Universität Wien

090057 VO Teilgebiet der altgriechischen Literatur (Dichtung) (2024W)

Homer, Early Greek Epic, and the Near East

4.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 9 - Altertumswissenschaften

An/Abmeldung

Hinweis: Ihr Anmeldezeitpunkt innerhalb der Frist hat keine Auswirkungen auf die Platzvergabe (kein "first come, first served").

Details

Sprache: Englisch

Lehrende

Termine (iCal) - nächster Termin ist mit N markiert

  • Mittwoch 09.10. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 3 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 5 Hof 3
  • Mittwoch 16.10. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 3 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 5 Hof 3
  • Mittwoch 30.10. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 3 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 5 Hof 3
  • Mittwoch 06.11. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 3 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 5 Hof 3
  • Mittwoch 13.11. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 3 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 5 Hof 3
  • Mittwoch 20.11. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 3 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 5 Hof 3
  • Mittwoch 27.11. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 3 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 5 Hof 3
  • Mittwoch 04.12. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 3 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 5 Hof 3
  • Mittwoch 11.12. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 3 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 5 Hof 3
  • Mittwoch 08.01. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 3 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 5 Hof 3
  • Mittwoch 15.01. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 3 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 5 Hof 3
  • Mittwoch 22.01. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 3 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 5 Hof 3
  • Mittwoch 29.01. 11:30 - 13:00 Hörsaal 3 Hauptgebäude, Tiefparterre Stiege 5 Hof 3

Information

Ziele, Inhalte und Methode der Lehrveranstaltung

The Homeric epics emerged from the Dark Ages of Greece to become the fountainhead of Classical and European literature, but they are difficult to contextualise historically. Comparison, within or outside Greece, remains essential. Tackling general theory and specific case-studies, we will read Homer, and especially the Iliad, to address key questions of contemporary Homeric research. These include poetics; orality and manner of composition; the broader epic tradition; gods and religion; and the comparison of archaic epos with the earlier and neighbouring poetry of ancient Western Asia, such as the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh. All texts will be presented in the original language and in translation. No knowledge of ancient Greek is required.

Art der Leistungskontrolle und erlaubte Hilfsmittel

Mindestanforderungen und Beurteilungsmaßstab

60% of the maximum mark is enough for a positive assessment.

Students will be required to show knowledge of the Iliad and a sufficient understanding of the topics treated during the course to deal critically with the principal issues of Homeric research. Oral examinations will be in English, the written work can be submitted in German. For the written examination component (see below 'examination topics'), compliance with the following formal criteria is a prerequisite for a positive assessment.

FORMAL CRITERIA FOR WRITTEN WORK

• Format: A4 page format.
• Font size: 12pt for the main text, 10pt for footnotes, single-spaced.
• Margins: No wider than 2.5 cm each.
• Recommended fonts: Times/Arial/Calibri.
• Images and illustrations may be included but must be properly referenced according to their source and do not contribute to the minimum/maximum length.
• The essay can be written in German or English.
• Passages from ancient sources should always be cited in their original wording if the student has knowledge of ancient Greek; a translation should always be provided.

An alphabetized bibliography of the cited secondary literature should be included at the end of the essay (this does not contribute to the minimum/maximum length, but the footnotes do). Use the Harvard system (i.e., author/year + page number(s), e.g. Ballesteros 2024: 3–15). Ancient works should be cited using the standard abbreviations for the field, preferably following the Oxford Classical Dictionary, 4th ed.: https://oxfordre.com/classics/page/3993

In case of questions, please do not hesitate to write to bernardo.ballesteros@univie.ac.at.

Prüfungsstoff

The following options are available, depending on the type of exam chosen (oral or written) and on background knowledge of ancient Greek.

[1] Students with knowledge of ancient Greek, oral examination:

Students with knowledge of ancient Greek wishing to sit the oral exam will prepare Iliad Book 1.1–305 in Greek (edition M. L. West; metre reading not compulsory) and will be asked to translate and briefly comment on ca. 10 lines. They will also read J. Burgess, Homer, London 2016, Chs. I–V; and select one or two essays (journal articles or book chapters), totalling about 50 pp., to be chosen from among the references given throughout the course (a ‘Further Reading’ folder will be uploaded on moodle). The choice must be communicated in advance of the exam. Students will be expected to respond critically to questions about the topics of the course and the chosen reading material.

[2] Students without knowledge of ancient Greek, oral examination:

Students without knowledge of ancient Greek wishing to sit the oral exam will have to demonstrate a sound knowledge of the entire Iliad in translation, and a solid knowledge of books 1, 9, 18, 22, 24. They will also read J. Burgess, Homer, London 2016, Chs. I–V; and one or two essays (journal articles or book chapters), totalling about 50 pp., to be chosen from among the references given throughout the course (a ‘Further Reading’ folder will be uploaded on moodle). The choice must be communicated in advance of the exam. Students will be expected to respond critically to questions about the topics of the course and the chosen reading material.

[3] Students with knowledge of ancient Greek, written examination:

The requirement is an essay (in German or English) on a topic of the student’s choice to be agreed with the Lecturer, ideally but not necessarily on one or more topics covered during the course. Students must demonstrate detailed engagement with the Homeric text in the original language, for example through close readings of passages or comments on stylistic aspects, as relevant to the essay’s argument. Moreover, the essay should show a critical engagement with relevant secondary literature, as provided by the reading list and by the lecturer upon agreement on the topic. Essays should be 3,000 words (+/- 10%). For the formal criteria see above ('minimum requirements and assessment criteria').

[4] Students without knowledge of ancient Greek, written examination:

The requirement is an essay (German or English) on a topic of the student’s choice to be agreed with the Lecturer, ideally but not necessarily on one or more topics covered during the course. Students must demonstrate a detailed engagement with the text in translation. Moreover, the essay should show a critical engagement with relevant secondary literature, as provided by the reading list and by the lecturer upon agreement on the topic. Essays should be 3,000 words (+/- 10%). For the formal criteria see above ('minimum requirements and assessment criteria').

Literatur

Sources:
Homer, Iliad (critical edition: M. L. West, Teubner, 1998–2000; translation Richard Lattimore or Katherine Alexander (English); Roland Hampe (Reclam))
The Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh (ed. Andrew George, 2nd revised edition, London: Penguin 2020)
Lecture presentations (will be made available on moodle)

General reference material:
Jonathan Burgess, Homer, London 2016. [available online on u:search; reading Chs. I–V will be mandatory]
Robin Lane-Fox, Homer and his Iliad, London 2023.
Alexander Loney and Stephen Scully (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Hesiod, Oxford 2018.
Marco Fantuzzi and Christos Tsagalis (eds.), The Epic Cycle and its Ancient Reception: A Companion, Cambridge 2015. [available online on u:search]
Andrew Faulkner (ed.), The Homeric Hymns: Interpretative Essays, Oxford 2011. [available online on u:search]
Margalit Finkelberg (ed.), The Homer-Encyclopedia, 3 vols., Oxford 2011.
Corinne Ondine Pache (ed.), The Cambridge Guide to Homer, Cambridge 2020. [available online on u:search]
M. L. West, The East Face of Helicon: West-Asiatic Elements in Greek Poetry and Myth, Oxford 1997.
Adrian Kelly and Christopher Metcalf (eds.), Gods and Mortals in Early Greek and Near Eastern Mythology, Cambridge 2021.

Further subject-specific literature and tools for the reading of Homer in Greek will be given during the lecture. A fuller reading list to be used for examination purposes will be made available on moodle.

Zuordnung im Vorlesungsverzeichnis

Letzte Änderung: Mi 09.10.2024 16:46