20.10.25 Michaelmas Term 2025
meion, ponc sesit, buetid ollon. Many seeds indeed have been sown this term, and much of worth has grown from their cherished shells. Our treasurer has seen to the pruning of this aetheric refuge: weary, sluggish, it has suffered due excoriation, and been rewarded with a skin comelier than it or we had dared imagine. An old vizier, wise and yet unjaded by years lurking in the shadows of our halls, has leapt into the light: it is under his pastoral eye, as dreary winter looms, that we labour through the tithes and troubles of distant Trojan conflicts. Most marvellous of all, meanwhile, a fresh flock honours us, uncommon in its antique zeal; Saturday last saw the Z Amenity Room brimming with new-come heads, heads that had passed one session and returned nonetheless, and it need not be written how we rejoiced to see that our exertions at the annual Fair had come to bloom. Arms, men, gods weaving and woven await in wanderings through the Iliad yet to come. A libation is poured, smoke rises to heaven: prosperity to our company, and to its brave initiates most of all!
08.07.25 Easter Term 2025
From the sacred to the profane this term, from lofty transformation wide-ranging transgression; democracy's iron gears ground, the rowdy spirit of the tourist was roused, and so, possessed by the fervour of the term, we became 'lads on tour'. Many a text from many a time we visited in this theme's eager embrace; sodomite eunuchs (one eunuch, in fact) made the hagiography of Andrew the Fool particularly memorable, while we left flesh behind another week to sail with Brendan and his fellows to the Promised Land; Ananke's spindle drew admiring eyes toward the term's end, and a few staunch souls endured the deluge of the deep exam-period to reunite with Gilgamesh and Enkidu once again. A splendid year it has been: touched by memorable expedition, merry confabulation and most of all impassioned exegesis and exposition. As the next looms we shall do our utmost to retain these virtues in quest of fresh-faced novitiates to draw into the fold.
14.01.25 Lent Term 2025
After a long lapse in management these faded annals flare to life again. The conclave has met; occultation concluded, we turn with eager eye to the Metamorphoses of Ovid. Of no little significance is this decision; for here we have the first time in all my three years spent as a member of the Society in which a Classical text has claimed one of the greater terms. A welcome return to our roots, to be sure: we begin to rise above those baseless, pernicious and malevolent accusations, whispered on occasion in the Anna Bateson Room's darker corners, of degeneration into mediaevalism.
14/01/19 Lent Term 2019
Happy New Year! So following a highly rigorous selection process, the text being run this term has been decided as The Epic of Gilgamesh in the translation by Andrew George, first published by Penguin Classics in 1999. Come along this Saturday for the first society meeting of the term at Newnham. More details will be in the emails sent out by the society secretary. Subscription to the mailiing list for this and other enquiries can be be found through contact via this page.
15/10/18 Looking towards next term's text
So as the term now begins to show signs of an end in sight, nominations for next term's text are now invited. If you're keen to run a text throughout the term or even would prefer just to propose a text to be run, let the secretary know, either by email or in one of the remaining sessions.
27/10/18 Michaelmas Term 2018
This term it has now been decreed the text will be from Beowulf (the translation by Kevin Crossley-Holland) led by Dia Stronach, so if reading this and discussing it in the sessions sounds like something you'd be up for doing, come along to the fresher's week stuff (on the 2nd and 3rd of Nov) where we will be having a stall, or email the secretary to find out more.
14/10/18 Michaelmas Term 2018
As another academic year approaches, we anticipate a new text to focus on this year at Ancient Literature Society to while away those long Saturday afternons between the hours of 3.30-5pm. If you feel like leading a text is something you'd be drawn to doing, email the secretary with suggestions as we are still in the planning process for the year. We hope you have had a pleasant summer holiday suitably relaxing and free from the influences of term!
28/04/18 Easter Term 2018
This term, we will be studying a selection of texts from around the world on the theme of 'Creature Features'. Join us on Saturdays at 3:30 to find out more!
05/08/17 Michaelmas 2017
We are looking forward to another year of ancient adventures! If you are at all curious about what we do, come and find us at the fresher's fair at Kelsey Kerridge on the 3rd-4th October, drop the committee an email, or find us on facebook. Text for the coming term to be announced soon!
01/06/17 New partnership with Studypool
We are delighted to announce that for the 2017-18 year the Ancient Literature Society is sponsored by Studypool, a leader in online homework help.
