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Classics at Cambridge

I really want to study classics at cambridge but I understand that further reading is vital to getting in i don't have any specific topics I'm interested in the moment but I'm just wondering if u have any advice of what to start reading !
Reply 1
Original post by romangirl
I really want to study classics at cambridge but I understand that further reading is vital to getting in i don't have any specific topics I'm interested in the moment but I'm just wondering if u have any advice of what to start reading !


Maybe some tips in here:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=511752

Also some colleges give suggestions
e.g. King's http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/subjects/classics.html#reading
Reply 2
Original post by romangirl
I really want to study classics at cambridge but I understand that further reading is vital to getting in i don't have any specific topics I'm interested in the moment but I'm just wondering if u have any advice of what to start reading !


Hi i am italian student that is going to read hisory of art at Cambrdige next year. I studied a lot latin literature so I can help you.

These are some milestones you shoud read and become acquainted with:

Funny readings: Petronius' Satyricon, Saturae by Horatius, Ars Amandi by Ovidius, Apuleius' the golden Ass

Love poetry: Catullus' Carmina , Virgil's Aeneid (books 2-4 in particular)

Philosophic readings: De rerum natura by Epicurus and the essays by Seneca (he dealt with everything from friendship to afterlife)

Historic and political readings: the speeches of Cicero (he was a very famous lawyer in his early career), Sallust's The conspiracy of Catilina and Germania or Agricola (these two are very interesting from an anthropologic point of view) by Tacitus.

Among these choose the topics in which you are most interested.
Hope it helped you.
Find something that you really like - some work of art or literature - and develop an original point of view on it as well as a comprehensive overview. Mention it in an essay, they will ask about it at interview if they request you to come.

Check this out as well, if you haven't seen it. It's Oxford, but applicable:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oU9rrh6YLs

There are plenty of other resources on youtube.

I didn't do classics at Cam, but I did in the US. My daughter is doing archaeology at Cam and loves it. Good luck.

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