Hugo Mentors Logo

Hugo's Classics Pre-College programs connect students with mentors at leading universities for summer or academic year programs

Students pursue independent research projects designed around their specific interests: Latin or Ancient Greek language and translation, ancient history, mythology, religious and social practices, art, and architecture.

See all topics

A mentorship in Classics allows students to engage deeply with the Greco-Roman world of the past through an interdisciplinary lens. While strengthening their language skills in Latin or ancient Greek, students of Classics also learn about the philosophy, art, politics, history and culture of antiquity. A Classics mentorship truly brings the ancient world to life for students craving to go beyond the introduction offered by high school Greek or Latin.

A mentorship in the history and culture of ancient Greece and Rome is a gateway to the humanities.  A study of classics is interdisciplinary by nature, involving the study of some of the most influential western literature and art, along with political and military history, as well as social issues such as gender roles and sexuality, religion, the development of legal systems, and slavery.  Students completing a mentorship in classics hone their research, communication, analytical and critical thinking skills as they consider different kinds of evidence, including ancient texts, surviving buildings and other structures, and artifacts uncovered through archaeological excavation. Past research projects have ranged from a literary analysis of the character Medea, to a paper documenting how British dramas were integral in shaping Americans’ impressions of Julius Caesar.


Classics

projects

Creative Pieces and portfolios
Case Study
An original watercolor inspired by the Callisto section of Ovid's Fasti, with an accompanying artist's statement exploring themes in Ovid's work and how it intersects with issues of power, agency, morality and sexism today
Translations
Case Study
Original translation of the Daedalus story from Ovid's Metamorphosis, with a companion essay analyzing previous translator's approaches to Ovid's work
Creative Pieces and portfolios
Case Study
A fully produced, original audio production of an excerpt from Mary Zimmerman's play, Metamorphoses
Creative Pieces and portfolios
Case Study
An original series of letters inspired by Seneca's De Otio offering advice to friends and the wider public
Academic Papers
Case Study
Analysis of ancient Roman cuisine and culture, with a focus on the connection between indigestion and notions of luxury in Roman thought
Academic Papers
Case Study
Research paper examining slavery in the ancient worlds and its impact on other incidences of slave labor, linking chattel and wage slavery iconography to classical allusions
Digital Content
Case Study
Series of blog posts on an original website discussing female characters in Greek and Roman mythology and modern reactions to and embodiments of these mythological ideals
Academic Papers
Case Study
Academic essay on Roman houses as reflections of their owners' social status in the ancient world, written through an examination of secondary sources and original Latin translations
Academic Papers
Case Study
Exploring myths about the Olympian gods through ancient and contemporary sources
Digital Content
Case Study
A virtual gallery exhibition juxtaposing several works of antiquity and images representing antiquity with images that point to Classics' persistence today
Case StudiesTranslations
Case Study
High-level translation of Seneca’s Thyestes from the original Latin to English with annotations and analysis

Other topics