Oxford Cambridge and RSA
May 2026 – 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 A Level Classical Greek Unseen Translation (H444/01) Question
Paper And Mark Scheme
, 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
, 3
Section B Unseen
Verse
2
(a) Translate the following passage into English. Please write your translation on alternate lines.
[45]
Neoptolemus, the son of Achilles, is telling his friend Philoctetes how he went to Troy to see the body
of his father with Phoenix and Odysseus, who had told him that he alone would capture Troy.
PHILOCTETES I do not know what to do first – should I ask about your experiences or
should I mourn your dead father?
NEOPTOLEMUS Your own afflictions are enough for you, I think. You unhappy man, you do not
need to mourn the next man’s troubles.
Φιλοκτήτης ὀρθῶς ἔλεξας· τοιγαροῦν τὸ σὸν φράσον
αὖθις πάλιν μοι πρᾶγμ᾽, ὅπως σ᾽ ἐνύβρισαν.
Νεοπτόλεμος ἦλθόν με νηὶ ποικιλοστόλῳ μέτα
δῖός τ᾽ Ὀδυσσεὺς χὠ τροφεὺς τοὐμοῦ πατρός,
λέγοντες, εἴτ᾽ ἀληθὲς εἴτ᾽ ἄρ᾽ οὖν μάτην, 5
ὡς οὐ θέμις γίγνοιτ᾽, ἐπεὶ κατέφθιτο πατὴρ
ἐμός, τὰ πέργαμ᾽ ἄλλον ἤ μ᾽ ἑλεῖν. ταῦτ᾽, ὦ ξέν᾽,
οὕτως ἐννέποντες οὐ πολὺν χρόνον μ᾽ ἐπέσχον
μή με ναυστολεῖν ταχύ,
μάλιστα μὲν δὴ τοῦ θανόντος ἱμέρῳ, 10
ὅπως ἴδοιμ᾽ ἄθαπτον· οὐ γὰρ εἰδόμην·
ἔπειτα μέντοι χὠ λόγος καλὸς προσῆν, εἰ
τἀπὶ Τροίᾳ πέργαμ᾽ αἱρήσοιμ᾽ ἰών. ἦν δ᾽
ἦμαρ ἤδη δεύτερον πλέοντί μοι,
κἀγὼ πικρὸν Σίγειον οὐρίῳ πλάτῃ 15
κατηγόμην· καί μ᾽ εὐθὺς ἐν κύκλῳ στρατὸς
ἐκβάντα πᾶς ἠσπάζετ᾽, ὀμνύντες βλέπειν τὸν
οὐκέτ᾽ ὄντα ζῶντ᾽ Ἀχιλλέα πάλιν.
Sophocles, Philoctetes 341–358
Names
ὁ Ὀδυσσεὺς, -έως Odysseus
ἡ Τροία, -ας Troy
τὸ Σίγειον, -ου Sigeion, a city near Troy
ὁ Ἀχιλλεύς, -έως (acc. -έα) Achilles
Words
τοιγαροῦν therefore
ποικιλοστόλος, -ον with a decorated front/prow
τὰ πέργαμα, -ων towers (of Troy)
ὁ ἵμερος, -ου (+ gen.) longing (for)
οὐρίῳ πλάτῃ ‘with a favourable voyage’
ἀσπάζομαι I welcome kindly, I receive with joy
Turn over for question 2(b)
© OCR 2025 H444/01 Jun25 Turn over
May 2026 – 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 A Level Classical Greek Unseen Translation (H444/01) Question
Paper And Mark Scheme
, 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
, 3
Section B Unseen
Verse
2
(a) Translate the following passage into English. Please write your translation on alternate lines.
[45]
Neoptolemus, the son of Achilles, is telling his friend Philoctetes how he went to Troy to see the body
of his father with Phoenix and Odysseus, who had told him that he alone would capture Troy.
PHILOCTETES I do not know what to do first – should I ask about your experiences or
should I mourn your dead father?
NEOPTOLEMUS Your own afflictions are enough for you, I think. You unhappy man, you do not
need to mourn the next man’s troubles.
Φιλοκτήτης ὀρθῶς ἔλεξας· τοιγαροῦν τὸ σὸν φράσον
αὖθις πάλιν μοι πρᾶγμ᾽, ὅπως σ᾽ ἐνύβρισαν.
Νεοπτόλεμος ἦλθόν με νηὶ ποικιλοστόλῳ μέτα
δῖός τ᾽ Ὀδυσσεὺς χὠ τροφεὺς τοὐμοῦ πατρός,
λέγοντες, εἴτ᾽ ἀληθὲς εἴτ᾽ ἄρ᾽ οὖν μάτην, 5
ὡς οὐ θέμις γίγνοιτ᾽, ἐπεὶ κατέφθιτο πατὴρ
ἐμός, τὰ πέργαμ᾽ ἄλλον ἤ μ᾽ ἑλεῖν. ταῦτ᾽, ὦ ξέν᾽,
οὕτως ἐννέποντες οὐ πολὺν χρόνον μ᾽ ἐπέσχον
μή με ναυστολεῖν ταχύ,
μάλιστα μὲν δὴ τοῦ θανόντος ἱμέρῳ, 10
ὅπως ἴδοιμ᾽ ἄθαπτον· οὐ γὰρ εἰδόμην·
ἔπειτα μέντοι χὠ λόγος καλὸς προσῆν, εἰ
τἀπὶ Τροίᾳ πέργαμ᾽ αἱρήσοιμ᾽ ἰών. ἦν δ᾽
ἦμαρ ἤδη δεύτερον πλέοντί μοι,
κἀγὼ πικρὸν Σίγειον οὐρίῳ πλάτῃ 15
κατηγόμην· καί μ᾽ εὐθὺς ἐν κύκλῳ στρατὸς
ἐκβάντα πᾶς ἠσπάζετ᾽, ὀμνύντες βλέπειν τὸν
οὐκέτ᾽ ὄντα ζῶντ᾽ Ἀχιλλέα πάλιν.
Sophocles, Philoctetes 341–358
Names
ὁ Ὀδυσσεὺς, -έως Odysseus
ἡ Τροία, -ας Troy
τὸ Σίγειον, -ου Sigeion, a city near Troy
ὁ Ἀχιλλεύς, -έως (acc. -έα) Achilles
Words
τοιγαροῦν therefore
ποικιλοστόλος, -ον with a decorated front/prow
τὰ πέργαμα, -ων towers (of Troy)
ὁ ἵμερος, -ου (+ gen.) longing (for)
οὐρίῳ πλάτῃ ‘with a favourable voyage’
ἀσπάζομαι I welcome kindly, I receive with joy
Turn over for question 2(b)
© OCR 2025 H444/01 Jun25 Turn over
