Latin

Assessment

You will be prepared over the two years for: • Unit 1 – unseen translation: of a prose and verse author – we will know the authors in advance so you will read a lot of their work over the course to acquire familiarity with their style, common themes and common vocabulary. • Unit 2 – prose composition: translation of an English passage (of roughly 100 words) into Latin. Again, you will spend two years practising this skill, building up a strong base of key vocabulary and mastering the essential grammar and syntax needed for this discipline. • Unit 3 – prose literature: study of the work of one great author (or possibly two, each of half the length) with a view to being able to translate, comment on the style and write essays. Options change every couple of years but usual choices include Roman historians like Tacitus and Livy, the great orator Cicero and the philosopher Seneca. • Unit 4 – verse literature: as for prose literature. Usual choices include the great epic poet Vergil and various Roman love poets.