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SECOND PUBLIC EXAMINATION

Honour School of Literae Humaniores

501

Honour School of Classics and English

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GREEK CORE
(Commentary and Essay)

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TRINITY TERM 2019

Monday 10 June, 9.30 am – 12.30 pm

Candidates are required to attempt QUESTION 1, and TWO others.

Marking scheme: 12.5% of the overall mark for each commentary in Question 1;
25% for each essay; 25% for the separate translation paper.

Do not turn over until told that you may do so.

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1. WITHOUT TRANSLATING, comment on TWO of the following passages,
indicating the context where appropriate and discussing points of literary
interest:

(a)

(SOPHOCLES, Antigone 891–912)

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(b)

(THUCYDIDES 2.36)

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(c)

(SIMONIDES fr. 11.7–34)

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2(a). Is the Clouds a diatribe against the dangers of philosophy and intellectualism in
late 5th century Athens?

OR

2(b). ‘Plato’s Symposium is nothing more than a post-mortem attempt to exonerate

Socrates from the hatred and suspicion, justified or not, which led to his death.’
Discuss.

3. Is parochialism important in the literature of this period?

4. Where in the prescribed texts do we see the authors’ concern with the posterity of
their works?

5. How is personal responsibility treated in the prescribed texts?

6. ‘Thucydides and Gorgias belong to the same intellectual moment – they are both
“sophists” in the only meaningful sense of that term.’ Discuss.

7. Are there any heroes in Greek literature of this period?

8. Do the prescribed texts depict gods worth worshipping?

9. How does Greek literature of this period construct the role of women in society?

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