Greek Literature

A.Y. 2023/2024
12
Max ECTS
80
Overall hours
SSD
L-FIL-LET/02
Language
Italian
Learning objectives
The course aims to guide students to the systematic and critical knowledge of Ancient Greek literature in its historical development (from the Archaic Era to Late Antiquity), based on the direct approach to texts in their original form.
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.
Single course

This course can be attended as a single course.

Course syllabus and organization

Single session

Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
'The word is a powerful ruler': history and forms of persuasive speech in Ancient Greek Literature.

Part I (20 hours, 3 credits): Persuasiveness in the Archaic era
Part II (20 hours, 3 credits): Persuading the Assembly
Part III (20 hours, 3 credits): Persuasive Language from Early to Second Sophistic
Part IV (20 hours, 3 credits): Persuasiveness and Literary Excellence

The course will be supplemented by:
- Translation exercises, which will take place in the second semester concurrently with the course.
- Yearly exercises reserved for those who do not have prior knowledge of ancient Greek, starting in the first semester.
- Greek and Latin metrics exercises will also be provided.

Dates, classrooms, and other information regarding the supplementary activities will be available on the course's Ariel website and other informative websites of the degree program in Literature, Cultural Heritage, and Archaeology.

In the academic year 2023/2024, the course is mandatory for undergraduate students majoring in Literature, with a specialization in Ancient Sciences, for 12 credits. The course is also included in the three-year curricula for Modern Literature; in the master's curricula for Archaeology, Modern Philology, Historical Sciences, according to the number of credits and options specified in each study program's academic regulations.
The 6-credit program includes the preparation of Part I and Part II, including the history of literature. The 9-credit program additionally includes Part III.
Non-attending students, as well as international or incoming Erasmus students, are advised to promptly contact the course instructor.

Individual courses in the SSD of Greek Language and Literature:
- For admission to the master's program, it is preferable to enroll in individual courses from the undergraduate degree program in Literature.
- For obtaining credits towards teaching qualifications, it is preferable to enroll in courses from the master's degree program in Philology, Literature, and Ancient History. Interested students are encouraged to have a preliminary discussion with the chosen instructors.
Prerequisites for admission
The Greek Literature course and translation training classes are intended for students who already possess a level of proficiency in the ancient Greek language comparable to what is typically acquired in a classical high school education.

For students who lack this level of proficiency, there are dedicated one-year courses on the Greek language available, commencing at the beginning of the first semester. Students without prior knowledge of Ancient Greek must complete these courses before undertaking the main course. If necessary, they can also schedule the exam for the following academic year.

Students who already have knowledge of Ancient Greek and wish to systematically review the foundational linguistic aspects may find attending the beginner course advantageous.

Metric reading of poetic texts is a requirement: a specific training course will be organized.
Teaching methods
The course will primarily be delivered through lectures, with active participation encouraged in Part III and Part IV. The Ariel platform will be extensively utilized as a teaching site, along with other specialized IT tools.

Regular attendance in classes is strongly advised.
Teaching Resources
Please note that one of the training objectives of the course is to introduce students to the knowledge and competent use of the specialised bibliography. During the lectures, therefore, the concise bibliographical information offered here will be supplemented and expanded, including critical editions and additional readings for the examination. An introduction to the use of specialised digital bibliographical and textual resources will also be provided.

Part I
- lecture notes;
- the texts and critical materials available on Ariel;
Part I, II
- lecture notes;
- the texts and critical materials available on Ariel;
Part IV
- lecture notes;
- an anthology of texts available on Ariel;
- the texts and critical materials available on Ariel.

History of Ancient Greek Literature: one can choose between D. Del Corno, La letteratura greca, Principato, Milano 1995 or A.Porro - W.Lapini (Bologna, Il Mulino, 2017), F. Montanari (Roma, Edizioni di storia e letteratura, 2017), G.A.Privitera - R.Pretagostini (Torino, Einaudi, 1997), L.E.Rossi (Firenze, Le Monnier, 1995).

Greek metre: an integrative course in Greek and Latin metrics will be organised.

LInguistic-historic reference: A.C. Cassio [a cura di], Storia delle lingue letterarie greche. Seconda edizione, Milano, Mondadori, 2016 (seconda edition)
Assessment methods and Criteria
The assessment for this course consists of an oral exam, following a mandatory written translation test for students in the classical curriculum. Alternatively, the final test of the translation training courses can replace the translation test. While failing the translation test does not prevent access to the oral exam, it does contribute to the final grade of the oral test.

During the oral exam, students will be expected to demonstrate their analytical knowledge of the history of Greek literature, spanning from Homer to the late antique period. The evaluation will assess each student's translation skills, methodological approach, and historical-critical competence based on the original language texts studied throughout the course.

The oral exam is graded on a scale of thirty, while the written test is assessed with a pass or fail judgment.

For students with disabilities and/or specific learning disorders, appropriate examination methods will be arranged in consultation with the relevant office.
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
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)