A Level Classical Civilisation H408/11 The World of the Hero, QUESTION PAPER AND MARKING SCHEME. RATED A+

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Section A: Homer Answer all the questions on the text you have studied. Homer’s Iliad Choose one of the following translations of the Iliad and answer the questions which follow. Passage A: Home... r, Iliad, 24.89–106 The goddess silver-footed Thetis replied: ‘What does the great god want me for? I am so overwhelmed with sorrow that I shrink from mixing with the gods. However, I will come – Zeus’ words will not be idle.’ With these words the goddess took a dark-blue shawl – there was nothing blacker she could wear – and set out on her journey, preceded by swift Iris, quick as the wind. The waters of the sea made way for them, and they came out on the shore and sped up to the skies where they found far-thundering Zeus with all the other blessed everlasting gods seated round him. Thetis sat down by Father Zeus – Athene let her have her chair – and Hera, with a warm word of welcome, passed her a lovely golden cup which Thetis returned to her when she had drunk from it. The Father of men and gods began and spoke his mind: ‘So, goddess Thetis, you have come to Olympus in spite of your troubles. You are distraught with grief – I know that as well as you. Nevertheless I must tell you why I called you here.’ 5 10 Trans: E.V. Rieu ‘Why does the great god ask for me?’ the silver-footed goddess replied, ‘I’m possessed by such deep sorrow, I’d be ashamed to join the immortals, yet I will go, for anything he says must carry weight.’ With that, the lovely goddess donned a dark veil, blacker than black, and followed Iris, swift as the wind. The deep sea parted for them, and when they reached the shore they soared to the heavens, and found far-echoing Zeus surrounded by all the blessed immortals. Athene gave up her place next to the son of Cronos, and Hera handed her a fine golden cup, and welcomed her sweetly, and Thetis drank and gave her back the cup. Then the Father of gods and men addressed her: ‘Lady Thetis you come, I know, bearing the burden of sorrowful thought, yet I must tell you why I summoned you. 5 10 Trans: A.S. Kline 1 Explain how the attitudes and values of the Homeric world are demonstrated in Passage A. [10] 2* How is Zeus portrayed in Book 24 of the Iliad? Explain how typical this is of the way he is portrayed elsewhere in the Iliad. You may use Passage A as a starting point in your answer. [20] 3 © OCR 2018 Practice paper H408/11 Turn over Homer’s Odyssey Choose one of the following translations of the Odyssey and answer the questions which follow. Passage B: Homer, Odyssey 23.224–245 ‘But now you have faithfully described the secret of our bed, which no one ever saw but you and I and one maid, Actoris, who was my father’s gift when first I came to you, and was the keeper of our bedroom door. You have convinced my unbelieving heart.’ Her words stirred a great longing for tears in Odysseus’ heart, and he wept as he held his dear and loyal wife in his arms. It was like the moment when the blissful land is seen by struggling sailors, whose fine ship Poseidon has battered with wind and wave and smashed on the high seas. A few swim safely to the mainland out of the foaming surf, their bodies caked with brine; and blissfully they tread on solid land, saved from disaster. It was bliss like that for Penelope to see her husband once again. Her white arms round his neck never quite let go. Rosy-fingered Dawn would have found them still weeping, had not Athene of the flashing eyes had other ideas. She held the night lingering at the western horizon and in the East at Ocean’s Stream she kept golden-throned Dawn waiting and would not let her yoke the nimble steeds who bring us light, Lampus and Phaethon, the colts that draw the chariot of Day. 5 10 Trans: E.V. Rieu Now you have told me the true secret of our marriage bed, that no other mortal knew but you and I and a single maidservant, Actoris, who was my father’s gift before I came to you, and guarded the door of our fine bridal chamber – Now, you convince my stubborn heart.’ Her words stirred his heart to a greater longing for tears: and he wept, clasping his beloved, loyal wife in his arms. As welcome as the sight of land to the few surviving sailors, who swim to shore escaping the grey breakers, when their solid vessel driven over the sea by wind and towering waves has been shattered by Poseidon, who, saved from drowning, are overjoyed when their brine-caked bodies touch the land: welcome as that was the sight of her husband, as Penelope gazed at him, never unwinding her white arms from round his neck. Rosy-fingered Dawn would have risen while they wept, if the bright-eyed goddess Athene had not thought otherwise. She held back the long night at its ending, and golden-throned Dawn by Ocean’s stream, not letting her yoke the swift-hoofed horses, Lampus and Phaethon, the colts that draw her chariot, bringing light to men. 5 10 Trans: A.S. Kline 3 Explain what makes Passage B an epic piece of writing. [10] 4* Evaluate which recognition scene you consider to be the most emotional in the Odyssey. You may use Passage B as a starting point in your answer. [20] [Section A Total: 30] 4 © OCR 2018 Practice paper H408/11 Section B: Virgil Answer all the questions from this section. Choose one of the following translations of the Aeneid and answer the questions which follow. Passage C: Virgil, Aeneid, 6.450–474 Wandering among them in that great wood was Phoenician Dido with her wound still fresh. When the Trojan hero stopped beside her, recognizing her dim form in the darkness, like a man who sees or thinks he has seen the new moon rising through the clouds at the beginning of the month, in that instant he wept and spoke sweet words of love to her: ‘So the news they brought me was true, unhappy Dido? They told me you were dead and had ended your life with the sword. Alas! Alas! Was I the cause of your dying? I swear by the stars, by the gods above, by whatever there is to swear by in the depths of the earth, it was against my will, O queen, that I left your shore. It was the stern authority of the commands of the gods that drove me on, as it drives me now through the shades of this dark night in this foul and mouldering place. I could not have believed that my leaving would cause you such sorrow. Do not move away. Do not leave my sight. Who are you running from? Fate has decreed that I shall not speak to you again.’ With these words Aeneas, shedding tears, tried to comfort that burning spirit, but grim-faced she kept her eyes upon the ground and did not look at him. Her features moved no more when he began to speak than if she had been a block of flint or Parian marble quarried on Mount Marpessus. Then at last she rushed away, hating him, into the shadows of the wood where Sychaeus, who had been her husband, answered her grief with grief and her love with love. 5 10 15 Trans: D.West 5 © OCR 2018 Practice paper H408/11 Turn over Among them Phoenician Dido wandered, in the great wood, her wound still fresh. As soon as the Trojan hero stood near her and knew her, shadowy among the shadows, like a man who sees, or thinks he sees, the new moon rising through a cloud, as its month begins, he wept tears and spoke to her with tender affection: 5 ‘Dido, unhappy spirit, was the news, that came to me of your death, true then, taking your life with a blade? Alas, was I the cause of your dying? I swear by the stars, by the gods above, by whatever truth may be in the depths of the earth, I left your shores unwillingly, my queen. 10 I was commanded by gods, who drove me by their decrees, that now force me to go among the shades, through places thorny with neglect, and deepest night: nor did I think my leaving there would ever bring such grief to you. Halt your footsteps and do not take yourself from my sight. 15 What do you flee? This is the last speech with you that fate allows.’ With such words Aeneas would have calmed her fiery spirit and wild looks, and provoked her tears. She turned away, her eyes fixed on the ground, no more altered in expression by the speech he had begun 20 than if hard flint stood there, or a cliff of Parian marble. At the last she tore herself away, and, hostile to him, fled to the shadowy grove where Sychaeus, her husband in former times, responded to her suffering, and gave her love for love. Aeneas, no less shaken by the injustice of fate, 25 followed her, far off, with his tears, and pitied her as she went. Trans: A.S. Kline 5 Explain what impression we get of Dido from Passage C. [10] 6* Do you think Book 6 of the Aeneid is more optimistic than pessimistic? You may use Passage C as a starting point in your answer. [20] [Section B Total: 30] 6 © OCR 2018 Practice paper H408/11 Section C: Homer and Virgil Answer question 7 with reference to Passages A, B and C. 7 Which passage do you consider to be the more emotional? You should refer to the passage from the Aeneid and the passage from the work of Homer you have read. [10] Answer one of the following questions. Use classical sources, and secondary sources, scholars and/or academic works to support your argument. You should also consider possible interpretations of sources by different audiences. Either 8* ‘The portrayal of fighting becomes tedious in the Iliad.’ Assess how far you agree with this statement. [30] Or 9* Do you think Odysseus was a good leader? Justify your answer. [30] Or 10* To what extent do you think the gods and goddesses are shown in a caring and compassionate way in the Aeneid? [Show More]

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