Philology, literatures and history of the ancient world

Activity type

Lingue e Letterature classiche

SSD

L-FIL-LET/02

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CFU

6

Hours distribution

42 classroom hours

Lecturers

Activity type

Lingue e Letterature classiche

SSD

L-FIL-LET/02

Year

N/D

Semester

N/D

CFU

6

Hours distribution

42 classroom hours

Lecturers

GIUSEPPE LENTINI

In consistency with the educational purposes of the whole teaching course, aim of the teaching unit is to give students knowledge and comprehension skills in the field of Greek Language and Literature, that complete and/or reinforce those acquired in the first grade of studies. Moreover, it will make the students able to approach orginal themes in a research context, making more complex judgments, communicating knowledge and its process, and studying the subject in an independent and self-educational way. In particular, the course is designed for students who already have an adequate knowledge of the Greek language and literature. Therefore, the training objectives focus on the refinement of their study method and deepening of themes of particular interest. Classes will predominantly be in a seminar format: students are asked to contribute actively with own research, to which specific meetings will be dedicated.

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Μῆτις (cunning, intelligence) and tragedy

As M. Detienne and J. P. Vernant demonstrated in their book Cunning Intelligence in Ancient Greece, the notion of μῆτις (cunning, intelligence), already perfectly delineated in the Homeric poems, proves to be extremely persistent in Greek culture, being consistently attested with coherent characteristics in works down to the imperial age. Detienne and Vernant left out of their analysis Attic tragedy, which, on the contrary, offers many insights into this subject. After outlining the fundamental characteristics of the concept and illustrating its polar opposition to βίη starting from the Homeric poems (which exemplify the notion in the opposition between Achilles and Odysseus), the course will focus on Euripides' Medea and Sophocles' Electra, in which the notion of μῆτις emerges and is defined through its relationship with the Homeric model. Plato's Hippias Minor will also be analyzed, in which a comparison between Achilles and Odysseus is proposed.

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M. Detienne - J. P. Vernant, Le astuzie dell'intelligenza nella cultura greca, Roma - Bari 1999.
P. J. FInglass, Sophocles. Electra. Cambridge 2007.
D. J. Mastronarde, Euripides. Medea, Cambridge 2002.
M. Nussbaum, La fragilità del bene. Fortuna ed etica nella tragedia e nella filosofia greca, Bologna 2011.

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• Metis in Homer; its opposition with bie; opposition Achilles/Odysseus: 10 hours
  • Books: Homer Iliad 23; Odyssey


• Metis and tragedy 1: Euripides' Medea. 16 hours
  • Books: Euripides' Medea


• Metis and tragedy 2: Sophocles' Electra. 10 hours
  • Books: Sophocles' ELectra


• Plato's Hippias Minor. 6 hours
  • Books: Plato's Hippias Minor