De Vere Tutors
De Vere Tutors

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‘Honour the work, and the work will honour you.’

 

Course Subjects:

Latin
Ancient Greek
English (Literature and Language)
Shakespearean Studies

Formats:

Regular Online Tuition
Structured Courses
Online Masterclasses

location:

International
 

 

At De Vere Tutors we are building a team of pioneers who will have the creative freedom to teach in the way that best communicates their knowledge and enthusiasm for their subject. All classes, courses and private tuition sessions are delivered online via Skype. Students from around the world can embark on tailored courses, from a week to a year or more, for instruction and inspiration. The goal is to forge a shared passion for the subject between teacher and taught. The classes offer much more than simple instruction for exams or qualifications, though they do that too: rather, they are designed to inspire the student to make the subject his own. They are also intended to make teachers of students, and vice-versa. Either way, the ultimate goal is the same: mastery.

Enquire here

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Lead Tutor: Charles de Vere Beauclerk

I am an experienced tutor in Latin, Classical Greek and English as well as an author and lecturer on literary and historical topics. I graduated with a first-class degree in Modern Languages from Hertford College, Oxford, where I founded the De Vere Society. I spent six years lecturing on Shakespeare in North America, becoming president of the Shakespeare Oxford Society (1995-7). Venues there included Harvard, Yale, M.I.T., the Smithsonian, the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. On my return to England I spent two years as literary assistant to the poet and philosopher Nicholas Hagger at Otley Hall in Suffolk.

I am co-founder of the Shakespeare Academy, a vice-president of the Royal Stuart Society, and was a trustee of the Shakespearean Authorship Trust for 25 years. In addition to lecturing at schools and colleges in the UK, I was on the Speakers’ Directory of the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies (NADFAS) for 10 years. My publications include Nell Gwyn: A Biography (Macmillan, 2005), Shakespeare’s Lost Kingdom (Grove, 2010) and Piano Man: A Life of John Ogdon (Simon & Schuster, 2014). In addition to my various writing projects, I am currently tutoring for Gwynne Teaching as well as taking on pupils under the banner of De Vere Tutors.



Keep up to date with latest thoughts, news and advice for students through the De Vere Journal, and please feel free to contact me to discuss your tutoring needs.

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The De Vere Journal

Featured
Morality
Morality

Morality is an old-fashioned word, which signifies a code of conduct handed down over the generations. This code of conduct forms the basis of a particular society’s values. Morality is thus rooted in time and tradition. It tends to be a collective concept…

Reputation
Reputation

The basic meaning of the root verb—putare—in the word ‘reputation’ is ‘to prune’, as in pruning vines. It can also mean ‘to purify’ and is related to the Latin words putus and purus, both meaning ‘pure’. Reputare would thus be ‘to prune again’ or ‘to repurify’…

Envy
Envy

The Latin word invidere, from which our words ‘envy’ and ‘invidious’ come, is a compound of the word videre meaning ‘to see’ or ‘to look at’. The prefix in- here gives the sense of ‘to keep one’s eye fixed on an object (with sentiments of secret jealousy)’….

Nature
Nature

Our word Nature comes from the Latin noun ‘natura’, which itself comes from the verb nascor, natus sum meaning ‘to be born’. Therefore the word natura has the primary meaning of ‘birth’. Its secondary meaning is ‘nature’, both as the order and constitution of the universe and as the natural disposition or character of a person, creature or thing…

Altitude
Altitude

Latin Illuminations: I shall be taking a different English word each week and attempting to cast new light on its meaning by looking at the Latin word or words from which it derives. I begin with the word ‘Altitude’.

Juno, Money & War
Juno, Money & War

Juno was an old Italian goddess of central Italy and was related to Astarte, the Phoenician goddess who presided over fertility and war. As Juno Regina, the Queen of Heaven, her cult was brought to Rome from Veii in Etruria in the 5th Century B.C.

