Undergraduate Course: Greek Literature of the Roman Empire (GREE10029)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course examines two central and representative Greek prose texts of the early Imperial period, both broadly part of the novel genre in Greek. Both texts are read closely in Greek, with attention duly paid to generic and literary affiliations and conventions. |
| Course description |
This course will examine Greek literature of the period commonly termed the Second Sophistic. Two prose texts will be read in depth: Longus' pastoral novel 'Daphnis and Chloe', which describes two young rustics and their quest to consummate their love, and Lucian's satirical 'The True Histories', one of the first works of science fiction. The course will set these texts within the cultural and literary phenomena which characterise the early Imperial period, and will discuss them according to the characteristics of their respective genres, with particular attention paid to the rhetorical and philosophical aspects of the texts and their allusive play with literary predecessors, and close attention given to narrative structure and prose style and diction.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Greek 2A (GREE08007) AND
Greek 2B (GREE08008)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | A pass in Greek 2A and Greek 2B, with an average of 50% or above in the two courses combined. |
| Additional Costs | Three books: two at £7.99 each, and one at £18. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should usually have at least 3 courses in Classics related subject matter (at least 2 of which should be in Ancient Greek) at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this) for entry to this course. We will only consider University/College level courses, but Elementary or Intermediate Greek courses will not count. Students beyond Intermediate level but with less Greek than the prerequisite should consider either Greek 2A/2B. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate (in the essay and exam) a clear knowledge of the language and style, and the generic affiliations and inheritance of Greek prose works of the Roman Imperial period as evident in the works of Longus and Lucian;
- show a clear awareness of the main literary, cultural and rhetorical phenomena and innovations which mark literature of the so-called Second Sophistic;
- discuss allusions to literary, cultural and philosophical predecessors in the works of Longus and Lucian;
- write a sound, well-researched and clearly argued essay on aspects of the primary literature studied.
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Reading List
Anderson, G. (1984) Ancient Fiction: The Novel in the Graeco-Roman World London.
Bowersock, G.W. (1969) Greek Sophists in the Roman Empire Oxford.
Bowersock, G.W. (ed.) (1974) Approaches to the Second Sophistic Pennsylvania.
Bowersock, G.W. (1994) Fiction as History. Nero to Julian Berkeley.
Calame, C. (1999) The Poetics of Eros in Ancient Greece Princeton.
Hägg, T. (1983) The Novel in Antiquity Oxford.
Georgiadou, A. and Larmour, D.H.J. (eds) (1998). Lucian¿s Science Fiction Novel: True Histories. Interpretation and Commentary Leiden.
McCail, R. (2002) Longus, Daphnis and Chloe. A New Translation Oxford.
Morgan, J.R. (ed.) (2004) Longus, Daphnis and Chloe. Translated with an Introduction and Commentary Aris & Phillips Classical Texts: Oxford.
Reeve, M.D. (ed.) (1982) Longus. Daphnis et Chloe Leipzig.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Greek Literature of the Roman Empire |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Calum Maciver
Tel: (0131 6)50 3582
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Elaine Hutchison
Tel: (0131 6)50 3582
Email: |
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