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2021/2022

The Epistolary Genre in Rome

Code: 104202 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2503702 Ancient Studies OB 3 1
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Cándida Ferrero Hernández
Email:
Candida.Ferrero@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
spanish (spa)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Teachers

Jesús Gómez Puig

Prerequisites

Good knowledge of Latin morphology and syntax, previously acquired in the courses Elements of Latin Language and Latin Narrative Texts, first year, and Latin Historiography and Oratory, second year.

Objectives and Contextualisation

This course is part of the Latin Philology Area and aims for the following training objectives to::

1. Apply the previous knowledge, acquired in the courses Elements of Latin Language, Latin Narrative Texts and Latin Historiography and Oratory, that allow the global comprehension of a Latin text in prose.
2. Make a philological commentary on a prose text from the classical and post-classical periods.
3. Answer questions about the content of the context and the works of the authors studied (Cicero, Seneca and Pliny the Younger).
4. To relate the content of the texts in a global way with linguistic, literary and rhetorical aspects before and after the epistolary genre.
5. Translate and comment on a selection of exemplary texts of epistologafia, such as Cicero, Seneca and Pliny the Younger, paying attention to Latin syntax, the rhetoric used and its stylistic features.
6. Gradually incorporate a wide vocabulary that helps to translate texts seen without a dictionary.
7. Relate these authors to their socio-political and literary context.

Competences

  • Apply grammatical knowledge acquired in the analysis and comprehension of Latin and Greek texts.
  • Be able to express oneself orally and in writing in the specific language of history, archaeology and philology, both in one’s own languages and a third language.
  • Interpret texts written in Latin and Greek to understand the history and Classical civilisations.
  • Interrelate linguistic, historical and archaeological knowledge of the ancient world with knowledge of other areas of the humanities, mainly ancient literature, philosophy and art.
  • Make a commentary on a literary texts applying knowledge of genres, metrics and stylistics.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyze the morphosyntactic components of a Latin text identifying those are specific of a literary genre or a particular linguistic variant.
  2. Explain the context of the literary works whose characters, topics and clichés were passed down to the following tradition.
  3. Explain the gist of a text without any need for a prior morpho-syntactic analysis or the use of a dictionary.
  4. Extract information from the Greek and Latin texts on aspects of realia especially related to their historical and cultural context.
  5. Identify in the Latin texts the characteristics of a particular literary genre.
  6. Preparing an oral and written discourse in the corresponding language in a proper and organized way.
  7. Recognise the themes and clichés contained in the Latin works being studied in the European literary and artistic traditions.
  8. Translate fragments of the Latin works proposed.
  9. Use rapid text-comprehension techniques based on the semantic resources provided by the knowledge of Catalan, Spanish and, where necessary, other Romance languages.
  10. Write a stylistic commentary on a Latin text.

Content

1. Introduction to epistolography in antiquity

2. Epistolography as a genre in Rome: testimonies, stages and characteristics.

3. Cicero's Epistulae, daily life, political and literary activity: repertoire and classification.

     3.1. Reading, translation and commenting on a selection from the Epistulae corpora.

     3.2. Its repercussion in the later tradition.

4. Epistolography as a didactic-moral tool: the Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium.

    4.1. Reading, translation and commenting on a selection of Epistulae.

    4.2. Its repercussion in the later tradition.

5. The Epistulae of Pliny the Younger: social reflection of your time.

   5.1. Reading, translation and commenting on a selection of Epistulae.

   5.2. Its repercussion in the later tradition.

Methodology

This course is based on continuous and daily practice.

