CLASSICAL TRIPOS

Amended by Notices (Reporter, 2014–15, pp. 344 and 465)

General

1. The Classical Tripos shall consist of three Parts: Part Ia, Part Ib, and Part II. A separate class-list shall be published for each Part.

2. The following may present themselves as candidates for honours in Part Ia:

1. (a)a student who has kept one term, provided that three complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence;
2. (b)a student who has successfully completed the Preliminary Examination to Part Ia, provided that six complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence;
3. (c)a student who has obtained honours in another Honours Examination, in the year next after or next but one after so obtaining honours, provided that nine complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence.

3. A student who has obtained honours in Part Ia or, at the discretion of the Faculty Board, in another Honours Examination, may be a candidate for honours in Part Ib in the year next after so obtaining honours, provided that at the time of the examination he or she has kept four terms and that twelve complete terms have not passed after his or her first term of residence.

4. The following may present themselves as candidates for honours in Part II:

1. (a)a student who has obtained honours in Part Ia and Part Ib of the Classical Tripos in the year next after so obtaining honours, provided that at the time of the examination he or she has kept seven terms and that twelve complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence. In exceptional circumstances a candidate who has obtained honours in Part Ia, but not in Part Ib of the Classical Tripos, may be a candidate for honours in Part II of the Classical Tripos, subject to approval by the Faculty Board;
2. (b)a student who has obtained honours in another Honours Examination in the year next after or next but one after so obtaining honours, provided that at the time of the examination he or she has kept seven terms and that twelve complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence;17
3. (c)an Affiliated Student as allowed by the Faculty Board in accordance with the regulations for Affiliated Students.

5. No student who has been a candidate for any Part shall again be a candidate for the same Part.

6. No student who has obtained honours in Part Ia or Part Ib of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos, having offered classical Greek or classical Latin in the examination, shall be a candidate for Part Ia or Part Ib of the Classical Tripos.

7. For each Part of the Tripos the Faculty Board of Classics shall nominate such number of Examiners as they shall deem sufficient. The Faculty Board shall have power to nominate one or more Assessors to the Examiners for each Part. The Assessors shall, if required, propose questions in the papers or parts of papers assigned to them by the Examiners, shall mark the answers of the candidates in those papers or parts of papers, shall read theses and participate in the viva voce examinations thereon, and shall report as required to the Examiners.

8. Assessors appointed under Regulation 7 may be summoned to meetings of the Examiners for the purpose of consultation and advice, but shall not be entitled to vote. Every paper in Part II of the Classical Tripos shall be examined by at least two of the whole body of Examiners and Assessors.

9. Before the examination there shall be general meetings of the Examiners for Part Ia, Part Ib, and Part II, when the papers set by each Examiner or Assessor shall be submitted to the whole body of Examiners for their approval.

10. The Examiners shall have regard to the style and method of the candidates’ answers and shall give credit for excellence in these respects.

11. The Faculty Board shall have power to make supplementary regulations defining all or any of the subjects set out in the following regulations and to modify, alter, or withdraw such supplementary regulations as they think fit.

12. Public notice of books or subjects prescribed under the following regulations or under any supplementary regulations shall be given by the Faculty Board

1. (a)for Part Ia and Part Ib of the Tripos, not later than the Easter Term preceding the examination to which they apply,
2. (b)for Part II of the Tripos, not later than the Easter Term next but one preceding the examination to which they apply,

provided that the Board shall have the power of subsequently issuing amendments if they have due reason for doing so and if they are satisfied that no student’s preparation for the examination is adversely affected. The Board shall also have the power when they first give notice of the books or subjects prescribed for a particular examination to announce any consequential restriction on the combination of papers that a candidate may choose to offer.

Part Ia

13. The examination shall consist of seven papers, each to be set for three hours, as follows:

14. Every candidate shall offer either Paper 1 or Paper 2, either Paper 3 or Paper 4, and Paper 5. Paper 2 is intended for candidates who had little or no knowledge of Greek before entry to the University, and Paper 4 is intended for candidates who had little or no knowledge of Latin before doing so and who have not previously taken the Preliminary Examination to Part Ia. No candidate may offer Paper 2 and Paper 4. In addition, a candidate may offer one or both of Papers 6 and 7; the Examiners shall give credit for proficiency in these papers.

