Medieval Latin Literature
A.Y. 2020/2021
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with an overview of the main Mediolatin literary genres, which will be examined in their historical evolution and with anthological readings; attention will also be paid to the philological perspective, with an introduction to the problems and techniques of the discipline, particularly in its applications to Latin literature of the Middle Ages.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the student is expected both to know the fundamental aspects and issues of the Latin literature of the Middle Ages from the 6th to the 14th century, with its main genres, themes, authors and works; and to be able to critically analyze and interpret the texts in relation to the respective contexts of genesis and fruition and to the whole tradition in which they are inserted. The student will also acquire a basic competence in the use of essential bibliographic tools in this field. Furthermore he will be able to consciously and appropriately employ the fundamental concepts and terms of the technical lexicon of philology and to distinguish the level of reliability of the available editions of a text, according to the different methodological lines followed for their preparation.
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
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Any health emergency will affect the course as described below.
1) Programme and reference materials
No change. If part of the materials are not available due to the closure of the libraries and the suspension of the expeditions, the teacher will provide alternative materials on the Ariel site of the discipline, together with an explanation file ("Extraordinary program").
2) Teaching methods
FIRST 6 CFU: The lessons in attendance will be replaced by two complementary modes of telematic teaching delivery, synchronous and asynchronous. All the contents of the course (literary history, commented reading of anthological texts, rudiments of textual criticism) will be proposed in ppt with audio uploaded in the Ariel site of the discipline in correspondence with the lesson times. Periodically - once every five lessons delivered in the asynchronous form described - a synchronous lesson on the Teams or Zoom platform will be dedicated to answering students' questions and to any in-depth analysis that may be requested; questions may be asked live during these lessons or proposed in advance on the forum that will be specifically activated in Ariel. These synchronous lessons will be recorded and left available to students in the repository of the platform itself or in Ariel.
FURTHER 3 CFU: Also in this case the lessons in attendance will be replaced by both synchronous and asynchronous telematic lessons, which will alternate regularly at normal course times. The reading with translation and a basic commentary of the text object of the unit will be proposed in ppt with audio uploaded in the Ariel site of the discipline. The initial presentation of the work and the more in-depth comments will take place in synchronous lessons on Teams or Zoom platform, which will also be an opportunity to answer questions and for discussion; these lessons will be recorded and left available in the repository of the platform itself or in Ariel.
FOR ALL UNITS: The calendar of all synchronous and asynchronous lessons will be published in Ariel as soon as the emergency arises; the site will also be the reference place for any organizational communication. All recorded lectures and uploaded ppts will remain available for the entire academic year, until the exam session in January-February 2022.
3) Methods of learning verification
The exams will be conducted orally on the Teams platform.
1) Programme and reference materials
No change. If part of the materials are not available due to the closure of the libraries and the suspension of the expeditions, the teacher will provide alternative materials on the Ariel site of the discipline, together with an explanation file ("Extraordinary program").
2) Teaching methods
FIRST 6 CFU: The lessons in attendance will be replaced by two complementary modes of telematic teaching delivery, synchronous and asynchronous. All the contents of the course (literary history, commented reading of anthological texts, rudiments of textual criticism) will be proposed in ppt with audio uploaded in the Ariel site of the discipline in correspondence with the lesson times. Periodically - once every five lessons delivered in the asynchronous form described - a synchronous lesson on the Teams or Zoom platform will be dedicated to answering students' questions and to any in-depth analysis that may be requested; questions may be asked live during these lessons or proposed in advance on the forum that will be specifically activated in Ariel. These synchronous lessons will be recorded and left available to students in the repository of the platform itself or in Ariel.
FURTHER 3 CFU: Also in this case the lessons in attendance will be replaced by both synchronous and asynchronous telematic lessons, which will alternate regularly at normal course times. The reading with translation and a basic commentary of the text object of the unit will be proposed in ppt with audio uploaded in the Ariel site of the discipline. The initial presentation of the work and the more in-depth comments will take place in synchronous lessons on Teams or Zoom platform, which will also be an opportunity to answer questions and for discussion; these lessons will be recorded and left available in the repository of the platform itself or in Ariel.
