OVERVIEW

Virgil, Aeneis

A spectacular journey into the Aeneis. By means of an attentive reading of around 2000 verses of the most famous latin poem, this course aims to initiate a university level analysis of the ancient Latin literature. It will give the students a solid knowledge of

1. the main methodologies and tools to interpret Latin texts;
2. general knowledge of a particular literary genre (epic);
3.  the Latin authors from the III century b.C. to the late antiquity, with special focus on the different genres.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to give the students a good knowledge of a) the main methodologies and tools to interpret and translate Latin literary texts; b) the most part of all the great Latin authors from the III century b.C. to V-VI a .d.  with particular focus on the different literary genres and themes of Latin culture; c) some new methods to teach Latin at the high school.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students must acquire the methodologies and tools to autonomously interpret and analyse Latin texts from a linguistic, stylistic-rhetorical, thematic and historical-literary point of view. Students must therefore be familiar with some of the main issues of grammar, syntax, Latin prosody.

Students must also develop a good knowledge of the history of Latin literature from its origins to the late imperial age both in relation to the most important authors and the series of cultural and literary trends of the different phases of Latin literary history, with particular attention on the evolution and transformation of literary genres. 

The lessons will endow the students with all the basic instruments for interpreting and analysing ancient Latin texts (in both poetry and prose); some 1000 vv. of Ovid's Metamorphoses will be read, analyzed, under the guidance of the teacher: the purpose is to provide technical and critical tools that allow the scholar to  analyse and fully understand a classical text in all its complexity. At the end of the course and after the exams, the students are expected to have full knowledge of the Latin language and literary tradition, as well as the capacity to read and translate virtually any latin text.

At the end of the course (particularly after the final exams), the students:

1) will have read a small but significant selection of Latin works; 

2) will know, and be able to discuss, the characteristics and development of each poetic genre, the style, the poetic models and composition technique of all the texts read during the lessons.

3) will understand and be able to autonomously interpret different texts not included in the exam programme.

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PREREQUISITES

1) Very good knowledge of italian language

2) capacity of analyzing and interpreting the grammar and syntax of any text in italian or any other modern language

3) good knowledge of italian grammar, syntax, morphology

4) basic (school) skills in latin language 

5) good aptitude for studying and the willpower to fill any gaps in the field of language (morphology, phonolgy, grammar, syntax, and so on)

TEACHING METHODS

Due to the Covid-emergency, at least during the first semester, all the lectures will be held from distance (on Microsoft TEAMS); each lecture will last 2-2,5 hours (based on need to complete a piece of reading, etc.); students are encouraged to use the webcam and be always available for questions/doubts/ and general interaction with the teacher; towards the end of the course, some lectures may take the form of students’ seminars.

Participation to the classes is strongly encouraged, though attendance in the course is not mandatory in order to take the exam. During the lessons, students will be given advices and suggestions to prepare the exam and will take advantage of some hints and test simulation. See also italian section.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

1) Latin Literature: A History. (A comprehensive survey of the thousand-year period from the origins of Latin as a written language to the early Middle Ages).

Texts: 

G.B. Conte - E. Pianezzola, Storia e testi della Letteratura Latina, Le Monnier, Firenze

G.B. Conte, Latin Literature: A History , J. Hopkins University Press, Baltimora

2) Virgil, Aeneis (an anthology)

1) A first part of the course focuses on an introduction to Romanepic and will present the differences between the tHomeric epos and the new style created by Virgil 2) The core module focuses on reading and interpreting the poem 3) some lectures during the year will introduce some of the main historical grammar issues as well as Latin prosody and metrics (with particular reference to hexameter).

Besides the course, the programme also envisages reading some other very famous Latin texts in order to presents to the students at least a minor part of the treasures of the ancient Latin Literature. All of these texts are meant to be read, translated and analyzed.

3) Introductive Study to Latin Literature: grammar, syntax,  metric. (Propedeutica al Latino universitario)

Texts: Traina-G. Bernardi Perini, Propedeutica al latino universitario, 6a ed. a c. di C. Marangoni, rist. a cura di A. Traina e B. Pieri, Bologna, Pàtron (i capitoli su Fonetica, Morfologia, Sintassi, Prosodia e Metrica)

4) Tacitus, Germania.

Texts:

Tacito. Germania. A cura di G.D. Baldi, Quodlibet Compagnia Extra, Macerata 2019. available on amazon, 18 euro.

5) Ovidio, ars amatoria, book I.

Texts:

Ovidio, L’arte di amare, a cura di E. Pianezzola et all., Mondadori, Milano 1993 (rist). available on amazon, 10 euro.

6) Seneca, De brevitate vitae.

