CERTIFICATE in CLASSICAL GREEK

(Levels 1E-1S)
SYLLABUSES
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East Midlands Association of Classical Teachers

Certificate in Greek Levels 1E-1S

Copyright acknowledgements

The East Midlands Association of Classical Teachers wishes to record grateful thanks
to the following publishers for permission to use copyright material:

Gerald Duckworth & Co Ltd

for consent to use ideas from Peter Barker ‘The Greek we speak’ (see p. 9)
Oxford University Press
for the use of poems 99 107 112 126(i) 146 149 156 162 212 from the Oxford
Book of Greek Verse (1954 edition ed. Gilbert Murray, Cyril Bailey, E.A.
Barber, T.F. Higham & C.M. Bowra)
Edward Arnold, the educational, academic and medical publishing division of Hodder
& Stoughton, Publishers
for the use of text, drawings and models from Chapter 7 (‘Athenian
Democracy’) of ‘Discovering the Greeks’ by Kenneth Corsar, Niall
MacKinnon, Andrew Reid, James Rooney and Robert S. Smith
Loeb Classical Library of Harvard University Press
for the use of the Loeb text for selections from Xenophon ‘Lakedaimonion
Politeia’
Cambridge University Press
for the use of the Pitt Press 1959 edition of Xenophon ‘Anabasis’ IV

Copyright Warning

By accepting the syllabus and/ or the test materials the recipient agrees to observe the
same publishers’ limitations as have been placed on the East Midlands Association of
Classical Teachers particularly in respect of further copying.

Copies of the booklet may be made for internal school use only and may not be
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No alteration to the material as published is allowed.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in

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the United Kingdom such licences are issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 33-
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© East Midlands Association of Classical Teachers 1994

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East Midlands Association of Classical Teachers

Certificate in Classical Greek

Introduction

The Certificate system offers a series of tests for achievement certificates which is
similar to that of the Cambridge Latin Course. These tests are however designed to
accommodate any course in Greek that has been followed.

Aims

(a) to encourage the study of Classical Greek language and the development of
familiarily with its structures

(b) to encourage awareness of the influence of Classical Greek on English by

study of language roots and words, and their derivations

(c) to encourage the reading of and personal response to Classical Greek literature

(d) to encourage awareness of the cultural and civilisation contexts of (a) – (c).

Assessment objectives

(a) to develop a series of language comprehension and translation tests at different

levels of study

(b) to set an introductory level which will function largely on working with
information supplied

(c) to develop a series of questions calling for literary comprehension and (where
possible) response to a text of texts specified in advance

(d) to develop a series of simple questions on aspects of culture and civilisation.

The Levels - a summary

Level 1E

The candidate will have successfully:

(i) worked with the Greek alphabet in reading and writing Greek words
(ii) related Greek roots to English words derived from them and vice versa
(iii) shown awareness of why the Acropolis and Agora were important in ancient
Athens
This level can be achieved with 2 hours’ tuition.
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Level 1S

The candidate will have successfully:

(i) shown knowledge of the Greek alphabet in reading and writing Greek words
(ii) shown understanding of the connection between Greek roots and English
words derived from them
(iii) answered comprehension, grammar and syntax questions on a passage of
continuous Greek representing study of between 8 and 12 weeks
(iv) shown literary response to a simple 2-line poem
(v) answered simple Civilisation questions on the Acropolis and Agora of ancient
Athens

NB Further materials for Levels 2S and 3S are available on request

Level 2S

The candidate will have successfully:

(i) answered comprehension, grammar and syntax questions on a passage of
continuous Greek representing study of between 26 and 34 weeks
(ii) shown literary response to short poems from a prescription of 20 lines
(iii) answered Civilisation questions on basic details of Athenian democracy
including difference from modern systems

Level 3S

The candidate will have successfully:

(i) shown literary response to passages of unadapted Greek prose from a
prescription of about 40 lines
(ii) answered short outline Civilisation questions connected with the literary
prescription
(iii) answered translation, comprehension, grammar and syntax questions on a
passage of continuous Greek based on or adapted from a prose author
requiring knowledge and understanding of all/ nearly all basic language
structures
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Level 1E Test syllabus

Total marks: 70
Total required to pass: 42
Pass with merit: 56* Pass with distinction: 63*
*at the discretion of the teacher in charge.