FOR ALL UNITS: The calendar of all synchronous and asynchronous lessons will be published in Ariel as soon as the emergency arises; the site will also be the reference place for any organizational communication. All recorded lectures and uploaded ppts will remain available for the entire academic year, until the exam session in January-February 2022.
3) Methods of learning verification
The exams will be conducted orally on the Teams platform.
Course syllabus
The part of the course addressed to all students (6 cfu) will be devoted to the presentation of the history of Latin medieval literature, from the 6th to the 14th century: main genres (from the roots in Late Antiquity, when appropriate), authors and works major or representative of important cultural phenomena. The historical profile will be constantly accompanied by anthological readings, proposed in Italian translation with Latin original in front. A part of the lectures will be devoted to an introduction to the principles of textual criticism, with specific attention to its application to mediolatin texts.
The part for further 3 CFU (addressed to interested students, who can choose it as an optional complement) consists of a study of a genre or a text, with specific readings also in Latin. The subject of this year will be the "Navigatio Brendani", a unusual travel tale from the Ireland of Early Middle Ages, where the Christian-Latin culture recently arrived on the Island and the folkloric motifs of the pre-existing Celtic culture are mixed.
The part for further 3 CFU (addressed to interested students, who can choose it as an optional complement) consists of a study of a genre or a text, with specific readings also in Latin. The subject of this year will be the "Navigatio Brendani", a unusual travel tale from the Ireland of Early Middle Ages, where the Christian-Latin culture recently arrived on the Island and the folkloric motifs of the pre-existing Celtic culture are mixed.
Prerequisites for admission
The course of Medieval Latin Literature involves the study of the outlines of medieval literary history, with constant reference to the historical context that expresses it and to the antecedents on which it rests (classical civilization and Jewish-Christian tradition): it is therefore appropriate to address it with at least a basic knowledge of medieval history and ancient cultures (although notions in both fields will be provided in the course itself and in the handbook). To attend the course and take the exam for 6 credits, no knowledge of Latin is required; this is instead required for attending and taking the exam for 9 credits.
Teaching methods
The course will be carried out mainly in the form of lectures.
The course uses teaching material on the Ariel platform of the discipline: a booklet containing a general anthology of texts in original and in translation (part for 6 CFU); a booklet with complementary materials specific to part for optional 3 CFU; other materials (diagrams, examples, images) that will be presented in class.
Attendance is not mandatory, but recommended.
The course uses teaching material on the Ariel platform of the discipline: a booklet containing a general anthology of texts in original and in translation (part for 6 CFU); a booklet with complementary materials specific to part for optional 3 CFU; other materials (diagrams, examples, images) that will be presented in class.
Attendance is not mandatory, but recommended.
Teaching Resources
Part for 6 CFU (both for attending and non-attending students):
1) P. Chiesa, Elementi di critica testuale, second edition, Pàtron, Bologna, 2012, only chapters I, II and IV.
2) P. Chiesa, La letteratura latina del medioevo. Un profilo storico, Roma, Carocci, 2017.
3) Booklet: Antologia di testi (available from the beginning of February 2021 on the page dedicated to Medieval Latin literature on the Ariel website, http://ariel.unimi.it/User/Default.aspx).
4) reading in Italian of one of the following works or parts of works in the recommended edition (other editions are not suitable and cannot be used); a part of the preparation is the study of the introduction to the work - or of the part of the introduction indicated - and of the footnotes and/or comments following the text.
