00556 - Greek Literature

Learning outcomes

The student will become acquainted with philological methods applyed to many literary texts , regarded within their historical and social background.

Course contents

Module 1 (30 hours)
Educating the monster: from Odyssey to Lucian.

Module 2 (30 hours)
Theater and History: Aeschylus, Persians and Erodotus, Histories.

Alphabetization to ancient Greek (optional): lessons to approach and improve the knowledge of ancient Greek language will be offered during the same academic year.

Readings/Bibliography

A (modules 1 and 2): Students are required to know the historical development of Greek literature and its main authors. Suggested handbook: Andrea Rodighiero, Sabina Mazzoldi, Dino Piovan, Civiltà letteraria della Grecia antica, Bologna, Zanichelli, 2025. Otherwise, the students can use the handbook they have from previous studies.

B (module 1): notes from the lessons and texts provided during the courses and uploaded to "Virtuale".

- It is compulsory the reading of: A) Homer, Odyssey 9; B) Euripides, Cyclops; C) Theocritus, Idylli 11; D) Lucian, Dialogues of the Sea Gods 2 (any translation into a modern language).

- It is compulsory the reading of four articles (that will be uploaded on Virtuale): A) Oddone Longo, “Fra Ciclopi e leoni”, Belfagor 38.2 (1983) 212-222; B) Giuseppe Mastromarco, “La degradazione del mostro. La maschera del Ciclope nella commedia e nel dramma satiresco del quinto secolo a.C”, in A.M. Belardinelli et al., Tessere. Frammenti della commedia greca: studi e commenti, Bari, Adriatica Editrice, 1998, 9-42; C) Roberto Pretagostini, “Il Ciclope di Teocrito”, in Gianfranco Nuzzo (ed.), Sicilia terra del mito: atti del convegno nazionale di studi (Palermo, 13-14 novembre 2004), Palermo, 2005, 49-58; D) Lucia Floridi, “Polifemo tra letteratura e iconografia: Luc. DMar. 1 e 2”, Aevum Antiquum 17 (2017) 245-274.

C (module 2): notes from the lessons and texts provided during the courses and uploaded to "Virtuale".

- It is compulsory the reading of: A) Eschilo, Persiani; B) Erodoto, Storie 7-8 (any translation into a modern language).

- It is compulsory the reading of: A) S. Jedrkiewicz, Il Re è nudo, ma resta Re: il personaggio di Serse nei «Persiani» di Eschilo, «Dionysus ex Machina» X (2019) 1-31; B) A.H. Sommerstein, La tetralogia di Eschilo sulla guerra persiana, «Dionysus ex Machina» I (2010) 4-20; C) M. Lombardi, Dario e Maratona ne «I Persiani» di Eschilo: le ragioni di un quasi silenzio, «Athenaeum» XCVI/2 (2008) 481-497; D) S. Amendola, Il mare nemico di Serse: i «Persiani» di Eschilo e «Die Seeschlacht bei Salamis» di Kaulbach, in «Charis»: studi offerti a Paola Volpe dai suoi allievi, a c. di S. Amendola, G. Pace, Trieste 2016, 23-54.

Supplementary readings for students who cannot attend the course: (for Module 1) Luigi Spina, Omero. Il libro dell’orrido Polifemo, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2024; (for Module 2) Francesco Carpanelli, Vincitori, vinti ed emarginati nel teatro classico: i Persiani, i Sette contro Tebe e le Supplici di Eschilo. Dalle guerre persiane alla morte di Efialte, Alessandria, Edizioni dell'Orso, 2021.

Students of the Bachelor in History will follow only one module and are requested to study the bibliography pertaining to points A (general part, mandatory for all) and B or C (according to the Module they will attend/study).

Teaching methods

Lectures and seminars.

Assessment methods

The conclusive examination is an oral interview. It is required a close, critical investigation of the textsexamined during the course. The students who will prove to achieve a thorough and complete knowledge ofthe topics discussed during the lessons will gain excellent marks; the students who will show an incompleteknowledge of the topics and will not be able to contextualize the main authors of Greek literature will gainlower marks or even a fail, depending on the importance of the subject.

Range of marks: outstanding: 30L; excellent: 28-30; good: 25-27; discrete: 22-24; sufficient: 18-21.

Final tests will be scheduled in these months: 1) January, 2) February, 3) June, 4) July, 5) September, 6) October/November.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible ( https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

Texts and copies, e-learning documents (Virtuale).

Office hours

See the website of Mattia De Poli