Texts: 

One of the following editions:

Seneca, La brevità della vita, a cura di A. Traina testo latino a fronte, Rizzoli, Milano 1993. available on mazon, circa 10 euro.

Seneca, De brevitate vitae, a cura di T. Gazzarri, Mondadori, Milano 2016. available on amazon, circa 10 euro.

Students who only need  6 CFU will complete sections 1,2, 3.

Students who only need  9 CFU will complete sections 1,2, 3, 4, 5.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Students who need 12 CFU are meant to study the whole programme (1-6); those who only need  9 CFU will study the following points of the programme: 1-5; students in need of  6 CFU will deal with points punti 1-3 .

1) Latin Literature: A History. (A comprehensive survey of the thousand-year period from the origins of Latin as a written language to the early Middle Ages).

Texts: 

G.B. Conte - E. Pianezzola, Storia e testi della Letteratura Latina, Le Monnier, Firenze

G.B. Conte, Latin Literature: A History , J. Hopkins University Press, Baltimora

2) Virgil, Aeneis (an anthology)

1) A first part of the course focuses on an introduction to Romanepic and will present the differences between the tHomeric epos and the new style created by Virgil 2) The core module focuses on reading and interpreting the poem 3) some lectures during the year will introduce some of the main historical grammar issues as well as Latin prosody and metrics (with particular reference to hexameter).

Besides the course, the programme also envisages reading some other very famous Latin texts in order to presents to the students at least a minor part of the treasures of the ancient Latin Literature. All of these texts are meant to be read, translated and analyzed.

3) Introductive Study to Latin Literature: grammar, syntax,  metric. (Propedeutica al Latino universitario)

Texts: Traina-G. Bernardi Perini, Propedeutica al latino universitario, 6a ed. a c. di C. Marangoni, rist. a cura di A. Traina e B. Pieri, Bologna, Pàtron (i capitoli su Fonetica, Morfologia, Sintassi, Prosodia e Metrica)

4) Tacitus, Germania.

Texts:

Tacito. Germania. A cura di G.D. Baldi, Quodlibet Compagnia Extra, Macerata 2019. available on amazon, 18 euro.

5) Ovidio, ars amatoria, book I.

Texts:

Ovidio, L’arte di amare, a cura di E. Pianezzola et all., Mondadori, Milano 1993 (rist). available on amazon, 10 euro.

6) Seneca, De brevitate vitae.

Texts: 

One of the following editions:

Seneca, La brevità della vita, a cura di A. Traina testo latino a fronte, Rizzoli, Milano 1993. available on mazon, circa 10 euro.

Seneca, De brevitate vitae, a cura di T. Gazzarri, Mondadori, Milano 2016. available on amazon, circa 10 euro.

Students who only need  6 CFU will complete sections 1,2, 3.

Students who only need  9 CFU will complete sections 1,2, 3, 4, 5.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LARA NICOLINI (President)

GIOVANNI ANDRISANI

BIAGIO SANTORELLI (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

5 October 2020, 9:00 A.M. 

TEAM'S NAME: CORSO DI LETTERATURA LATINA NICOLINI

CODE FOR THE TEAM CLASS:  16cze4f

(see also italian section)

Class schedule

LATIN LITERATURE

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Through the reading, translation, commentary and critical framing of one or more passages, the oral examination aims at verifying the acquisition of complex skills by the students: the knowledge of the Latin language and literary tradition, the critical analysis of a text and the consciousness of different methodological approaches, and last but not least, the clarity, correctness and maturity of expression.

A separate test on literary history ascertains the knowledge of the main authors and works, the ability to locate literary phenomena within a historical context, the comprehension of the fundamental developments of Latin literary culture.

In both the sections of the test, fluent and correct italian is required.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral exam will consist of two parts, the first one will verify the knowledge of the history of Latin Literature (authors, contexts, literary genres, chronology..) ; the second one will ascertain the capacity of reading translating and analyzing the texts. Metric lecture is required.

  The preparation will be considered adequate (with marks expressed out of thirty) if the student will demonstrate the following skills:

  - Accurate and thorough exposition (in good and clear italian language) of the learned content demonstrating command of the methodology and lexicon of latin literature

- capacity of translating from latin to italian

-  knowledge of grammar

See also italian section.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students are strongly encouraged to attend the course.

Students who have never studied Latin, have done only two years or have any major gaps in their linguistic preparation, are urged to take the Latin language course organised in the context of  the Cultural assets course (also used by Arts students). The Latin Literature exam requires dealing with literary texts which are by nature linguistically and stylistically complex. It is therefore impossible to take this exam without the necessary linguistic fundamentals. If these fundamentals were not acquired during high school, students must be aware of the absolute necessity of acquiring them by constantly and actively attending the Latin language course and undertaking continuous individual study and exercises.