- Beda, Storia ecclesiastica degli Angli, eds. M. Lapidge - P. Chiesa, 2 vol., Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2008-10: one book chosen from the five work consists of; only pp. I-LXIX of the introduction
- Navigatio sancti Brendani, eds. G. Orlandi - R. Guglielmetti, Firenze, SISMEL - Ed. del Galluzzo, 2014: the whole text; only pp. XI-LXXVIII, CII-CXXXII of the introduction
- Paolo Diacono, Storia dei Longobardi, ed. L. Capo, Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 1995: one book chosen from the six work the work consists of
- Eginardo, Vita Karoli, ed. P. Chiesa, Firenze, SISMEL - Ed. del Galluzzo, 2014: the whole text; only pp. VII-XVII, XCVII-CXLII, CLXXIII-CLXXVII of the introduction
- Liutprando di Cremona, Antapodosis, ed. P. Chiesa, Roma-Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2015: one book chosen from the first five of the work
- Pietro Alfonsi, Disciplina clericalis, a cura di C. Leone, Roma, Salerno, 2010; the whole text
- Carmina Burana, ed. P.V. Rossi, Milano, Bompiani, 1989 [or subsequent reprints; should there be difficulties in finding it, contact the teacher]
- Guglielmo di Rubruk, Viaggio in Mongolia, ed. P. Chiesa, Roma-Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2011: chapters 1-26; only pp. XI-LVI of the introduction
ATTENTION - for those who take or have taken the exam of Humanistic Philology
The bibliography of Medieval Latin Literature and Humanistic Philology overlap for the part concerning the introduction to philology: students who take both exams must replace, in one of the two, the common part with a supplementary program. Those who have already taken Humanistic Philology will therefore have to replace Elementi di critica testuale with: 1) reading in Italian translation of a work chosen among those listed below in the programme for non-attending students - part for further 3 CFU, point 1 (accompanied by the related introduction and notes); and 2) one of the three essays from the Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo listed at point 2.
Part for further 3 CFU (attending students):
1) Navigatio sancti Brendani, a cura di G. Orlandi - R. Guglielmetti, Firenze, SISMEL - Ed. del Galluzzo, 2014 (for the introduction, limited to pp. XI-LXXVIII, CII-CXXXII).
Knowledge of the work with Latin reading, translation and commentary will be required on the basis of the edition and the in-depth analysis proposed in the lesson (with the exception of some chapters that will be indicated during the course).
2) Booklet Navigatio Brendani: materiali complementari (available from the beginning of February 2021 on the page dedicated to Medieval Latin literature on the Ariel website, http://ariel.unimi.it/User/Default.aspx).
Part for further 3 CFU (non-attending students):
1) full reading in Italian of two of the following works (other than the one already chosen in the program for 6 cfu), accompanied by the introduction and the comments in the recommended edition; only one of the two selected works must also be read in Latin, in full or in part, according to the indications provided below:
- Boezio, De consolatione philosophiae (ed. O. Dallera, Milano, Rizzoli, 1977 and reprints) [in Latin: one book of students' choice]
- Gregorio Magno, Dialogi (Gregorio Magno, Storie di santi e di diavoli, eds. S. Pricoco e M. Simonetti, 2 vol., Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2005-2006) [in Latin: a book of students's choice]
- Beda, Storia ecclesiastica degli Angli (eds. M. Lapidge - P. Chiesa, 2 vol., Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2008-10) [in Latin: a book of students's choice]
- Navigatio sancti Brendani (eds. G. Orlandi - R. Guglielmetti, SISMEL - Ed. del Galluzzo, 2014) [in Latin the whole text; only pp. XI-LXXVIII, CII-CXXXII of the introduction]
- Paolo Diacono, Storia dei Longobardi (ed. L. Capo, Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 1995) [in Latin: a book of students's choice]
- Eginardo, Vita di Carlo Magno (ed. P. Chiesa, Firenze, SISMEL - Ed. del Galluzzo, 2014) [in Latin the whole text]
- Liutprando di Cremona, Antapodosis (ed. P. Chiesa, Roma-Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2015) [in Latin: a book chosen from the first five of the work]
- Rosvita, Dialoghi drammatici (ed. F. Bertini, Milano, Rizzoli, 2000 [in Latin: three dialogues]
- Waltharius (ed. E. D'Angelo, Milano-Trento, Luni Editrice, 1998) [in Latin: at least 400 consecutive verses]
- Rodolfo il Glabro, Storie (Rodolfo il Glabro, Cronache dell'anno Mille, eds. G. Cavallo - G. Orlandi, Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 1989 [in Latin: a book of students's choice]
- Abelardo, Historia calamitatum mearum (Abelardo e Eloisa, Epistolario, ed. I. Pagani, Torino, UTET 2004 and reprints) [in Latin the whole text]
- Pietro Alfonsi, Disciplina clericalis, a cura di C. Leone, Roma, Salerno, 2010 [in Latin: the whole text]
- Carmina Burana (ed. P.V. Rossi, Milano, Bompiani, 1989) [in Latin: a group of carmina chosen by the candidate (who must present a special list), for no less than 400 verses]
- Guglielmo di Rubruk, Itinerarium (Guglielmo di Rubruk, Viaggio in Mongolia, ed. P. Chiesa, Roma-Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2011) [in Latin: chapters 1-18].