Professors will dedicate time to:

1. Accompany the students in reading, translating and commenting on the selection of texts proposed.

2. Provide students with philological complements that complete the understanding of the text.

3. Correct mistakes in class work, individually or in groups.

4. Give tools for the study of aspects related to the previous and subsequent tradition of the texts under study.

Students should be responsible for working on the translation and comment, individually, of the proposed texts and present them to class daily.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Reading and translation of a selection of Cicero's epistles 20 0.8 1, 10, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8
Reading and translation of a selection of Seneca's epistles 20 0.8 1, 10, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8
Reading and translation of a selection of epistles by Pliny the Younger 20 0.8 1, 10, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8
Type: Supervised      
Introduction to epistolography in Rome 20 0.8 10, 6, 2, 4, 5, 7
Type: Autonomous      
Diachronic study of Latin epistolography 30 1.2 10, 6, 2, 4, 7
Translation and philological comment of the proposed texts 40 1.6 1, 10, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9

Assessment

 

Student evaluation will be based on the following items:

1. Translation, commentary, attendance and participation in face-to-face classes (20%). Daily.

2. Elaboration of a work on one of the authors worked. (30%). Delivery week 15.

3. Exercises:

   a. Translation and analysis / commentary of a text seen in class during the face-to-face teaching period. (20%). Week 15.

   b. Translation and analysis / commentary of a text not seen in class by the authors of the course (30%). Week 16.

To pass the course, a grade of 5 points has been accredited, adding the four sections (1, 2, 3.ª and 3b), and provided that each part has obtained a 4, at least. In the event that this grade is not reached, students can take the recovery exam organized by the Faculty, this exam entitles a maximum grade of 5 points (passed). If students submit one or more unique evidence (works, controls / or tests), it can no longer be classified as "not evaluable".

VERY IMPORTANT NOTES

In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.

In the event that tests or exams cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained). Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis and/or discussion on Teams, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Translation and analysis / commentary of a text seen in class during the teaching period (with dictionary) 30% 0 0 1, 10, 6, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9
Translation and analysis / commentary of a text seen in class during the teaching period. (without dictionary) 20% 0 0 1, 10, 6, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9
Translation, commentary, class attendance and participation 20% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 8, 9
Writing an essay on one of the authors worked on 30% 0 0 1, 10, 6, 2, 7

Bibliography

 GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

ANTÓN MARTÍNEZ, B., “La epistolografía romana: Cicerón, Séneca y Plinio”, en Helmantica 142-143 (1996), pp. 105-148. 

CASTILLO, C., “La epístola corno género literario de la Antigüedad a la Edad Media Latina”, en EClás 18 (1984), pp. 427-442. 

CUGUSI, P., “L'epistolografía: Modelli e tipologie di communieazione”, en Lo spazio letterario di Roma antica (dir. G. Cavallo, P. Fedeli, A. Giardina), Roma, II, 1989, pp. 379-419. 

CUGUSI, P., Corpus Epistulorum Latinarun: Papyris tabulis ostracis servatarum (CEL), Firenze 1992, 2 vols.

CUGUSI, P., Epistolografi Latini Minores, CSL Paravianum, Torino 1970 (I); 1979 (II), 2 vols.

GÓMEZ PALLARÉS, J, “Epistolografía”, en Studiosa Roma. Los géneros literarios en la Antigüedad en la cultura romana, Barcelona, UAB, pp. 203-216. 

MALHERBE, A.J., “Ancient Epistolary Theorists”, in Ohio Journal of Religion Studies 5 (1977), pp. 3-77. 

MARCOS CASQUERO, M., “Epistolografía romana”, en Helmantica 103-105 (1983), pp.  379-406. 

MUÑOZ MARTÍN, Mª N., Teoría epistolar y concepción y concepción de la carta en Roma, Granada, 1985. 

SCARPAT, G., “L'epistolografia”, en Introduzione allo Studio della Cultura Classica, Milano, I (1972) 473-512. 

SUÁREZ DE IA TORRE, E., “Ars epistolica. La preceptiva epistolográfica y sus relaciones con Ia retórica”, en Estudios de Drama y Retórica en Grecia y Roma, León 1987, pp. 177-204

CICERO

BAÑOS BAÑOS, J.M. (ed.), Cierón. Correspondencia con su hermano Quinto. Madrid, Alianza, 2003. 

BEAUJEU, J. (ed.- trad.), Cicéron. Correspondance, Belles Lettres, 1969. 

