13275 - Latin Language (1) (R-Z)

Learning outcomes

Knowledge to be obtained by the end of the course: 1) the student knows elements of phonetics of the Latin language 2) he knows morphology, syntax and basic vocabulary of the Latin language 3) he knows some basic elements of the history of the Latin language aimed to provide a full understanding of the main morphological structures. Skills to be obtained by the end of the course: 1) the student can pronounce the Latin language correctly 2) he can recognize and describe the main morphosyntatic structures 3) he can decline nouns, pronouns, adjectives and conjugate verbs correctly 4) he can translate and analyze previously seen texts.

Course contents

I. SPECIAL FOCUS COURSE

Medea in the Metamorphoses: love and magic. Ovid, Metamorphoses, VII 1-293 (Medea and Jason; the rejuvenation of Aeson). The incipit of the poem (Met. I 1-4) will also be read.

 

II. CORE COURSE

Latin Language: phonetics, morphology, vocabulary, syntax.

 

III. AUTHORS

Reading of Cornelius Nepos, De viris illustribus (Praefatio and Vita Attici).

 

IV. CRITICAL ESSAYS

See Bibliography.

 

IMPORTANT:

• Non-attending students are required to study M. Fruyt, Word-Formation in Classical Latin, in A companion to the Latin language, edited by James Clackson, Maiden (MA)-Oxford, Wiley-Blackwell, 2011, pp. 157-175 (available on Virtuale, among the teaching materials).
  

• Students who choose the course as a single exam or outside the choices in the course syllabus are required to contact the teacher BEFORE making their choice final.

• Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities are invited to get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) and with the teacher in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

 

SEMINARS

First semester

• Basic-level seminars (mandatory for OFA students).
• Laboratorio di Lingua latina (1): prof. Dal Chiele (G1) and prof. Ricchieri (G2).

Second semester

• Online classes on Cornelius Nepos De viris illustribus (Praefatio and Vita Attici) with dr. Michele Castaldo (information will be provided in due time).

Readings/Bibliography

I. SPECIAL FOCUS COURSE

Texts:

• Ovidio, Metamorfosi, volume IV (libri VII-IX), a cura di E.J. Kenney, testo critico basato sull'edizione oxoniense di R. Tarrant, traduzione di G. Chiarini, Milano, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla - Mondadori, 2004.
  

• A. Barchiesi (ed.), A Commentary on Ovid's Metamorphoses, Volume II: Books 7-12, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2024.

• English editions may be used only for the translation.
  

 

II. CORE COURSE

• I. Dionigi – E. Riganti – L. Morisi, Il latino, Bari, Laterza 2011, or Verba et res. Morfosintassi e lessico del latino, 2 voll., Bari, Laterza, 1999.

• A. Traina – G. Bernardi Perini, Propedeutica al latino universitario, Bologna, Pàtron, 1995, chapters I-VI (on peculiar aspects of phonetics, morphology and syntax).
  

• Suggested handbook for Latin beginners: F. Lubian – L. Salvioni, Latino zero. Guida all'apprendimento della lingua, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2025.

• As an alternative for English students, Allen and Greenough's New Latin Grammar, Ginn & Company, Boston-NY-Chicago, 1903 (both for syntax and morphology).
  

 

III. AUTHORS

• Cornelius Nepos, De viris illustribus: as for Praefatio and Vita Attici are concerned, a translation into Italian, with commentary on grammar will be available among the teaching material.

• L. Galli, Commento a Cornelio Nepote, Vita di Attico, Bologna, Pàtron, 2025.

 

IV. CRITICAL ESSAYS

Students are required to read one critical essay chosen from the following:

• A. Chahoud, I vizi di Ovidio: variabili morfosintattiche ed effetti stilistici, in L. Nicolini - A. Bonandini (edd.), Omnia mutantur. Nuove letture sul lessico e lo stile di Ovidio, Genova 2019, pp. 17-34.

• E.J. Kenney, Ovid's Language and Style, in B. Weiden Boyd (ed.), Brill's Companion to Ovid, Leiden-Boston 2002, pp. 27-89.

• C.E. Newlands, The metamorphosis of Ovid's Medea, in J.J. Clauss - S. Iles Johnston (ed. by), Medea. Essays on Medea in myth, literature, philosophy and art, Princeton 1997, pp. 178-208.

• G. Pucci, Medea nella letteratura latina, in M. Bettini - G. Pucci, Il mito di Medea. Immagini e racconti dalla Grecia a oggi, Milano 2017, pp. 99-126.

• B.W. Boyd, «Nescioquid maius»: gender, genre, and the repetitions of Ovid’s Medea, «Dictynna» 16, 2019.

• G.D. Williams, Medea in Metamorphoses 7: magic, moreness and the maius opus, «Ramus» 41, 2012, pp. 49-70.

Teaching methods

For the special focus course, lectures by the teacher with reading, morphological and syntactical analysis and commentary on the text. For seminars, interactive lessons with exercising and tests for the students.

Assessment methods

The exam consists of:

• A written multiple choice Latin test, performed on the computer, concerning morphology and elements of syntax. IMPORTANT: The written test is mandatory and must be passed before the oral exam of Lingua Latina. A negative mark prevents from accessing to the viva voce examination. The text consists of 25 questions in 30 minutes. The test is passed with a minimum mark of 15/25. The validity of the test is 6 months.

• A viva voce examination: the students will be tested in Latin phonetics, morphology and syntax through the reading and translation of the Latin texts dealt with in class and listed in the programme.

• It is possible to divide the oral examination into two parts ('istituzionale' and 'monografico'), which can be taken on separate dates. Once you have passed the institutional part, you can take the monographic part within the next two calls (e.g. you pass the institutional part in September, and you can take the monographic part in the October or November calls). Important: If the validity of the written test expires after you have passed the institutional, you do not need to re-sit the test to take the monograph.
  

 

Assessment guidelines:

- failing grades: lack of basic linguistic knowledge (phonetics, morphology, basic syntax) and inability to produce a correct translation and a correct interpretation of the texts.

- passing grades: proficiency in the basic linguistic skills; translation and interpretation of texts mostly correct, but inaccurate and lacking in autonomy.

- positive grades: language proficiency at an intermediate level; translation and interpretation of the texts fully correct, but not always accurate and autonomous.

- excellent grades: language proficiency at an upper-mid level; translation and interpretation of the texts not only correct but performed with autonomy and precision.

 

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the teacher, who will assess their appropriateness in relation to the teaching objectives.

 

Exams and the use of AI

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support independent study by providing in-depth analysis, summaries and self-assessment exercises. With regard to the assessment of learning, the use of AI is prohibited during face-to-face exams (either oral or written). Any use constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Teaching tools

• Teaching materials (e.g. slides, pdfs, available on Virtuale).

• Seminars (see course content) introducing to the bases of the Latin language (OFA seminars), consolidating the bases of Latin morphology and syntax and introducing to translation into Italian (Laboratorio di Lingua latina 1) and introducing to the text of Cornelius Nepos which is part of the programme (online seminar).

• Video-lessons of Latin available here

Office hours

See the website of Tommaso Ricchieri