Classics

The course aims to bring students closer to the problem of time created by every literary work, through references to a remote past (for example, that of the heroic sagas that are the subject of many tragedies) and to present-day institutions and realities. This in-between time, which lives in the realm of tragic representation, can be compared with the excursuses related to past events in the works of historians and also with the narrationes of forensic oratory, through which the orator creates a story and a world in order to convince the jurors that his reconstruction of events is the correct one. In the bibliography, in addition to some modern studies, are listed the scientific commentaries of reference for the texts to be analyzed.

Good foundational knowledge of the Greek language and literature, as well as of Greek history.

Greek texts Aesch. Pers. (selezione); Aesch. suppl. (selezione); Soph. Phil. (selezione); Eur. suppl. (selezione); Eur. Heraclid. (selezione); Hdt. 5. 92; Hdt. 5. 55-66; Antiph. or. I, Thuc. 6. 53-60

As the course covers topics that span multiple literary genres and authors, students are expected to attend regularly.

The written exam, whose result does not affect the final grade, aims to verify the competencies attained in the field of translation from Greek. Passing the written exam is a prerequisite for the verbalization of the exam. The oral exam is conducted on the texts studied during the course and includes translation, commentary, and contextualization of the texts, as well as verification of linguistic and historical-literary competencies.

P. Burian, Euripides' Heraclidae: An Interpretation, “CPh” 72, 1977, pp. 1-21 P. E. Easterling, Anachronism in Greek Tragedy, “JHS” 105, 1985, pp. 1-10 M. Gagarin (ed.), Antiphon. The speeches, Cambridge 1997 A.F. Garvie, Aeschylus. Persae, Oxford 2009 S. Hornblower, A Commentary on Thucydides, III, Books 5. 25 – 8. 109, Oxford 2008 C. Miralles – V. Citti – L. Lomiento (a cura di), Eschilo. Supplici, Roma 2019 J. Morwood, Euripides. Suppliant women, Oxford 2007 G. Nenci (a cura di), Erodoto. Le storie, I, Libro V, La rivolta della Ionia, Milano 1994 R. Nicolai, L’emozione che insegna. Parola persuasiva e paradigma mitico in tragedia, “Sandalion”, 26-28, 2003-2005, pp. 1-44 R. Nicolai, Ai confini del paradigma: παραδείγματα οἰκεῖα e antefatti paradigmatici, “SemRom” 12, 2009, pp. 1-19 R. Nicolai, Prima del processo: logiche giudiziarie nell’Orestea, “Sandalion” 32-33, 2009-2010, pp. 5-31 R. Nicolai, Le emozioni a teatro: da Gorgia alle neuroscienze, “Critica del testo” 13. 3, 2010, pp. 153-170 R. Nicolai, La crisi del paradigma: funzioni degli exempla mitici nei cori di Sofocle, in A. Rodighiero e P. Scattolin (a cura di), «… un enorme individuo, dotato di polmoni soprannaturali». Funzioni, interpretazioni e rinascite del coro drammatico greco, Verona, Edizioni Fiorini, 2011, pp. 1-36 (Katoptron, 3) R. Nicolai, Mythical Paradigms in Euripides: the Crisis of Myth, in A. Markantonatos, B. Zimmermann (eds.), Crisis on Stage. Tragedy and Comedy in Late Fifth-Century Athens, Berlin-Boston 2012, pp. 103-120 M. Nouhaud, L’utilisation de l’histoire par les orateurs attiques, Paris 1982 P. Pucci, Sofocle. Filottete, Intr. e comm. di P. P., testo critico a cura di G. Avezzù, tr. di G. Cerri, Milano 2003 S. L. Schein, Sophocles. Philoctetes, Cambridge 2013 J. Wilkins (ed.), Euripides. Heraclidae, Oxford 1995

Traditional lessons that involve active student participation.

Crisis of Traditional Morality in 5th-4th Cent. Athens: from Sophocles, Aristophanes and Euripides to Plato It is in the 5th-century Athens that the traditional idea about knowledge and morality (the inherited conglomerate”, according to Murray and Dodds’ definition) is called into question. If man is the measure of all things, as Protagoras claims, how can we avoid inferring that there is no universal idea of justice and good? The aim of the course is to show how this ethical crisis is reflected in the works of the great 5th-century dramatists and how it subsequently throws the basis for the re-foundation of knowledge that Plato will pursue from the early 4th century onwards. We will therefore start with the reading of significant sections from four works that students are required to read in their entirety for the final exam: Book I of Plato’s Republic, with Socrates’ and Thrasymachus’ opposite definitions of justice; Aristophanes’ Clouds, with a Socrates that is the complete opposite, personality-wise, of the Socrates in Plato’s works; Sophocles’ Antigone, which highlights the risks of a society that, in the name of human law, rejects the unwritten laws of the gods; Euripides’ Suppliants Women, where the story of the mothers of the heroes fallen in the Theban war, seeking help from Theseus, is reinterpreted to show — in Zuntz’s words — “a world ... abandoned by the gods, who had left mankind to seek its own paths, to determine its own values, to descry its goal for itself”.

The notions of grammar and syntax learned during secondary school and the notions of historical grammar learned during the course of Greek Language and Literature I must be reviewed, because they will be required in the final exam anyway.

