30353 - Latin Philology and Literature (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the classes, students have a deep knowledge of Latin literature, they are able to analyse Latin texts with regard to language, style, subject, they understand textual problems referring to Latin texts, they use the tools needed for a philological research. They also know elements of Roman culture that are necessary for understanding modern European literatures.

Course contents

A. SPECIAL FOCUS COURSE

From Cicero to Tacitus (and back)

• Module 1: Cicero's De oratore between rhetoric, politics and education - with readings from Seneca the Elder, Gellius and Suetonius (a detailed list of all passages examined in the lessons, and requested for the exam, will be available on Virtuale).
• Module 2: Tacitus' Dialogus de oratoribus and the 'crisis' of oratory - with readings from Seneca the Elder, Quintilian and Petronius (a detailed list of all passages examined in the lessons, and requested for the exam, will be available on Virtuale).
• During the course, theoretical and practical issues relating to the philological method and the tools of philological research will be discussed in depth.

B. CRITICAL ESSAYS: students are requested to read 2 essays for each module.

C. CORE COURSE:

• Module 1: Ovid, Ars amatoria, book 1.

• Module 2: Tacitus, Annales, I.1-10, 14, 33; II.41.2-43, 75-77; III.1-4, 15-18, 64; IV.52-55.1; V.1-3.1; VI.25, 26.3; XI.25.5-38.

 

Students not attending the course will have to agree upon additional readings (or an alternative program) with the lecturer.

Readings/Bibliography

A. SPECIAL FOCUS COURSE

Both modules involve the reading and comparative analysis of a number of Latin texts: the necessary bibliographical indications will be provided during the course. All texts translated and commented during the lectures will be made available in advance among the course materials.

For Cicero's De oratore, it is advisable to have an edition with a Latin text and Italian translation, such as those by P. Li Causi - R. Marino - M. Formisano (Alessandria 2015) or E. Narducci (Milano 1994).

As for Tacitus, cf. Tacitus, Dialogus de oratoribus, ed. by R. Mayer, Cambridge 2001; Tacito, Dialogo sull'oratoria, introduzione e commento di Luciano Lenaz, traduzione di Felice Dessì, Milano 1993 (BUR).

 

B. CRITICAL ESSAYS

At least 2 critical essays for each module. A detailed list of the critical readings will be provided at the beginning of the course and will be available among the course teaching materials.

C. CORE COURSE

Texts module 1 – Ovidio, L'arte di amare. A cura di Emilio Pianezzola. Commento di Emilio Pianezzola, Gianluigi Baldo e Lucio Cristante, Milano 1991.
Texts module 2 – C. Questa, Tre donne dei Cesari. Livia, Agrippina Maggiore, Messalina, Torino 1971.

Morphology and Syntax: the student will be expected to master Latin morphology and syntax, based on university-level handbooks (e.g. I. Dionigi-L. Morisi-E. Riganti, Il latino, Bari: Laterza, 2011), as well as to know the aspects of history of the language, metrics and textual criticism contained in A. Traina - G. Bernardi Perini, Propedeutica al latino universitario, Bologna: Pàtron, 2007. For Latin syntax, see also A.Traina-T. Bertotti, Sintassi normativa della lingua latina, Bologna: Pàtron, 2015.

Metrics: the student will be expected to master the scansion and reading of the elegiac couplet (cf. Propedeutica al latino universitario, cap. VII). For further details, see S. Boldrini, La prosodia e la metrica dei Romani, Roma 2017 (3a ed. 2021).

Textual criticism: for a basic knowledge of textual criticism, it is required to study chapter VIII of Propedeutica al latino universitario; furthermore, it is necessary to read P. Chiesa, La trasmissione dei testi latini. Storia e metodo critico, Roma 2019. For more details, see also P. Chiesa, Elementi di critica testuale, Bologna 2012; R. Tarrant, Texts, Editors, and Readers: Methods and Problems in Latin Textual Criticism. Roman Literature and its Contexts, Cambridge 2016; T. Braccini, La scienza dei testi antichi. Introduzione alla filologia classica, Firenze 2017.

Teaching methods

As for A. section, lectures in class; parts B. and C. are supposed to be prepared by the students.

Assessment methods

The examination consists of a viva voce exam and is divided in two parts (students are required to take both parts of the examination on the same date):
1) in the first part, the students will be tested on Latin phonetics, morphology and syntax through the reading and translation of the Latin texts (in section C). Students are required to answer questions about Latin grammar (phonetics, morphology and syntax) from the texts in section C.
2) in the second part (in section A and B), the examination will concernthe Special Focus Course and the critical readings. Students are asked to provide a translation from Latin and a philological and literary commentary on one of the passages analysed in class. Students are required to discuss the chosen critical readings.

n.b. The exam requires a medium-high level of knowledge of the Latin language. Beginner students are recommended to choose a basic course of the three-year degree.

The assessment criteria is thus explained:
failing grades: lack of basic linguistic knowledge and inability to produce a correct translation and interpretation of the text.
passing grades: language proficiency at an intermediate level; translation and literary interpretation of the texts are mostly correct, but inaccurate and lacking in autonomy.
excellent grades: language proficiency at an upper-mid level; translation and interpretation of the texts are not only correct, but carried out with autonomy and precision. Good knowledge of Latin prosody and metrics.

Teaching tools

Slides and other materials will be available online on the course website.

Office hours

See the website of Luigi Pirovano