OVERVIEW

Greek literature, whose extraordinary richness is still recognizable (in terms of variety, temporal extension and level of production) in spite of the enormous loss it suffered during the transmission, provides precious information on the civilization that produced it and represents an important source of data within the archaeological investigation.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching aims to provide students with a basic knowledge of the genres and the most relevant authors of Greek literature, of the main Greek myths that underlie it, of the historical-social contexts in which it developed. The teaching also aims to promote the acquisition of the ability to describe and analyze the content and the meaning of an ancient Greek text and to contextualize it in the genre and era to which it belongs. Finally, the teaching aims to develop the ability to translate the texts of ancient Greek literature or to follow them on the original with the help of a translation into a modern language, according to their complexity.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Participation in the activities and / or individual study will allow the student to:
- know the genres, the periodization and the most relevant authors of Greek literature;
- know the main myths underlying Greek literature;
- know the socio-cultural contexts of Greek literature;
- deepen the command of ancient Greek language;
- acquire the ability to translate the texts of ancient Greek literature or to follow them on the original with the help of a translation into a modern language, according to their complexity;
- acquire an appropriate vocabulary for the description of the content and the interpretive problems posed by texts of Greek literature;
- apply the acquired knowledge and skills to the archaeological investigation.

PREREQUISITES

As a preliminary requirement, knowledge, even elementary, of the ancient Greek language is required; this will be deepened and completed during the lessons. Students who have never studied ancient Greek before can learn the fundamentals of the language through the Lettorato, to be attended in advance of this teaching.

TEACHING METHODS

Seminar-based lessons, with active contribution by the students. Practice exercises will be planned, about single texts to be translated autonomously and then presented during the lessons by single students or (preferably) by groups of students with different levels of command in the Greek language.

The lessons will be held in presence. Attendance at lessons is highly recommended.

All the students are requested to register on the Aulaweb page of the teaching.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Part 1: introduction to the Greek literary world:

– conservation and transmission of texts;

– periodization;

– genres and a selection of main authors (Homer; Hesiod; Archilocus, Semonides, Hipponax; Tyrtaeus, Solon, Mimnermus, Theognis; Sappho, Alcaeus; Simonides, Pindar, Bacchylides; Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides; Aristophanes; Plato, Aristotle; Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon; Lysias, Isocrates, Demosthenes, Aeschines; Menander; Callimachus, Apollonius of Rhodes, Theocritus; Polybius; Plutarch; Lucian).

Part 2: Greek language and translation: insights into morphology, syntax and lexicon of ancient Greek will be given in a coordinate way with the translation of a selection of prose passages on relevant topics for archeology or the history of art. Any non-attending students will instead prepare the passages collected in the volume indicated in the bibliography.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Part 1:

F. Montanari, F. Montana, Storia della letteratura greca. Dalle origini all’età imperiale, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2010: general introduction; all introductions to periods and genres; chapters/paragraphs relevant to the selection of authors indicated in the program (see above).

Part 2:

– Any grammar handbook at school level. For example:

C. Neri, Μέθοδος. Corso di lingua e cultura greca. Grammatica, D’Anna, Firenze 2018

F. Montanari, A. Barabino, N. Marini, Ἑσπερία. Grammatica descrittiva della lingua greca, Loescher, Torino 2010

P. Agazzi, M. Vilardo, Ἑλληνιστί. Grammatica della lingua greca. Manuale, Zanichelli 2002;

– F. Montanari (con la collab. di I. Garofalo e D. Manetti), GI. Vocabolario della lingua greca, Loescher, Torino 2013 (3a ed.) (available in the library).

The passages which will be translated will be made available on Aulaweb and in class. Any non-attending students will replace the texts translated in classwith the texts (and with the theoretical part) of the volume:

R. Tosi, R. Pierini, Capire il greco, Pàtron, Bologna 2014.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LARA PAGANI (President)

GRETA GERTHOUX

SERENA PERRONE (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

19/09/22

Class schedule

GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral test. It is possible, but not mandatory, to split up the exam into two different tests, the first one about the topics listed above in nr. 1, the second one about the topics listed above in nr. 2 (in this order) (see Syllabus/Content and Readings/Bibliography): in that case, the final mark will be determined by an average between the marks of the two tests, each of one must be sufficient; if the second test proves insufficient, the evaluation assigned to the first test will remain valid.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral test consists of an interview aiming at ascertaining: 1) the acquisition of a basic knowledge of the genres and the most relevant authors of Greek literature, with attention also to the diachronic development; 2) the knowledge of ancient Greek language and the ability to translate, analyze the content and the meaning of the texts discussed in class, especially in relation to relevant aspects from an archaeological, topographical or artistic point of view (or of the texts collected in the volume indicated in Bibliography for non-attending students). As related to both aspects, also the capability to use an appropriate and correct expression will be assessed.
‘Pass’ requirements are: to have substantially learned the information concerning the genres and the most relevant authors of the Greek literature, as well as understood the conceptual turning-points and the crucial problems; to know the basic aspects of ancient Greek language and to be able to translate and understand the meaning of a pre-prepared ancient Greek literary text and to present its contents with an appropriate language.
‘Excellence’ requirements are: a total mastery of the analysis tools of phenomena and texts of Greek literature, so that the student is able to elaborate in an autonomous and critical manner the problems posed by them; the ability to translate fluently and safely, with good command of the linguistic aspects, a pre-prepared ancient Greek literary text and to present its contents with an appropriate language and using the appropriate technical vocabulary.

Exam schedule