Linguistic Levels in the Texts of Byzantine Literature
| Title | Γλωσσικά επίπεδα στα κείμενα της βυζαντινής λογοτεχνίας / Linguistic Levels in the Texts of Byzantine Literature |
| Code | ΒΥΦ621 |
| Faculty | Philosophy |
| School | Philology |
| Cycle / Level | 2nd / Postgraduate |
| Teaching Period | Winter/Spring |
| Common | Yes |
| Status | Active |
| Course ID | 600024023 |
Programme of Study: VYZANTINĪS FILOLOGIAS KAI PAPYROLOGIAS-PALAIOGRAFIAS
Registered students: 4
| Orientation | Attendance Type | Semester | Year | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vyzantinī Filología | Compulsory Course | Winter/Spring | - | 15 |
| Papyrología-Palaiografía | Elective Courses | Winter/Spring | - | 15 |
| Academic Year | 2025 – 2026 |
| Class Period | Winter |
| Faculty Instructors |
|
| Weekly Hours | 3 |
| Total Hours | 39 |
| Class ID | 600252590
|
Course Type 2021
Specific Foundation
Mode of Delivery
- Face to face
Digital Course Content
- e-Study Guide https://qa.auth.gr/en/class/1/600252590
- eLearning: https://elearning.auth.gr/course/view.php?id=18081
Language of Instruction
- Greek (Instruction, Examination)
Learning Outcomes
This course will enable students to:
- demonstrate an advanced general understanding of hagiography in Byzantine literature and in particularly the metaphrastic movement of the 10th century;
- analyse the metaphrastic process followed by Symeon Metaphrastes and his teams, their methods and their objectives;
- acquire a critical and well-informed understanding of the different levels of language and style in Byzantine literature, and especially in hagiography.
General Competences
- Make decisions
- Work autonomously
- Generate new research ideas
- Be critical and self-critical
- Advance free, creative and causative thinking
Course Content (Syllabus)
1. Symeon Metaphrastes, "Metaphrasis" - Introduction
2. Analysis of a Menologion text and its model: The Ten Martyrs of Crete (23 December)
3. The Language of the "metaphrases"
4. Analysis of a Menologion text and its model: Ioannes Eleemon (12 November)
5. Conclusions - Discussion
6. Assignment of final dissertation topics and discussion of related issues.
Keywords
Symeon Metaphrastes, Metaphrasis, Hagiography, Byzantine Literature, Medieval Greek Language, Levels of style
Educational Material Types
- Slide presentations
- Interactive excersises
- Book
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
- Use of ICT in Course Teaching
- Use of ICT in Laboratory Teaching
- Use of ICT in Communication with Students
Course Organization
| Activities | Workload | ECTS | Individual | Teamwork | Erasmus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 39 | ✓ | |||
| Seminars | 11 | ✓ | |||
| Reading Assigment | 100 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Project | 170 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Written assigments | 100 | ✓ | |||
| Total | 420 |
Student Assessment
Description
The course is assessed through shorter essays and a final dissertation project. It is noted that the students' workload is particularly increased because 1) many of the Byzantine texts that students must read are not translated into Modern Greek (the existence of translations would speed up their work), and 2) a large percentage of the literature is in foreign languages.
Student Assessment methods
- Written Assignment (Summative)
- Report (Formative)
Bibliography
Additional bibliography for study
- L. Franco, “Observations on the Methods of Metaphrastic Rewriting. The Case of the Passio of St James (BHG 773),” στο A. P. Alwis, M. Hinterberger & E.Schiffer (επιμ.), Metaphrasis in Byzantine literature, Turnhout, Belgium: Brepols Publishers 2021, 71–86.
- M. Hinterberger, “Metaphraseis as a Key for the Understanding of Different Levels in Byzantine Vocabulary,” στο A. P. Alwis, M. Hinterberger & E. Schiffer(επιμ.), Metaphrasis in Byzantine literature, Turnhout, Belgium: Brepols Publishers 2021,109–126.
- C. Høgel, Symeon Metaphrastes: Rewriting and Canonization. Copenhagen 2002.
- C. Høgel, “Symeon Metaphrastes and the Metaphrastic movement,” στο S. Efthymiadis (επιμ.), The Ashgate Research Companion to ByzantineHagiography: Volume II: Genres and Contexts, Farnham: Ashgate 2014, 181-196.
- D. Resh, “Toward a Byzantine Definition of Metaphrasis,” Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies 55 (2015), 754–87.
- E. Schiffer, “Rewriting the Life of St John Chrysostom in Tenth-Century Byzantium,” στο Mστο A. P. Alwis, M. Hinterberger & E. Schiffer (επιμ.),Metaphrasis in Byzantine literature, Turnhout, Belgium: Brepols Publishers 2021, 87–107.
- Χ. Σιμελίδης, “Όψεις της αγιότητας σε μεταφράσεις αγιολογικών κειμένων του 10ου αιώνα”, στο. Στ. Ζουμπουλάκης (επιμ.), Αγιότητα: Θεολογία και Ιστορία(Συναντήσεις 12), Αθήνα: Άρτος Ζωής 2023, 174-191.
- C. Simelidis, “Symeon Metaphrastes: Two puzzles reconsidered”, Journal of Byzantine Studies (JOEB) / Jahrbuch der Österreichischen Byzantinistik 73(2023), 203-222.
Last Update
10-04-2025
