Classics and Modern Languages

Preliminary Exam in Classics and Modern Languages 

Further information on the Modern Language elements of this degree course is available from the university admissions website.

1: Modern Languages Prelims 2010

In summary, the examination structure for the Preliminary Examination for Modern Languages is as follows:

One modern language plus Latin and/or Greek.

I. Language paper I in the modern language (three hours).
II. Language paper II in the modern language (in two parts of 90 minutes each).
III. Literature paper I in the modern language (three hours).
IV. Literature paper II in the modern language (three hours).
V. Unseen translation from Latin and/or Greek (three hours).
VI. Latin and/or Greek prescribed books: translation and comment (three hours).
VII. Latin and/or Greek prescribed books: essay questions (three hours).

For papers VI and VII students choose two out of the following four groups of texts. You may not choose both (a) and (c)

(a) Homer, Iliad I, VI, IX, XVI, XVIII, XXII–XXIV
(b) Sophocles, Antigone 1-1114 ; Aristophanes, Frogs 1-268, 830-1533 ; Herodotus I. 1-95;
(c) Virgil, Aeneid I, II, IV, VI
(d) Cicero, Pro Caelio; Catullus 2, 3, 5-8, 11, 15-17, 43, 48, 51, 58, 69-70, 72, 75-6, 83, 85-7; Propertius I. 1, 3, 6, 12, 16, 19; Ovid, Metamorphoses VIII.

For the purposes of the essay paper (paper VII), candidates offering Homer, Sophocles, Aristophanes or Virgil will be expected to know the whole of the works in question, not merely the prescribed portions.

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