Anyone doing Latin or Ancient Greek for A-level?

OP

Original post by Classics_Teacher

I am teaching them at the moment! Which texts are you doing?

I really don’t know details, which is why I want to find out more! I think for Latin we look at Cicero in year 12, and Ovid in year 13 (I don’t know what texts), and I only know that in year12 for Greek we look at Sophocles’ Ajax!
This doesn’t really help, so I would just love to hear other opinions on how people have found the classical A-levels and what components of Latin+Greek they find interesting!
Literature? Tragedy/drama? Daily life?
I’m just trying to build a picture of what the next two years will look like!

Reply 3

poppymia

5

@Cat.killeen next year I am doing Latin too, as well as biology, chemistry and maths. What other a levels are you doing?

Reply 4

OP

Original post by poppymia

@Cat.killeen next year I am doing Latin too, as well as biology, chemistry and maths. What other a levels are you doing?

Im doing Latin, Ancient Greek, English lit and theology (RS)
So apart from Latin, were completely different!! x

Reply 5

Classics_Teacher

8

Original post by Cat.killeen

I really don’t know details, which is why I want to find out more! I think for Latin we look at Cicero in year 12, and Ovid in year 13 (I don’t know what texts), and I only know that in year12 for Greek we look at Sophocles’ Ajax!
This doesn’t really help, so I would just love to hear other opinions on how people have found the classical A-levels and what components of Latin+Greek they find interesting!
Literature? Tragedy/drama? Daily life?
I’m just trying to build a picture of what the next two years will look like!

The A-Level texts are divided into four groups: Group 1 for Latin is a choice between part of Cicero's Pro Cluentio speech or a selection from Tacitus' Annals. You can carry on with these texts for Group 2, or you can prepare a different text - a selection from Livy's History of Rome.
The Group 3 text is a choice between a selection of lines from Virgil's Aeneid Book 12 or some poems from Catullus; again, you can carry on with these authors for the Group 4 text or you can read a selection from Ovid's Heroides. The language paper unseens will be taken from Livy for prose and Ovid for verse.

Group 1 for Greek is a choice between a selection from Thucydides' Histories Book 6 or Plato's Symposium. Again, you can carry on with these for Group 2 or read a selection from Plutarch's Life of Alcibiades. The Group 3 text is a choice between a selection of lines from Homer's Odyssey Book 1 or Sophocles' Ajax. Group 4 offers a continuation of these texts or a selection from Aristophes' Clouds. The language paper unseens will be taken from Xenophon for prose and Euripides for verse.

Personally, I am choosing to do Cicero for Groups 1 and 2, Virgil for Group 3 and Ovid for Group 4 and then for Greek doing Plato for Group 1, Plutarch for Group 2, Sophocles for Group 3 and Aristophanes for Group 4.

Reply 6

becausethenight

19

I've just finished my Latin Pre-U, studying Cicero's In Verrem 2.5 and Virgil's Aeneid 2.
I loved it and would recommend 100%. If you have questions feel free to ask :smile:

Reply 7

poppymia

5

Original post by Classics_Teacher

The A-Level texts are divided into four groups: Group 1 for Latin is a choice between part of Cicero's Pro Cluentio speech or a selection from Tacitus' Annals. You can carry on with these texts for Group 2, or you can prepare a different text - a selection from Livy's History of Rome.
The Group 3 text is a choice between a selection of lines from Virgil's Aeneid Book 12 or some poems from Catullus; again, you can carry on with these authors for the Group 4 text or you can read a selection from Ovid's Heroides. The language paper unseens will be taken from Livy for prose and Ovid for verse.

Group 1 for Greek is a choice between a selection from Thucydides' Histories Book 6 or Plato's Symposium. Again, you can carry on with these for Group 2 or read a selection from Plutarch's Life of Alcibiades. The Group 3 text is a choice between a selection of lines from Homer's Odyssey Book 1 or Sophocles' Ajax. Group 4 offers a continuation of these texts or a selection from Aristophes' Clouds. The language paper unseens will be taken from Xenophon for prose and Euripides for verse.

