Course for international guest/part time students
- Faculty
- Faculty of Humanities
- Organization
- BTK Institute of Ancient and Classical Studies
- Code
- MA-ERA-IACS-S-014
- Title
- Reading in Translation: Metamorphosis in Roman literature
- Usual semester
- Spring
- Published semester
- 2025/26/2
- ECTS
- 8
- Language
- en
- Learning outcomes
- The aim of the course is to expand students’ knowledge of classical mythology and literature through the analysis of selected stories of metamorphosis in Roman literature.
- Course content
- During the semester, we will read selected texts (or excerpts) in translation, but regular reference will also be made to short passages of the original Latin texts where necessary to shed light on important aspects of the narrative. 1. Introduction 2. Plautus: Amphitruo 3. Vergil: Georgics 4 and Aeneid 4. Vergil: Aeneid 5. Horace: Odes 1.2 and 2.20 6. Ovid: Metamorphoses / PRESENTATION 7. Ovid: Metamorphoses / PRESENTATION 8. Ovid: Metamorphoses / PRESENTATION 9. PRESENTATIONS 10. Statius: Achilleid 11. Apuleius: Metamorphoses / The Golden Ass 12. Metamorphosis in philosophical literature (Lucretius: De rerum natura)
- Assessment method
- The basis of assessment is 1) regular attendance of class, 2) reading the selected texts and taking part actively in the discussion, 3) in-class presentation of an (otherwise not discussed) Ovidian episode, and 4) writing a paper on that episode (cca. 15000 characters including notes and bibliography). Papers may be submitted in either English or Hungarian; students with more advanced level of Latin are encouraged to base their papers on the original text rather than the translation of the selected episode.
- Bibliography
- Required literature: The literary texts read in translation, and the secondary literature used for the paper. Recommended reading: Buxton, R.: Forms of Astonishment. Greek Myths of Metamorphosis. Oxford 2009. Forbes Irving, P. M. C.: Metamorphosis in Greek Myths. Oxford 1990. Solodow, J.: The World of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Chapel Hill 1988. (esp. 157–202)