A new classics paper, which incorporates Latin and ancient Greek, has been praised by the chair of the Classics Association of Ireland teachers.
Séamus O’Sullivan, who teaches in Dublin, said that there were no major surprises on the paper.
”The questions on this new common-level paper were well-phrased, giving scope for students who may be weaker at this subject to answer what is asked, while also allowing stronger students a chance to elaborate and express themselves,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
Mr O’Sullivan said teachers were pleased with the new curriculum.
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“Chariot racing, public events and the place of women and slaves in classical society featured on the paper. This is a really positive shift towards less powerful people in those societies, and comes at a time when academics like Professor Mary Beard and novelists like Madeline Millar are making the subject so exciting.
“We are not just saying that these societies were great, but shining a light on how they influenced the patriarchy and classism that we see in modern societies.”
Mr O’Sullivan, who also teaches Latin and Greek, said the Latin section of the paper took an interesting approach by exploring the etymology of English words that have Latin origins (“such as describe”).
”It helps students to understand what is underneath the language,” he said. “The students also still had to interpret Latin, and the grammar section was still there. It was not overtaxing but had good reading comprehensions.”
Latin and ancient Greek are no longer offered as stand-alone junior cycle subjects.
Try this one at home:
The passage below is taken from a book by Diodorus Siculus called History. It describes slaves working in a mine. Read the passage and then answer the questions which follow.
The slaves who are engaged in working in the mine produce for their masters huge profits in amounts defying belief, but they themselves wear out their bodies both by day and by night digging under the earth, dying in large numbers because of the exceptional hardships they endure. For no rest or pause is granted to them in their labours, but, forced beneath the blows of the overseers to endure the harshness of their plight, they throw away their lives in this wretched manner… indeed, death in their eyes is more to be desired than life, because of the scale of the hardships they must bear.
(a) What was life like for the slaves described in the passage?
(b) Were all slaves in the ancient world treated like the mining slaves described in the passage? Explain your answer.
