archaic period till the Roman- Imperial epoch.
The course will then offer a monographic close investigation about a specific theme, developed through readings and commentaries of texts, with the aim to offer to the students the various methods of approach to and analysis of the ancient Greek literary texts.
Along with the course, it will be possible to attend translation classes. Those who don't possess a preliminary knowledge of ancient Greek language can attend a specific class.
The course will then offer a monographic close investigation about a specific theme, developed through readings and commentaries of texts, with the aim to offer to the students the various methods of approach to and analysis of the ancient Greek literary texts.
Along with the course, it will be possible to attend translation classes. Those who don't possess a preliminary knowledge of ancient Greek language can attend a specific class.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledges
The course aims to lead the students to the knowledge of the major traits and issues of archaic, classical and Roman-Imperial Greek Literature. It will also be essential to contextualise authors and texts in their historical period, to learn some basic notions of metrics and rhetoric and to identify the various literary genres of lyric poetry and Greek prose.
Skills
Students will be asked to accurately read the texts and to gain an adequate skill in analysing their content and style, along with their meaning within their literary genre and historical context. Students will be guided in understanding and using the related scholarly literature and the basic bibliographic resources in order to allow them to autonomously widen their research on the matter. As a result, students will improve their communication skills and will be able to identify their own research interests and evaluate their own intellectual maturation.
The course aims to lead the students to the knowledge of the major traits and issues of archaic, classical and Roman-Imperial Greek Literature. It will also be essential to contextualise authors and texts in their historical period, to learn some basic notions of metrics and rhetoric and to identify the various literary genres of lyric poetry and Greek prose.
Skills
Students will be asked to accurately read the texts and to gain an adequate skill in analysing their content and style, along with their meaning within their literary genre and historical context. Students will be guided in understanding and using the related scholarly literature and the basic bibliographic resources in order to allow them to autonomously widen their research on the matter. As a result, students will improve their communication skills and will be able to identify their own research interests and evaluate their own intellectual maturation.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Lesson period
Second semester
Emergency teaching
Should at the second semester's beginning the sanitary conditions not yet allow to start fully again the didactic work in presence, the teacher envisages a blended didactic under the following development: two lessons in presence, but broadcast in streaming at the course's beginning and close, aiming to clarify to the students the meaning, the structure and the scope of the course, and to verify the didactic results. To these two lessons, if it will be didactically useful and organizationally possible, the teacher will add many other lessons in presence, although always broadcast in streaming. The telematic classes will be developed by the teacher in synchronic manner through recording on Teams, and then diffused on Ariel page of the course.
Though the course will developed during the second semester, already in the first will run exercises in Greek translation from Greek, that will be finish through a written test, whose getting over will not be an absolute bar for the oral examen, but will contribute significantly to determine its assessment. The attendance at these exercises is therefore mandatory for the students of the classical curriculum.
The students will can find all the news to attend the classes (link, bibliography, and so on), and also on the examen formalities upon Ariel, that is highly recommended to look up repeatedly. The teacher is willing to be in touch with the students through the institutional lines (Teams chat, email, forum on Ariel), but also through other ways (skype, facebook), that can perhaps seem more easy and less official.
Should at the second semester's beginning the sanitary conditions not yet allow to start fully again the didactic work in presence, the teacher envisages a blended didactic under the following development: two lessons in presence, but broadcast in streaming at the course's beginning and close, aiming to clarify to the students the meaning, the structure and the scope of the course, and to verify the didactic results. To these two lessons, if it will be didactically useful and organizationally possible, the teacher will add many other lessons in presence, although always broadcast in streaming. The telematic classes will be developed by the teacher in synchronic manner through recording on Teams, and then diffused on Ariel page of the course.
Though the course will developed during the second semester, already in the first will run exercises in Greek translation from Greek, that will be finish through a written test, whose getting over will not be an absolute bar for the oral examen, but will contribute significantly to determine its assessment. The attendance at these exercises is therefore mandatory for the students of the classical curriculum.
