By Suha Choi ‘22
If you have been on Main Campus in late May, during pre-Covid times, it’s possible that you have at some time encountered a group of freshmen dressed in white togas rushing towards the Parkman room of the library, as they quietly recite unrecognizable Latin words over and over. This odd encounter points to a single possible event — it is time for the annual Classics Banquet and the famous Latin I play! Despite the challenges of hybrid learning and social distancing this year, the Classics Department was able to hold the annual Classics Banquet via Zoom this year. Here are some highlights.
This time, instead of wearing white togas and long beards, the main characters of Latin I play are spotted with masks on. Instead of a live performance at the Parkman room, the pre-recorded play allowed for more clear recitations of the line and the background of the main campus, perfect for remote students who have long missed the sight of our beautiful campus! The rest of the performance can be found in this Zoom recording.
The Classical Diploma students from VI form a presentation of their capstone project— exploring Greek mythology through a modern lens. One unique aspect of taking Classics at St. Mark’s is that students are challenged to go beyond translating a foreign language— young classicists at St. Mark’s constantly seek to find meaning and relevance in ancient texts. By applying historical context and linguistic knowledge altogether, the VI formers were able to each create their unique interpretations, summaries, and visual components of a chosen Greek myth. The details of the projects can be found on this website.
(Featuring VI Former Cara Mulcahey and her Greek mythology project)
The Classics Department also celebrated the winners of the annual book prize winners for the best sight translation of a given passage:
Latin I- Coco Chen
Latin II- Ryan Taylor
Latin III- Anika Sukthankar
Advanced Topics- Tate Frederick
Latin Workshop- Arden Williams
Greek I- Michael Ferlisi
Greek II- Cara Mulcahey
Greek III- PD Ragone
In addition to the book prize winners, the awardees of the National Latin Exam are also listed below.
James Sabet - Cum Laude Certificate (Latin I)
Hannah Macleod - Cum Laude Certificate (Latin I)
Maisie Pierce - Cum Laude Certificate (Latin III reading)
Arjun Yerabothu - Silver Medal Maxima Cum Laude (Latin I)
Alden Metha - Silver Medal Maxima Cum Laude (Latin III reading)
Frankie Ruperto - Gold Medal Maxima Cum Laude (Advanced Poetry)
Congratulations to all the winners and the Classics Department for organizing a successful Classics Banquet despite the switch to an online format. The next school year awaits another Classics Banquet in which everyone will be back on campus and able to gather in the Parkman room. Until then, valete!