Classics

KEIW

As is proper for such a subject, Classics has maintained its traditional activities. The Classical Society this year has looked at the Classics staff’s favourite ancient poets, heard talks from pupils and staff on politicians ancient and modern, and together with the Philosophy Department held a seminar-series on the existence of the historical Jesus. Similarly Pegasus leapt up from the COVID-ashes, rejuvenated under the guidance of Mr Stewart (watching films based on ancient myths and history) and Mr Carter (Escape from Troy – a DandD inspired game).

Internal competitions have continued unabated. In the Fourth Form Poetry Speaking Competition, Jacopo Tans, Louis Ferro, Ravi Walker, Adavya Goyal, Freddie Hammond Giles, Elyas Efthimiou, Gabriel El-Guindi, Adrian Chau, and Dariush Ghaffarpour all made it through to the final, where Gabriel was able to pip the others to the post despite strong competition. Dara Daneshvar’s fantastic essay on Cambyses won the Fifth/Sixth Form Ancient History prize, Dermot Christmas produced a nuanced version of a passage from Vergil’s Aeneid 7 to win the Fifth/Sixth Form translation prize.

In the Eighth Form, Tom Merton won the King and Clementi prizes for Greek and Latin translation, and Sam MonroDavies and Tommaso Bailo the Sleath for Latin prose competition.

Externally, SPS classicists have also impressed: Jack Davies, Tommaso Bailo, and Seb Chohhan won silver medals in the UKLO; Christian Bulmer, Tom Merton, James Wilson, Shyam Thobhani, and Jack Morris bronze.

For the first time this year, SPS pupils also competed in the Euroclassica ELEX and EGEX, European-wide competitions for those studying Latin and Greek. With no preparation at all they won 11 bronze certificates and 30 silver.

Special mentions go to Altan Mardin and Nat Dembo-Shah in Sixth Form, and Raphael Hibou in Fifth Form for the highest performances in the ELEX and EGEX respectively.

Most impressive, however, was SPS’s entry to the annual London Latin and Greek Reading Competition, the various competitors rigorously coached by Mr Taylor. Muhammad Husan gave a charismatic reading of a tricky passage in the voice of Creusa, Aeneas’ wife, and won gold; Altan Mardin, competing in a category meant for Eighth Formers, also won the gold for his rendition of Catullus 8. Altan again, along with Tom Merton, performed a dialogue between Agamemnon and Clytaemnestra for the Greek Dialogue, winning bronze.

London Speaking Competition – competitors

Fourth Form speaking competition

Finally the Greek Chorus, composed of Dermot Christmas, Adi Coondapoor, Felix Henderson-Stewart, Kanyin Ishmael, Archie Rowland, Fred Websper, Christian Bulmer, Alastair McFarlane, and Tom Merton, gave a truly imposing performance, again winning the gold medal.

Perhaps most exciting for the Department, however, was the ability once again to take trips. Starting small, with the previously annual AH trip to the British Museum, we once again visited our favourite artefacts: the Assyrian lion-hunt friezes (blocked off!), the Nereid Monument (closed for renovation!!), and the Artemisia vase (removed for study!!!). Nevertheless, pupils still got to see the Elgin marbles, the Cyrus Cylinder, the blackened fragments from the Acropolis burnt by the Persians, and arrow-heads from Marathon, and it was agreed all round that the trip had been a resounding success. A group of about 20 pupils led ably by Mr Carter, Mr Harrison, and Mr Fitzsimmons also visited Hadrian’s Wall, now celebrating its 1900th anniversary! To round off a Classics-filled year, we look forward to the Junior Play for which Mr Pirrie is directing ‘The Last Days of Troy’. ❚

For the first time this year, SPS pupils also competed in the Euroclassica ELEX and EGEX, European-wide competitions for those studying Latin and Greek. With no preparation at all they won 11 bronze certificates and 30 silver