2025 OCR A Level Classical Greek H444/01 Unseen Translation
Combined Question Paper & Final Marking Scheme
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
Wednesday 21 May 2025 – Afternoon
A Level Classical Greek
H444/01 Unseen Translation
Time allowed: 1 hour 45 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 all the questions.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 100.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• This document has 4 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
, © OCR 2025 [601/8255/6] OCR is an exempt Charity
DC (KS) 354779/2 Turn over
*1851982547*
, 2
Section A
Unseen Prose
1 Translate the following passage into English. Please write your translation on alternate lines.
[50]
In his account of the nature and character of Cyrus the Great, Xenophon describes the Persian
system of education, which promotes moral character from childhood.
The father of Cyrus is said to have been Cambyses, king of the Persians. This Cambyses was
descended from the Persidae, and the Persidae derive their name from the hero Perseus. The
mother of Cyrus, it is generally agreed, was Mandane.
ἡ δὲ Μανδάνη αὕτη Ἀστυάγους ἦν θυγάτηρ τοῦ Μήδων γενοµένου
βασιλέως. φῦναι δὲ ὁ Κῦρος λέγεται καὶ ᾄδεται ἔτι καὶ νῦν ὑπὸ τῶν
βαρβάρων εἶδος µὲν κάλλιστος, ψυχὴν δὲ φιλανθρωπότατος καὶ
φιλοµαθέστατος καὶ φιλοτιµότατος, ὥστε πάντα µὲν πόνον ἀνατλῆναι,
πάντα δὲ κίνδυνον ὑποµεῖναι τοῦ ἐπαινεῖσθαι ἕνεκα. φύσιν µὲν δὴ τῆς 5
µορφῆς καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τοιαύτην ἔχων µνηµονεύεται· ἐπαιδεύθη γε µὴν ἐν
Περσῶν νόµοις· οὗτοι δὲ δοκοῦσιν οἱ νόµοι ἄρχεσθαι, τοῦ κοινοῦ ἀγαθοῦ
ἐπιµελούµενοι, οὐκ ἔνθεν ἐν ταῖς πλείσταις πόλεσιν ἄρχονται. αἱ µὲν γὰρ
πλεῖσται πόλεις ἀφεῖσαι παιδεύειν ὅπως τις ἐθέλει τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ παῖδας, καὶ
αὐτοὺς τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ὅπως ἐθέλουσι διάγειν, ἔπειτα προστάττουσιν 10
αὐτοῖς µὴ κλέπτειν µηδὲ ἁρπάζειν, µὴ βίᾳ εἰς οἰκίαν παριέναι, µὴ
τύπτειν ὃν µὴ δίκαιον, µὴ µοιχεύειν, µὴ ἀπειθεῖν ἄρχοντι, καὶ τἆλλα τὰ
τοιαῦτα ὁµοίως· ἢν δέ τις τούτων τι παραβαίνῃ, ζηµίαν αὐτῷ ἐπιτιθέασιν.
οἱ δὲ Περσικοὶ νόµοι οὕτως καθίστανται ὥστε τὴν ἀρχὴν οὐ τοιοῦτοι
ἔσονται οἱ πολῖται οἷοι πονηροῦ τινος ἢ αἰσχροῦ ἔργου ἐπιθυµεῖν. 15
Xenophon Cyropaedia 1.2.1–3 (adapted)
Names
ἡ Μανδάνη, -ης Mandane (mother of Cyrus the Great)
ὁ Ἀστυάγης, -ους Astyages (a Mede)
οἱ Μῆδοι, -ων the Medes (an ancient Iranian people)
ὁ Κῦρος, -ου Cyrus the Great (king of Persia)
οἱ Πέρσαι, -ων the Persians
Περσικός, -ή, -όν Persian
Words
ἔφυν (aorist) I am (by nature)
ἀνέτλην (aorist) I endured
ἐπιµελέοµαι (+ gen.) I take care (of)
ἀφίηµι I permit
µοιχεύω I commit adultery
© OCR 2025 H444/01 Jun25
Combined Question Paper & Final Marking Scheme
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
Wednesday 21 May 2025 – Afternoon
A Level Classical Greek
H444/01 Unseen Translation
Time allowed: 1 hour 45 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 all the questions.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 100.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• This document has 4 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