Appendix A (pp7-12) provides the resources allowed when taking the test: Alphabet
& numerical system, word lists, map of central Athens showing Acropolis and Agora.
Please issue these pages to candidates when they take the test.

In any question involving the writing of Greek, macrons (‘long marks’) will be used
to show where h (ē)or w (ō)is required.

Questions will be set as follows:

Marks

1 Copying of specific letters from the Greek alphabet.

The resource sheet showing the Greek Alphabet should be issued to
candidates (p7). 6

2 Writing of Greek words used in English, in English or Greek letters.

(Any extra letters in the stem or as Greek endings will not be required.
They will be bracketed off for Greek to English and supplied for
English to Greek.
Giving the English meaning of the word, using the meaning of the
Greek word.
(e.g.: kinhma (movement) cinema place where moving pictures
are seen)
A word list should be issued to candidates (p8). 15

3- Building up English words from two Greek words or roots.

4 Choosing the most accurate explanation of the English words.
A word list should be issued to candidates (p9-10). 24

5 Numerical exercise
The resource sheet showing The numeral system should be issued to 2
candidates (p11).

6 Identifying the names of three of the Olympian gods.

A reminder sheet of the Olympian gods (in Greek letters) should be 6
issued to candidates (p11).

7- Civilisation questions on:

10 Identity and/or basic functions of the Athenian Agora (how people
would have used it), the Athenian Acropolis, the olive tree in the
foundation myth of Athens.
A reminder map of Central Athens showing Acropolis and Agora should 10
be issued to candidates (p12).
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11 Writing words in Greek that are significant in 5th century Athens and
knowing basic facts about them:
Athēnai Parthenon polis ekklēsia boulē agora akropolis Pythagoras (as
the author of Pythagoras’ Theorem) Periklēs (as a leading politician) 7
Sōkratēs (as a leading philosopher)

NB It is intended that this level can be attempted after 1-2 hours’ teaching. Therefore
the emphasis is on working with information rather than any memorised learning.
See the Syllabus Level definition.

Teachers’ notes for Questions 7-10

For Question 7 – the owl on the coins was Athene’s sign and AQE were the first
letters of her name in the 5th century BC.

The Agora was the city-centre/ market place of Athens. It contained administrative
buildings (Bouleuterion – Council House, Tholos – Executive Committee House).
There were Stoai (colonnades with buildings behind) for some officials, and the open
spaces in the centre rectangle were for market stalls. So the normal functions of a
city centre (trading, meeting, shopping, business with city authorities) took place.
The citizen assembly met on the Pnyx.

The Acropolis was a high rock platform to the SE of the Agora. (Acropolis = High
City) It was a sacred area containing temples to various gods connected with Athens,
especially Athene. These were the Parthenon, Athene Nike and the Erechtheion (a
complex of sanctuaries to early heroes containing the sacred olive tree of Athene).

The Foundation legend of Athens

King Cecrops wanted a patron god for his city Cecropeia. Poseidon and Athene
offered themselves as competitiors and were asked to offer gifts. Poseidon offered a
horse (or a salt water spring) by striking the earth with his trident. Athene offered an
olive tree by striking the earth with her spear. Athene’s gift was accepted as it
sustained life (being a fruit and therefore food with water). (NB This is scultped on
the West pediment of the Parthenon). The city’s name was changed to Athene’s city –
Athens.
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Appendix A: Resource sheets for Level 1E

The Classical Greek Alphabet
Letter Letter name English equivalent
A a alpha a
B b beta b
G g gamma g
D d delta d
E e epsilon e
Z z zeta z
H h eta ē
Q q theta th
I i iota i
K k kappa k
L l lambda l
M m mu m
N n nu n
X x xi x
O o omicron o
P p pi p
R r rho r
S sj sigma s (s at beginning or middle of word,
j at end of word)
T t tau t
U u upsilon u (often ‘y’ in derivations)
F f phi ph
C c chi ch
Y y psi ps
W w omega ō
N.B. Breathings
If the symbol ` appears over a vowel, you have to add an ‘h’ before the vowel or
diphthong. ` over ‘r’ (r) becomes ‘rh’
If the symbol ' appears over a vowel, do not add an ‘h’!
e.g.

