2025 OCR A Level Classical Greek
H444/03 Prose Literature Combined Question Paper & Final Marking Scheme
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
Thursday 12 June 2025 – Afternoon
A Level Classical Greek
H444/03 Prose Literature
Time allowed: 2 hours
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 one question in Section A, one question in Section B and one question in
Section C.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 75.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*).
• This document has 12 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
, © OCR 2025 [601/8255/6] OCR is an exempt Charity
DC (WW) 355291/2 Turn over
*1852466799*
, 2
Section A
Answer one question from this section.
1 Read the following passage and answer the questions.
τοῖσι δὲ ἡ Πυθίη ἀπικοµένοισι ἐς Δελφοὺς οὐκ ἔφη χρήσειν, πρὶν ἢ τὸν νηὸν
τῆς Ἀθηναίης ἀνορθώσωσι, τὸν ἐνέπρησαν χώρης τῆς Μιλησίης ἐν Ἀσσησῷ.
Δελφῶν οἶδα ἐγὼ οὕτω ἀκούσας γενέσθαι· Μιλήσιοι δὲ τάδε προστιθεῖσι
τούτοισι, Περίανδρον τὸν Κυψέλου ἐόντα Θρασυβούλῳ τῷ τότε Μιλήτου
τυραννεύοντι ξεῖνον ἐς τὰ µάλιστα, πυθόµενον τὸ χρηστήριον τὸ τῷ 5
Ἀλυάττῃ γενόµενον, πέµψαντα ἄγγελον κατειπεῖν, ὅκως ἄν τι προειδὼς
πρὸς τὸ παρεὸν βουλεύηται.
Μιλήσιοι µέν νυν οὕτω λέγουσι γενέσθαι. Ἀλυάττης δέ, ὡς οἱ ταῦτα
ἐξαγγέλθη, αὐτίκα ἔπεµπε κήρυκα ἐς Μίλητον βουλόµενος σπονδὰς
ποιήσασθαι Θρασυβούλῳ τε καὶ Μιλησίοισι χρόνον ὅσον ἂν τὸν νηὸν 10
οἰκοδοµέῃ. ὃ µὲν δὴ ἀπόστολος ἐς τὴν Μίλητον ἦν, Θρασύβουλος δὲ σαφέως
προπεπυσµένος πάντα λόγον καὶ εἰδὼς τὰ Ἀλυάττης µέλλοι ποιήσειν,
µηχανᾶται τοιάδε· ὅσος ἦν ἐν τῷ ἄστει σῖτος καὶ ἑωυτοῦ καὶ ἰδιωτικός,
τοῦτον πάντα συγκοµίσας ἐς τὴν ἀγορὴν προεῖπε Μιλησίοισι, ἐπεὰν αὐτὸς
σηµήνῃ, τότε πίνειν τε πάντας καὶ κώµῳ χρᾶσθαι ἐς ἀλλήλους. 15
ταῦτα δὲ ἐποίεέ τε καὶ προηγόρευε Θρασύβουλος τῶνδε εἵνεκεν, ὅκως ἂν δὴ
ὁ κῆρυξ ὁ Σαρδιηνὸς ἰδών τε σωρὸν µέγαν σίτου κεχυµένον καὶ τοὺς
ἀνθρώπους ἐν εὐπαθείῃσι ἐόντας ἀγγείλῃ Ἀλυάττῃ· τὰ δὴ καὶ ἐγένετο. ὡς
γὰρ δὴ ἰδών τε ἐκεῖνα ὁ κῆρυξ καὶ εἶπας πρὸς Θρασύβουλον τοῦ Λυδοῦ τὰς
ἐντολὰς ἀπῆλθε ἐς τὰς Σάρδις, ὡς ἐγὼ πυνθάνοµαι, δι᾽ οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἐγένετο 20
ἡ διαλλαγή. ἐλπίζων γὰρ ὁ Ἀλυάττης σιτοδείην τε εἶναι ἰσχυρὴν ἐν τῇ
Μιλήτῳ καὶ τὸν λεὼν τετρῦσθαι ἐς τὸ ἔσχατον κακοῦ, ἤκουε τοῦ κήρυκος
νοστήσαντος ἐκ τῆς Μιλήτου τοὺς ἐναντίους λόγους ἢ ὡς αὐτὸς κατεδόκεε.
µετὰ δὲ ἥ τε διαλλαγή σφι ἐγένετο ἐπ᾽ ᾧ τε ξείνους ἀλλήλοισι εἶναι καὶ
συµµάχους, καὶ δύο τε ἀντὶ ἑνὸς νηοὺς τῇ Ἀθηναίῃ οἰκοδόµησε ὁ Ἀλυάττης 25
ἐν τῇ Ἀσσησῷ, αὐτός τε ἐκ τῆς νούσου ἀνέστη.
Herodotus, Histories I, 19–22
© OCR 2025 H444/03 Jun25
, 3
(a) τοῖσι δὲ … ἐν Ἀσσησῷ (lines 1–2): explain why the Pythia would not yet reply to the Lydians. [2]
(b) Translate Μιλήσιοι δὲ … βουλεύηται (lines 3–7). [5]
(c) Ἀλυάττης δέ … οἰκοδοµέῃ (lines 8–11): what did Alyattes decide to do? [2]
(d) * ὅσος ἦν … κατεδόκεε (lines 13–23): how does Herodotus demonstrate the clever and
daring nature of Thrasybulus’ plan?
