Tuesday 14 May 2024 – Afternoon
AS Level Classical Civilisation
H008/11 The World of the Hero
Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Turn over
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Option 1: The Iliad
Answer all the questions in Section A and one question in Section B.
Section A
Choose one translation of the Iliad and answer the questions.
Passage A
Homer, Iliad, 10.349–368
With these words they turned off and lay down among the dead beside the path. Dolon
in complete ignorance passed by them at a run. When he was as far ahead as the width
of a day’s ploughing by mules (and they are better than oxen at dragging a jointed plough
through the deep soil), the two men gave chase. Dolon stopped when he heard the footsteps
behind him, imagining they were friends coming from the Trojans to turn him back because 5
Hector had changed his orders. But when they were less than a spear’s throw away, he saw
they were the enemy and sprinted off in flight.
They were after him in a flash. As a couple of experienced, sharp‑toothed hunting
dogs relentlessly pursue a fawn or hare flying before them through wooded country and
screaming as it goes, so Diomedes and Odysseus sacker of cities relentlessly chased down 10
their man, heading him off from his own side. In fact, escaping as he was towards the Greek
ships, Dolon was just about to run into the sentries when Athene gave Diomedes an extra
turn of speed so that no Greek could boast he had hit Dolon before Diomedes could get him.
Translation: E.V. Rieu
OR
With this, they lay down, off the path, among the corpses, while Dolon unknowingly ran
past them. When he was as far as the width of land a mule‑team plough in a day, mules
being better at ploughing deep fallow than oxen, the pair gave chase. Hearing the sound
behind him he thought they were friends from the Trojan ranks coming to call him back,
and that Hector had changed his mind. But when they were no more than a spear‑cast 5
distant, he knew they were enemies and took to his heels, while they tore after him. Like
two sharp‑fanged hunting dogs pursuing a doe or a screaming hare through the woods, so
Diomedes and Odysseus, sacker of cities, relentlessly chased him down, cutting him off
from his camp. As he ran towards the ships, about to reach the outposts, Athene spurred
Diomedes on, so that no bronze‑clad Achaean could boast of striking Dolon before him. 10
Translation: A.S. Kline
© OCR 2024 H008/11 Jun24
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1 Who proposed the mission which Dolon is on in Passage A? [1]
2 What was the purpose of this mission? [1]
3 Why do you think Dolon accepted this mission? [1]
4 What happens to Dolon after he is captured? [1]
5 Explain why Passage A is an effective piece of story‑telling.
Make four points and support each point with reference to Passage A. [8]
© OCR 2024 H008/11 Jun24 Turn over
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Choose one translation of the Iliad and answer the questions.
Passage B
Homer, Iliad, 17.198–215, 223–235
When from afar Zeus who marshals the clouds saw Hector equipping himself in the
arms of godlike Achilles, he shook his head and said to himself:
‘Unhappy man! Little knowing how close you are to death, you are putting on the
imperishable armour of a mighty man of war, before whom all others tremble. And it was
you that killed his comrade, brave and gentle Patroclus, and improperly stripped the armour 5
from his head and shoulders. Well, for the moment at any rate I grant you supremacy. But
you must pay for it. There will be no homecoming for you from the battle, and your wife
Andromache will never take the famous armour of Achilles from your hands.’
The son of Cronus spoke and nodded his sable brows in confirmation.
The armour fitted Hector’s body well, the savage spirit of the terrible War‑god now 10
entered him and power and fresh vigour filled his limbs. Uttering his piercing war‑cry, he
went in search of his renowned allies and presented himself before all of them, resplendent
in the armour of great‑hearted Achilles. To rouse their spirits he went up and spoke to each
of them in turn…
‘…What I wanted was men who would be fully committed to fighting the war‑loving 15
Greeks in defence of the women and little children of Troy. That is why I impoverish my own
people by demanding they supply you with gifts and provisions and so keep your courage
high.
‘Turn, then, and straight at the enemy, every one of you, to live or die! That is the
intimacy of battle. To the man who forces Ajax back and brings Patroclus, dead though he is, 20
into the Trojan lines, I will give half the spoils, keeping the other half myself, so that he will
share the glory equally with me.’
So he spoke, and they lifted their spears and charged at the Greeks with full force, filled
with high hopes of retrieving the body from Ajax son of Telamon.
Translation: E.V. Rieu
© OCR 2024 H008/11 Jun24
