OCR A Level Classical Civilisation H408/11 The World of the Hero. QUESTIONS AND MARKING SCHEME. LATEST 2022. RATED A+

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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: Homer, Iliad, 22.440�... �472 Andromache was at work in a corner of her lofty house on a web of purple cloth to be folded double, and weaving flowers into it. She had just called to the lovely-haired waitingwomen in her house to put a large cauldron on the fire so that Hector could have a hot bath when he came home from the battle – the innocent. She never dreamed that, far away from any baths, grey-eyed Athene had killed him at Achilles’ hands. But now the grief and lamentation at the battlements reached her ears. A tremor went through her and she dropped the shuttle on the floor. She called again her waiting-women: ‘Come with me, two of you: I must see what has happened. That was my husband’s mother I heard, and she is a reticent woman. My heart is my mouth: I am paralysed with fear. Some disaster is threatening the house of Priam. May I never hear such news, but I am terrified that godlike Achilles has caught my daring Hector by himself outside the town and chased him out over the plain; indeed, that he has already put an end to that fatal overconfidence of his. Because Hector would never hang back with the crowd – he always advanced far ahead of the rest, second to none in his courage.’ With these words Andromache, with palpitating heart, rushed out of the house like a mad woman, and her waiting-women went with her. When she came to the tower where the men had gathered in a crowd, she stood on the wall, searched the plain and saw her husband being dragged off in front of the town and the swift horses hauling him unceremoniously away towards the Greek ships. Black night came down and engulfed Andromache’s eyes. She crashed backwards, fainting. The bright head-dress flew far from her head, with the headband, the cap, the woven braids and headscarf that golden Aphrodite had given her on the day when Hector of the flashing helmet, after giving an untold bride-price, came to fetch her from her father Eëtion’s house. Trans: E.V. Rieu 5 10 15 20 3 © OCR 2021 H408/11 Oct21 Turn over She was at work in an inner room of the lofty palace, weaving a double-width purple tapestry, with a multicoloured pattern of flowers. In all ignorance she had asked her ladiesin-waiting to set a great cauldron on the fire so that Hector would have hot water for a bath, when he returned, never dreaming that far from all thought of baths, he had been brought low by Achilles and bright-eyed Athene. But now the cries and groans from the wall reached her, she trembled and the shuttle fell from her hand. She called to her ladies-in-waiting: ‘Two of you come with me. I must know what is happening. That was my husband’s noble mother I heard, my heart is in my mouth and my legs are numb. Some evil afflicts the House of Priam. May such news stay far from me, but I fear to my sorrow lest great Achilles has cut brave Hector off from the city, and quenched the fatal courage that possessed him, for he would never stay safely in the ranks, but must always charge ahead, yielding to none in daring.’ So saying, she ran through the halls, her heart pounding, beside herself, and her ladies followed. When they came to the wall, where the men were thronging, she rushed to the battlements and gazing out saw Hector’s corpse being hauled from the city, the powerful horses dragging it savagely towards the hollow ships. Darkness shrouded her eyes, enfolding her, and she fell backward, senseless. From her head fell the bright headdress, the frontlet and netted cap, the plaited strands, and the veil that golden Aphrodite had given her when Hector of the gleaming helm had led her from Eëtion’s house, having paid a princely dowry for his bride. Trans: A.S. Kline 5 10 15 20 1 Explain why sympathy is felt for Andromache in Passage A. [10] 2* Explain how useful Passage A is in helping us to learn about the society of Trojan men and women living inside the city of Troy. [20] 4 © OCR 2021 H408/11 Oct21 Homer’s Odyssey Choose one of the following translations of the Odyssey and answer the questions which follow. Passage B: Homer, Odyssey, 23.146–181 The great hall echoed to the sound of the dancing feet of the men and the elegantly gowned women. ‘Ah!’ said the passers-by as the sounds reached their ears. ‘Somebody has married our much-courted Queen. The heartless creature! Not strong-willed enough to keep watch over the great house till her lawful husband comes back!’ That was what they said. They little knew what had really happened. Meanwhile the lion-hearted Odysseus, in his own home again, was bathed and rubbed with oil by the housekeeper Eurynome, and clothed by her in a beautiful cloak and tunic. Then Athene enhanced his comeliness from head to foot. She made him look taller and sturdier, and she caused the bushy locks to hang from his head thick as the petals of a hyacinth in bloom. Just as the craftsman trained by Hephaestus and herself in the secrets [Show More]

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