27563 - Medieval and Classical Latin Literature (1)

Course contents

The course aims to deepen students' knowledge of Medieval and Renaissance Latin Literature (6th-16th cent.). It consists of two 15-hour modules (A and B ), the first of which (A ) will focus on the general customs of Medieval Latin Literature (6th-14th cent.) and the second (B ) on the general customs of Humanistic and Renaissance Latin literature . The two modules (total 30 hours) are compulsory for all students. The general customs of language and literature will be subject to both synchronic and diachronic analysis; authors and works will be equated to literary genres. The general notions will be supplemented with the reading (both in the original language and translated) of pages taken from works appertaining to the two literatures.

The following themes will be analysed in particular:

I. Module A :

a . from Classical Latin to Medieval Latin (periodisation and linguistic transformations);

b . prose and poetry genres;

c . the mystical and fantastic genre: the ‘Navigatio sancti Brendani' ;

For point b , selected passages from the following works will be read, translated and commented on:

- Gregory of Tours (Hist. X 1 de Gregorio papa romano );

- Paulus Diaconus (Hist. Langob. I 1 de Germania ; I 4 de septem viris ; I 5 de gente Scritobinorum ; I 6 de duobus umbilicis );

- Lupus Servatus of Ferrières (ad Einhardum letter).

For point c , selected passages from the ‘Navigatio Sancti Brendani' –  namely chapters 6 (from the incipit cum autem circuissent per tres dies ), 10 (incipit cum autem uenissent ad aliam insulam ), 16 (incipit uenerabilis autem pater cum suis sodalibus ), 19 (incipit ascendentibus illis porro tendebatur ), 22 (incipit quadam uero die, cum celebrassent missas ) –  will be read, translated and commented on.

II. Module B :

a. Latin literature from Humanism and the Renaissance as international European literature;

b. the permanency of Latin as a language of culture (and its characteristics);

c. authors, models and literary genres in poetry and prose (general trends);

d. Italy and Europe: a comparison.

Readings/Bibliography

Bibliography

In addition to lecture notes and the material given out by teachers during classes on the Latin passages read, translated and commented on together with students, the didactic material consists of recommended textbooks, namely:

I. module A:

- E. D'Angelo, La letteratura latina medievale. Una storia per generi, Roma, Viella, 2009.
- D. Norberg, Manuel pratique de Latin medieval, Paris, Picard, 1980 (traduzione italiana: Manuale di latino medievale, a cura di M. Oldoni, Cava de' Tirreni, Avagliano, 1999 e 2005).
- Gregorii Turonensis Historiarum libri decem, ed. B. Krusch, in: MGH, SS rer. Merov. t. I, p. I, fasc. I-III, Hannover, 1937 (1942, 1951; traduzione italiana: Gregorio di Tours, La storia dei Franchi, a cura di M. Oldoni, voll. I-II, Roma, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, Milano, Mondadori, 1981).
- Pauli Diaconi Historia Langobardorum, ed. L. Bethmann, G. Waitz, in: MGH, SS rer. Lang. 1878 (1988), pp. 12-187 (traduzione italiana: Paolo Diacono, Storia dei Longobardi, a cura di L. Capo, Milano, Mondadori, 1992).
- Servati Lupi Epistulae, ed. P.K. Marshall, Leipzig, Teubner, 1984.
- Navigatio sancti Brendani abbatis, ed. C. Selmer, Notre Dame (Indiana), University of Notre Dame Press, 1959 e 1989 (traduzioni italiane: Navigatio Sancti Brendani, La navigazione di s. Brandano, a cura di M.A. Grignani. C. Sanfilippo, Milano, Bompiani, 1975; La navigazione di s. Brandano, a cura di E. Percivaldi, pref. di F. Cardini, Rimini, Il cerchio, 2008).
II. modulo B:
- Silvia Rizzo, Il latino nell'Umanesimo, Torino, Einaudi, 1986.
- Il latino nell'età dell'Umanesimo. Atti del Convegno, Mantova, 26-27 ottobre 2001, a cura di Giorgio Bernardi Perini, Firenze, Olschki, 2004.
- P. van Thieghem, La litterature Latine de la Renaissance, repr. Genève, Slatkine, 1966.
- J. Ijsewijn, History and Diffusion of Neo-latin Literature, Leuven, University Press, Peeters Press, 1990.

Teaching methods

Classroom sessions (30 hours of lectures, modules A B). The classroom sessions will involve close teacher-student interaction and, although not actually seminars, they will be organised in such a way as to allow this interaction to take place, with the distribution of texts in original language by the teacher (in particular, excerpts from the Navigatio sancti Brendani) and translation, analysis and discussion with students (use of dictionary and grammar textbook allowed in these lectures).

 

Assessment methods

The examination consists of an oral interview on both modules, which cannot be assessed separately. Marks will be out of thirty. As the aim of the oral is to assess the acquisition of the knowledge specified in the course objectives, the student will be deemed to have passed if he/she replies correctly to at least three questions on the topics covered in the course (the candidate's level of knowledge may, however, be assessed with further questions on specific aspects of the main questions). The student will be allowed to submit a dissertation on one of the topics covered in the course, chosen at his/her discretion, to be delivered orally at the time of the examination. This work is personal, voluntary and not compulsory and does not substitute any part of the examination; if well delivered and argued, however, it will be assessed positively, as independent work. The aim of the oral interview, in fact, is to assess the critical and methodological skills developed by the student, who will also be tested (comprehension and translation) on the Latin texts studied during the course. The student's ability to orient him/her self independently within the literary history and its genres, identifying useful information and illustrating aspects of the culture of the time, will be viewed particularly favourably. In the marking in the assessment, the following aspects, taken all together, will be considered worthy of distinction: the apprehension of an organic view of the topics covered in the lectures (and their critical use), the possession of a specific language and the acquisition of a logical-deductive method in the exposition of the themes. A simple mnemonic knowledge of the subject, on the other hand, will not be considered worthy of a pass mark, although marks will be awarded if this is combined with an ability to synthesise, a correct (even if not always appropriate) use of language and a good understanding of the contents of the Latin texts. Gaps in learning, inappropriate language and a lack of orientation with regard to content and form will be viewed negatively, even if the student has a basic knowledge of the examination topic. The oral will last an average of 45 minutes and the only texts allowed in the examination will be those of the authors in the programme, in the original language and without notes or the use of dictionaries.

Practical Information

Students can book their oral examination only via the online Alma Esami system. Further information on the booking system can be found on the site https://almaesami.unibo.it/almaesami/welcome.htm . Examination sessions will be proposed throughout the academic year, for both internal and external students. Depending on the frequency of the sessions, the examination board reserves the right to set a maximum number of candidates for an oral examination. In any event, the maximum number of candidates for each examination date is ten. The lecturer will reply to e-mail messages of an urgent nature duly signed by the student and bearing the student's first name, surname and enrolment number. For explanations of topics illustrated in lectures and/or examination topics, the student is invited to make use of the lecturer's consultation times (posted on the lecturers' Website and displayed next to the lecturer's office door).

Teaching tools

Teaching material will be distributed during classes . In Module A the theoretical discussion will be combined with the analysis of the original documents (manuscripts, incunabula and ancient editions), with the aid of microfilms, Cds, etc. (plus Power Point).

Office hours

See the website of Anna Maranini