OCR Latin GCSE Official Thread 2016

That is a lot! I'm doing Pliny [avunculus meus et tres feminae] and Nisus and Euryalus [Aeneid IX].

I'm mainly focusing on, really, knowing the passages inside out; for me, there are parts that I can get just by thinking- ''nihil enim legit quod non excerperet''= For there was nothing from which he did not take extracts [Pliny- A Day In The Life], and some areas where I know where they're from but I won't know how to translate it.

Then the lit crit [Never used that phrase- 'tis fantasticus!] comes as a by product.
Being the only student means my teacher has literally given me the handbook- note use of the adverb 'literally' - from which I can learn the notes, and it's pretty easy. Then I can assign different bits to different aspects, making it fairly easy for me to say: "
'Ooh, I know that chiasmus is used in this bit- timorem eius sua securitate- as a way of denoting that Pliny the Elder's actions and emotions are going against the social norms, fully outlining how he is keeping his duty as commander of the fleet- Misenum, at which he is stationed- whilst also maintaining his selflessness despite putting himself in danger, shown by even more chiasmus- festinat illuc unde alii fugiunt."

You get the idea.

I'm doing those set texts too! Have you got any ideas for 8 mark questions for Pliny? I want to have a go at a few before tuesday

for the purpose of is another way of translating the gerundive of purpose
yeah, relicti erant was had been left behind

"astrologorum" is genitive plural - so there were definitely more than one.



The word was "confecta". It depends how you translated it. Did you put "having sustained very many wounds"? If so then I suppose there's a chance it could be a minor error, although it doesn't really get the sense that she was, literally, finished off by them...

As for "bearing a sword" it's an understandable mistake - after all, tollo's principal parts include sustuli and sublatum, simialr to fero's - but I don't know how strict the examiners will be. Will they even allow "drawing his sword", or is that too far away from the Latin? Guess we'll have to find out in due course.

I put astrologer singular (stupid silly mistake) is that minor or major?

Any omitted word is a major error. Unlessthere is a special ruling any error oftense, case or person etc. is a majorerror.

Yeah- these are some that my teacher has used, as well as some I've made up to put myself into the situation.

What does Pliny teach us about Roman values in his letters?

Just as a side:
You may wish to consider:
The characters' positions in society
The themes shown in both texts

How is Pliny the Elder portrayed in 'A Day In The Life' and is this also shown in 'The Death of Pliny The Elder'?*

In what ways can Pliny The Elder and Arria be described as foolish individuals?

How do the stories of Pliny The Elder and Arria link to today, in terms of society and personalities?*

Do you think Pliny The Younger is biased in any way towards Pliny the Elder?


That should keep you going until Tuesday

Tell me how you do!

(* denotes ones I made up myself...)

If it was "were easily crushed" it would require a passive - but it was an imperfect subjunctive so:
They entered the home so fast that they easily crushed a few slaves, who had been left behind to look after the mistress

Great questions

I've only got one, but you've probably seen it as it was in the 2015 paper:

How does Pliny the younger maintain the reader's interest in his letters? (Day in the life, death and Arria)

Funny you mention that- my teacher [or rather, my private tutor ] gave me the test as a practice. I'm thinking I need to be WAY more direct with my answers!

I'm hoping it is more related to the characters this year, because I find that question quite difficult to answer.

Same! I prefer the questions when they're more direct if you get me! And I need to agree with the question...I found Pliny a bit boring so I was really stumped on this question!!!

Does anyone have any good practice questions for Nisus and Euryalus

It all made sense, but it was difficult in a few respects. There were a fair few words which I had personally never seen before- 'inrupit', which apparently means 'he violated/he broke in'.

Also, did anyone definitely get what the clause with 'tum ventrem suum Anceto offerens exclamavit', or whatever it was, means?

I couldn't work out where the offerens came in, due to the fact Anceto was not in the nominative, yet he was the one that had caused Agrippina to die...

I personally find Nisus and Euryalus slightly boring. There's too much war. I'd rather learn about temples and Roman values, not about how the helmet of Euryalus betrayed him...

Possible 8 mark questions:-
1. What details in Virgil's tale of N and E strike you as tragic?
2.How does Virgil create suspense in the tale of N and E?
3.What makes Virgil's account of N and E story dramatic?
4.How does Virgil portray the characters of both N and E?
5. How does Virgil sustain our interest in the story of N and E?
6.What do you think are the key themes in Virgil's story of N and E?
7.What are the similarities and differences between the characters of N and E?
8.How sympathetically does Virgil treat N and E?
9. How does Virgil engage the audience in the story of N and E?
10. In your opinion, do N and E deserve their fate?

tips on revising latin lit? for caesar tacitus and cicero and nisus+euryalus