The course aims to reflect on the poetic representation of the "journey" in ancient Greece, examining the oldest model of the Odyssey and then the story of the amazing journey narrated by Lucian in the novel A true story.

The aim is to highlight some relevant methodological issues of the philological investigation, of the historical-literary investigation together with issues relating to the history of thought and mentality, through the concrete study of texts in which the theme of the "journey" covers a central and founding role.

The first part of the course will focus on reading and commenting on Book X of the Odyssey.

In the second part, which will begin in the second semester, the reading of Lucian's A True Story, will be addressed.

The text will be read in the original language and commented analytically in relation to the theme of the journey, and the dense intertextual network implicit in the work, which draws on the epic, the novel, and historiography, will be highlighted.

There are metric exercises for reading the Homeric text.

From the point of view of the specific information obtained, at the end of the course the student will acquire an in-depth knowledge of a cultural aspect of central value in the history of ancient Greek mentality.

More generally, and well in line with the professional curriculum profile, the process of analytical reading of the chosen texts will have a significant impact on the student's ability to deal with a competent and rigorous reading of the proposed texts (literary, dramatic, philosophical, and other tipologies which may be presented during the lessons), developing analytical skills, close reading, synthesis and critical thinking about data and sources. The set of skills acquired will allow the student to formulate philologically (scientifically) correct hypotheses, based on new texts or new sets of texts (data, sources, literary texts).

From the point of view of general education, the student will deepen his awareness of specific methodological aspects characterizing the philological and historical-literary inquiry, as well as his aesthetic sensibility to the formal, narrative, and rhetorical aspects of literary poetry and prose.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

The course can be supplemented by relevant seminars and conferences or, in any case, of educational and methodological relevance with regard to the methods and the themes of ancient Greek Literature and in general Greek and Latin classics.

Teaching

Frontal and Blended Lessons

Attendance

A solid knowledge of the ancient Greek language is strictly required.

Attending students are requested to regularly take part in lectures and supplementary seminars.

The student is required to read all the texts foreseen in the program, which she will have to translate and comment on according to the lines indicated in the course.

The student is also required to scrupulously read the study texts provided for in the program and any texts indicated by the teacher during the lessons.

The student is also required to show a knowledge of Greek literature with particular attention to the parts (authors, works, historical-literary periods) that have been the subject of the course.

Course books

I. Editions: 

Omero. Odissea (libri IX-XII). Introduzione, testo e commento a cura di Alfred Heubeck, traduzione di G. Aurelio Privitera, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, Milano 1983 e successive ristampe

Luciani Opera, recognovit brevique adn. critica instruxit M. D. MacLeod, Tomus I, Libelli 1-25, Oxonii, e typographeo Clarendoniano, 1972

II. Handbook of Ancient Greek Literature:

The student is required to read the sections concerning archaic epic and philosophical literature (with particular attention to Platonic production) in one of the following handbooks:

L.E. Rossi (Firenze, Le Monnier, 1995)

G.A. Privitera - R. Pretagostini (Torino, Einaudi, 1997)

F. Montanari (Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1998)

A. Porro - W. Lapini (Bologna, Il Mulino, 2017)

III. Supplementary readings (mandatory)

A. On Homer:

the student is required to read one of the following essays:

Moses Finley, Il mondo di Odisseo, PGreco Edizioni, Milano 2012 (New York 1977, trad. it. a cura di F. Codino, Roma-Bari 1978)

Riccardo Di Donato, Esperienza di Omero: antropologia della narrazione epica, Nistri-Lischi, Pisa 1999

Pierre Vidal-Naquet, Il mondo di Omero, trad. it. di R. Di Donato, Donzelli, Roma 2006 (Paris 2000)

and two of the following articles:

Lewis R. Packard, On a Passage in Homer's Odyssey (x. 81-86), Transactions of the American Philological Association 5, 1874, pp. 31-41

Odysseus' Companions on Circe's Isle Author(s): Dorothy Kent Hill Source: The Journal of the Walters Art Gallery , 1941, Vol. 4 (1941), pp. 119-122

Glenn W. Most, The Structure and Function of Odysseus' Apologoi, Transactions of the American Philological Association 119, 1989, pp. 15-30

Nanno Marinatos, The Cosmic Journey of Odysseus, Numen 48, 2001, pp. 381-416

Marianne Hopman, Narrative and Rhetoric in Odysseus’ Tales to the Phaeacians, The American Journal of Philology, 133, 2012, pp. 1-30

Giulia D'Alessandro, Lo stile di Odisseo: l’anafora negli “Apologoi”,  Studi Classici e Orientali, 61, 2015, pp. 23-45

B. On Lucian:

the student is required to read one of the following essays:

Jacques Bompaire, Lucien écrivain: imitation et creation, E. De Boccard, Paris 1958

R. Bracht Branham, Unruly Eloquence. Lucian and the Comedy of Traditions, Harvard University Press, Cambridge Ma., London Engl. 1989

A. Camerotto, Le metamorfosi della parola. Studi sulla parodia in Luciano di Samosata, Istituti editoriali e poligrafici internazionali, Pisa-Roma 1998

and two of the following articles:

S. C. Fredericks, Lucian's True History as SF, Science Fiction Studies, 3, 1976, pp. 49-60

J. R. Morgan, Lucian's True Histories and the Wonders beyond Thule of Antonius Diogenes, The Classical Quarterly, 35, 1985, pp. 475-490

A. Georgiadou and D. H. J. Larmour, Lucian's "Verae Historiae" as Philosophical Parody, Hermes, 126, 1998, pp. 310-325

Brian Richardson, Make It Old: Lucian's "A True Story", Joyce's "Ulysses", and Homeric Patterns in Ancient Fiction, Comparative Literature Studies, 37, 2000, pp. 371-383

Adam Bartley, The Implications of the Reception of Thucydides within Lucian's 'Vera Historia', Hermes, 131, 2003, pp. 222-234

D. In general on the representation of the "journey" in ancient Greece the student will read the following essay:

Th. Biggs, J. Blum (edd.), The Epic Journey in Greek and Roman Literature, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2019

E. For the Greek metrics (and the hexameter, in particular), the reading of the manual of B. Gentili, L. Lomiento, Metrics and Rhythmics. History of poetic forms in ancient Greece, Pisa-Roma 2008, is recommended.

F. The student is also required to read, in Italian translation (in one of the editions with the text currently in circulation), the following works:

Homer, Odyssey IX, XI, XII

Lucian, Menippus

Further bibliography will eventually be indicated by the teacher during the lessons.

Should not the indicated texts be available at the University Library, they will be provided by the teacher.

Assessment

Oral examination:

- the oral exam includes general questions on the topic of the course and a translation test, with commentary, of portions of text from the texts included in the program. It is aimed at ascertaining the in-depth knowledge of the authors and of the ancient texts covered by the course, read in the original language, and of the complementary bibliography indicated in the vademecum.

Evaluations will be sized as follows:

assessments of excellence: an excellent knowledge of the ancient Greek language; the student's possession of good critical and in-depth skills; knowing how to relate safely the main issues addressed in the course; the use of a language appropriate to the specificity of the discipline.

discrete assessments: a fair knowledge of the ancient Greek language; the student's possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a modest critical capacity and connection between the topics discussed: the use of an appropriate language.

sufficient assessment: a sufficient knowledge of the ancient Greek language; the achievement of a minimal knowledge base on the topics dealt with by the student, even in the presence of some training gaps; the use of inappropriate language.

negative evaluations: an insufficient knowledge of the ancient Greek language; difficulty of orientation of the student with respect to the topics dealt with in the exam texts; training gaps; the use of inappropriate language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Blended teaching methods are foreseen.

Attendance

The student is required to read all the texts in the program, which must be translated and commented according to the lines indicated in the course.

It is absolutely necessary to have a solid knowledge of the Greek language.

The student is required to read carefully the study texts planned.

The student is required to show knowledge of Greek literature with special attention to the parts (authors, works, historical-literary periods) that have been the subject of the course.

Course books

I. Editions: 

Omero. Odissea (libri IX-XII). Introduzione, testo e commento a cura di Alfred Heubeck, traduzione di G. Aurelio Privitera, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla, Milano 1983 e successive ristampe

Luciani Opera, recognovit brevique adn. critica instruxit M. D. MacLeod, Tomus I, Libelli 1-25, Oxonii, e typographeo Clarendoniano, 1972

II. Handbook of Ancient Greek Literature:

The student is required to read the sections concerning archaic epic and philosophical literature (with particular attention to Platonic production) in one of the following handbooks:

L.E. Rossi (Firenze, Le Monnier, 1995)

G.A. Privitera - R. Pretagostini (Torino, Einaudi, 1997)

F. Montanari (Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1998)

A. Porro - W. Lapini (Bologna, Il Mulino, 2017)

III. Supplementary readings (mandatory)

A. On Homer:

the student is required to read one of the following essays:

