83249 - Latin Language and Literature 2 (LM)

Learning outcomes

The purpose of the course is to enable the student to achieve knowledge and skills relating to the forms and models of the reception of ancient Latin culture from the classical period to the contemporary age.

Course contents

The course continues that of LINGUA E LETTERATURA LATINA 1 (LM) and offers students an in-depth study of classical Latin poetry, with metric reading, translation and commentary on some particularly significant texts of Latin literature. The program consists of four parts:

Part I. Reading, translation and commentary of texts by the teacher, with a critical essay chosen by the students.

Section 1. Excerpts from Lucretius, De rerum natura.

Section 2. A carmen doctum of Catullus.

Section 3. Some elegies of Propertius.

N.B.

1. Students not belonging to the LM 39 Degree Course (attending and non-attending) are required to add the reading of the following two texts: Cicero, Brutus; Seneca, Phaedra.

2. Students not belonging to the LM 39 Degree Course and non-attending (i.e. who have not been able to attend and have not been able to obtain complete class notes) are required to replace the texts read in class with the study of the Latin text of Tacitus, Germany, and of the first book of Ovid, Metamorphoses, also with the reading of two critical essays.

Part II. Latin Literature from the Archaic Age to the Imperial Age (included).

In addition to knowing the genres, authors and works presented during the lessons, students will have to study Latin literature from the Archaic to the Imperial Age (included), with periodization and with a general historical framework; with reference, in particular, to the following authors: Augustine, Apuleius, Catullus, Caesar, Cicero, Ennius, Juvenal, Jerome, Livy, Livius Andronicus, Lucan, Lucilius, Lucretius, Martial, Naevius, Horace, Ovid, Petronius, Plautus, Pliny the Elder, Propertius, Quintilian, Sallust, Seneca, Statius, Suetonius, Tacitus, Terentius, Tibullus, Virgil.

Part III. Elements of Latin grammar, prosody and metrics.

Basic linguistic knowledge, continuing LATIN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 1 (LM), regarding phonetics, morphology, lexicon, elements of syntax.

Knowledge of the rules of prosody and the main meters of the Latin poetic tradition is required, in particular the hexameter and elegiac couplet, with a metric reading of the texts.

Part IV. Reading and translation of texts, to be prepared by the students.

Reading and translation of Virgil, Aeneid, book IX.

Part V. Practices in prosody and metrics (2nd semester).

The practical lessons will be held by a tutor (Dr. A. Aleotti). Attendance is highly recommended for all students. Lesson time will be communicated as soon as possible.

Readings/Bibliography

Part I.

- Lucretius, De rerum natura, libro V, vv. 91-246: ed. Titus Lucretius Caro. De rerum natura libri VI, ed. M. Deufert, Berlin-Boston, De Gruyter, 2019, pp. 190-196.

- Catullus, Carmina, 68: ed. Il Carme 68 di Catullo. Edizione critica e commento a cura di G. Maggiali, Cesena, Stilgraf, 2008, pp. 81-88.

- Propertius, Elegiae (nn. I 1, I 3, I 11, I 18): ed. Sextus Propertius. Elegiarum libri IV, ed. P. Fedeli, München-Leipzig, K. G. Saur, 2006, pp. 1-3, 6-8, 23-24, 37-39.

In addition, a critical essay among the following:

- La poesie latina: forme, autori, problemi, a cura di F. Montanari, Roma, Carocci, 1991, pp. 77-127.

- M. Citroni, Poesia e lettori in Roma antica. Forme della comunicazione letteraria, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1995, pp. 79-99, 377-392.

- P. Pinotti, L'elegia latina. Storia di una forma poetica, Roma, Carocci, 2002, pp. 35-74, 109-124.

Part II.

For literary history we recommend G.B. Conte, Letteratura latina. Manuale storico dalle origini alla fine dell'impero romano, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2002.

Part III.

For language institutions we recommend I. Dionigi - E. Riganti - L. Morisi, Il latino, Bari, Laterza 2011. For the syntax A. Traina, Sintassi normativa della lingua latina, Bologna, Cappelli, 1993. For particular phonetical, morphological, syntactical problems, A. Traina - G. Bernardi Perini, Propedeutica al latino universitario, Bologna, Pàtron, 2007, capp. II-VI.

