C8745 - TESTI LATINI E CRITICA LETTERARIA (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will have acquired an in-depth knowledge of Latin literature and of the interpretative issues raised by the Latin texts examined within the context of contemporary scholarly debate. They will be familiar with, and able to apply, different critical approaches to the analysis of Latin literary texts. They will also be able to use the principal tools for conducting scholarly research on Latin literary corpora

Course contents

This is an upper-intermediate level course; basic skills in Latin must have already been acquired in other university courses.

The Tale of Cupid and Psyche in Apuleius

The tale of Cupid and Psyche is the most famous of the stories embedded within the narrative framework of Apuleius' Metamorphoses, the novel recounting the adventures of Lucius, who is transformed into a donkey and strives to regain his human form. Its placement at the very center of the novel (Met. 4.28–6.24) has led scholars to regard it as a kind of "novel within the novel," or as a miniature version of the work as a whole. Because of the richness of the interpretative questions it raises and the extraordinary influence it has had on later literary and artistic traditions, the tale of Cupid and Psyche provides an especially suitable opportunity to reflect on methods for interpreting Latin literary texts. Beginning with the reading in Latin of a selected anthology of passages, the course aims to examine some of the principal interpretative issues that have emerged in scholarly debate on the text, introducing students to some of the major approaches to the literary analysis of Latin texts and to the tools of academic research.

Section I – Classes

• Reading of a selection of passages from the tale of Cupid and Psyche.
• Discussion of some of the principal interpretative issues that have emerged in scholarly debate on the text.

Section II – Independent Study

• Reading, in translation, of the complete tale of Cupid and Psyche (Met. 4.28–6.24).
• Reading in Latin of Apuleius, Metamorphoses 4.32–35; 5.7–9; 5.26–27; 5.31; 6.1–16; 6.21–24.
• General background readings (see Bibliography).
• Critical essays: at least two, of your choice.

• Non-attending students: Students who did not attend the course (i.e., those who were unable to attend or were unable to obtain the lecture notes) are required to prepare the entire tale of Cupid and Psyche in the original Latin. They are also required to study C. Moreschini, Il mito di Amore e Psiche in Apuleio, Naples, 1999, pp. 7–96. Other parts of the syllabus are unchanged.

• Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they 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 lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

Readings/Bibliography

Sections I and II

• Latin text: Apuleius, Metamorphoses, Vol. II: Books IV–VI, edited by L. Nicolini, C. Lazzarini, and N. Campodonico, translated by L. Graverini (Milan: Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, 2023), or any affordable scholarly edition. Suitable alternatives include: Apuleius, The Metamorphoses (The Golden Ass), Latin text with facing Italian translation, edited by Alessandro Fo (Turin: Einaudi, 2010, and subsequent reprints); Apuleius, The Tale of Cupid and Psyche, Latin text with facing Italian translation, edited by Alessandro Fo (Turin: Einaudi, 2014); Apuleius, The Metamorphoses (The Golden Ass), Latin text with facing Italian translation, edited by L. Nicolini (Milan: Rizzoli, 2005). Students are also encouraged to consult M. Zimmerman et al., Apuleius Madaurensis Metamorphoses. Book IV 28-35, V and VI 1-24. The Tale of Cupid and Psyche, Text, Introduction and Commentary, Groningen 2004.

Section I

• Lecture notes.
• Teaching materials made available on the University's Virtuale platform (e.g., lecture slides and PDF versions of the texts discussed in class).

Section II 

Latin Morphology and Syntax: With regard to linguistic aspects, undergraduate students are expected to have already acquired a solid knowledge of Latin morphology and syntax through university-level textbooks (e.g., I. Dionigi, L. Morisi, and E. Riganti,

• General Background Readings

1. L. Graverini, "Introduzione," in Apuleio, Metamorfosi, Vol. I: Books I–III, edited by L. Graverini and L. Nicolini (Milan: Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, 2019), pp. XI–LXXV.
2. S. J. Harrison, "General Introduction: Working Together," in S. J. Harrison (ed.), Texts, Ideas, and the Classics: Scholarship, Theory, and Classical Literature (Oxford, 2001), pp. 1–18.

• Critical Readings (Attending students: at least two, to be chosen from the list below.)

To be determined. The final reading list will be provided during the course.

Non-attending students are additionally required to read C. Moreschini, Il mito di Amore e Psiche in Apuleio (Naples, 1999), pp. 7–96.

Teaching methods

The principal teaching method is that of the lecture. Additionally, more interactive lectures are planned, including individual or group presentations on a voluntary basis of the critical essays. This is intended to stimulate collective reflection on the topics addressed.

Assessment methods

Assessment consists of a 30-minute oral examination designed to evaluate students' knowledge of the Latin text, their understanding of the principal linguistic, stylistic, and interpretative issues discussed during the course, and their ability to engage critically with the assigned secondary literature.

The examination is divided into three parts:

1. Reading, translation, and linguistic analysis of a passage from Apuleius' Cupid and Psyche selected from the anthology specified in the syllabus (Section II).
2. Reading, translation, linguistic analysis, and philological-literary commentary on a passage discussed during the lectures (Section I).
3. Critical discussion of one or more scholarly works chosen from the bibliography.

Assessment Criteria

The final grade will be based on the following criteria:

• Failure to demonstrate an adequate command of the fundamental principles of Latin morphology and syntax will result in a failing grade.
• Satisfactory performance (18–23/30): an intermediate knowledge of Latin morphology and syntax; translations that are generally correct but not always accurate or independent; a basic understanding of the linguistic, stylistic, and interpretative issues addressed during the course; and a limited ability to discuss the assigned scholarly literature.
• Good performance (24–29/30): a good command of Latin; reliable translations, even if not always fully accurate or produced independently; the ability to analyse the linguistic, stylistic, and literary aspects of the text; and a well-informed discussion of the principal interpretative issues and the scholarly contributions examined during the course.
• Excellent performance (30–30 cum laude): an advanced command of Latin; the ability to produce accurate translations independently; the capacity to integrate linguistic, stylistic, and literary analysis with critical discussion of the text; and the ability to develop an original, well-argued interpretation grounded in engagement with the relevant scholarship.

Notes

Erasmus students may complete the translation component of the examination in one of the following languages: English, French, Spanish, or German.

Students with specific learning disabilities (SLD/DSA) or temporary or permanent disabilities are strongly encouraged to contact the University's dedicated support office in good time (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it ). The office will propose any appropriate accommodations for eligible students. Such accommodations must be submitted to the course instructor for approval at least 15 days before the examination. Approval will be granted insofar as the proposed accommodations are compatible with the learning objectives of the course.

Examination and the Use of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support independent study through additional resources, summaries, and self-assessment activities. However, the use of AI during the in-person examination is strictly prohibited. Any use of AI during the examination constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Teaching tools

The Virtuale platform will host the slides from the lectures, the PDFs of the texts read and analysed during the lectures, and any additional resources, such as more challenging-to-find bibliographies, that may be useful for students.

Office hours

See the website of Elisa Dal Chiele