15. The names of candidates who obtain honours shall be placed by the Examiners in three classes. The names in each class shall be in alphabetical order. In the class-list a mark of distinction may be attached to the name of any candidate whose work in the examination shows special merit. A mark of distinction, G or L respectively, shall be attached to the names of those candidates who, in offering either Paper 6 or Paper 7 acquit themselves with credit in that paper. A mark, g or l respectively, shall be attached to the names of those candidates who, in offering either Paper 6 or Paper 7 satisfy the Examiners in that paper.

16. In arranging the class-list the Examiners shall take into account the standard attained by candidates in each paper as well as the aggregate of marks obtained by them.

Part Ib

17. The examination shall consist of the following papers, each to be set for three hours, except for Papers 5 and 6, which shall be of three hours and fifteen minutes’ duration (to include fifteen minutes’ reading time):

18. A candidate shall be required to offer six papers as follows:

Paper 1 or Paper 2; Paper 3 or Paper 4; Papers 5 and 6; and two papers chosen from among Papers 7–10. Paper 2 is intended for candidates who had little or no knowledge of Greek before entry to the University, and Paper 4 is intended for candidates who had little or no knowledge of Latin before doing so and who have not previously taken the Preliminary Examination to Part Ia.

19. In addition to the papers to be offered under Regulation 18, a candidate may offer Paper 11 or Paper 12 or both these papers.

20. The names of candidates who obtain honours shall be placed by the Examiners in three classes, of which the second shall be divided into two divisions. The names in the first and third classes and in each division of the second class shall be in alphabetical order. In drawing up the class-list the Examiners shall have regard in the first place to the work done by the candidates in the six papers which they are required to offer, and no candidate shall be excluded from any class on the ground that he or she has not offered either or both of Papers 11 and 12 in addition. A mark of distinction, an asterisk, shall be attached to the names of candidates whose work in those six papers shows special merit. In determining the place in the class-list of any candidate who has offered either or both the Papers 11 and 12 in addition, the Examiners shall give credit for proficiency in these papers. A mark of distinction, G or L respectively, shall be attached to the names of those candidates who, in offering either Paper 11 or Paper 12, acquit themselves with credit in that paper. A mark, g or l respectively, shall be attached to the names of those candidates who, in offering either Paper 11 or Paper 12, satisfy the Examiners in that paper.

21. In arranging the class-list the Examiners shall take into account the standard attained by candidates in each paper as well as the aggregate of marks obtained by them.

Part II

22. The examination shall consist of papers assigned to five groups, A, B, C, D, E, representing five fields of study, and to a sixth group, X, representing a combination of two or more of these fields of study, and certain papers from other Triposes, as set out below.

Group A (Literature)

Group B (Philosophy)

Group C (History)

Group D (Archaeology)20

Group E (Language)

Group X

Schedule of Optional Papers

23. A student who is a candidate for Part II in the year next after obtaining honours in Part Ib or in another Honours Examination shall offer

1. (a)either(i)two papers belonging to a single Group, chosen from among the six Groups A, B, C, D, E, X;
2.  or(ii)one paper chosen from one of the six Groups A, B, C, D, E, X, together with a thesis, as prescribed in Regulation 26, on a topic (proposed by the candidate and approved by the Faculty Board) which falls wholly within the area of that Group;
3. and
4. (b)either(i)two additional papers chosen from Groups A, B, C, D, E, X, and from the Schedule of Optional Papers;
5.  or(ii)one additional paper chosen from Groups A, B, C, D, E, X, and from the Schedule of Optional Papers, together with a thesis, as prescribed in Regulation 26 on a topic (proposed by the candidate and approved by the Faculty Board) which falls within the field of Classics;

provided that

1. (1)no candidate shall offer a thesis on a topic that coincides substantially with the subject of any of the papers that he or she is offering in the examination;
2. (2)no candidate shall offer more than one thesis, or more than two papers from Group X, or more than one paper from the Schedule of Optional Papers.