For metrics the reference manual is A. Traina – G. Bernardi Perini, Propedeutica al latino universitario, Bologna, Pàtron, 2007 (chap. VII); for further information we recommend S. Boldrini, La prosodia e la metrica dei Romani, Roma, Carocci, 1998 (and following).

Part IV.

Virgil, Aeneid, Book IX: ed. Virgilio, Eneide, a cura di E. Paratore, traduzione di L. Canali, volume V. Libri IX-X, Milano, Mondadori, 2001; or Virgilio, Eneide, introduzione di A. La Penna, traduzione e note di R. Scarcia, Milano, Biblioteca universale Rizzoli, 2002; or Virgilio, Eneide. Libro IX, a cura di A. Marastoni, Milano, Dante Alighieri, 1966.

N.B.

1. For students not belonging to the LM 39 Degree Course (attending and non-attending), the texts to be read in addition to the texts indicated in part I are the following two:

- Cicero’s Brutus: ed. Cicerone, Brutus, introduzione, traduzione e note di E. Narducci, Milano, Rizzoli, 1995; or Cicerone, Bruto, introduzione, traduzione e commento di R.R. Marchese, Roma, Carocci, 2011.

- Seneca’s Phaedra: ed. Seneca, Fedra, introduzione, traduzione e commento di A. Casamento, Roma, Carocci, 2011.

2. For students not belonging to the LM 39 Degree Course and non-attending, the texts to be studied are (the editions will be recommended later):

1. Tacitus, Germania: ed. Tacito, Germania, saggio introduttivo, nuova traduzione e note a cura di S. Audano, Santarcangelo di Romagna, RL, 2020; or Tacito, Germania, a cura di B. Zanco, Milano, Dante Alighieri, 1997.

2. Ovid, Metamorphoses, book I: ed. Ovidio, Metamorfosi. Volume I. Libri I-II, a cura di A. Barchiesi, Milano, Mondadori, 2005.

In addition, two essays to be chosen from the following:

- A. Michel, Tacito e il destino dell’impero, Torino, Einaudi, 1973 (pp. 55-81).

- G. B. Conte, A. Barchiesi, Imitazione e arte allusiva, in Lo spazio letterario di Roma antica, I. La produzione del testo, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 1989, pp. 81-114.

- A. Barchiesi, Per una lettura delle Metamorfosi di Ovidio, in F. Citti, L. Pasetti, D. Pellacani, a cura di, Metamorfosi tra scienza e letteratura, Firenze, Olschki, 2014, pp. 123-136.

 

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons.

Part I will be carried out by the teacher in class, parts II-III-IV are the responsibility of the students.

For part V there is a support course by Dr. A. Aleotti (see above).

Assessment methods

The test will consist of an oral exam lasting about half an hour, in which will be verified: the student's ability to read metrically, translate and understand the Latin texts in the program; knowledge of the rules of prosody and metrics (especially in relation to the hexameter and the elegiac couplet); recognition of the grammatical structure of texts (with regard to phonetics, morphology and basic syntax); knowledge of the history of literature from the Archaic Age to the Imperial Age inclusive (in relation to individual authors, genres, historical-literary periods); understanding of critical essays and of the themes of the texts under examination.

The evaluation will be given by the teacher according to the following parameters.

Insufficient level: lack of basic linguistic knowledge and inability to produce a correct translation and interpretation of texts; lack of knowledge of literary history.

Sufficient level: possession of basic literary and linguistic knowledge; translation and interpretation of texts mainly correct, but carried out with imprecision and little autonomy.

Positive level: possession of intermediate level literary and linguistic knowledge; translation and interpretation of the texts fully correct, but not always precise and autonomous.

Excellent level: possession of medium-high level literary and linguistic knowledge; correct, autonomous and precise translation and interpretation of the texts.

Teaching tools

Critical texts and essays that are difficult to find will be made available to students online.

Office hours

See the website of Pierluigi Licciardello