Learning objectives
The course aims at providing students with critical methodology, translation techniques and critical reading and interpretation of Latin literary texts.
The first part of the course aims at introducing students to Latin historiography so that students should be able to:
- place authors and literary movements in their proper historical context;
- read and analyze Latin literary texts after the basic language skills are acquired.
Classroom lectures, which are supplemented by practice sessions and tutorials (morphology, syntax, scansion, meter), will focus on the reading and interpretation of the texts provided.
-Knowledge and understanding Latin autors with a sketch of Latin literature in a historical perspective.
-Applying knowledge and understanding: Students should be able to read other texts by the same author or other author, applying the methods discussed in class. Pupils are requested to outline the context and be able to read some simple scientific essays.
-Making judgements: Students should be able to assess whether the information provided by a text is sufficient to support a hypothesis or a statement.
-Communication skills:Students should be able to describe the main features of Latin literature and outline the texts they have read.
-Learning skills: Latin literature helps to develop those learning skills (e.g. analysis, synthesis, etc.), necessary both for an increasing specialization and for the job market.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of the Latin language.
Course unit content
I. Monographic Part
The "Somnium Scipionis" by Cicero.
Classroom lectures will focus on the features, themes and style.
II. Institutional Part
Bibliography
I. Monographic Part
Critical Edition: . Tulli Ciceronis "De re publica; De legibus; Cato maior de senectute; Laelius de amicitia”, recognovit brevique adnotatione critica instruxit J. G. F. Powell, Oxonii, e typographeo Clarendoniano, [2006] (Scriptorum classicorum bibliotheca Oxoniensis), pp. 134-147.
An Italian Translation: Marco Tullio Cicerone, “Il sogno di Scipione, Il fato”, introduzione, traduzione e note di Andrea Barabino, Milano, Garzanti, 1995, VI ed. 2010 (I grandi libri Garzanti, 562), ISBN 9788811365624.
Edition with a Commentary: Cicerone, “Il sogno di Scipione”, commento di Guglielmo Ballaira, Torino, Loescher, 1970, e successive ristampe, (Testi e crestomazie).
II. Institutional Part
- Gian Biagio Conte, "Letteratura latina", 2 voll., Firenze, F. Le Monnier, 2002, ISBN 88-00-86045-1; oppure Giovanna Garbarino, "Storia e testi della letteratura latina", con la collaborazione di Sergio A. Cecchin e Laura Fiocchi, 2 voll., Torino, Paravia, 2001, ISBN 978-88-395-3109-4; oppure A. Cavarzere, A. De Vivo, P. Mastrandrea, "Letteratura latina. Una sintesi storica", II ed., Roma, Carocci, 2015 ( Manuali universitari, 6), ISBN 978-88-430-7668-0.
- Alfonso Traina-Giorgio Bernardi Perini, "Propedeutica al latino universitario", VI ed. riv. e aggiornata, a cura di Claudio Marangoni; rist. a cura di Alfonso Traina e Bruna Pieri, Bologna, Pàtron, 2007 (Testi e manuali per l'insegnamento universitario del latino, 9), ISBN 978-88-555-2454-4: except for the chapters VI, VIII, IX.
-A Latin Grammary and Syntax Handbook to be chosen.
- Critical reading: Lettura critica: Alfonso Traina, "La traduzione e il tempo" in Angelo Fragonara, Giovanna Garbarino, "Linguaggi della prosa latina. Versioni dal latino e dall'italiano per le scuole secondarie superiori", con un saggio di Alfonso Traina, Torino, Paravia, 1981 (Civiltà letteraria di Grecia e di Roma. Sussidi linguistici. Serie latina ; 6), pp. 3-16 [available on Elly].
Teaching methods
The didactic activities will be conducted in the Socratic heuristic mode. Dialogic dialogue with the classroom will be privileged, also in order to bring out any foreknowledge on the topics in question by the students.
The slides used to support the lessons will be uploaded on a weekly basis on the Elly platform. To download the slides, the students need to register for the online course. The slides are considered an integral part of the teaching material. The Teacher reminds not attending students to check the teaching material available and the information provided by him on the Elly platform.
The non attending students have to contact directly the teacher to take the exam (phone number: +39.0521.90 6693; mail: simone.gibertini@unipr.it).
Assessment methods and criteria
Students will be assessed by an oral examination based on the readings and other material used in the course and that will be administered at
the end of the two courses.
The assessment aims to test:
1) proper knowledge and critical understanding of the literary and cultural background of the main and most important literary genres
within the field of Latin Literature;
2) proper reading and translation of Latin texts;
3) critical and interpretation skills along with the ability to produce personal reinterpretation and interdisciplinary links;
4) oral proficiency; correct use of language; ability to give proper answers to given questions.
Students will have to fully achieve the first two assessment criteria and score a minimum of 60 percent or better to get a pass grade.