The students will can find all the news to attend the classes (link, bibliography, and so on), and also on the examen formalities upon Ariel, that is highly recommended to look up repeatedly. The teacher is willing to be in touch with the students through the institutional lines (Teams chat, email, forum on Ariel), but also through other ways (skype, facebook), that can perhaps seem more easy and less official.
Course syllabus
Pindar's poetry within the background of the choral lyric (80 h, 12 ECTS)
Parte I (20h, 3 ECTS): Forms and functions of the lyric poetry
Parte II (20 h, 3 ECTS): Birth and growth of the lyric poetry from the VII till the V century B. C.
Parte III (20 h, 3 ECTS): Lecture of Pindar's Olympic Odes
Parte IV (20 h, 3 ECTS): Lecture of Pindar's Pythic Odes
The course will provide a presentation and discussion of Pindar's poetry, pointing out the deep links with the lyric poetry's tradition, but at same time his intricated originality, through the lecture and scrutiny of many among the more important epinician odes and perhaps also of many fragments, that will be provided by the teacher in the lessons and adequately interpreted. All that in the hope to introduce the students to an author essential within the classic poetry not only Greek but also latin, nonetheless often neglected, perhaps inevitably, during the grammar school's studies.
During the first semester, before the course, it will be mandatory to attend translation classes. Those who don't possess a preliminary knowledge of ancient Greek language can attend a specific class.
Parte I (20h, 3 ECTS): Forms and functions of the lyric poetry
Parte II (20 h, 3 ECTS): Birth and growth of the lyric poetry from the VII till the V century B. C.
Parte III (20 h, 3 ECTS): Lecture of Pindar's Olympic Odes
Parte IV (20 h, 3 ECTS): Lecture of Pindar's Pythic Odes
The course will provide a presentation and discussion of Pindar's poetry, pointing out the deep links with the lyric poetry's tradition, but at same time his intricated originality, through the lecture and scrutiny of many among the more important epinician odes and perhaps also of many fragments, that will be provided by the teacher in the lessons and adequately interpreted. All that in the hope to introduce the students to an author essential within the classic poetry not only Greek but also latin, nonetheless often neglected, perhaps inevitably, during the grammar school's studies.
During the first semester, before the course, it will be mandatory to attend translation classes. Those who don't possess a preliminary knowledge of ancient Greek language can attend a specific class.
Prerequisites for admission
The course and the translation classes can be attended with profit only by students with a high-school level of Greek. Those who did not studied Greek in high school can attend a one-year preliminary course. In this case it is recommended, though not mandatory, to attend the course only from the second year of the undergraduate program.
Teaching methods
The number of the students of this course is very large, and they are almost all first-year students. Therefore, the course will be offered in a lecture format, but the teacher will often pose questions to students to ascertain their knowledge and progress in the linguistic and stylistic analysis, but also in the knowledge of the historical and social background within which the texts selected for the course are set and assume their authentic significance. Attendance of the classes is strongly recommended.
The written test, highly recommended to the classics students, is intended to further verify, after the end of the course, their skills in translation, aiming to develop their self-reliance in reading at least prose works.
The written test, highly recommended to the classics students, is intended to further verify, after the end of the course, their skills in translation, aiming to develop their self-reliance in reading at least prose works.
Teaching Resources
Part I
B. Gentili, Poesia e pubblico nella Grecia arcaica. Da Omero al V secolo, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2006; C. Neri, Breve storia della lirica greca, Carocci, Roma 2010; G. F. Gianotti, La festa: la poesia corale, in: G. Cambiano, L. Canfora, D. Lanza (a cura di), Lo spazio letterario della Grecia antica, vol. I, tomo I, Salerno Editrice, Roma 20072, pp. 143-75.
Part II
B. Gentili, Poesia e pubblico nella Grecia arcaica. Da Omero al V secolo, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2006; C. Neri, Breve storia della lirica greca, Carocci, Roma 2010; G. F. Gianotti, La festa: la poesia corale, in: G. Cambiano, L. Canfora, D. Lanza (a cura di), Lo spazio letterario della Grecia antica, vol. I, tomo I, Salerno Editrice, Roma 20072, pp. 143-75.
