Written by Entries are now open for the 2025 Reading Competition. Please find below the different levels as well as advice on how to prepare for it.
Junior (Years 8 & 9)
Record yourself reading Suburani Chapter 9 p140 Septimus revenit. A copy of the text with macrons marked is available and also an audio recording here: https://hands-up-education.org/arlt.html
Maximum of 3 entries per school.
Intermediate (Year 10 & 11)
Record yourself reading Virgil Aeneid 1 lines 76-77, 81-98
A copy of the text with macrons marked is available below. A recording of the poem can be found on our website: Audio readings – ARLT from 2.19 to 3.43 minutes.
Maximum of 2 entries per school
Senior (Year 12 & 13)
Record yourself reading Virgil Aeneid 2, lines 506-525
A copy of the text with macrons marked is available below. A recording of the poem can be found on our website: Aeneid Book 2 Audiobook (Classical Latin, Restored Pronunciation) beginning at 43.00 minutes
Maximum of 2 entries per school
The closing date for the competition is Friday 14th March 2025
Please preface each recording by stating school, student’s name and year, and include these details in the name of the MP3 file. Please check your recording to make sure it has recorded properly. Entries should be emailed to
Advice on pronunciation can be found at: Read it Right! – ARLT
and help with reading hexameter verse at: 12. Reading verse – ARLT
Entries will be judged on accuracy of pronunciation and ability to convey the meaning and mood of the passage. For verse, sensitivity to metre will also be noted. These features will be given approximately equal weighting. Short vowels that are elided should be completely dropped where appropriate; long vowels in elision should be pronounced short and run together with the succeeding vowel in such a way as to fit one metrical slot (synaloepha).
Special focus: quantities – please carefully observe the long vowels marked in the text, and the short vowels where no long is marked.
Winners will be announced in April/May 2025 on the ARLT website and by email to the winning schools. Book tokens will be given as prizes.