BELTRÁN CEBOLLADA, J. A., Cicerón. Cartas III: Cartas a los familiares 1-173, Madrid, Gredos. Colección Biblioteca Clásica Gredos, 2008.  

CARCOPINO, J., Les secrets de la correspondance de Cicéron, Paris 1957, 2 vols. (= 1947).

MAGALLÓN GARCÍA, A.I, Cartas IV. Cartas a los familiares, II, Biblioteca Clásica Gredos, 2008. 

MARCI TULLI CICERONIS Epistulae, L.C. Purser (ed.), Scriptorum classicorum bibliotheca Oxoniensis, 1968, 3 vols.

RODRÍGUEZ-PANTOJA MÁRQUEZ, M., Cartas I. Cartas a Ático (cartas 1-161D), Biblioteca Clásica Gredos, 1996.  

RODRÍGUEZ-PANTOJA MÁRQUEZ, M., Cartas II. Cartas a Ático (162-426), Biblioteca Clásica Gredos, 2008.

SHUCKBURGH, E. S., Letters of Cicero, Hoboken, N.J.: Generic NL Freebook Publisher, [s. d. Disponible a: [http://search.ebscohost.com.are.uab.cat/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=2008443&site=eds-live]

WHITE, P, Cicero in Letters: Epistolary Relations of the Late Republic, 2010. 

WOOD, N. Cicero's Social and Political Thought, Berkeley, 1988. 

PLINIY THE YOUNGER

AUBRION, E., "La correspondance de Pline le Jeune," in H. Temporini and W. Haase (eds.), Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt, II.33.1, 1989, pp.  304-74.

BERGMANN, B. 1995. "Visualizing Pliny'sVillas," in Journal of Roman Archaeology 8, 1995, pp.  406-420.

BRUÈRE, RICHARD T. 1954. "Tacitus and Pliny's Panegyricus", in CP 49, 1929, pp. 161-179.

GONZÁLEZ FERNÁNDEZ, J. (trad.), Plinio el Joven. Cartas, Biblioteca clásica Gredos, 2005. 

GRIFFIN, MARIAM T. 1999. "Pliny and Tacitus," SCI 18, pp. 139-158, 1999. 

GUILLEMIN, ANNE-MARIE, Pline et la vie littéraire de son temps, Paris

MARTÍNEZ GÁZQUEZ, J., "La economía en los escritos de Plinio el Joven", en Durius 3 1974 27-33.

MARTÍNEZ GÁZQUEZ, J., "Elocuencia y retórica en Roma a fines del siglo I", en Helmantica 29 (1978), pp. 83-97.

OLIVAR, M. (ed.-tr.), Plini el Jove. Lletres, Fundació Bernat Metge, 1927.

PLINI CAECILI SECUNDI Epistularum libri decem, (ed. R. A. B. Mynors), Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1963.

SHERWIN-WHITE, A.N., The Letters of Pliny. A Historical and Social Commentary, Oxford, 1966. 

SENECA

BARTSCH, SH; SCHIESARO, A. (eds.), The Cambridge Companion to Seneca, Cambridge University Press, 2015. 

CARDÓ, C. (ed.-trad.), Lletres a Lucili, Fundació Bernat Metge, 1928, 4 vols. 

L. ANNAEI SENECAE ad Lucilium Epistulae Morales, Oxonii, 1965, 2 vols. [= 1969-1972]).

LANA, I., “Le "Lettere a Lucilio" nella letteratura epistolare”, en Sénèque et la prose latine (dir. P. Orirnal), Vandoeuvres-Genève 1991, 253-311. 

MAZZOLI, G., “Le "Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium" di Seneca”, ANRW II.36.3 (1989), pp. 1823-1877. 

REYNOLDS, L.D., The medieval tradition of Seneca's Letters, Oxford 1965. 

ROCA MELIÁ, I. (trad.), Séneca. Epístolas morales a Lucilio, Madrid 1986. 

SOCAS, F. (trad.), Cartas a Lucilio, Ed. Cátedra, 2018.  

 

Software

None