OVERVIEW

This course will offer a survey of the history of Roman rhetoric and oratory, with emphasis on the evolution of its theoretical tradition from the late Republic to the early Imperial age.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

This course will survey the evolution of the art of persuasion at Rome, from the earliest exposition of the Roman culture to the teaching of the Greco-Hellenistic tradition, up to the evolution of Latin rhetoric in the Roman imperial age. Students will familiarize with the theoretical foundations of classical rhetoric by means of a close reading of some of the most important rhetorical treatises in Latin; orations of the Republican age and declamation of the Imperial age will be studied in detail, so as to highlight the most peculiar features of a literary genre bond to shape the literary European culture well beyond the end of the ancient world.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will focus on the peculiar features of Latin rhetorical texts, which will be studied in a diachronical perspective. By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Read and interpret rhetorical treatises and orations of the Republican and Imperial age.

• Identify and assess the main features of the Roman rhetorical theory.

• Identify the most common pedagogical strategies exploited in the ancient world for the teaching of rhetoric.

• Assess the mutual influence between rhetorical technique and oratory and literary production.

• Identify the main transformations of Roman rhetoric and oratory from the Republican to the Imperial age. 

PREREQUISITES

An advanced knowledge of Latina language and literature is required.

TEACHING METHODS

After a number of lessons that will introduce to the history of Roman rhetoric and oratory, students will be invited to participate in the translation and the interpretation of the relevant texts in class.  Attendance, although not compulsory, is highly recommended.

All students are required to enroll on the Aulaweb page of the course, where texts covered in the course  will be uploaded. 

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Metaphor in Rhetorical Theory and Literary Practice

In ancient rhetorical theory, metaphor is regarded as the most important of the tropes, essentially a “condensed” simile. It maintains a privileged connection with the senses, particularly with the domain of visual perception; for this reason, it often serves in literature to enhance the evidentia of a given description. Its use is pervasive, to the point that one can identify distinct metaphorical fields associated with specific concepts, activities, arts, or literary genres.

The study of metaphor in rhetorical treatises will therefore be followed by a series of sessions dedicated to exploring various metaphorical domains, with special attention to metaphors employed to define rhetorical concepts and strategies. Some examples include: 1) A Metaphorology of the Sententia; 2) Fictional Worlds, Murky Darkness, and the Shadows of Dreams: Notes Toward a Metaphorology oDeclamation and its Political Connotations; 3)Trumpets, Flutes, Drums, Cymbals, and Rattles: Rhetorical Metaphors of Musical Instruments. The evolution of the extended metaphor into allegory will also be addressed. For instance: 4) Metaphor and Allegory in the Personifications of the Liberal Arts and Their Tradition of Visual Representation;5) Undigested Knowledge and Rejected Doctrine: The Literary Adventures of a Satirical Metaphor from Homer to Shakespeare and Beyond.

On all these topics, dedicated bibliographic materials will be made available on Aulaweb.
Throughout the course, and depending on available funding, seminars held by guest lecturers will be organized in order to map the vast range of metaphor’s applications across different levels and literary genres.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Monographic course:
The texts of the monographic course will be provided to students on Aulaweb 

Home Study Texts:

1. Textbook: A. Cavarzere, Oratoria a Roma. Storia di un genere pragmatico, Roma, Carocci 2000 (ISBN: 9788843014934).

2. Cicerone, Pro Milone,  (Cicerone, In difesa di Milone,a cura di P. Fedeli, Marsilio, Venezia 1990). 

3. Cicerone, De oratore, libro III (Cicerone, Dell'oratore, a cura di E. Narducci, Milano 1994: lthe Introduction and the third book).

Please remember that to acquire further Latin credits in addition to the first 12 credits it is necessary to have previously passed either the Final advanced translation test (Lettorato avanzato di Traduzione dal Latino held by Dr. Arianna Fecit), or the second level preparatory test held by Prof. Gabriella Moretti.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Classes will start on Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The examination will be oral, and will involve questions on the textbook, on the monographic course, and the translation, commentary, and contextualization of a selection of passages from the assigned texts.

The ability to accurately translate the selected texts is essential for passing the exam. Additionally, students should be able to identify the linguistic characteristics of the selected text and reconstruct its historical contest.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Grading scale:

• 30 cum laude - 28: The student will be able to translate and discuss accurately the texts and outline their linguistic features;

• 27 - 23: The student will show an overall knowledge of the selected texts, with some flaws that will not prejudice their correct interpretation.

• 22 - 18: The student will show a partial understanding of the texts and their language.

• Fail: The student who will misinterpret or not be able to translate the texts will not pass the exam.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Erasmus students not proficient in Italian may request a substitutive bibliography, and take the examination in English.

All students are required to sign up for Aulaweb and Teams in time for the start of the course.

For students with disabilities or specific learning disorders (DSA):

Students with disabilities or DSA are reminded that in order to request adaptations during the exam, they must first enter the certification on the University website on the servizionline.unige.it page in the "Students" section. The documentation will be verified by the University's Services Sector for the inclusion of students with disabilities and DSA (https://rubrica.unige.it/strutture/structure/100111).

Subsequently, significantly in advance (at least 10 days) of the exam date, it is necessary to send an e-mail to the teacher with whom you will take the exam, inserting in copy copy both the teacher in charge of the School for the inclusion of students with disabilities and with DSA (contact email) is the sector indicated above. In the email you must specify:

the name of the course

the date of the appeal

the student's surname, first name and student number

the compensatory tools and dispensatory measures deemed functional and required.

The contact person will confirm to the teacher that the applicant has the right to request adaptations during the exam and that these adaptations must be agreed with the teacher. The teacher will respond by communicating whether it is possible to use the requested adaptations.

Requests must be sent at least 10 days before the date of the exam in order to allow the teacher to evaluate the content. In particular, in the event that you intend to use concept maps for the exam (which must be much more concise than the maps used for the study) if the sending does not respect the expected times there will not be the technical time necessary to make any changes.

For further information regarding the request for services and adaptations, consult the document:

https://unige.it/sites/unige.it/files/2024-05/Linee%20guida%20per%20la%20richiesta%20di%20servizi%2C%20di%20strumenti%20compensativi%20e_o%20di%20misure%20dispensative%20e%20di%20ausili%20specifici%20Maggio%202024.pdf