skip to content
 

Aims and objectives

  1. To develop students’ understanding of the structure and functioning of the Greek and Latin languages.
  2. To further students’ command of Greek and Latin vocabulary.
  3. To encourage in students an appreciation of different Greek and Latin prose and/or verse styles.
  4. To give students the opportunity to enjoy writing Greek and Latin themselves.

 

Scope and structure of the examination papers 2023–24

Paper H1. Translation from English into Greek prose and verse

This 3-hour paper will be divided into three sections. Candidates will be required to attempt one Section only. Candidates for Paper 1 may attempt either Section (a) or Section (c). Candidates for Paper 2 may attempt any one of the three Sections. Credit will be given for knowledge of the general principles of Greek accentuation.

Section (a) contains five passages of English for translation into Greek (candidates should attempt only one):

  1. a 'freestyle' prose passage from any prose author
  2. a passage of law-court oratory from Lysias
  3. a philosophical dialogue (i.e. a 'question-and-answer' passage) from Plato
  4. a passage of poetry for translation into Greek iambics
  5. a passage of poetry for translation into Greek elegiacs

Section (b) contains one passage of English prose based on one of the prose writers of Section (a) or similar such authors, excluding the freestyle.

Section (c) contains five passages of English for translation into Greek, each approximately half the length of those set in Section (a). Candidates should attempt two passages, at least one of which should be verse.

  1. a 'freestyle' prose passage from any prose author
  2. a passage of law-court oratory from Lysias
  3. a philosophical dialogue (i.e. a 'question-and-answer' passage) from Plato
  4. a passage of poetry for translation into Greek iambics
  5. a passage of poetry for translation into Greek elegiacs

 

Paper H2. Translation from English into Latin prose and verse

This 3-hour paper will be divided into three sections. Candidates will be required to attempt one Section only. Candidates for Paper 1 may attempt either Section (a) or Section (c). Candidates for Paper 2 may attempt any one of the three Sections.

Section (a) contains five passages of English for translation into Latin (candidates should attempt only one):

  1. a 'freestyle' prose passage from any prose author
  2. a passage of oratory from Cicero
  3. a passage of narrative from Livy
  4. a passage of poetry for translation into Latin hexameters
  5. a passage of poetry for translation into Latin elegiacs

Section (b) contains one passage of English prose based on one of the prose writers of Section (a) or similar such authors, excluding the freestyle.

Section (c) contains five passages of English for translation into Latin, each approximately half the length of those set in Section (a). Candidates should attempt two passages, at least one of which should be verse.

  1. a 'freestyle' prose passage from any prose author
  2. a passage of oratory from Cicero
  3. a passage of narrative from Livy
  4. a passage of poetry for translation into Latin hexameters
  5. a passage of poetry for translation into Latin elegiacs

 

Course description

Teaching for these papers is provided through college supervisions.

Latest news

Exhibition awarded 5 stars

23 July 2024

The new exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Paris 1924: Sport, Art, and the Body , Co-curated by Classics' Carrie Vout has been awarded 5 stars by the Guardian. "Timed to coincide with next week’s return of the Olympics to the French capital – is a revelation from first to last. You soon begin to realise that those Games...

VIEWS project Visiting Fellowships

20 May 2024

We invite applications for two funded VIEWS project Visiting Fellowships, with a deadline of 30th June 2024. For further details please follow this link.

Dr Richard Duncan-Jones FBA 1937-2024

19 May 2024

The Faculty is saddened by news of the death of Dr Richard Duncan-Jones FBA FSA. He had been a Fellow of Gonville and Caius College since 1963 where he was a college lecture in Classics and Director of Studies for many years.

New appointment in Latin literature

15 May 2024

The Faculty is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Elena Giusti as a new Assistant Professor of Latin literature. She will join the Faculty in the new academic year. Elena will be joining from the University of Warwick, where she is currently Associate Professor of Latin . She works broadly on Roman literature and...