OVERVIEW

When we deal with the great classics of Greek literature, we should ask ourselves how these texts have arrived down to us and how much what we now read faithfully represents the texts composed millenia ago. In order to read the Greek literature with awareness, it is important to gain knowledge of the history of its tradition and the methods philologist have been using for trying to give texts that are as close as possible to the "original" ones.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching aims to provide knowledge and basic skills for the study of ancient Greek texts in their original language. Such knowledge and skills can be summarized as follows: (1) knowledge of the stemmatic theory, variants, physiology of scribal errors, dynamics of the handwritten tradition; (2) ability to read and use a critical apparatus; (3) notions of history of classical philology. The theoretical part is complemented by a practical part, with exercises of analysis and comment on ancient Greek texts both from a literary point of view and from the philological point of view, focusing in particular on the evaluation of the variants and on the genesis of the corruptions.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

For students taking the course for 6 cfu

The aims are: to raise awareness on the issues relating to the traditio and the constitutio of the texts of ancient Greek literature; to make students understand the main theoretical and methodological aspects of classical philology and ecdotic techniques; to provide students with the technical and methodological skills to deal with a critical edition.

For students taking the course for 9 cfu

The aims are: to raise awareness on the issues relating to the traditio and the constitutio of the texts of ancient Greek literature; to make students understand the main theoretical and methodological aspects of classical philology and ecdotic techniques; to make students know the history of classical philology in its broad lines; to provide students with the technical and methodological skills to deal with a critical edition.

At the end of the course the student is expect to have understood the main theoretical and methodological aspects of Greek philology; to be aware of the issues relating to the reliability of ancient texts and their traditio; to know the terminology of textual criticism; to be able to use a critical edition and understand an apparatus criticus.

PREREQUISITES

A good knowledge of ancient Greek language and literature is required.

TEACHING METHODS

The course will be in blended modality: face-to-face class sessions in live streaming (Teams code: rh8pfy7). 

The teaching methods combine traditional lectures and classroom exercises of philological analysis on texts, with the direct involvement of students in reading of critical editions, confrontation of manuscripts, and analysis of variae lectiones.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

For students taking the course for 6 cfu

History of the tradition of Greek literature: the dynamics of the handwritten tradition, the book forms, sources and contexts of transmission.

Textual criticism: the notions of recensio, stemma codicum, archetype, significant error, emendatio; the so-called Lachmann’s method and its limits; how is a critical edition made and how to read a critical apparatus.

The theoretical part is complemented by practical exercises of analysis on texts, which this year will focus mainly, but not exclusively, on Aristophanes.

For students taking the course for 9 cfu

History of the tradition of Greek literature: the dynamics of the handwritten tradition, the book forms, sources and contexts of transmission; outlines of the history of classical philology.

Textual criticism: the notions of recensio, stemma codicum, archetype, significant error, emendatio; the so-called Lachmann’s method and its limits; how is a critical edition made and how to read a critical apparatus.

The theoretical part is complemented by practical exercises of analysis on texts, which this year will focus mainly, but not exclusively, on Aristophanes.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

For students taking the course for 6 cfu

• Tommaso Braccini, La scienza dei testi antichi. Introduzione alla filologia classica, Milano, Mondadori 2017.
• Leighton D. Reynolds e Nigel G. Wilson, Copisti e filologi: la tradizione dei classici dall'antichità ai tempi moderni, 4 ed. riv. e ampliata, Padova, Antenore 2016 (only chapters I-II).
• the Greek texts analysed in classroom and available via Aulaweb.

For students taking the course for 9 cfu

• Tommaso Braccini, La scienza dei testi antichi. Introduzione alla filologia classica, Milano, Mondadori 2017.
• Leighton D. Reynolds and Nigel G. Wilson, Scribes and scholars, 4th ed.,Oxford, Oxford University Press 2013.
• the Greek texts analysed in classroom and available via Aulaweb.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

SERENA PERRONE (President)

MARTINA SAVIO

LARA PAGANI (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Monday 5th October 2020.

Class schedule

TEXTUAL CRITICISM

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is an oral interview to assess the acquisition of the theoretical and methodological aspects of textual criticism, the awareness of the history of the tradition of Greek literature, and the ability to address the critical reading of given literary texts (made available via Aulaweb).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam consists of an interview about the theoretical and methodological aspects of the discipline and the ability to apply them to the critical reading of given literary texts. Clarity and correct use of technical terminology are assessed. In order to reach the basic threshold students should demonstrate their knowledge of the history of tradition of Greek literature, at least in its broad lines, and the knowledge of the main notions of stemmatic theory and ecdotic methods In order to reach an assessment of excellence, students should demonstrate their ability to apply the acquired knowledge to the philological analysis of Greek texts, and practical skills in reading a critical edition and its apparatus.

Exam schedule