92936 - Bible Literature (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

Upon a successful completion of this course, students will achieve basic notions and skills in interpreting Biblical texts as literature, and re-framing their production and fortune as a distinctively historical, philological and literary phenomenon, between authoring and copying, translating and interpreting, from the Ancient Near East down to the Graeco-Roman Mediterranean world and contemporary literature.

Course contents

Singing eros in the Bible: the Song of songs between Middle-Eastern Poetry, Greek Epigrams and Contemporary Reception.

Probably composed during the Hellenistic period (4th-1st centuries BCE) and attributed to the legendary Israelite king Solomon of Jerusalem, the Songs of songs counts along with Qohelet as the most peculiar text conferred upon ‘canonical’ status: most likely, no original mentions of the name of the god of Israel are to be found, neither traces of ‘theological’ speculation, ritual prescriptions, or historical/legendary narratives contributing to the formation of any ethnic identity. The course aims firstly at sketching the complex birth process of such an anomalous piece of Biblical literature both within the framework of ancient Middle-Eastern erotic poetry and in relationship with Greek epigrammatical and bucolic production. Case studies of its reception will then be offered, ranging from its first translations from Hebrew to contemporary versions and reprises.

More specifically, the course will address the following issues:

1^st part (10hs):

– the state of the art: on problem, ‘sources’, models;

– erotic poetry in the Ancient Middle-East as a frame of reference;

– traces of erotic poetry in the Hebrew Bible?

– determining Greek models: eros, shepherds, epigrams;

2^nd part (10hs):

– historical, philological and literary analysis of the Song of songs;

3^rd part (10hs):

– case studies in the reception history of the Song of songs.

 

N.B. No previous knowledge of Hebrew phonetics/grammar required. Translations from the Hebrew text will be provided during the course by the teacher.

Readings/Bibliography

a) Translations:

Cantico, in La Bibbia dei Settanta. III: Libri poetici, a cura di P. Sacchi, Morcelliana 2013, 677-710 (exclusively required of Classical Philology students);

Canticum Canticorum in Biblia Sacra Vulgata, ediderunt R. Weber-R. Gryson, Stuttgart 1969 (5^th ed. 2007; exclusively required of Classical Philology students);

Il Cantico dei Cantici, a cura di G. Ceronetti, Adelphi 1992;

G. Ravasi, Cantico dei Cantici, Mondadori 1996;

Cantico dei cantici, trad. di G. Bemporad, Morcelliana 2006;

H. Gollwitzer, Il poema biblico dell'amore fra uomo e donna. Cantico dei Cantici, Claudiana 2011;

Il Cantico dei Cantici, a cura di P. Capelli, Ponte alle Grazie 2019;

b) Commentaries:

Cantico dei Cantici, a cura di G. Garbini, Paideia 1992 (rist.: 2010);

Cantico dei Cantici, commento e attualizzazione di G. Ravasi, Economica EDB 2015;

Cantico dei Cantici, nuova versione, introduzione e commento di G. Barbiero, Paoline 2016;

c) Studies

1. Integral Readings

Il più bel canto d’amore, trad. a cura di E. Bianchi, Qiqajon 2013;

M. Satlow, E il Signore parlò a Mosè. Come la Bibbia divenne sacra, Bollati Boringhieri 2017;

2. Partial Readings

S. Fischer – G. Fernandes (eds.), The Song of Songs Afresh. Perspectives on a Biblical Love Poem, Sheffield Phoenix Press 2019, limited to two articles/chapters at the student’s choice;

L’Antico Testamento. Introduzione storico-letteraria, a cura di P. Merlo, Carocci 2018, limited to chapter 8: I libri sapienziali;

Teaching methods

Lectures; analysis of literary texts; use of bibliographic and electronic databases; audio- and video resources.

Assessment methods

Oral exam. Students will have to prove their abilities

• to read and understand the Song of songs in Greek or Latin (required exclusively of Classical Philology students) or alternatively in a modern translation (supra, Bibliography under the entry Translations);
• to interpret and profile the Song of songs as a cultural, historical and literary artifact, supplementing and integrating class notes with one commentary of their choice from among those enlisted supra in Bibliography under the entry Commentaries;
• to give a sketch of the formation, ‘canonization’ process, or reception history of the Song of the songs, depending on the one reading of their choice selected from the list offered supra in Bibliography under the entry Studies, point 2. (Partial Readings);

Additionally, students who cannot attend the lessons will substitute class notes with one volume of their choice from those listed supra in Bibliography under the entry Studies, point 1. (Integral Readings).

Skills will be assessed according to the following guidelines:
- failing grade (< 18): inability to translate short sections from the Greek/Latin text of the Song of Songs (exclusively required of LM15 students); inability to provide a correct interpretation of the texts discussed during the course or, as for non-attending students, to comment on the critical essays of their choice.
- passing grade (between 18 and 24): elementary ability to translate short sections from the Greek/Latin text of the Song of Songs (exclusively required of LM15 students); inaccuracy and lack of autonomy in providing a correct interpretation of the texts discussed during the course or, as for non-attending students, in commenting on critical essays of their choice.
- positive grade (between 24 and 30): good comprehension of the grammatical and syntactical structures of the Greek/Latin text of the Song of Songs (exclusively required of LM15 students); interpretation of the texts discussed during the course is correct, but mostly superficial and not entirely autonomous; as for non-attending students, the critical essays of their choice are cursorily commented upon.
- excellent grade (30L): in-depth knowledge of the grammatical and syntactical structures of the Greek/Latin text of the Song of Songs (exclusively required of LM15 students); precision and full autonomy in interpreting, contextualizing and critically comparing the texts discussed during the course; as for non-attending students, critical discussion of the essays of their choice is detailed and deep-ranging.

Teaching tools

Computer and projector; bibliographic and electronic databases; fotocopies; texts and segments of texts in PDF format uploaded by the teacher as teaching materials (downloadable from https://iol.unibo.it).

Office hours

See the website of Daniele Tripaldi