Personally, I am choosing to do Cicero for Groups 1 and 2, Virgil for Group 3 and Ovid for Group 4 and then for Greek doing Plato for Group 1, Plutarch for Group 2, Sophocles for Group 3 and Aristophanes for Group 4.

@Classics_Teacher sorry it’s taken me so long to reply but I am moving schools for sixth form so it took me while to find out. They have confirmed we are going Cicero for group 1 and group 2. Do you have advice or suggestions at resources I can use to prepare for next year. Any advice would greatly appreciated !!

Reply 8

doyoureadsappho

7

Original post by Cat.killeen

They’re not common A-levels so I want to find some other people doing them who help me out over the next two years!
Any tips from those who have done it??
x

Hello, I'm in Year 13 rn and doing Latin and Greek!

Reply 9

Original post by Cat.killeen

They’re not common A-levels so I want to find some other people doing them who help me out over the next two years!
Any tips from those who have done it??
x

Hey. I'm in year 12 doing Latin and Greek. How are you finding it?

Reply 10

OP

Original post by oh.ME.DEA

Hey. I'm in year 12 doing Latin and Greek. How are you finding it?

I love it (and love your username btw), but I'm mentally groaning at the thought of having to learn so much set text before I go back to school next year! ahaha
also my 15 marker structure sucks and I never get more than 10, but its only year 12 so I have time I suppose...
but im so glad I took the subjects, what about you??

Reply 11

Original post by Cat.killeen

I love it (and love your username btw), but I'm mentally groaning at the thought of having to learn so much set text before I go back to school next year! ahaha
also my 15 marker structure sucks and I never get more than 10, but its only year 12 so I have time I suppose...
but im so glad I took the subjects, what about you??

oh yeah lol, love it too! Thanks for the username complement, my Greek class is truly hilarious... :frown:

I hate 15 markers for time pressure as I have a lot to say and not much time to say it, but I have four different teachers for four different set texts, so I think my structure is largely down :smile:

. I got really lucky with no tests to revise for, but I did have two fat essays for philosophy and classical civilisations :eek:

. And yes, I am DELIGHTED that I chose the subjects too! Also let me know if you want help with 15 marker structure. Which set texts are you doing? I am doing Medea, Plato, Cicero and Virgil.

Reply 12

OP

Original post by oh.ME.DEA

oh yeah lol, love it too! Thanks for the username complement, my Greek class is truly hilarious... :frown:

I hate 15 markers for time pressure as I have a lot to say and not much time to say it, but I have four different teachers for four different set texts, so I think my structure is largely down :smile:

. I got really lucky with no tests to revise for, but I did have two fat essays for philosophy and classical civilisations :eek:

. And yes, I am DELIGHTED that I chose the subjects too! Also let me know if you want help with 15 marker structure. Which set texts are you doing? I am doing Medea, Plato, Cicero and Virgil.

this year i'm doing Medea, Herodotus, Cicero and homer! and my greek class consists of only three people (and the other two are best friends) so I need all the 'greekies' I can find! But thank you for the offer to help! im sure ill need some 15 marker help at some point...
I have three teachers, but they all go for the 'attempt 15 markers and i'll just correct what's wrong' approach, which basically means I have no idea what im doing yet!!
funnily enough I also do theology (so basically philosophy) and English as my other two a levels, so were not too different :smile:

Reply 13

Original post by Cat.killeen

this year i'm doing Medea, Herodotus, Cicero and homer! and my greek class consists of only three people (and the other two are best friends) so I need all the 'greekies' I can find! But thank you for the offer to help! im sure ill need some 15 marker help at some point...
I have three teachers, but they all go for the 'attempt 15 markers and i'll just correct what's wrong' approach, which basically means I have no idea what im doing yet!!
funnily enough I also do theology (so basically philosophy) and English as my other two a levels, so were not too different :smile:

