In some cases an idiom may be translated in a way that makes sense in English but is rather loose compared to the Latin construction. Selections from the Oxford editions of Catullus, Cicero, Horace, and Ovid's Amores appear on the examination. For Ovid's Metamorphoses, selections from Goold's revision of the Loeb text appear. You must also translate, accurately paraphrase, or otherwise make clear in your discussion that you understand the Latin. You must demonstrate that you are drawing conclusions or support from the Latin text, and not from a general recall of the passage.
Scansion includes indicating elision and the metrical quantities of the syllables.
You should be familiar with the figures of speech commonly used by Catullus and either Cicero, Horace, or Ovid. You should be familiar with the cultural, social, and political context of the literature on the syllabus. You should also have an understanding of the development of Latin lyric and elegiac poetry as literary genres. If you have opted for the Catullus-Cicero syllabus, you should also be familiar with Ciceronian style in particular and oratorical technique in general.