24. A student who is a candidate for Part II in the year next but one after obtaining honours in Part Ib or in another Honours Examination shall offer

1. (a)either(i)two papers belonging to a single Group, chosen from among the six Groups A, B, C, D, E, X;
2.  or(ii)one paper chosen from one of the six Groups A, B, C, D, E, X, together with a thesis, as prescribed in Regulation 26, on a topic (proposed by the candidate and approved by the Faculty Board) which falls wholly within the area of that Group;
3. and
4. (b)either(i)three additional papers chosen from Groups A, B, C, D, E, X, and from the Schedule of Optional Papers;
5.  or(ii)two additional papers chosen from Groups A, B, C, D, E, X, and from the Schedule of Optional Papers, together with a thesis, as prescribed in Regulation 26, on a topic (proposed by the candidate and approved by the Faculty Board) which falls within the field of Classics;

provided that

1. (1)no candidate shall offer a thesis on a topic that coincides substantially with the subject of any of the papers that he or she is offering in the examination;
2. (2)no candidate shall offer more than one thesis, or more than two papers from Group X, or more than one paper from the Schedule of Optional Papers.

25. A candidate may be examined viva voce on the field of study of a Group from which he or she offers two or more papers, provided that the scope of such an examination shall be restricted to the subjects of the papers which the candidate has offered. Viva voce examinations shall be held at such times as the Examiners may appoint, and the times appointed shall be announced not later than the second day after the beginning of the examination.

26. (a) A candidate who wishes to offer a thesis under Regulation 23 or Regulation 24 shall submit an application, including the title of the proposed thesis, a brief account of its scope, and a statement of the scheme of papers to be offered in the examination. Applications shall be submitted through candidates’ Directors of Studies to the Academic Secretary (Undergraduate) of the Faculty, so as to arrive not later than the second Monday of the Full Michaelmas Term next preceding the examination.

(b) Each candidate must obtain the approval of the proposed title by the Faculty Board not later than the last day of the Full Michaelmas Term next preceding the examination. When the Faculty Board have approved a title, no change shall be made to it or to the candidate's scheme of papers, without the further approval of the Faculty Board. Any application for a change in title or scheme of papers must be submitted through the candidate's Director of Studies to the Academic Secretary (Undergraduate) as soon as possible, and in any case no later than ten days before the last Faculty Board meeting of the Lent Term. If a candidate decides to offer a paper in place of a thesis, this is deemed to be a change in the scheme of papers and must be notified to the Faculty Board in accordance with the same timetable.

(c) A thesis shall not exceed 10,000 words in length, including notes but excluding bibliography. Candidates will be required to declare that the thesis is their own work and that it does not contain material already used to any substantial extent for a comparable purpose.

(d) A thesis shall be submitted in accordance with the detailed arrangements approved by the Faculty Board, to the Academic Secretary (Undergraduate) so as to arrive not later than the first Monday of the Full Easter Term in which the examination is to be held.

(e) Each thesis shall be examined by two Examiners or by an Examiner and an Assessor, and the candidate shall be examined by them upon it viva voce.

27. The names of the candidates who obtain honours shall be placed by the Examiners in three classes, of which the second shall be divided into two divisions. The names in the first and third classes and in each division of the second class shall be arranged in alphabetical order. A mark of distinction shall be awarded for special excellence.

SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS

Part Ia

Paper 1. Greek language and texts

This paper will contain passages for unseen translation and seen passages for analysis and appreciation from prescribed texts.

Paper 2. Alternative Greek language and texts

This paper will contain passages for unseen translation appropriate for candidates who had little or no knowledge of Greek before entry to the University and seen passages for analysis and appreciation from prescribed texts.

Paper 3. Latin language and texts

This paper will contain passages for unseen translation and seen passages for analysis and appreciation from prescribed texts.

Paper 4. Alternative Latin language and texts

This paper will contain passages for unseen translation appropriate for candidates who had little or no knowledge of Latin before entry to the University and seen passages for analysis and appreciation from prescribed texts.

Paper 5. Classical questions

This paper will contain questions on:

1. (a)Greek and Latin literature;
2. (b)Greek and Roman philosophy;
3. (c)Greek and Roman history;
4. (d)Greek and Roman art and archaeology;
5. (e)Classical philology and linguistics.

Paper 6. Greek prose and verse composition

This paper will contain passages for translation into Greek prose and verse, with some specified passages which may be attempted by candidates for Paper 2.

Paper 7. Latin prose and verse composition

This paper will contain passages for translation into Latin prose or verse, with some specified passages which may be attempted by candidates for Paper 4.

Part Ib

Paper 1. Passages for translation from Greek authors

This paper will contain passages for translation, both seen and unseen.

