HISTORY OF GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

1) Knowledge and understanding: in-depth knowledge of the Greek language from a diachronic and synchronic perspective, and of a selection of authors and texts examined from a philological point of view.

2) Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: ability to analyze a text in its content and formal aspects, also in relation to the problems related to its transmission.

3) Autonomy of judgment: acquisition of a critical perspective towards the analysis of texts, capable of independently assessing the reliability of an information, an interpretation or a textual choice.

4) Communication skills: reflection on the most suitable communication strategies in relation to the teaching of languages and classical literature in secondary schools.

• advanced knowledge of Greek grammar and syntax
• knowledge of the chief authors and texts that have been studied in the first level course
• ability to translate a literary text of average difficulty, to analyze its morphological, stylistic, rhetorical (and metrical, if needed) aspects and locate it in the context of the authors' literary production and of the genre to which it belongs

A History and teaching of Greek language (5 ECTS)

History of Greek language from the beginning to Imperial Age, with philological, linguistic and (where needed) metrical analysis of selected text belonging to different genres. The course will focus particularly on:

1) Callimachus, Aitia, frr. 1, 67, 75, 110; Hymni II and V.

2) Theocritus, Idyllia VII, XV.

3) Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica III 606-824.

4) Herodas, Mimiamb III.

5) Anonymous, On sublime, parr. 1-10 (reading of the whole work in translation is also required).

There will be also teaching exercitations. Students, besides to texts listed above, will prepare two school lessons, on a grammar topic and on a text reading, according to study programs for Classics High School.

B Literary history - selected topics (2 ECTS)

Assuming as granted that students have enough knowledge of the historical development of Greek literature, they will apply thoroughly, besides authors of texts that will be read in original language (to be studied within the frame of their historical and cultural context and of the respective literary genre), to the following arguments:

-       Attic theatre: minor tragedians and comedians;

-       Hellenistic theatre;

-       Epic poetry in the V century;

-       Historiography: minor historians of 5th and 4th century, of Alexander and the Diadochs; historians of Augustan and imperial era;

-       The New Dithyramb; postclassical melic poetry;

-       Minor Alexandrian poetry;

-       Philology, erudition, grammar studies and literary criticism;

-       Rhetoric and sophistic in the imperial age;  

-       Jewish Greek literature.

C Special lectures (2 ECTS)

Aristophanes, Peace, vv. 1-179, 236-300, 459-581, 729-816, 1197-1359.

Students, besides studying the verses listed above in Greek, will also read the remaining parts of the text in translation.

A History and teaching of Greek language (5 ECTS)

A.C. Cassio, Storia delle lingue letterarie greche, Milano, Le Monnier Università, 2008.

Recommended editions for the texts:

1) R. Pfeiffer, Callimachus, Oxford 1949-1953, vol. I, pp. 1-8, 70-73, 77-84, 112-123; vol. II, pp. 5-9, 30-34.

2) A.S.F. Gow, Theocritus, Cambridge 1952, vol. I, pp. 56-67, 108-121, 140-145.

3) Apollonio Rodio, Le Argonautiche, introd. e commento di G. Paduano e M. Fusillo, traduzione di G. Paduano, Milano, Rizzoli BUR, 1986, pp. 454-479.

4) Eronda, Mimiambi I-IV, a cura di L. Di Gregorio, Milano, Vita e pensiero, 1997, pp. 18-26.

5) Dionisio Longino, Del sublime, a cura di C.M. Mazzucchi, Milano, Vita e Pensiero, 1992, pp. 2-37.

B Literary history - selected topics (2 ECTS)

F. Montanari, Storia della letteratura greca, Laterza, Roma-Bari 1998, pp. 264-265; 336-345; 430-442; 510-526; 551-627; 659-672; 683-736; 824-840.

Please note: students may also use the two volumes edition published by Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura, series "Polus" nr. 3, Roma 2017.  

C Special lectures (2 ECTS)

Aristofane, La pace, a cura di G. Paduano, Milano, BUR, 2002.

Aristophanes, Peace, ed. by S. Douglas Olson, Oxford, Oxford UP 1998.

Please notice: rhythmical reading of spoken verses (Part A and C) is required.

Please remember that in compliance with art 171 L22.04.1941, n. 633 and its amendments, it is illegal to copy entire books or journals, only 15% of their content can be copied.

For further information on sanctions and regulations concerning photocopying please refer to the regulations on copyright (Linee Guida sulla Gestione dei Diritti d’Autore) provided by AIDRO - Associazione Italiana per i Diritti di Riproduzione delle opere dell’ingegno (the Italian Association on Copyright).

The exam consists of an oral test.

In December there will be an intermediate test, which may concern one of the three modules chosen by the student, or at least two classics of module A.

For the evaluation of the test and exam, the mastery of the contents and skills acquired, linguistic accuracy and lexical properties, as well as the argumentative ability demonstrated by the candidate will be taken into account.

Above all, the following will be taken into consideration:

- the mastery of the Greek language, the sure knowledge of its morphological and syntactic structures, of the evolution of phonetic phenomena, of dialectal peculiarities;

- the ability to translate and analyze the texts and to illustrate the exegetical and philological problems dealt with during the lessons;

- knowledge of the historical-literary profile of the authors in the program.