Combined Question Paper & Final Marking Scheme
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
Wednesday 4 June 2025 – Morning
A Level Classical Greek
H444/02 Prose Composition or Comprehension
Time allowed: 1 hour 15 minutes
You must have:
• the OCR 12-page Answer Booklet
Do not use:
• a dictionary
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink.
• Write your answer to each question in the Answer Booklet. The question numbers must
be clearly shown.
• Fill in the boxes on the front of the Answer Booklet.
• Answer either the questions in Section A or the question in Section B.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 50.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• This document has 8 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
, © OCR 2025 [601/8255/6] OCR is an exempt Charity
DC (PQ) 355872/2 Turn over
*1851261678*
, 2
Answer either Section A or Section B
Section A
Comprehension and Grammar
Read the passage below carefully and answer the questions which follow.
When a citizen called Aristophanes was sentenced to death, the Athenian state confiscated his
property and auctioned it off to make a profit. Raising less money from the sale than expected, the
state accused Aristophanes’ family of stealing from the estate before the auction. In this passage
the defendant, the brother-in-law of Aristophanes, is discussing Aristophanes’ character and attitude
towards Athens.
Aristophanes focused his attention and energy not only on his own private matters but also on the
state; any money that he had, he would spend it in the pursuit of glory.
γνώσεσθε δὲ ὅτι ἀληθῆ λέγω ἐξ αὐτῶν ὧν ἐκεῖνος ἔπραττε. πρῶτον µὲν
γὰρ βουλοµένου Κόνωνος πέµπειν τινὰ εἰς Σικελίαν, ὁ Ἀριστοφάνης ᾤχετο
ὑποστὰς µετὰ Εὐνόµου, Διονυσίου φίλου ὄντος καὶ ξένου, τὸ πλῆθος τὸ
ὑµέτερον πλεῖστα ἀγαθὰ πεποιηκότος.
ἦσαν δ᾽ ἐλπίδες τοῦ πλοῦ πεῖσαι Διονύσιον πολέµιον µὲν γενέσθαι 5
Λακεδαιµονίοις, φίλον δὲ καὶ σύµµαχον τῇ πόλει τῇ ὑµετέρᾳ. καὶ
ταῦτ᾽ ἔπραττον πολλῶν κινδύνων ὑπαρχόντων πρὸς τὴν θάλατταν
καὶ τοὺς πολεµίους, καὶ ἔπεισαν Διονύσιον µὴ πέµψαι τριήρεις ἃς τότε
παρεσκευάσατο Λακεδαιµονίοις. µετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐπειδὴ οἱ πρέσβεις ἧκον
ἐκ Κύπρου ἐπὶ τὴν βοήθειαν, ὁ Ἀριστοφάνης οὐδὲν ἐξέλιπε προθυµίας 10
σπεύδων. ὑµεῖς δὲ δέκα τριήρεις αὐτοῖς ἔδοτε καὶ τἆλλα ἐψηφίσασθε,
ἀργυρίου δ᾽ εἰς τὸν ἀπόστολον ἠπόρουν. ὀλίγα µὲν γὰρ ἦλθον ἔχοντες
χρήµατα, πολλῶν δὲ προσεδεήθησαν. οὐ γὰρ µόνον εἰς τὰς ναῦς, ἀλλὰ καὶ
πελταστὰς ἐµισθώσαντο καὶ ὅπλα ἐπρίαντο.
Ἀριστοφάνης δ᾽οὖν τῇ προτεραίᾳ ᾗ ἀνήγετο, εἰσελθὼν ὡς τὸν πατέρα τὸν 15
ἐµὸν ἐκέλευσε χρῆσαι ὅ τι εἴη ἀργύριον. προσδεῖν γὰρ ἔφη πρὸς τὸν µισθὸν
τοῖς πελτασταῖς.
Lysias, On the Property of Aristophanes 19–22 (adapted)
Names
ὁ Κόνων, -ωνος Conon, a Greek general
ἡ Σικελία, -ας Sicily
ὁ Εὔνοµος, Εὐνόµου Eunomus
ὁ Διονύσιος, Διονυσίου Dionysius, tyrant of Syracuse (a city in Sicily)
ἡ Κύπρος, -ου Cyprus
ὁ Ἀριστοφάνης, -ους Aristophanes
© OCR 2025 H444/02 Jun25