Give the devil his due

It is difficult to imagine two more antithetical deities than Athena and Pan. Athena, one of the Olympian Twelve, was both parthenogenically born and a virgin; was the patron goddess of the two greatest city states of Hellas, Athens and Sparta, and a proctectress of cities in general; was a mistress of strategy in war and stratagems in peace; and invented the plough, rake, ox-yoke, horse-bridle, and chariot, as well as handicrafts for women.

Owls to Athens

The Latin equivalent of ‘coals to Newcastle’ (ligna in silvam) was the subject of an earlier post. The Greek equivalent is γλαυκ' Ἀθηναζε [ἀγειν], meaning ‘to bring an owl to Athens’. The owl was the bird of Athena, the patron goddess of Athens, and it is said that owls used to roost in the rafters of the old Parthenon, Athena’s sanctuary on the Acropolis (destroyed in the Persian invasion of 480 B.C.).

All in the nose

Naris, the word for ‘nostril’ in Latin, is used in the plural (nares) to mean ‘nose’. The Latin word derives from the Greek verb ναω meaning ‘to flow’ (just as the Greek word for ‘nose’ (ῥις, ῥινος) dervies from ῥεω, another verb meaning ‘to flow’). So the nose is associated radically with its flux―a throwback, perhaps, to an ancient theory of humours.

Some Notes on the Perfect Tense in Greek

The Perfect Tense in Greek, unlike in Latin, is always a true Perfect and cannot do duty for the Simple Past (i.e. the Aorist). It represents an action as already completed at the present time, such as in the sentence την εἰρηνην σεσωκα, ‘I have saved the peace’. This sentence can never be translated ‘I saved the peace’ (for that would imply nothing as to the completion of the action).

Please direct your enquiry to Charles Beauclerk:

Email: c.beauclerk446@btinternet.com

Telephone: 07850 121108

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Testimonials

 
 

‘Charles has been extremely patient and flexible in supporting my wish to return to studying Latin as an adult beginner.  He has made the subject thoroughly enjoyable, by including historical anecdotes as well as ensuring that I develop a solid grasp of the grammar. I cannot recommend him highly enough as a teacher.’
Amanda Stenhaug, UK

‘Charles has been teaching my children in preparation for their CE 13+. They have both improved a great deal, with Florence’s exam results going up 20% in one term! He is engaging and patient. My children say he is ‘nice and good at explaining things’
Antonia Bury, UK

‘We couldn’t be happier in terms of how much ground the boys have covered in a short space of time, but above all in terms of the range of stimulation they are receiving from his lessons. They often repeat that they learn more in 45 minutes with him than in any other subject they are taught at school.

‘Charles has become a benchmark for them, and for us, for how a teacher should be. The lessons are intense, well-planned, varied and cover not only grammar, declensions, conjugations, vocabulary, translations but also Ancient mythology and History. He sets the bar high but at the same time compliments them every step of the way, thus always leaving them with a feeling of satisfaction. They sense his breadth of knowledge and are aware of how much more there is to learn, but are inspired by it rather than being daunted by it, thanks to the fact that he is never overbearing. He handles them with a light, personable and often humorous touch, which they really enjoy.

‘We are delighted to have come across Charles. He is one of those inspirational teachers that leaves a mark in children’s lives.’
Saskia Terzani, Vietnam

‘Charles is a great teacher. He takes time to explain concepts to his students going over it until they understand. He is nice, very patient and keeps the classes interesting for his young students with jokes. My children love taking their Latin classes with him.’
Tomi Akinyanmi, USA

‘Mr Beauclerk is very good at explaining things. He is very nice and funny. He makes learning Latin easy and fun for me.’
– Fife

‘Mr Beauclerk explains things better than most teachers. He explains in a way that makes sense. Instead of just having me translate boring text, he tells me the story behind it so I am learning Latin as well as history in my classes. My Latin classes are a lot of fun.’
– Tofe

‘Mr Beauclerk takes time to explain things thoroughly. He points out the relationship
between English words and the Latin words I’m learning. He also tells me the story behind the text I am translating to help me understand the context. This has given me a better grasp of both vocabulary and grammar. I enjoy my classes with him and what I have learned has helped me in English, French and even history classes.’
– Mofe