Teaching code

4S02283

Teacher

Paolo Scattolin

Coordinatore

Paolo Scattolin

Credits

6

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

L-FIL-LET/02 - GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

Period

1 A, 1 B

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars

Learning outcomes

The course of Greek Philology aims to foster a philological approach to the texts of ancient Greek literature through (a) the study of their formal structures as related to different literary genres and interactions thereof, (b) ancient exegesis, and (c) the manuscript transmission of texts, so that students can develop in-depth critical and interpretive awareness. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to critically rework the knowledge they gained, and to explain the results achieved in an appropriate linguistic and argumentative form.

Program

DEMOSTHENES AND HIS COMMENTATORS: FROM THE TIME OF AUGUSTUS TO THE BYZANTINE AGE

N.B.: (1) knowledge of ancient Greek at university level is required; (2) any programs for non-attending students will be agreed with the lecturer; (3) attendance of the workshops "Books and writings of the Greek world" (3 CFU F), which will also focus on Demosthenes' papyri and medieval manuscripts, is strongly recommended; (4) classes will be taught in physical presence, recordings will be available for not less than 1 month on the Moodle platform; (5) please check regularly the rules for accessing the University premises on https://www.univr.it/info-covid .

The module aims to analyse the history of the corpus of Demosthenes' orations and that of his commentaries, in particular the exceptional Berlin papyrus preserving the commentary on the 'Philippics' (P. Berol. 9780) attributed to Didymus the 'Chalcenter' who lived in the early imperial age. The research will take into account the lexicons into which Demosthenic exegesis has made its way (e.g. papyrus fragments, the 'Lexicon of the Ten Orators' by Harpocration, the medieval lexicon of Patmos) and the extensive commentaries preserved in the margins of medieval manuscripts (scholia), but it will also make use of works dedicated to or inspired by the greatest orator of the classical age (e.g. the treatises of Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Plutarch's 'Life of Demosthenes', Hermogenes' manuals of rhetoric).

The critical reference text will be that of M. R. Dilts (vols. I-IV, Oxford 2002-2009; the 'Philippics' in vol. I) for Demosthenes and that of L. Pearson and S. Stephens (Stuttgart 1983, Teubner series) for Didymus: all the relevant material will be provided by the lecturer via the Moodle platform.

It is advisable to purchase (1) an edition of the 'Philippics' and other selected orations with translation, for example the BUR by Ilaria Sarini (https://bit.ly/2UJYisy); (2) 'Introduzione all'oratoria greca', by Matteo Pellegrino, Roma, Carocci 2021.

Bibliography

Examination Methods

Oral examination including the evaluation of a paper which must be delivered to the lecturer at least one week before the examination date (see below).

The oral examination aims to evaluate the following points:

--- the student's awareness of the historical, literary and philological issues related to the tradition of Demosthenes;
--- the student's capacity to translate and comment the texts analyzed during the module;
--- the student's capacity to write a philological comment on a text provided by the lecturer (see below).


EXAMINATION STRUCTURE

The oral examination is composed of three moments, each corresponding to 10/30:

--- evaluation of a written philological analysis of a passage from Demosthenes and its ancient/medieval exegesis (the text will be chosen by the lecturer and the paper must be delivered in PDF format at least one week prior to examination date).
--- evaluation of the student's knowledge of the texts listed in the bibliography;
--- translation and philological comment of one or more texts from those studied during the module;