Course prescriptions for Latin Continuers 2025–2027

Students taking Latin Continuers explore the ideas, culture, and stories of Ancient Rome via a range of prescribed texts. Find out more about these course prescriptions.

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About course prescriptions

There are prescribed texts required for study in the Latin Continuers Stage 6 course. The HSC course prescriptions should be read in conjunction with the:

Latin Continuers Stage 6 Syllabus and other support documents
Record of changes for Latin Continuers Stage 6 syllabus.

NESA reserves the right to make changes to the prescribed texts listed on this page.

Prescriptions for 2025

Prose

Text: Cicero, Pro Caelio.

Prescribed text and recommended commentary: Keitel E and Crawford JW (ed) (2010) Cicero: Pro Caelio, Focus Publishing, North Sydney NSW 2060.

Prescribed lines	Focus areas
Chapters: 30–39 (Sunt autem … tanta fecerunt.) 42–45 (Detur aliqui … possit sustinere) 48–53 (Verum si … non dedisti.) 61–65 (Sed tamen … aulaeum tollitur.) for translation and comment.	Cicero’s approach to the case Cicero’s use of character and drama Cicero’s language, style and rhetorical technique

Prescribed lines

Focus areas

Chapters:

30–39 (Sunt autem … tanta fecerunt.)
42–45 (Detur aliqui … possit sustinere)
48–53 (Verum si … non dedisti.)
61–65 (Sed tamen … aulaeum tollitur.)

for translation and comment.

Cicero’s approach to the case
Cicero’s use of character and drama
Cicero’s language, style and rhetorical technique

The whole of Pro Caelio is to be read in English translation.

Verse

Text: Virgil, Aeneid 4.

Prescribed text and recommended commentary: Ganiban RT (ed) (2012) Vergil, Aeneid Books 1–6, Focus Publishing, North Sydney NSW 2060.

Prescribed lines	Focus areas
Lines 1–197 279–412 584–629 for translation and comment.	The character of Aeneas Dido as a tragic heroine Virgil’s language, style and narrative technique

Prescribed lines

Focus areas

Lines

1–197
279–412
584–629

for translation and comment.

The character of Aeneas
Dido as a tragic heroine
Virgil’s language, style and narrative technique

The whole of Aeneid 4 is to be read in English translation.

Prescriptions for 2026

Prose

Text: Cicero, Pro Caelio.

Prescribed text and recommended commentary: Keitel E and Crawford JW (ed) (2010) Cicero: Pro Caelio, Focus Publishing, North Sydney NSW 2060.

Prescribed lines	Focus areas
Chapters: 30–39 (Sunt autem … tanta fecerunt.) 42–45 (Detur aliqui … possit sustinere) 48–53 (Verum si … non dedisti.) 61–65 (Sed tamen … aulaeum tollitur.) for translation and comment.	Cicero’s approach to the case Cicero’s use of character and drama Cicero’s language, style and rhetorical technique

Prescribed lines

Focus areas

Chapters:

30–39 (Sunt autem … tanta fecerunt.)
42–45 (Detur aliqui … possit sustinere)
48–53 (Verum si … non dedisti.)
61–65 (Sed tamen … aulaeum tollitur.)

for translation and comment.

Cicero’s approach to the case
Cicero’s use of character and drama
Cicero’s language, style and rhetorical technique

The whole of Pro Caelio is to be read in English translation.

Verse

Text: Virgil, Aeneid 6.

Prescribed text and recommended commentary: Ganiban RT (ed) (2012) Vergil, Aeneid Books 1–6, Focus Publishing, North Sydney NSW 2060.

Prescribed lines	Focus areas
Lines: 268–316 (Ibant obscuri … arcet harena.) 388–702 (quisquis es … simillima somno.) 756–797 (Nunc age … ardentibus aptum.) for translation and comment	Aeneas’s journey – physical, emotional, moral Virgil’s creation of atmosphere and pathos Virgil’s language, style and narrative technique

Prescribed lines

Focus areas

Lines:

268–316 (Ibant obscuri … arcet harena.)
388–702 (quisquis es … simillima somno.)
756–797 (Nunc age … ardentibus aptum.)

for translation and comment

Aeneas’s journey – physical, emotional, moral
Virgil’s creation of atmosphere and pathos
Virgil’s language, style and narrative technique

The whole of Aeneid 6 is to be read in English translation.

Prescriptions for 2027

Prose

Text: Cicero, Pro Caelio.

Prescribed text and recommended commentary: Keitel E and Crawford JW (ed) (2010) Cicero: Pro Caelio, Focus Publishing, North Sydney NSW 2060.

Prescribed lines	Focus areas
Chapters: 30–39 (Sunt autem … tanta fecerunt.) 42–45 (Detur aliqui … possit sustinere) 48–53 (Verum si … non dedisti.) 61–65 (Sed tamen … aulaeum tollitur.) for translation and comment.	Cicero’s approach to the case Cicero’s use of character and drama Cicero’s language, style and rhetorical technique

Prescribed lines

Focus areas

Chapters:

30–39 (Sunt autem … tanta fecerunt.)
42–45 (Detur aliqui … possit sustinere)
48–53 (Verum si … non dedisti.)
61–65 (Sed tamen … aulaeum tollitur.)

for translation and comment.

Cicero’s approach to the case
Cicero’s use of character and drama
Cicero’s language, style and rhetorical technique

The whole of Pro Caelio is to be read in English translation.

Verse

Text: Virgil, Aeneid 6.

Prescribed text and recommended commentary: Ganiban RT (ed) (2012) Vergil, Aeneid Books 1–6, Focus Publishing, North Sydney NSW 2060.

Prescribed lines	Focus areas
Lines: 268–316 (Ibant obscuri … arcet harena.) 388–702 (quisquis es … simillima somno.) 756–797 (Nunc age … ardentibus aptum.) for translation and comment.	Aeneas’s journey – physical, emotional, moral Virgil’s creation of atmosphere and pathos Virgil’s language, style and narrative technique

Prescribed lines

Focus areas

Lines:

268–316 (Ibant obscuri … arcet harena.)
388–702 (quisquis es … simillima somno.)
756–797 (Nunc age … ardentibus aptum.)

for translation and comment.

Aeneas’s journey – physical, emotional, moral
Virgil’s creation of atmosphere and pathos
Virgil’s language, style and narrative technique

The whole of Aeneid 6 is to be read in English translation.

Notes

Study of texts prescribed for any HSC course may not begin before the completion of the Year 11 course. This exclusion applies to study in Year 11 of this course and Year 11 in other subjects.
The NESA website contains the most up-to-date reference for prescribed texts.

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