That's funny lol. I also have 3 people in my Greek class. When I say philosophy, it is technicallyyyyy "Theology and Philosophy" Pre-U, so we are even more similar :smile:

. Lucky you for getting Herodotus - I adore Herodotus - awesome guy :o:

cool:

. Sorry to be awkward but how did you get three greek set texts and only one Latin!? :confused:

Reply 14

OP

Original post by oh.ME.DEA

That's funny lol. I also have 3 people in my Greek class. When I say philosophy, it is technicallyyyyy "Theology and Philosophy" Pre-U, so we are even more similar :smile:

. Lucky you for getting Herodotus - I adore Herodotus - awesome guy :o:

cool:

. Sorry to be awkward but how did you get three greek set texts and only one Latin!? :confused:

ah, typo!! sorry, my other latin one is HORACE not homer! whoops... love homer though, i'm obsessed with epic literature
and yeah, im enjoying all of them but the Cicero (the philippic II) is just hilarious - we love Anthony being attacked for all of his scandals :biggrin:

are you thinking about doing it for uni?

Reply 15

Interea

19

Original post by Cat.killeen

this year i'm doing Medea, Herodotus, Cicero and homer! and my greek class consists of only three people (and the other two are best friends) so I need all the 'greekies' I can find! But thank you for the offer to help! im sure ill need some 15 marker help at some point...
I have three teachers, but they all go for the 'attempt 15 markers and i'll just correct what's wrong' approach, which basically means I have no idea what im doing yet!!
funnily enough I also do theology (so basically philosophy) and English as my other two a levels, so were not too different :smile:

I wouldn't worry too much about the essay marks just yet, at this point you're just trying to find the best ways for you to actually learn the literature to be able to write about it, writing about it well can come later :tongue:

I had a few random 14 mark essays in year 12 when I really enjoyed a section, but mostly didn't get above 10 until about halfway through year 13 (usually about 8 to be honest), and ended up with an A* overall :smile:

Especially if you're doing other essay subjects too you'll be absolutely fine - I did maths, further maths, chemistry and Latin, and was always better at language than literature, so had minimal essay practice - the essays were a nightmare for me, but I got there in the end!

Reply 16

Interea

19

Original post by Cat.killeen

ah, typo!! sorry, my other latin one is HORACE not homer! whoops... love homer though, i'm obsessed with epic literature
and yeah, im enjoying all of them but the Cicero (the philippic II) is just hilarious - we love Anthony being attacked for all of his scandals :biggrin:

are you thinking about doing it for uni?

Glad to hear they're still choosing funny Cicero texts - my class loved our one, we were proper Cicero fangirls :biggrin:

Reply 17

Original post by Cat.killeen

ah, typo!! sorry, my other latin one is HORACE not homer! whoops... love homer though, i'm obsessed with epic literature
and yeah, im enjoying all of them but the Cicero (the philippic II) is just hilarious - we love Anthony being attacked for all of his scandals :biggrin:

are you thinking about doing it for uni?

Oh! Horace is dope too (did a little for GCSE). Yh lol Cicero is pretty savage :colone:

- insulting someone's bank balance and ermmm...other things is pretty funny. I am going to apply for Classics with Egyptian/Egyptology at uni cos it would be awesome to bring some eastern stuff into the mix and Egypt seems the natural addition. Also Hieroglyphics are kinda cool? :smile:

$ Wbu

Reply 18

OP

Original post by oh.ME.DEA

Oh! Horace is dope too (did a little for GCSE). Yh lol Cicero is pretty savage :colone:

- insulting someone's bank balance and ermmm...other things is pretty funny. I am going to apply for Classics with Egyptian/Egyptology at uni cos it would be awesome to bring some eastern stuff into the mix and Egypt seems the natural addition. Also Hieroglyphics are kinda cool? :smile:

$ Wbu

that's so cool! I enjoy the greek alphabet but I think two different alphabets are enough for me lol. My dream would be to study the classics+English course at Oxford, but really any classics/English degree is what im looking for :h:

Reply 19