- Bonvesin da la Riva, De magnalibus Mediolani (ed. P. Chiesa, Roma-Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2009) [in Latin: four consecutive chapters of the eight of the work]
2) reading of the following three essays included in the volume Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo, 1: Il medioevo latino, vol. I, 2, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 1993: D. Schaller, La poesia epica, pp. 9-42; J. Mann, La poesia satirica e goliardica, pp. 73-109; G. Arnaldi, Annali, cronache, storie, pp. 463-513.
1) P. Chiesa, Elementi di critica testuale, second edition, Pàtron, Bologna, 2012, only chapters I, II and IV.
2) P. Chiesa, La letteratura latina del medioevo. Un profilo storico, Roma, Carocci, 2017.
3) Booklet: Antologia di testi (available from the beginning of February 2021 on the page dedicated to Medieval Latin literature on the Ariel website, http://ariel.unimi.it/User/Default.aspx).
4) reading in Italian of one of the following works or parts of works in the recommended edition (other editions are not suitable and cannot be used); a part of the preparation is the study of the introduction to the work - or of the part of the introduction indicated - and of the footnotes and/or comments following the text.
- Beda, Storia ecclesiastica degli Angli, eds. M. Lapidge - P. Chiesa, 2 vol., Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2008-10: one book chosen from the five work consists of; only pp. I-LXIX of the introduction
- Navigatio sancti Brendani, eds. G. Orlandi - R. Guglielmetti, Firenze, SISMEL - Ed. del Galluzzo, 2014: the whole text; only pp. XI-LXXVIII, CII-CXXXII of the introduction
- Paolo Diacono, Storia dei Longobardi, ed. L. Capo, Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 1995: one book chosen from the six work the work consists of
- Eginardo, Vita Karoli, ed. P. Chiesa, Firenze, SISMEL - Ed. del Galluzzo, 2014: the whole text; only pp. VII-XVII, XCVII-CXLII, CLXXIII-CLXXVII of the introduction
- Liutprando di Cremona, Antapodosis, ed. P. Chiesa, Roma-Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2015: one book chosen from the first five of the work
- Pietro Alfonsi, Disciplina clericalis, a cura di C. Leone, Roma, Salerno, 2010; the whole text
- Carmina Burana, ed. P.V. Rossi, Milano, Bompiani, 1989 [or subsequent reprints; should there be difficulties in finding it, contact the teacher]
- Guglielmo di Rubruk, Viaggio in Mongolia, ed. P. Chiesa, Roma-Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2011: chapters 1-26; only pp. XI-LVI of the introduction
ATTENTION - for those who take or have taken the exam of Humanistic Philology
The bibliography of Medieval Latin Literature and Humanistic Philology overlap for the part concerning the introduction to philology: students who take both exams must replace, in one of the two, the common part with a supplementary program. Those who have already taken Humanistic Philology will therefore have to replace Elementi di critica testuale with: 1) reading in Italian translation of a work chosen among those listed below in the programme for non-attending students - part for further 3 CFU, point 1 (accompanied by the related introduction and notes); and 2) one of the three essays from the Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo listed at point 2.
Part for further 3 CFU (attending students):
1) Navigatio sancti Brendani, a cura di G. Orlandi - R. Guglielmetti, Firenze, SISMEL - Ed. del Galluzzo, 2014 (for the introduction, limited to pp. XI-LXXVIII, CII-CXXXII).
Knowledge of the work with Latin reading, translation and commentary will be required on the basis of the edition and the in-depth analysis proposed in the lesson (with the exception of some chapters that will be indicated during the course).
2) Booklet Navigatio Brendani: materiali complementari (available from the beginning of February 2021 on the page dedicated to Medieval Latin literature on the Ariel website, http://ariel.unimi.it/User/Default.aspx).
