27928 - Laboratory (1) (LM) (G.E)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the seminars, students will acquire competences in interpreting specific topics related to philology, literature and history, or necessary to the creation and improvement of their background. This goal will be reached through constant exchanges with experts in various branches of knowledge and topics.

Course contents

The course aims to offer a general overview of Latin language used and Latin literature written and circulating in Italy during the 13^th century, and therefore with some specific information concerning the «state of the art» of Latin literary culture during the time of emergence and establishment of vernacular Italian literacy. At the end of the course, students will acquire some basic knowledge that will help them to portrait, analyze, and assess the literary panorama of Latin literature written in Italy during the 13^th century, and to examine in depth the cultural background of Italian authors (e.g., Dante Alighieri). They will also be trained in detecting the ways in which Latin and vernacular language interacted in Italy during the 13th c.

The course will consist of 30 hours of seminars. It will be structured as follows: 1) some introductory lessons concerning the history of Medieval Latin literature in the European context; 2) some lessons devoted to the development of Medieval Latin language, and its connections with the vernacular in Italy; 3) some specific classes dealing with particular authors and/or literary genres, e.g.: a) historiography and chronicles; b) theology and Biblical interpretation; c) rhetorical and political writings (e.g., the regimina principum); d) the written production of the Preachers and the preaching tools; e) scientific and encyclopaedic literature.

Readings/Bibliography

Texts (selection): Salimbene de Adam, Chronica, ed. Giuseppe Scalia, Turnhout 1998 (CCCM 125); Rolando da Cremona, Summa, ed. Aloisio Cortesi et al., Bergamo 1962 sqq.; Bene da
Firenze, Candelabrum, ed. Gian Carlo Alessio, Padova 1983; Giovanni da Viterbo, Liber de regimine civitatum, ed.
Gaetano Salvemini in Bibliotheca Iuridica Medii Aevi III, Bononiae 1901, p. 215-280; Iacopo da Varagine, Legenda
aurea, ed. Giovanni Paolo Maggioni, Firenze 1999 ; Pietro d’Abano, Conciliator, ed. Ezio Riondato e Luigi Olivieri, Padova
1985.

- General Studies: C. Leonardi et al. (a cura di), Letteratura latina medievale (secoli VI-XV), un manuale, Firenze
2002 (in particolare il saggio di E. Paoli, «Il secolo XIII», pp. 303-371); E. D’Angelo, La letteratura latina medievale:
una storia per generi, Roma 2009; Gian Carlo Garfagnini, «La scienza», in Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo I:2. La
produzione del testo, ed. Guglielmo Cavallo, Claudio Leonardi, E. Menestò, Roma 1992, p. 601-634; P. Chiesa, La letteratura latina del Medioevo: un profilo storico, Roma, Carocci, 2017; P. Stotz, Il Latino nel Medioevo: guida allo studio di un'identità linguistica europea, Firenze 2013; D'Arco S. Avalle, Latino circa romançum e rustica Romana lingua: testi del 7., 8. e 9. secolo, Padova 1983; R. Casapullo, Il Medioevo, Roma 1999.

- Further Readings: Aspetti della letteratura latina nel secolo XIII. Atti del Primo Convegno internazionale di Studi
dell’Associazione per il Medioevo e l’Umanesimo latini (AMUL), Perugia, 3-5 ottobre 1983, ed. Claudio Leonardi e
Giovanni Orlandi, Spoleto 1992 ; Dall’ «ars dictaminis» al Preumanesimo? Per un profilo letterario del secolo XIII, ed.
Fulvio delle Donne e Francesco Santi, Firenze 2013.; Lynn Thorndike, A History of Magic and Experimental Science, vol.
II, New York 1923.

Teaching methods

Classes (30 hours). They will consists of introductory lessons given by Prof. Ventura, and of a discussion of the selected texts.

Assessment methods

Students are required to attend and take active part in classes. Their engagements will represent the most important criterion of their final evaluation. Students will be examined with the help of an interview which will assess their skills in 1) describing the literary genres that characterize the Latin literature written in Italy during the 13^th century; 2) discussing and commenting upon the selected texts, and identifiying the connections between Latin and Italian literature during the 13^th century.

Participants who are interested in specific aspects of Medieval Latin culture are permitted to choose a personalized program. They are requested to make an appointment with Prof. Ventura to discuss it. Appointment can be requested by sending an e-mail to following address: iolanda.ventura@unibo.it.

Teaching tools

During the course, I will select and show some further readings.

Texts will be made available on the platform materiali didattici online.

Office hours

See the website of Iolanda Ventura