B5051 - Byzantine Philology (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide essential methodologies for a correct approach to Byzantine texts under the philological, historical-cultural and material point of view, with insights into the different linguistic registers used in the Middle Ages. At the end of the course the student will have acquired in-depth knowledge of the history of the manuscript tradition as well as of the ecdotic and exegetical problems relating to selected works in prose and poetry from the mediaeval millennium, also in relation to their historical context, from the proto-Byzantine age up to Humanism. Furthermore, the student will be provided with knowledge in the historical-linguistic and metric fields, in order to become familiar with the usus scribendi and the compositional techniques of the addressed authors and genres.

Course contents

The course introduces students to the main problems of Byzantine philology, guiding them in reading, analyzing, understanding, and historically and culturally contextualizing Greek medieval literary works. The chosen texts will be examined through the study of their authors and the respective literary genres; philological and critical-textual analysis of content, linguistic, and rhetorical-formal aspects; and the examination of the manuscript tradition. Additionally, advanced and effective ecdotic techniques and strategies will be considered. The course will also illustrate the main lexica of medieval Greek and the most useful bibliographic and digital resources for studying Byzantine literary texts.

In the academic year 2024/2025, the course will be dedicated to the typically Byzantine poetic genre of hymnography, specifically focusing on the hymnographic production of John Mauropous (11^th century). A supplicatory hymn composed by Mauropous for the Virgin Mary, requesting protection for the city of Constantinople from an imminent Norman attack led by Robert Guiscard (1082), will be examined. During the lessons, students will collate a second manuscript (Vindob. Theol. gr. 78, 14^th century) available online in digital reproduction with the text of the hymn of Mauropous, edited in 1937 by Spyridon Lavriotis, based on a single manuscript from Mount Athos (Athon. Laur. Ι 77, AD 1345), and will be actively involved in creating a new constitutio textus of the composition.

Readings/Bibliography

• F. D’Aiuto, “L’innografia”, in Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo, III: Le culture circostanti, ed. M. Capaldo [et al.], 1: La cultura bizantina, ed. by G. Cavallo, Roma 2004, pp. 257-300.
• F. D’Aiuto, Tre canoni di Giovanni Mauropode in onore di santi militari, Roma 1994 (Supplemento Nr. 13 al Bollettino del Classici dell’Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei), pp. 11-25 (for an introduction to the author’s biography and hymnographic work).
• E. Follieri, “I libri liturgici della Chiesa bizantina”, in Storia religiosa della Grecia, ed. by L. Vaccaro, Milano 2002, pp. 83-100.
• M.D. Lauxtermann, “Biographical Notes on John Mauropous”, Byzantion 92 (2022), pp. 367-396.
• The edition of John Mauropous’s canon edited by Spyridon Lavriotis, published in Ἁγιορειτικὴ Βιβλιοθήκη 1 (1937), fasc. 11, pp. 34-38, will be provided by the professor at the beginning of the course.

Non-attending Students

In addition to the program indicated above:

• F. D’Aiuto, “Un canone di Giovanni Mauropode in onore dei ss. Cosma e Damiano”, Rivista di studi bizantini e neoellenici, n.s. 37 (2000) [2001], pp. 99-157 [edition of a hymn by the same Mauropous, with translation and commentary, to be studied in place of the canon for the Virgin discussed during the course]

Students with SLD or Temporary or Permanent Disabilities

It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

Teaching methods

The adopted method will be that of frontal lectures; students will be actively involved during the lessons in the collation of manuscripts, analysis of variants and formulation of conjectures, development of a critical apparatus, and historical-cultural problematization of the texts examined.

Assessment methods

Oral examination. The assessment will aim to verify the students’ in-depth knowledge of the topics covered during the course and their critical ability in analyzing the examined Byzantine texts. The evaluation criteria include: 1) comprehension and mastery of historical, literary content, and linguistic and stylistic aspects; 2) ability in philological and critical interpretation of the studied texts, with particular attention to their historical and cultural contextualization; 3) capacity to present topics in a clear and coherent way, demonstrating terminological mastery and expository precision; 4) relevance and depth of responses, as well as originality and synthesis ability in addressing the proposed topics. The overall evaluation will take into account both the quality of the responses and the critical spirit and active participation demonstrated by the student during the course.

Students with SLD or Temporary or Permanent Disabilities

It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

Exam sessions are scheduled for the following months of the academic year:

1st session: January

2nd session: February

3rd session: March

4th session: April

5th session: May

6th session: June

7th session: September

8th session: October

Teaching tools

During the course, reproductions of manuscripts and specimens of critical editions of the examined texts will be provided in paper or digital format. The digital reproduction of the manuscript to be collated during the course (Vindob. Theol. gr. 78, 14^th century, ff. 308-312) is available online: manuscript link [https://search.onb.ac.at/primo-explore. Bibliographic material and teaching support can be downloaded from the course’s page on the platform https://virtuale.unibo.it/.

Office hours

See the website of Luigi D'Amelia