29424 - Seminars (1) (LM) (G.F)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the seminars, students will acquire competences in interpreting specific topics related to philology, literature and history, or necessary to the creation and improvement of their background. This goal will be reached through constant exchanges with experts in various branches of knowledge and topics.

Course contents

The course aims to provide students with a general overview of Latin literature written in Italy during the 13^th century, and therefore with some specific information concerning the «state of the art» of Latin literary culture during the time of emergence and establishment of vernacular Italian literacy. At the end of the course, students will acquire some basic knowledge that will help them to portrait, analyze, and assess the literary panorama of Latin literature written in Italy during the 13^th century, and to examine in depth the cultural background of Italian authors (e.g., Dante Alighieri).

The course will consist of 30 hours of seminars. It will focus on the main literary genres that characterized the Latin literature written in Italy during the 13^th century. After an introductory section, we will concentrate upon following literary genres: 1) historiography and chronicles; 2) rhetorical and political writings (e.g., the regimina principum); 3) the written production of the Preachers and the preaching tools; 4) the scientific literature.

Readings/Bibliography

- Selected texts (choice): Salimbene de Adam, Chronica, ed. Giuseppe Scalia, Turnhout 1998 (CCCM 125); Bene da Firenze, Candelabrum, ed. Gian Carlo Alessio, Padova 1983; Giovanni da Viterbo, Liber de regimine civitatum, ed. Gaetano Salvemini in Bibliotheca Iuridica Medii Aevi III, Bononiae 1901, p. 215-280; Iacopo da Varagine, Legenda aurea, ed. Giovanni Paolo Maggioni, Firenze 1999²; Pietro d’Abano, Conciliator, ed. Ezio Riondato e Luigi Olivieri, Padova 1985.

- General Studies: C. Leonardi et al. (eds), Letteratura latina medievale (secoli VI-XV), un manuale, Firenze 2002 (see in particular E. Paoli, «Il secolo XIII», pp. 303-371); E. D’Angelo, La letteratura latina medievale: una storia per generi, Roma 2009; Gian Carlo Garfagnini, «La scienza», in Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo I:2. La produzione del testo, ed. Guglielmo Cavallo, Claudio Leonardi, E. Menestò, Roma 1992, p. 601-634.

- Further Studies: Aspetti della letteratura latina nel secolo XIII. Atti del Primo Convegno internazionale di Studi dell’Associazione per il Medioevo e l’Umanesimo latini (AMUL), Perugia, 3-5 ottobre 1983, ed. Claudio Leonardi e Giovanni Orlandi, Spoleto 1992²; Dall’ «ars dictaminis» al Preumanesimo? Per un profilo letterario del secolo XIII, ed. Fulvio delle Donne e Francesco Santi, Firenze 2013.; Lynn Thorndike, A History of Magic and Experimental Science, vol. II, New York 1923.

Non attending students will read, together with the studies listed in the section «General Studies», a selection of passages taken from Iacopo da Varagine’s Legenda aurea. Those passages will be chosen in collaboration with Prof. Ventura. Students should request an appointment via mail at following account: iolanda.ventura@unibo.it.

Teaching methods

Classes (30 hours). They will consists of introductory lessons given by Prof. Ventura, and of a discussion of the selected texts.

Assessment methods

Students are required to attend and take active part in classes. Their engagements will represent the most important criterion of their final evaluation. Students will be examined with the help of an interview which will assess their skills in 1) describing the literary genres that characterize the Latin literature written in Italy during the 13^th century; 2) discussing and commenting upon the selected texts, and identifiying the connections between Latin and Italian literature during the 13^th century.

Teaching tools

During the course, I will offer some suggestions for further readings.

Office hours

See the website of Iolanda Ventura