05/07/15 End of Term
We can proudly conclude another fascinating year for the Cambridge University Ancient Literature Society. We went on an adventure with an Egyptian Prince, into space with Lucian, and investigated all literary angles of Creation and Destruction.
The society has had a consistent number of members attending meetings and events, we have elected a new committee, and we are looking forward to what next year will bring! See you then!
01/06/15 Annual Garden Party
Our Garden Party, themed Creation and Destruction will take place on Wednesday, June 17 from 3pm - 7pm at Leckhampton Gardens (just off Grange Road).
Food and drink will be provided, although contributions are welcome! Entry is totally free and friends/family are encouraged to join. We will be hosting the ASNC choir, a cuneiform tablet session, and much more!
13/03/15 Elections!
Our AGM will take place on Saturday the 9th of May and positions up for grabs are President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity Officer, Social Events Officer and Graduate Liason Officer. Please e-mail apmm2 at cam dot ac dot uk if you would like to run.
In other exciting news, next term we wil be looking at texts centering around CREATION AND DESTRUCTION! More on that soon!
01/02/15 Annual Dinner
We are excited to announce that our annual dinner will take place on March 4 in the amazing Stanley Library at Girton College. Dinner tickets will be 26 GBP and with wine 29 GBP. If you would like to purchase one, please do so via the website or at our weekly meeting. Hurry, because tickets will stop being sold February 15!
10/01/15 True Story!
In Lent Term 2015 we will be reading Vera Historia by Lucian.
"As much a predecessor of Douglas Adams as Jules Verne, Lucian's fantasy explores not only outer space (where he brokers war and peace between the inhabitants of the sun and moon), but also the Elysian fields, the geography of the Odyssey, and the interior of a giant whale. We get to meet Homer, Pythagoras, Socrates, and other immortals, as well as a host of bizarre creatures. The text is riddled with puns, innuendo, parody and satire."
Stay tuned for an overview of each week's bit of text!
23/12/14 Happy Holidays!
The Ancient Literature Committee wishes you all a very good holiday and a fantastic new year. See you in 2015! (New text to be revealed shortly!)
09/10/14 Squash
It was amazing to meet so many of you at our Freshers' Squash today! Hope to see you on Saturday, when we kick off with our Egyptian text for the term. As a reminder, this is a list of all the texts we will be looking at the coming weeks:
week 1 - The Romance of Setna and the Mummies, part I: Prince Setna of Egypt goes in search of a magical scroll which will allow him to attain divine wisdom and other special powers. He meets some ghosts who tell him a sad story.
week 2 - The Romance of Setna and the Mummies, part II: Setna continues his adventures - but then he meets the incredible and beautiful Tabubu. Life will never be the same again.
week 3 - The Adventures of Setna and Si-Osire, part I: Setna has a vision of the Underworld and his son Si-Osire is born. However, a new threat emerges when a mysterious magician threatens Egypt.
week 4 - The Adventures of Setna and Si-Osire, part II: Si-Osire fights the hostile magician with miraculous results, revealing an ancient story about a sorcery competition. The outcome will resolve the fate of Egypt.
week 5 - The Contendings of Horus and Seth - perhaps the best-known religious tale in all of Egyptian mythology, where two rival gods fight for supremacy in a series of dramatic contests which highlight the importance of lettuce.
week 6 - The Tale of the Two Brothers - a moving tale of brotherly love, marital strife and talking livestock. In Egypt, evil actions always have consequences.
week 7 - The Shipwrecked Sailor - A mysterious story about a merchant who ends up on an island inhabited by a strange hybrid creature with a story to tell. Perhaps one of the earliest true poems ever written.
week 8 - The Story of Sinuhe - Written as an autobiography, this work is all about court intrigue, battle, exile and return. Count Sinuhe discovers a very different world outside the borders of Egypt, and comes to some interesting conclusions.
08/10/14 Freshers' Fair II
Thank you all for visiting us at the Freshers' Fair! We gathered about 200 new people to our mailing list, and hope some of you will dare to make the step to visit a few meetings as well this term! Remember: we are going to start with some Egyptian stories, Saturdays at 3:30pm, at King's College. At the end of the term we will vote on what to read after Christmas, so do let us know if you have any preferences or suggestions.
05/10/14 Freshers' Fair
The CUSU Freshers' Festival 2014 will be held over two days on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th October, on Parker's Piece and in Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre which is adjacent. We will have a large stall there, so come find us! Look out for stacks of books, and of course biscuits.
04/10/14 New Website
New website launched! Let us know how/if it is working on your phones, Ipads and other Ithings.