Testi da portare all’esame • Sofocle, Antigone: lettura integrale del testo greco. Ediz. di riferimento: M. Griffith, Sophocles. Antigone, Cambridge 1999 (fotocopie in vendita presso la copisteria Copy Net, Via degli Irpini, 10); Traduz. italiana di riferimento consigliata: F. Ferrari, Sofocle. Antigone. Edipo Re. Edipo a Colono, Milano (BUR) 1982) • Euripide, Supplici: lettura integrale del testo greco. Ediz. di riferimento: Ch. Collard, Euripides. Supplices, Groningen 1975 (fotocopie in vendita presso la copisteria Copy Net, Via degli Irpini, 10). Traduz. italiana di riferimento consigliata: A. Gianotti - A. Capra, Euripide. Supplici, Milano (BUR) 2023 • Aristofane, Nuvole: lettura integrale del testo greco e del commento. Ediz. di riferimento: G. Guidorizzi, Aristofane. Le Nuvole. Traduzione di D. Del Corno, Milano 1996 (Mondadori/Fondazione Lorenzo Valla). • Platone, Repubblica. Libro I. Ediz. di riferimento: D. Sansone, Plato. Republic. Book 1, Cambridge 2023 (fotocopie in vendita presso la copisteria Copy Net, Via degli Irpini, 10). Per una traduzione di riferimento si consiglia: F. Adorno - F. Gabrieli, Platone. La Repubblica, Milano (BUR) 1981 Manuali/articoli • L.E. Rossi, Letteratura Greca, Firenze (Le Monnier) 1995 (ediz. fuori-commercio: fotocopie in vendita presso la copisteria Copy Net, Via degli Irpini, 10). In alternativa è possibile studiare su un altro manuale a scelta dello studente, purché vengano abbracciate tutte le fasi della letteratura greca dalle origini alla tarda età imperiale. • E.R. Dodds, I Greci e l’Irrazionale, Firenze 1959

 Students are required to attend classes. If students miss classes they should inform staff of their absence and the reason for it. Students are also invited to join the virtual classroom (Classroom), which is useful for sending quick communications and distributing files. Information about this will be communicated in due time on the teacher's website.  Attention: the course is divided into two different classes (G-O: Prof. Maurizio Sonnino; A-F: Prof. Roberto Nicolai; P-Z: Prof. Luca Bettarini). It is not allowed to switch from one class to the other without previous authorization from the staff.

During the course, there will be a translation test from Greek, which, if successful, will allow access to the final oral exam.The oral exam will be devoted to ascertain students' skill in Greek language, metrics and literature. Students will have to translate some of the chosen texts and answer questions about Greek language (morphology and syntax). Afterwards, they will be asked to put what they have read in the right historical frame. The exam will conclude with some questions about the history of Greek literature. The ability to deal with these three aspects of the oral exam entitles students to a full mark.

The course will be divided into two different parts. In the first semester we will proceed to the reading of relevant sections from Plato's Republic Book I and Aristophanes’ Clouds. In the second semester we will proceed to the reading of sections from two tragedies (Sophocles, Antigone; Euripides, Suppliants), which students will have to read in full to take the final exam. There will be a translation test from Greek, which will allow access to the oral exam if students will show a good knowledge of Greek language.

General part: Greek Literature of the classical, Hellenistic and Roman age Monographic course: The Portrayal of the Figure of Heracles in Classical and Post-Classical Literature The course aims to present Greek literature from the Classical and Hellenistic-imperial periods, using as its main through-line the various characterizations of the figure of Heracles who, after being the quintessential civilizing hero in Archaic Literature, becomes a multifaceted protagonist in Classical-era tragedy and comedy (Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes), and takes on “bourgeois” traits in Hellenistic literature (Apollonius Rhodius, Theocritus, epigrams). .

It is required an adequate knoweldge of the archaic age of Greek literature and a good knowledge of ancient Greek language.

A handbook of History of Greek Literature of classical, Hellenistic and Roman age at the choice of the student (for example L.E. Rossi - R. Nicolai, Storia e testi della letteratura greca. Vol. I L’età arcaica, Firenze (Le Monnier) 2003 + Vol. II: L'età classica, Firenze (Le Monnier) 2003 + L.E. Rossi - R. Nicolai, Storia e testi della letteratura greca. Vol. III: L'età ellenistica e l’età imperiale romana, Firenze (Le Monnier) 2003; P.E. Esterling, Sophoclis Trachiniae, Cambridge 1982 G. Avezzù, P. Pucci, Sofocle, Filottete, Milano 2011 (collana Lorenzo Valla) D.J. Conacher, Euripides, Alcestis, Warminster 1988 G. Zanetto, Aristofane, Gli Uccelli, Milano 2000 (collana Lorenzo Valla) A. Ardizzoni, Apollonio Rodio, Le Argonautiche, libro I, Bari 1958 A. S. F. Gow, Theocritus, Cambridge 19522 B. M. Palumbo, Teocrito. Idilli e epigrammi, (BUR) Milano 20212 A.S.F. Gow - D. L. Page, The Greek Anthology: Hellenistic Epigrams, I-II, Oxford 1965 Recommended italian editions for the Platonic dialogue: E. Savino, Platone, Simposio, Apologia, Critone e Fedone, Milano (Mondadori) M.M. Sassi, Platone, Apologia di Socrate e Critone, Milano (BUR) B. Centrone, A. Traglia, Platone, Eutifrone, Apologia di Socrate e Critone, Torino 2010 (Einaudi) Other essays and/or books to be read will be suggested in class

Mandatory attendance. Non-attending students have to agree on a specific program with the teacher

Assessment methods consist of a final oral exam that provides questions regarding the course’s arguments; there will be also a written exam, that is a translation from ancient Greek: the student will be admitted to the oral exam only if he will pass the written one.

The course will be mainly carried out in frontal classes and in practical lessons regarding the metrics of selected texts