Greek Literature
A.Y. 2026/2027
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.
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 can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Poetry and Poetics in Greek Literature
Part I (3 CFU): The Archaic Period (reading and commentary on the Odyssey, Book VIII)
Part II (3 CFU): The Classical Period (reading and commentary on passages from Plato's Protagoras)
Part III (3 CFU): The Transition to the Hellenistic Period (reading and commentary on Isocrates, Helen, and passages from Callimachus and Apollonius of Rhodes)
Part IV (3 CFU): The Imperial Period (reading and commentary on the Anonymous Treatise on the Sublime)
Translation classes will be offered alongside the course during the second semester.
A year-long introductory language course is available for students with no previous knowledge of Ancient Greek, beginning in the first semester.
Classes in Greek and Latin metre will also be offered.
Dates, venues and further information concerning these supplementary activities will be published on the course's Ariel webpage and on the websites of the BA programmes in Literature and Cultural Heritage and of the MA programme in Archaeology.
In the academic year 2026/2027, the course is compulsory for students enrolled in the BA in Literature (Ancient Studies pathway) for 12 ECTS credits. It is also included in the BA curriculum in Modern Literature and in the MA programmes in Archaeology, Modern Philology and Historical Studies, with the number of credits and options specified in the regulations governing each degree programme.
The 6-ECTS syllabus comprises Parts I and II, together with the study of the complete history of Greek literature. The 9-ECTS syllabus also includes Part III.
Students who do not attend classes, as well as international and incoming Erasmus students, are strongly encouraged to contact the course convenor by email at an early stage, in consultation with the relevant administrative office.
The syllabus for non-attending students is the same as that for attending students, with the addition of further reading in the original language and selected secondary scholarship. A standard syllabus for non-attending students will be made available on the Ariel platform; where appropriate, it may be adapted, in agreement with the teaching staff, to reflect the student's academic interests.
Individual modules in the disciplinary area of Greek Language and Literature (HELL-01/B)
- Students wishing to gain admission to an MA programme are advised to enrol in individual modules offered within the BA in Literature.
- Students wishing to acquire credits for teaching qualifications are advised, wherever possible, to enrol in modules offered within the MA programme in Philology, Literatures and History of Antiquity.
Prospective students are encouraged to arrange a preliminary meeting with the member(s) of staff whose modules they intend to take.
Part I (3 CFU): The Archaic Period (reading and commentary on the Odyssey, Book VIII)
Part II (3 CFU): The Classical Period (reading and commentary on passages from Plato's Protagoras)
Part III (3 CFU): The Transition to the Hellenistic Period (reading and commentary on Isocrates, Helen, and passages from Callimachus and Apollonius of Rhodes)
Part IV (3 CFU): The Imperial Period (reading and commentary on the Anonymous Treatise on the Sublime)
Translation classes will be offered alongside the course during the second semester.
A year-long introductory language course is available for students with no previous knowledge of Ancient Greek, beginning in the first semester.
Classes in Greek and Latin metre will also be offered.
Dates, venues and further information concerning these supplementary activities will be published on the course's Ariel webpage and on the websites of the BA programmes in Literature and Cultural Heritage and of the MA programme in Archaeology.
In the academic year 2026/2027, the course is compulsory for students enrolled in the BA in Literature (Ancient Studies pathway) for 12 ECTS credits. It is also included in the BA curriculum in Modern Literature and in the MA programmes in Archaeology, Modern Philology and Historical Studies, with the number of credits and options specified in the regulations governing each degree programme.
The 6-ECTS syllabus comprises Parts I and II, together with the study of the complete history of Greek literature. The 9-ECTS syllabus also includes Part III.
Students who do not attend classes, as well as international and incoming Erasmus students, are strongly encouraged to contact the course convenor by email at an early stage, in consultation with the relevant administrative office.
The syllabus for non-attending students is the same as that for attending students, with the addition of further reading in the original language and selected secondary scholarship. A standard syllabus for non-attending students will be made available on the Ariel platform; where appropriate, it may be adapted, in agreement with the teaching staff, to reflect the student's academic interests.
Individual modules in the disciplinary area of Greek Language and Literature (HELL-01/B)
- Students wishing to gain admission to an MA programme are advised to enrol in individual modules offered within the BA in Literature.
- Students wishing to acquire credits for teaching qualifications are advised, wherever possible, to enrol in modules offered within the MA programme in Philology, Literatures and History of Antiquity.
Prospective students are encouraged to arrange a preliminary meeting with the member(s) of staff whose modules they intend to take.
Prerequisites for admission
The Greek Literature course and the accompanying translation classes are intended for students who already possess a command of Ancient Greek comparable to that normally acquired through a traditional school curriculum with substantial instruction in the language.
Students who do not possess this level of proficiency are required to attend the introductory year-long Ancient Greek language course, which begins in the first semester. They should complete this course before attending Greek Literature and are also advised to consider taking the examination in the following academic year.
Students who already have a knowledge of Ancient Greek but wish to consolidate their linguistic foundations in a systematic way are likewise welcome to attend the beginners' course.
Practical information concerning enrolment, teaching staff, timetables and classrooms will be published on the course's Ariel webpage.
Students are expected to be able to read Greek poetry according to the rules of metre. A dedicated class in Greek metre will therefore be offered.