, © OCR 2025 [601/8255/6] OCR is an exempt Charity
DC (KS) 354779/2 Turn over
*1851982547*
, 2
Section A
Unseen Prose
1 Translate the following passage into English. Please write your translation on alternate lines.
[50]
In his account of the nature and character of Cyrus the Great, Xenophon describes the Persian
system of education, which promotes moral character from childhood.
The father of Cyrus is said to have been Cambyses, king of the Persians. This Cambyses was
descended from the Persidae, and the Persidae derive their name from the hero Perseus. The
mother of Cyrus, it is generally agreed, was Mandane.
ἡ δὲ Μανδάνη αὕτη Ἀστυάγους ἦν θυγάτηρ τοῦ Μήδων γενοµένου
βασιλέως. φῦναι δὲ ὁ Κῦρος λέγεται καὶ ᾄδεται ἔτι καὶ νῦν ὑπὸ τῶν
βαρβάρων εἶδος µὲν κάλλιστος, ψυχὴν δὲ φιλανθρωπότατος καὶ
φιλοµαθέστατος καὶ φιλοτιµότατος, ὥστε πάντα µὲν πόνον ἀνατλῆναι,
πάντα δὲ κίνδυνον ὑποµεῖναι τοῦ ἐπαινεῖσθαι ἕνεκα. φύσιν µὲν δὴ τῆς 5
µορφῆς καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τοιαύτην ἔχων µνηµονεύεται· ἐπαιδεύθη γε µὴν ἐν
Περσῶν νόµοις· οὗτοι δὲ δοκοῦσιν οἱ νόµοι ἄρχεσθαι, τοῦ κοινοῦ ἀγαθοῦ
ἐπιµελούµενοι, οὐκ ἔνθεν ἐν ταῖς πλείσταις πόλεσιν ἄρχονται. αἱ µὲν γὰρ
πλεῖσται πόλεις ἀφεῖσαι παιδεύειν ὅπως τις ἐθέλει τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ παῖδας, καὶ
αὐτοὺς τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ὅπως ἐθέλουσι διάγειν, ἔπειτα προστάττουσιν 10
αὐτοῖς µὴ κλέπτειν µηδὲ ἁρπάζειν, µὴ βίᾳ εἰς οἰκίαν παριέναι, µὴ
τύπτειν ὃν µὴ δίκαιον, µὴ µοιχεύειν, µὴ ἀπειθεῖν ἄρχοντι, καὶ τἆλλα τὰ
τοιαῦτα ὁµοίως· ἢν δέ τις τούτων τι παραβαίνῃ, ζηµίαν αὐτῷ ἐπιτιθέασιν.
οἱ δὲ Περσικοὶ νόµοι οὕτως καθίστανται ὥστε τὴν ἀρχὴν οὐ τοιοῦτοι
ἔσονται οἱ πολῖται οἷοι πονηροῦ τινος ἢ αἰσχροῦ ἔργου ἐπιθυµεῖν. 15
Xenophon Cyropaedia 1.2.1–3 (adapted)
Names
ἡ Μανδάνη, -ης Mandane (mother of Cyrus the Great)
ὁ Ἀστυάγης, -ους Astyages (a Mede)
οἱ Μῆδοι, -ων the Medes (an ancient Iranian people)
ὁ Κῦρος, -ου Cyrus the Great (king of Persia)
οἱ Πέρσαι, -ων the Persians
Περσικός, -ή, -όν Persian
Words
ἔφυν (aorist) I am (by nature)
ἀνέτλην (aorist) I endured
ἐπιµελέοµαι (+ gen.) I take care (of)
ἀφίηµι I permit
µοιχεύω I commit adultery
© OCR 2025 H444/01 Jun25
