Program Overview

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ANCIENT GREEK LITERATURE

Overview

Greek Literature includes some of the greatest masterpieces of poetry and thought of all times. In the education of a European citizen, this knowledge has an essential function, because it fosters a critical understanding of the main human problems of every age.

Aims and Content

Learning Outcomes

The "Greek Literature" course for the three-year degree course aims to give students the essential outlines and the most relevant figures and genres of ancient Greece in its historical evolution from the origins to the Imperial age. An integral part of the programme is the choice of important and meaningful texts that must be tackled in the original language.

Aims and Learning Outcomes

To provide an advanced knowledge of the history of ancient Greek literature and to have some particularly significant texts read in the original language. Students are expected to acquire a sufficiently broad and in-depth critical knowledge of the various aspects of ancient Greek literature, broadening in quantity and quality the knowledge acquired in the three-year course in the same discipline.

Prerequisites

A good high school knowledge of the ancient Greek language and the basics of the history of Greek literature.

Teaching Methods

Lectures. Possible in-progress tests if deemed necessary. Students unable to attend the lecture are invited to contact the lecturer well in advance in order to arrange an alternative programme.

Syllabus/Content

• Sophocles'
• Other relevant texts to be announced during the course.

Recommended Reading/Bibliography

Programme for 6 CFU

In addition to the monographic course and the textbook, students should present:

1. Sophocles. Philoctetes (in any scholastic or popular edition, provided it has a preface, Greek text and commentary notes).
2. Sophocles. Ajax (in any scholastic or popular edition, provided it has a preface, Greek text and commentary notes).
3. F. Boero - M. Rubino, The Last Hero. Filottete, straordinarie fortune di un arciere greco, Il Melangolo, Genoa, 2018.
4. One book of the Iliad to choose from: III, IV, VII, IX, XVI, XXII (in any scholastic or popular edition, provided it has a preface, Greek text and commentary notes).

Programme for 9 CFUs

In addition to the monographic course and the textbook, students should present:

1. Sophocles. Philoctetes (in any scholastic or popular edition, provided it has a preface, Greek text and commentary notes).
2. Sophocles. Ajax (in any scholastic or popular edition, provided it has a preface, Greek text and commentary notes).
3. F. Boero - M. Rubino, The Last Hero. Filottete, straordinarie fortune di un arciere greco, Il Melangolo, Genoa, 2018.
4. One book of the Iliad to choose from: III, IV, VII, IX, XVI, XXII (in any scholastic or popular edition, provided it has a preface, Greek text and commentary notes).
5. G. Avezzù, Il ferimento e il rito. La storia di Filottete sulla scena attica, Bari, Adriatica, 1988.
6. A book of the Odyssey to be chosen from: IV, VI, VIII, IX, XI, XIX (in any scholastic or popular edition, provided it has a preface, Greek text and commentary notes).

Teachers and Exam Board

• VALTER LAPINI
• Exam Board:
  • VALTER LAPINI (President)
  • FRANCESCA GAZZANO
  • PIA CAROLLA (Substitute)

Lessons

Lessons Start

Second semester. Classes start: 17/02/2026.

Class Schedule

The timetable for this course is available on the university's online platform.

Exams

Exam Description

The examination will be preceded by an oral test of an imprint translation of a short text by a Greek author of medium difficulty, to be taken as part of the oral examination and as part of it. The remainder of the oral examination will consist of a test on the monographic course, on the texts of the examination programme (with translation of the passages, questions on language and on the historical-literary framework) and on the history of Greek literature based on the textbook.

Assessment Methods

In relation to the stated learning objectives, a knowledge of Greek sufficient to read, translate and comment on the original texts will be ascertained, as well as a good knowledge of the fundamental aspects of ancient Greek literature.

Exam Schedule

• 17/12/2025, 12:00, GENOVA
• 21/01/2026, 12:00, GENOVA
• 05/02/2026, 12:00, GENOVA
• 27/05/2026, 12:00, GENOVA
• 17/06/2026, 12:00, GENOVA
• 15/07/2026, 12:00, GENOVA
• 09/09/2026, 12:00, GENOVA

Further Information

Information on course and examination texts will be given at the beginning of the lectures. Useful materials will be made available on the Aulaweb. As the syllabuses may change during the course, students are requested NOT to purchase texts before the start of the course. Students who are unable to attend the course are requested to contact the lecturer well in advance in order to arrange an alternative programme.