Part for further 3 CFU (non-attending students):
1) full reading in Italian of two of the following works (other than the one already chosen in the program for 6 cfu), accompanied by the introduction and the comments in the recommended edition; only one of the two selected works must also be read in Latin, in full or in part, according to the indications provided below:
- Boezio, De consolatione philosophiae (ed. O. Dallera, Milano, Rizzoli, 1977 and reprints) [in Latin: one book of students' choice]
- Gregorio Magno, Dialogi (Gregorio Magno, Storie di santi e di diavoli, eds. S. Pricoco e M. Simonetti, 2 vol., Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2005-2006) [in Latin: a book of students's choice]
- Beda, Storia ecclesiastica degli Angli (eds. M. Lapidge - P. Chiesa, 2 vol., Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2008-10) [in Latin: a book of students's choice]
- Navigatio sancti Brendani (eds. G. Orlandi - R. Guglielmetti, SISMEL - Ed. del Galluzzo, 2014) [in Latin the whole text; only pp. XI-LXXVIII, CII-CXXXII of the introduction]
- Paolo Diacono, Storia dei Longobardi (ed. L. Capo, Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 1995) [in Latin: a book of students's choice]
- Eginardo, Vita di Carlo Magno (ed. P. Chiesa, Firenze, SISMEL - Ed. del Galluzzo, 2014) [in Latin the whole text]
- Liutprando di Cremona, Antapodosis (ed. P. Chiesa, Roma-Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2015) [in Latin: a book chosen from the first five of the work]
- Rosvita, Dialoghi drammatici (ed. F. Bertini, Milano, Rizzoli, 2000 [in Latin: three dialogues]
- Waltharius (ed. E. D'Angelo, Milano-Trento, Luni Editrice, 1998) [in Latin: at least 400 consecutive verses]
- Rodolfo il Glabro, Storie (Rodolfo il Glabro, Cronache dell'anno Mille, eds. G. Cavallo - G. Orlandi, Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 1989 [in Latin: a book of students's choice]
- Abelardo, Historia calamitatum mearum (Abelardo e Eloisa, Epistolario, ed. I. Pagani, Torino, UTET 2004 and reprints) [in Latin the whole text]
- Pietro Alfonsi, Disciplina clericalis, a cura di C. Leone, Roma, Salerno, 2010 [in Latin: the whole text]
- Carmina Burana (ed. P.V. Rossi, Milano, Bompiani, 1989) [in Latin: a group of carmina chosen by the candidate (who must present a special list), for no less than 400 verses]
- Guglielmo di Rubruk, Itinerarium (Guglielmo di Rubruk, Viaggio in Mongolia, ed. P. Chiesa, Roma-Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2011) [in Latin: chapters 1-18].
- Bonvesin da la Riva, De magnalibus Mediolani (ed. P. Chiesa, Roma-Milano, Fondazione Valla - Mondadori, 2009) [in Latin: four consecutive chapters of the eight of the work]
2) reading of the following three essays included in the volume Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo, 1: Il medioevo latino, vol. I, 2, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 1993: D. Schaller, La poesia epica, pp. 9-42; J. Mann, La poesia satirica e goliardica, pp. 73-109; G. Arnaldi, Annali, cronache, storie, pp. 463-513.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an oral test: an interview on the programme topics, aimed at ascertaining students' acquisition of the basics related to medieval Latin literature, the main texts and authors, as well as the fundamental problems of philological method applied in particular to the Latin texts of the Middle Ages. Knowledge of the texts contained in the anthological booklet will be required, with appropriate contextualization; the student can be asked to comment a specifical section from one of these texts. For the 3 further optional CFU, the reading and translation of a work or an anthology of extracts in Latin and the knowledge of the relative historical-literary framework is foreseen.
The ability to organize knowledge discursively and critically, the quality of the exposure and the competence in the use of the specialized vocabulary of the discipline contribute to the evaluation.
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher of the course. Also students with disabilities should contact the teacher of the course, in order to discuss alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent Office.
The ability to organize knowledge discursively and critically, the quality of the exposure and the competence in the use of the specialized vocabulary of the discipline contribute to the evaluation.
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher of the course. Also students with disabilities should contact the teacher of the course, in order to discuss alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent Office.
Modules or teaching units
Unita' didattica A
L-FIL-LET/08 - MEDIEVAL AND HUMANISTIC LATIN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-FIL-LET/08 - MEDIEVAL AND HUMANISTIC LATIN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-FIL-LET/08 - MEDIEVAL AND HUMANISTIC LATIN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)