Description
The heterogeneous corpus of the Moralia of Plutarch comprises a variety of texts focusing on interpersonal relationships traditionally covered by the concept of philia: ‘On having many friends’, ‘How to tell a flatterer from a friend?’, ‘How to profit by one’s enemies’ – of the works on more positive perspectives only a few fragments survive –, ‘On brotherly love’, ‘On affection for offspring’, ‘Advice to bride and groom’, and — in a somewhat different vein — ‘Dialogue on Love’, and the spurious ‘Love stories’. Various text-types are involved: treatise, speech, dialogue (in some cases the genre of the work is not beyond discussion). Of course, also in the Parallel Lives — involving a comparison of Greek and Roman political or military figures — stories about, and reflections upon, human relations abound.
Students are invited to formulate a research question with regard to Plutarch’s conceptions about family/ friends and the morality involved in a selection of texts, concentrating on the semantics of the terminology involved, on a characterization of Plutarch’s views within the broader Greek (and Roman!) context, or on a comparison between different texts within the corpus (paying special attention to possibly relevant questions of genre). Cooperation of students investigating a larger field of inquiry — such as the semantic field of (family and) friendship in Plutarch — would be welcome.
Teaching method
Tutorial
Admission requirements
This course is open to MA and MPhil Students in Classics.
Course objectives
The competence to read relevant primary texts (concentrating on works or selections from Plutarch’s Moralia and Parallel Lives), to investigate the semantics of the relevant terminology, to interpret these texts both within their own cultural context and in a larger historical perspective. Critical assessment of relevant secondary literature.
Students are expected to select and formulate a research question, and to offer this question, and different stages of the research, for discussion among the participants. The final written presentation serves as an exercise in preparing a manuscript to be offered for publication. A critical and cooperative attitude and an active participation in the effort to gain claritude in the different research questions constitutes an important part of this tutorial.
Course load
10 ects (5 ects is also possible)
Required reading
R. Lamberton, Plutarch. New Haven/London 2001. Text: R. Klerr, A. Philippon, J. Sirinelli (edd.) Plutarque. Oeuvres morales. Tome I,2e partie. Paris (Budé) 1989.
(See also R. Flacelière, “Introduction générale”, in Plutarque. Oeuvres morales. Tome I,1er partie. Paris (Budé) 1987, VII-CCXXXII.)
Test method
Active participation in class (25%), oral presentations (25%), paper (50%). When this class is taken for 5 ects, no final paper is required.
Time table
Not applicable (in consultation with the participants).
Information
Dr M. van Raalte (m.van.raalte@hum.leidenuniv.nl )
Registration
Please enroll in U-twist, choose “GLTC” in the administration list:
http://www.ulcn.leidenuniv.nl/content_docs/inloggen/inloggen_u-twist.htm
Blackboard
Communication on central or common aspects of the research questions will be facilitated by the use of Blackboard.
Remarks
Not applicable