Deepening knowledge of the historical and cultural profile in the so-called Latin late antiquity (III-VII century AD). The lessons, involving critical-interpretive lines of the period and based on methodological details and lectures on appropriate literary texts, are supplemented by personal reading by students.
Course Prerequisites
Having passed the written examination of Latin language. Knowledge of Latin literature from the beginnings to the 2nd century A.D. It is also recommended: - good knowledge of A. Traina - G. Bernardi Perini, Propedeutica al latino universitario; - knowledge of the principles of prosody and metrics and at least of the hexameter and the elegiac couplet; - knowledge of the foundamentals of textual criticism. The morphosyntactic comptence of the Latin language must be considered fundamental, and will be verified during the exam.
Teaching Methods
Lectures. Lectures are conducted with high attention both on the historical, literary and cultural aspects of the illustrated products, and on the more specifically linguistic theory: the two sides of literary interpretation are complementary and allow for extensive knowledge of the whole cultural period and not just of the commented text. These aim to deepening and improving linguistic competence, also with special attention to acquire appropriate methodology of theaching.
Assessment Methods
Oral text. First: Reading and linguistic interpretation of a few passages from the assigned texts. Second: Showing of the historical knowledge of the late latin literature from the manual. Third: Methodology of historical-linguistic interpretation of the texts commented during the lectures.
Texts
Late Latin Literature: - Handbook: F. Gasti, Letteratura latina tardoantica. Un profilo storico (secoli III-VII), Roma, Carocci, 2020. Latin texts: - Augustine, Confessions, book 8 (Sant'Agostino, Storie di conversione. Confessioni, libro VIII, Venezia, Marsilio Ed., 2012); - Claudianus, De raptu Proserpinae, book 1.
Contents
1. Introduction to Late Latin literature. 2. Poetry and scholastic rhetoric: Ausonius' Ludus septem sapientum.