Vowel Diphthong
'a = a
'A = A Aƒ = Hai
`H = Hē
'i = i
`i = hi
'o = o
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Question 2 Greek words and Greek meanings

(a) For writing in English letters

kinhma movement
ºlektron amber, shining metal
prism(a) anything cut or sawn (eg glass)
„soskelhj with equal legs
kinhtik(oj) moving
qeatron a building for viewing
qerm(h) heat
∙omboj spinning top, figure with 4 equal sides
keram(e)ik(oj) made of clay
diagram(ma) something marked our by drawing lines
trapezion (-um) banker’s table, irregular 4 sided figure

(b) For writing in Greek letters

planet (planētēs) wanderer, wandering object

mania madness
pleura rib cage, rib, flank, side
atom (atomos) uncut, not possible to split
orchēstra area in a Greek theatre where the chorus danced
drama action or story told on stage by actors
scene (skēnē) stage, acting area in theatre
crisis (krisis) outcome, (in disease) turning point
basis step, base, foundation
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Question 3 Greek words and meanings

logoj - word, study of = logy

nomoj – law, principle = nomy

muqoj story
¢rcaioj ancient
topoj place
cronoj time
paqoj suffering
genea family background
yuch soul
tecnh skill
bioj life
zJon living creature
fusij nature
metewroj high in the air, lofty
(¢sthr) ¢stro star
(gunh) gunaikoj woman
qeoj god
o„koj house, home
(Ñrnij) Ñrniqoj bird

Ideas for these word lists and for the practice exercises have been inspired by ‘The
Greek we speak’ by Peter Barker (Bristol Classical Press, now Duckworth) ISBN 1
85399 176 7
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Question 4 Greek words and meanings

poluj many Ñktw eight

™ndon inside deka ten
™xw outside dwdeka twelve
meroj part, (e)„kosi twenty
component
(fwj) light ˜katon hundred
fwtoj
monoj only one cilioi thousand
di- two dunamij power
tri- three dunamikoj powerful
tetra- four thle far, far off
pente five mikroj small
˜x six crwmata colours
˜pta seven qermh heat

metron measure = -metry, -metre, -meter

grafoj writing, drawing = -graph(y)
˜dra seat, base, surface = -hedron
gwnia corner = -gon
skoph looking at = -scope
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Question 5 The numeral system

Question 6 The Olympian Gods

Zeuj
Poseidwn
Aƒdhj
`Hra
'Aqhnh
'Apollwn
'Artemij
'Afrodith
Dhmhthr
`Hfaistoj
Dionusoj
'Arhj
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Central Athens 400BC

1 Temple of Hephaestus 8 Heliaea (Law courts)

2 Stoa of Zeus 9 South Stoa
3 Old Bouleuterion (Council Meeting 10 Fountain house
House) 11 Mint
4 New Bouleuterion 12 Law court
5 Tholos (Living quarters for Council 13 Stoa Poikile (Painted Stoa – scenes of
members on duty) Athenian military exploits)
6 Boundary stone of Agora 14 Altar of the twelve gods
7 Monument of Eponymous heroes 15 Altar to a hero
(official notice board) 16 Pnyx (meeting place of Assembly)
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Level 1S Test Syllabus

Total marks: 60
Total required to pass: 36
*Pass with merit: 48
*Pass with distinction: 54
*at the discretion of the teacher in charge.

In any question involving the writing of Greek, macrons (‘long marks’) will be used
to show where h (ē)or w (ō)is required.

Questions will be set as follows:

1 Comprehension questions on a passage of continuous Greek not 15

exceeding 70 words.
The required vocabulary list and grammar/ syntax specification is
shown on p. 14
2-5 Questions on the following Greek texts: 15
panta ∙ei (Heraclitus)
¢nqrwpoj ™sti fusei politikon zJon (Aristotle)
gnwqi seauton (the Delphic oracle)
pou moi ta ∙oda, pou moi ta „a, pou moi ta kala
selina;
tadi ta ∙oda, tadi ta „a, tadi ta kala selina.
(nursery rhyme from the Oxford Book of Greek verse no. 126(i) p165)
Questions will cover translation, identification of parts of speech,
vocabulary and elementary literary questions – words repeated, lack
of verb, rhythm.
6 A vocabulary test of significant Greek words that have survived as 5
roots for English words.
The required list is shown on p. 15.
7 Building up English words from Greek roots. 5
The words required for this question will be shown with meanings.
8 Building up English words from Greek roots using prefixes from 5
prepositions.
The words required for this question will be shown with meanings.
9 Writing Greek words in English letters and converting their English 5
forms into Greek. These words are significant to Athens in the 5th
century BC.
This list is an expanded version of the list for Level 1E question 11 but
the question must be worked without using the Level 1E word lists.
10 Simple civilisation questions on the Athenian Acropolis (including 10
identification of the Parthenon, Propylaea and Erechtheion) and the
Agora.
Except as stated, the range of questions will be as for Level 1E, but the
question must be worked without reference to the Level 1E map.
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Level 1S – Question 1 (Language)