Paper 2. Alternative passages for translation from Greek authors

This paper will contain passages for translation, both seen and unseen, and is appropriate for candidates who had little or no knowledge of Greek before entry to the University.

Paper 3. Passages for translation from Latin authors

This paper will contain passages for translation, both seen and unseen.

Paper 4. Alternative passages for translation from Latin authors

This paper will contain passages for translation, both seen and unseen, and is appropriate for candidates who had a limited knowledge of Latin before entry to the University.

Paper 5. Greek literature
and
Paper 6. Latin literature

Each of these papers will contain seen passages for analysis and appreciation from prescribed texts, and essay and other questions on these and other prescribed works.

Paper 7. Greek and Roman history

The paper will contain questions on topics in Greek and Roman history to be specified from time to time.

Candidates for the Classical Tripos will be given credit for knowledge of both Greek and Roman history. Candidates for the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos will not be expected to show knowledge of both Greek and Roman history.

Paper 8. Greek and Roman philosophy

A text or texts will be prescribed. The paper will contain questions on the prescribed text or texts, and questions on ancient philosophers and philosophical systems.

Paper 9. Greek and Roman art and archaeology

The paper will contain questions relating to the Aegean world, Italy and the Roman Empire: questions may require comments on images.

Paper 10. Greek and Latin philology and linguistics

This paper will contain questions on topics in Greek, Latin, and comparative Greek/Latin philology and linguistics to be specified from time to time. Candidates for the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos will not be expected to show knowledge of both Greek and Latin philology and linguistics.

Paper 11. Translation from English into Greek prose and verse

This paper will contain passages for translation into Greek prose or verse, with some specified passages which may be attempted only by candidates taking Paper 2.

Paper 12. Translation from English into Latin prose and verse

This paper will contain passages for translation into Latin prose or verse, with some specified passages which may be attempted only by candidates taking Paper 4.

Part II

Group A (Literature)

Paper A1. A prescribed Greek author or authors, and a prescribed Latin author or authors

This paper will contain questions on a Greek author or authors and on a Latin author or authors. The works prescribed here will be taken from among the major works of Greek and Latin literature.

Paper A2. Prescribed Greek texts

This paper will contain passages for literary comment and essay questions.

Paper A3. Prescribed Latin texts

This paper will contain passages for literary comment and essay questions.

Paper A4. Greek and Latin textual criticism and transmission of texts

This paper will contain passages for textual comment, questions on palaeography and essay questions: candidates will be required to answer questions on passages in each of the two languages.

Group B (Philosophy)

Paper B1.  Plato

In any year, a text and/or subject for study will be prescribed.

Paper B2.  Aristotle

In any year, a text and/or subject for study will be prescribed.

Group C (History)

Paper C3. A prescribed subject taken from ancient history

These papers may contain questions on the literary, epigraphical, and archaeological sources for the period or subject prescribed, and questions that involve a knowledge of geography and topography and of the political, legal, and social antiquities of the period or subject prescribed; such questions will not require a technical knowledge of archaeology.

Group D (Archaeology)

Paper D2. A topic within classical archaeology and/or art

Paper D3. A topic within classical archaeology and/or art

If, in any year, the subject prescribed for Paper D2 is connected with early Hellenic archaeology, the subject prescribed for Paper D3 will be connected with classical (Greco-Roman) art; if the subject prescribed for Paper D2 is connected with early Greek art, the subject prescribed for Paper D3 will be connected with the archaeology of the Greek and Hellenistic world.

Group E (Language)

Paper E1. Elements of comparative linguistics

This paper will cover the principles of the comparative method and of historical reconstruction and their applications to Indo-European phonology, morphology, syntax, and lexicon. A knowledge of the relevant phenomena in Vedic will be required.

Paper E2. The Greek language

A prescribed subject in the history of the Greek language.

Paper E3. The Latin language

A prescribed subject in the history of the Latin language.

For each of Papers E2 and E3 the Faculty Board will prescribe texts for special study. Each paper will include a compulsory question on the prescribed texts.

Group X

There will be not more than three papers in this group, X1, X2, X3, whose subjects will be prescribed from time to time by the Faculty Board of Classics. The subjects will be of an inter-disciplinary nature, requiring knowledge related to more than one of the fields of study represented by Groups A, B, C, D, and E.