Part III
Pindaro, Olimpiche, a cura di L. Lehnus, Garzanti, Milano 1987; Pindaro, Olimpiche, a cura di F. Ferrari, BUR, Milano 1998; Pindaro, Olimpiche, a cura di B. Gentili, C. Catenacci, P. Giannini, L. Lomiento, Mondadori-Valla, Milano 2013.
Part IV D
Pindaro, Pitiche, a cura di B. Gentili, Mondadori-Valla, Milano 1995; Pindaro, Pitiche, a cura di F. Ferrari, BUR, Milano 2008.For the study of the history of ancient Greek literature D. Del Corno, La letteratura greca, Principato, Milano 1995 is very useful. The short but clear synthesis offered by F. Montanari, Prima lezione di letteratura greca, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2009 is recommended.
More bibliographical suggestions will be offered by the teacher during the course and made available through the Ariel platform (ariel.unimi.it).
B. Gentili, Poesia e pubblico nella Grecia arcaica. Da Omero al V secolo, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2006; C. Neri, Breve storia della lirica greca, Carocci, Roma 2010; G. F. Gianotti, La festa: la poesia corale, in: G. Cambiano, L. Canfora, D. Lanza (a cura di), Lo spazio letterario della Grecia antica, vol. I, tomo I, Salerno Editrice, Roma 20072, pp. 143-75.
Part II
B. Gentili, Poesia e pubblico nella Grecia arcaica. Da Omero al V secolo, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2006; C. Neri, Breve storia della lirica greca, Carocci, Roma 2010; G. F. Gianotti, La festa: la poesia corale, in: G. Cambiano, L. Canfora, D. Lanza (a cura di), Lo spazio letterario della Grecia antica, vol. I, tomo I, Salerno Editrice, Roma 20072, pp. 143-75.
Part III
Pindaro, Olimpiche, a cura di L. Lehnus, Garzanti, Milano 1987; Pindaro, Olimpiche, a cura di F. Ferrari, BUR, Milano 1998; Pindaro, Olimpiche, a cura di B. Gentili, C. Catenacci, P. Giannini, L. Lomiento, Mondadori-Valla, Milano 2013.
Part IV D
Pindaro, Pitiche, a cura di B. Gentili, Mondadori-Valla, Milano 1995; Pindaro, Pitiche, a cura di F. Ferrari, BUR, Milano 2008.For the study of the history of ancient Greek literature D. Del Corno, La letteratura greca, Principato, Milano 1995 is very useful. The short but clear synthesis offered by F. Montanari, Prima lezione di letteratura greca, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2009 is recommended.
More bibliographical suggestions will be offered by the teacher during the course and made available through the Ariel platform (ariel.unimi.it).
Assessment methods and Criteria
Assessment consists of an oral exam, which every student is called to sit after passing a written test based on the translation of a prose text of average level. Passing the written test is not a prerequisite for access to the oral exam but still is taken into account with a view to the final mark of the oral exam. The latter aims to ascertain: clarity and explanatory effectiveness; the use of discipline-specific language; skills in translation; critical knowledge acquired first and foremost through the reading of the recommended essays. A sound knowledge of the history of Greek literature through its whole development, from Homer to the late antiquity is also required. Marks are out of 30. No mark is given for the written translation (only a pass or fail).
International or Erasmus incoming students are required to contact the teacher.
The assessments methods for disable and/or DSA students shall be agreed with the teacher, through the settlement with the competent office.
International or Erasmus incoming students are required to contact the teacher.
The assessments methods for disable and/or DSA students shall be agreed with the teacher, through the settlement with the competent office.
Modules or teaching units
Unita' didattica A
L-FIL-LET/02 - GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-FIL-LET/02 - GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-FIL-LET/02 - GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica D
L-FIL-LET/02 - GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours