CLASSICAL GREEK LITERATURE

PROMETHEUS ON THE SCENE. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY
The myth of Prometheus in the tragedy of Aeschylus and in Greek literature. The course is intended as a development and in-depth study of the Archaic Greek Literature Course and prepares the courses for the specialist degree.
Linguistic and literary analysis of the texts of Greek literature in verse and prose. Improvement of grammatical, linguistic and literary skills. Full reading and knowledge in the original language of fundamental texts of Greek literature. The issues and perspectives of the myth in classical theater. Outlines of the history of Greek literature of the Classical Age.

The course aims to train specific skills in the Greek literature, with the ability to evaluate the peculiar characteristics of orality, of the aurality and of the cultural functions within the society and of the polis between the archaic age and the classical world.
In relation to the myth of Prometheus, the course aims to create the autonomous skills of applying the theoretical knowledge acquired to the developments of literature.

The class is open to all students of the first three years with a training in Greek language.
For a good result it is useful to attend the GREEK LITERATURE EXERCISES AND SEMINARS that are held in the first semester to train adequate skills on the metric and on the problems of interpretation and translation of ancient texts.

THE MYTH OF PROMETHEUS
The course offers a broad investigation of the myth of Prometheus and its meanings in ancient Greece, through the analysis of a series of texts in the original language, starting from the evidence of the archaic epic, that is, from the cosmogonic myths narrated by Hesiod. At the center of the investigation is the representation of the theater from classical Athens with the "Chained Prometheus" attributed to Aeschylus. Further developments of the myth will be examined: Aristophanes' "Birds", Plato's "Protagora", "Prometheus", Lucian's "Dialogues of the gods" and "Prometheus of the word". An analysis of the iconography of the myth is also proposed.
In relation to the texts, issues of language, metrics, theory of literature are discussed. The reasons for the myth, the creation of men, the beginning of human history, science and technology, the relationship between men and gods are analyzed. A specific development will investigate the modern developments of the myth. From Leopardi's «La scommessa di Prometeo» to the anthropocene evaluations of Claude Calame's studies.

GREEK TEXTS
Hesiod, Works and Days (vv. 1-251).
Hesiod, Theogony
Aeschylus, Prometheus
Aristophanes, Birds
Plato, Protagoras 320d-323a
Lucian of Samosata, Prometheus
Lucian of Samosata, Prometheus es in verbis
Lucian of Samosata, Dialogues of the Gods 5 (1)
Leopardi, «La scommessa di Prometeo»

Edition with commentary:
Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound, ed. by M. Griffith, Cambridge 1983.
The other Greek texts will be provided by the teacher (Moodle)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
L. Brisson, Le mythe du Protagoras, QUCC 20, 1975, 7-37.
C. Calame, Prometeo genetista. Profitti delle tecniche e metafore della scienza, Palermo 2016, 19-51
A. Camerotto, L'altra hybris di Prometeo, in A. Camerotto, S. Carniel, Hybris. I limiti dell'uomo tra acque, cieli e terre, Milano-Udine 2014, 11-32
F. Condello, «Molte migliaia d'anni io soffrirò»: l'infinita fortuna di Prometeo, in F. Condello, Prometeo. Variazioni sul mito. Eschilo, Goethe, Shelley, Gide, Pavese, Venezia 2011, 7-78
T. Gargiulo, Rileggendo il Prometheus di Luciano, Aevum Antiquum 12-13, 2012-2013, 113-140
J.-M. Renaud, p. Wathelet, Le début de l'humanité dans le “Prométhée enchaîné” d'Eschyle, in J. Fabre-Serris (ed.), Mythe et /ou philosophie dans les textes grecs et latins sur les origines de l'humanité, Lille 2000, 29-65.
S. Saïd, Les dons de Prométhée et leur valeur dans le “Prométhée enchaîné” à la lumière d'une comparaison avec Hésiode, Platon et Aelius Aristide, «Lexis» 24, 2006, 247-263.
R. Viccei, Fuoco e fango. Il mito di Prometeo
nella documentazione archeologica greca e romana, Aevum Antiquum 12-13, 2012-2013, 217-272
A working bibliography will be supplied during the class.

Outlines of the history of Greek literature of the Classical Age:
L.E. ROSSI, Letteratura greca, Le Monnier, Firenze 1995, pp. 227-560.
For an introduction to Greek metrics see M.C. Martinelli, Gli strumenti del poeta. Elementi di metrica greca, Bologna 1995 (Cappelli).

The examination is an oral test and consists of the reading, translation and commentary of the greek texts. It includes a discussion of a subject from the history of Greek Literature.

Conventional. Metrical reading and interpretation of the text.
It is required a regular attendance at the lectures.

Italian

WORKSHOP OF GREEK LITERATURE
In connection with the course of Greek Literature II is held a seminar-workshop on metrics and on the problems of translation.The laboratory, with the final test for each of the two parts, is an integral part of the course and attendance is strongly recommended.

oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Climate change and energy" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development