Defined Vocabulary, Grammar and Syntax

Vocabulary

¢gaqoj -h -on good ™cw have

¢lla but kakoj -h -on bad
¢po (+ gen) from korh girl
badizw walk luw set free
bainw ride mhthr mother
gefura bridge Ð ¹ to the
dendron tree o„kia house
dia ti; why? paij child/ boy
didaskaloj teacher pathr father
™qelw want, be willing pempw sen
e„j (+ acc) into tij; tij; ti; who? which?
what?
e„mi am tij tij ti a, a certain, some
™k (+ gen) out of fil(e)w like
™n (+ dat) in filoj, filh friend

Grammar

Article Ð ¹ to all forms

tij; tij; ti; all forms
Nouns – declensions 1 (all types), 2 (all types), 3 (basic type – genitive sing –oj)
Adjectives of 2nd and 1st declension endings
Verbs – present indicative active: uncontracted –w and contracted – (e)w types
present infinitive in –ein

Syntax

Usage of the Article as ‘the’

Omission of the Article as equivalent to ‘a’, ‘some’
Noun case usage: Nominative as Subject and Complement
Vocative
Accusative as Object and with prepositions
Genitive as ‘possessor’ and with prepositions
Dative as Indirect Object and with prepositions
Adjective agreement with nouns by gender/ number/ case
Verb usages: Indicative as narrative and in conversation
Infinitive after ‘like’ or ‘want’
Singular forms when subject is Neuter Plural
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Level 1S Word lists

Question 6

¢rqroj limb monoj single, alone

baquj deep nomoj law
baroj weight, pressure xenoj foreigner, stranger
bracuj short Ðloj whole
gamoj marriage, wedlock peri around
gasthr stomach poluj much, many
(gastr-)
glwtta tongue, language potamoj river
dolicoj long pouj (pod-) foot
™ntera (ta) bowels pur fire
¹misuj half skopew I look at,
examine
qeoj god sofia wisdom
qermoj hot, heat sthqoj chest
ƒppoj horse sfaira ball
„soj equal tafoj tomb
kenoj empty tecnh skill, art
kefaloj head thle at a distance
kukloj wheel Ødwr water
liqoj stone filoj friend
maqhsij knowledge foboj fear
mania madness fwnh voice, sound
megaj big fwj fwtoj light
metron measure cronoj time, length of time
mikroj small æra hour, time,
season

Question 7

¢gioj holy,saintly kefaloj head

bibloj book kruptoj hidden, secret
bioj life para alongside
gramma drawing, pornh prostitute
something drawn
grafw write, draw stenoj narrow
e„kwn image, likeness tacoj speed
kalloj beauty topoj place
kardia heart
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Question 8

¢na up, back meta (meq-) with, after

(also: idea of
change)
¢po from para by (the side of)
dia (di-) through peri round
™k out of sun (sug-,sum-) with
™n (™g-) in Øper above
™pi (™f-) on, upon, over Øpo below
kata down

bolh throwing lusij (a) loosening

gnwsij knowledge metron measure,
measurement
gramma something morfh shape, form
written
gwnia angle Ðdoj way, route
derma skin Ñyij sight
dromoj running ∙oh (a) flowing
¹mera day tomh (a) cutting
qesij (a) placing fora burden, carrying
kefaloj head cronoj time
logoj word, study

Question 9

'Aqhnai Athēnai (Athens)

Sparth Spartē (Sparta)
Periklhj Periklēs (Pericles)
Qoukudidhj Thoukydidēs (Thucydides)
Platwn Platōn (Plato)
A„sculoj Aischylos (Aeschylus)
Sofoklhj Sophoklēs (Sophocles)
EÙripidhj Euripidēs
'Aristofanhj Aristophanēs