Moses Finley, Il mondo di Odisseo, PGreco Edizioni, Milano 2012 (New York 1977, trad. it. a cura di F. Codino, Roma-Bari 1978)

Riccardo Di Donato, Esperienza di Omero: antropologia della narrazione epica, Nistri-Lischi, Pisa 1999

Pierre Vidal-Naquet, Il mondo di Omero, trad. it. di R. Di Donato, Donzelli, Roma 2006 (Paris 2000)

and two of the following articles:

Lewis R. Packard, On a Passage in Homer's Odyssey (x. 81-86), Transactions of the American Philological Association 5, 1874, pp. 31-41

Odysseus' Companions on Circe's Isle Author(s): Dorothy Kent Hill Source: The Journal of the Walters Art Gallery , 1941, Vol. 4 (1941), pp. 119-122

Glenn W. Most, The Structure and Function of Odysseus' Apologoi, Transactions of the American Philological Association 119, 1989, pp. 15-30

Nanno Marinatos, The Cosmic Journey of Odysseus, Numen 48, 2001, pp. 381-416

Marianne Hopman, Narrative and Rhetoric in Odysseus’ Tales to the Phaeacians, The American Journal of Philology, 133, 2012, pp. 1-30

Giulia D'Alessandro, Lo stile di Odisseo: l’anafora negli “Apologoi”,  Studi Classici e Orientali, 61, 2015, pp. 23-45

B. On Lucian:

the student is required to read one of the following essays:

Jacques Bompaire, Lucien écrivain: imitation et creation, E. De Boccard, Paris 1958

R. Bracht Branham, Unruly Eloquence. Lucian and the Comedy of Traditions, Harvard University Press, Cambridge Ma., London Engl. 1989

A. Camerotto, Le metamorfosi della parola. Studi sulla parodia in Luciano di Samosata, Istituti editoriali e poligrafici internazionali, Pisa-Roma 1998

and two of the following articles:

S. C. Fredericks, Lucian's True History as SF, Science Fiction Studies, 3, 1976, pp. 49-60

J. R. Morgan, Lucian's True Histories and the Wonders beyond Thule of Antonius Diogenes, The Classical Quarterly, 35, 1985, pp. 475-490

A. Georgiadou and D. H. J. Larmour, Lucian's "Verae Historiae" as Philosophical Parody, Hermes, 126, 1998, pp. 310-325

Brian Richardson, Make It Old: Lucian's "A True Story", Joyce's "Ulysses", and Homeric Patterns in Ancient Fiction, Comparative Literature Studies, 37, 2000, pp. 371-383

Adam Bartley, The Implications of the Reception of Thucydides within Lucian's 'Vera Historia', Hermes, 131, 2003, pp. 222-234

D. In general on the representation of the "journey" in ancient Greece the student will read the following essay:

Th. Biggs, J. Blum (edd.), The Epic Journey in Greek and Roman Literature, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2019

E. For the Greek metrics (and the hexameter, in particular), the reading of the manual of B. Gentili, L. Lomiento, Metrics and Rhythmics. History of poetic forms in ancient Greece, Pisa-Roma 2008, is recommended.

F. The student is also required to read, in Italian translation (in one of the editions with the text currently in circulation), the following works:

Homer, Odyssey IX, XI, XII

Lucian, Menippus

Further bibliography will eventually be indicated by the teacher during the lessons.

Should not the indicated texts be available at the University Library, they will be provided by the teacher.

Assessment

Oral examination:

- the oral exam includes general questions on the topic of the course and a translation test, with commentary, of portions of text from the texts included in the program. It is aimed at ascertaining the in-depth knowledge of the authors and of the ancient texts covered by the course, read in the original language, and of the complementary bibliography indicated in the vademecum.

Evaluations will be sized as follows:

assessments of excellence: an excellent knowledge of the ancient Greek language; the student's possession of good critical and in-depth skills; knowing how to relate safely the main issues addressed in the course; the use of a language appropriate to the specificity of the discipline.

discrete assessments: a fair knowledge of the ancient Greek language; the student's possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a modest critical capacity and connection between the topics discussed: the use of an appropriate language.

sufficient assessment: a sufficient knowledge of the ancient Greek language; the achievement of a minimal knowledge base on the topics dealt with by the student, even in the presence of some training gaps; the use of inappropriate language.

negative evaluations: an insufficient knowledge of the ancient Greek language; difficulty of orientation of the student with respect to the topics dealt with in the exam texts; training gaps; the use of inappropriate language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.