Students who do not possess this level of proficiency are required to attend the introductory year-long Ancient Greek language course, which begins in the first semester. They should complete this course before attending Greek Literature and are also advised to consider taking the examination in the following academic year.
Students who already have a knowledge of Ancient Greek but wish to consolidate their linguistic foundations in a systematic way are likewise welcome to attend the beginners' course.
Practical information concerning enrolment, teaching staff, timetables and classrooms will be published on the course's Ariel webpage.
Students are expected to be able to read Greek poetry according to the rules of metre. A dedicated class in Greek metre will therefore be offered.
Teaching methods
The course will primarily be delivered through lectures (alpha typology), 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.
Regular attendance in classes is strongly advised.
Teaching Resources
Please note that one of the aims of the course is to introduce students to the competent use of specialist scholarship. During the lectures, the brief bibliographical guidance provided here will therefore be supplemented and expanded through discussion of the standard critical editions and specialist studies, together with an introduction to the use of digital bibliographical and textual resources.
Parts I-IV
- lecture notes;
- texts and supplementary reading materials made available on the Ariel platform.
For the study of the history of Greek literature (required in its entirety for all versions of the course), students may use any recent, up-to-date history of Greek literature that is not primarily anthological in character. Suitable examples include:
- A. Porro and W. Lapini, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2017; F. Montanari, Rome: Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura, 2017; A. Rodighiero, S. Mazzoldi and D. Piovan, Civiltà letteraria della Grecia antica, Bologna: Zanichelli, 2025.
A supplementary course in Greek and Latin metre will also be offered. Practical information will be published on the course's Ariel webpage.
Parts I-IV
- lecture notes;
- texts and supplementary reading materials made available on the Ariel platform.
For the study of the history of Greek literature (required in its entirety for all versions of the course), students may use any recent, up-to-date history of Greek literature that is not primarily anthological in character. Suitable examples include:
- A. Porro and W. Lapini, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2017; F. Montanari, Rome: Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura, 2017; A. Rodighiero, S. Mazzoldi and D. Piovan, Civiltà letteraria della Grecia antica, Bologna: Zanichelli, 2025.
A supplementary course in Greek and Latin metre will also be offered. Practical information will be published on the course's Ariel webpage.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Assessment consists of an oral examination, which students may take only after completing the written translation test. The written translation test is compulsory for students enrolled in the Classical Studies pathway and for all students taking the course for 12 ECTS credits. Alternatively, the written translation test may be replaced by successful completion of the translation classes. Failure to pass the written translation test (or the translation classes) does not preclude admission to the oral examination. However, it will be taken into account to a significant extent in determining the final mark awarded for the oral examination.
Practical information concerning enrolment, timetables, venues and teaching staff will be published on the course's Ariel webpage. The results of the written translation test and of the translation classes will be published in the relevant section of the course's Ariel webpage. During the oral examination, students will be expected to demonstrate a knowledge of the history of Greek literature across its entire development, from Homer to Late Antiquity. Starting from the passages studied in the original language during the course, the examination will assess each student's translation skills, methodological awareness, and historical and literary understanding.
Students who have no previous knowledge of Ancient Greek must provide evidence that they have attended the beginners' language course and successfully completed it (see "Prerequisites"). Students who have not successfully completed the beginners' course, or who have acquired the required linguistic competence independently, are asked to contact the course convenor well in advance in order to agree on appropriate arrangements for an assessment of their language skills at the beginning of the oral examination. The oral examination is marked on the Italian thirty-point scale, with 18/30 as the minimum passing mark. The written translation test is assessed on a pass/fail basis. Alternative assessment arrangements for students with disabilities and/or specific learning difficulties (SpLDs) will be agreed with the course convenor in consultation with the relevant University office.
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 (min. 18/30), 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.
Practical information concerning enrolment, timetables, venues and teaching staff will be published on the course's Ariel webpage. The results of the written translation test and of the translation classes will be published in the relevant section of the course's Ariel webpage. During the oral examination, students will be expected to demonstrate a knowledge of the history of Greek literature across its entire development, from Homer to Late Antiquity. Starting from the passages studied in the original language during the course, the examination will assess each student's translation skills, methodological awareness, and historical and literary understanding.
Students who have no previous knowledge of Ancient Greek must provide evidence that they have attended the beginners' language course and successfully completed it (see "Prerequisites"). Students who have not successfully completed the beginners' course, or who have acquired the required linguistic competence independently, are asked to contact the course convenor well in advance in order to agree on appropriate arrangements for an assessment of their language skills at the beginning of the oral examination. The oral examination is marked on the Italian thirty-point scale, with 18/30 as the minimum passing mark. The written translation test is assessed on a pass/fail basis. Alternative assessment arrangements for students with disabilities and/or specific learning difficulties (SpLDs) will be agreed with the course convenor in consultation with the relevant University office.
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 (min. 18/30), 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.
Modules or teaching units
Part A and B
HELL-01/B - Greek Language and Literature - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Capra Andrea
Part C
HELL-01/B - Greek Language and Literature - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor:
Martinelli Tempesta Stefano
Part D
HELL-01/B - Greek Language and Literature - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor:
Martinelli Tempesta Stefano
Professor(s)
Reception:
By appointment
"Sezione di Filologia Classica", 7 Via Festa del Perdono