You should refer both to the content and to the language of the passage. [15]
(e) µετὰ δὲ … ἀνέστη (lines 24–26): in what ways did the success of Thrasybulus’ plan benefit both
the Lydians and the Milesians? [2]
© OCR 2025 H444/03 Jun25 Turn over
H444/03 Prose Literature Combined Question Paper & Final Marking Scheme
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
Thursday 12 June 2025 – Afternoon
A Level Classical Greek
H444/03 Prose Literature
Time allowed: 2 hours
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 one question in Section A, one question in Section B and one question in
Section C.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 75.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*).
• This document has 12 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
, © OCR 2025 [601/8255/6] OCR is an exempt Charity
DC (WW) 355291/2 Turn over
*1852466799*
, 2
Section A
Answer one question from this section.
1 Read the following passage and answer the questions.
τοῖσι δὲ ἡ Πυθίη ἀπικοµένοισι ἐς Δελφοὺς οὐκ ἔφη χρήσειν, πρὶν ἢ τὸν νηὸν
τῆς Ἀθηναίης ἀνορθώσωσι, τὸν ἐνέπρησαν χώρης τῆς Μιλησίης ἐν Ἀσσησῷ.
Δελφῶν οἶδα ἐγὼ οὕτω ἀκούσας γενέσθαι· Μιλήσιοι δὲ τάδε προστιθεῖσι
τούτοισι, Περίανδρον τὸν Κυψέλου ἐόντα Θρασυβούλῳ τῷ τότε Μιλήτου
τυραννεύοντι ξεῖνον ἐς τὰ µάλιστα, πυθόµενον τὸ χρηστήριον τὸ τῷ 5
Ἀλυάττῃ γενόµενον, πέµψαντα ἄγγελον κατειπεῖν, ὅκως ἄν τι προειδὼς
πρὸς τὸ παρεὸν βουλεύηται.
Μιλήσιοι µέν νυν οὕτω λέγουσι γενέσθαι. Ἀλυάττης δέ, ὡς οἱ ταῦτα
ἐξαγγέλθη, αὐτίκα ἔπεµπε κήρυκα ἐς Μίλητον βουλόµενος σπονδὰς
ποιήσασθαι Θρασυβούλῳ τε καὶ Μιλησίοισι χρόνον ὅσον ἂν τὸν νηὸν 10
οἰκοδοµέῃ. ὃ µὲν δὴ ἀπόστολος ἐς τὴν Μίλητον ἦν, Θρασύβουλος δὲ σαφέως
προπεπυσµένος πάντα λόγον καὶ εἰδὼς τὰ Ἀλυάττης µέλλοι ποιήσειν,
µηχανᾶται τοιάδε· ὅσος ἦν ἐν τῷ ἄστει σῖτος καὶ ἑωυτοῦ καὶ ἰδιωτικός,
τοῦτον πάντα συγκοµίσας ἐς τὴν ἀγορὴν προεῖπε Μιλησίοισι, ἐπεὰν αὐτὸς
σηµήνῃ, τότε πίνειν τε πάντας καὶ κώµῳ χρᾶσθαι ἐς ἀλλήλους. 15
ταῦτα δὲ ἐποίεέ τε καὶ προηγόρευε Θρασύβουλος τῶνδε εἵνεκεν, ὅκως ἂν δὴ
ὁ κῆρυξ ὁ Σαρδιηνὸς ἰδών τε σωρὸν µέγαν σίτου κεχυµένον καὶ τοὺς
ἀνθρώπους ἐν εὐπαθείῃσι ἐόντας ἀγγείλῃ Ἀλυάττῃ· τὰ δὴ καὶ ἐγένετο. ὡς
γὰρ δὴ ἰδών τε ἐκεῖνα ὁ κῆρυξ καὶ εἶπας πρὸς Θρασύβουλον τοῦ Λυδοῦ τὰς
ἐντολὰς ἀπῆλθε ἐς τὰς Σάρδις, ὡς ἐγὼ πυνθάνοµαι, δι᾽ οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἐγένετο 20
ἡ διαλλαγή. ἐλπίζων γὰρ ὁ Ἀλυάττης σιτοδείην τε εἶναι ἰσχυρὴν ἐν τῇ
Μιλήτῳ καὶ τὸν λεὼν τετρῦσθαι ἐς τὸ ἔσχατον κακοῦ, ἤκουε τοῦ κήρυκος
νοστήσαντος ἐκ τῆς Μιλήτου τοὺς ἐναντίους λόγους ἢ ὡς αὐτὸς κατεδόκεε.
µετὰ δὲ ἥ τε διαλλαγή σφι ἐγένετο ἐπ᾽ ᾧ τε ξείνους ἀλλήλοισι εἶναι καὶ
συµµάχους, καὶ δύο τε ἀντὶ ἑνὸς νηοὺς τῇ Ἀθηναίῃ οἰκοδόµησε ὁ Ἀλυάττης 25
ἐν τῇ Ἀσσησῷ, αὐτός τε ἐκ τῆς νούσου ἀνέστη.
Herodotus, Histories I, 19–22
© OCR 2025 H444/03 Jun25
, 3
(a) τοῖσι δὲ … ἐν Ἀσσησῷ (lines 1–2): explain why the Pythia would not yet reply to the Lydians. [2]
(b) Translate Μιλήσιοι δὲ … βουλεύηται (lines 3–7). [5]
(c) Ἀλυάττης δέ … οἰκοδοµέῃ (lines 8–11): what did Alyattes decide to do? [2]
(d) * ὅσος ἦν … κατεδόκεε (lines 13–23): how does Herodotus demonstrate the clever and
daring nature of Thrasybulus’ plan?
You should refer both to the content and to the language of the passage. [15]
(e) µετὰ δὲ … ἀνέστη (lines 24–26): in what ways did the success of Thrasybulus’ plan benefit both
the Lydians and the Milesians? [2]
© OCR 2025 H444/03 Jun25 Turn over
