27563 - Medieval and Classical Latin Literature (1)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will know the history of Middle Latin literature in broad outline, and have the ability to analyse both original texts and Italian translations from a literary point of view. They will grasp how different cultures interacted in history. They will be able to describe and illustrate the multi-level relations between history and literature. They will have learnt to listen, understand and debate respectfully with different cultures and viewpoints.

Course contents

Reliability of an unreliable historical source. Exercises in reading the Chronicle of Salimbene from Parma

The course will be organized in two parts. In the first part - as part of a general presentation of medieval Latin literature - the significance of the production of chronicles throughout the Middle Ages will be examined, considering literary, historical, cultural and historical political aspects.

In the second part of the course some parts of Adam's Chronicle of Salimbene will be read, proposing reading exercises that will concern aspects of text criticism, literary criticism and historical criticism.

Readings/Bibliography

Institutional part

A work to be chosen from the following

Medioevo latino e cultura europea. In ricordo di Claudio Leonardi, cur. A. Paravicini Bagliani - F. Santi, Firenze, SISMEL.Edizioni del Galluzzo 2021, MediEvi 32,

Bernard Guenée Storia e cultura storica nell'occidente medievale trad. Alberto Bertoni, Bologna, Il Mulino 1991 (Collezione di testi e di studi. Storiografia) (= Bernard Guenée Histoire et culture historique dans l'Occident médiéval Paris, Aubier Montaigne 1990²)

 

For the monographic part

Giuseppe Scalia (ed.) Salimbene de Adam Cronica I a. 1168-1249 II a. 1250-1287 Turnhout, Brepols 1998-1999 voll. 2 pp. LXIX-507, V-509-1073 (Corpus Christianorum. Continuatio Mediaevalis 125-125 A) (a choice of texts read, translated and commented on in class)

Salimbene de Adam e la «Cronica». Atti del LIV Convegno storico internazionale Todi, 8-10 ottobre 2017 Spoleto (Perugia), Fondazione Centro italiano di studi sull'Alto Medioevo (CISAM) 2018 (Accademia tudertina. Centro di studi sulla spiritualità medievale. Centro italiano di studi sul basso medioevo. Atti dei convegni. N.S. 31) pp. X-370 (seven contributions chosen by the student).

Non-attending students will have to prepare themselves on a further Latin work of the Middle Ages of a historiographic nature, agreed with the teacher

Teaching methods

1. The teacher will present the themes and problems envisaged by the program, discussing the methodological and history aspects of culture with the students, reading and commenting on Middle Latin texts (also considering handwritten witnesses).

2. The teacher will read and comment on Salimbene da Parma's text

3. During the course, the teacher will present to the students the problem of the handwritten transmission of medieval historiographic works, giving tools to describe and use a medieval code.

Assessment methods

The exam is oral and normally lasts about 30 minutes, during which the teacher also offers the student the space to present their topic in an articulated way. The following articulation of the interview should be kept in mind.

In the first part the student will be confronted with the general problems posed by the course and will be questioned on the general characteristics of medieval Latin literature and medieval historiography. It will be possible to discuss profiles of Middle-Latin authors or general themes posed by the Latin literature of the Middle Ages.

In the second part of the exam some parts of the texts read in class will be discussed in relation to the problems and hypotheses posed by the course.

Finally - eventually, in case of specific interest on the part of the student - it will be possible to question him on the problematic aspects that characterize the critical edition of historiographic texts. For this reason the teacher will propose specific readings to interested parties

Teaching tools

During the course, the main internet sites that allow access to information on Latin authors, texts and manuscripts of the Middle Ages will be presented

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Santi