1. TOPIC ONE: ARISTOPHANES’ COMEDIES DIONYSUS: Hemlock? HERACLES: That’s right. DIONYSUS:Now you’re giving me cold feet! HERACLES:You want a way that just goes straight down? DIONYSUS:Exactly. You see, I’m not much of a walker. HERACLES:Oh, a runner! Well – you know the tower in the Potters’ Quarter? Well, just go and hang onto the top of that tower, and watch the start of the torch race. And when they shout ‘One, two, three, off!’ – well, off you go. DIONYSUS:Where to? HERACLES:To the bottom. DIONYSUS:Oh, no, just think – all those lovely brains. I’m not going that way. HERACLES:Which way do you want to go, then? DIONYSUS:The way you went. HERACLES:Ah, but that’s a long trip. The first thing you come to is a great big bottomless lake. DIONYSUS:How do I get across? HERACLES:There’s an old ferryman who’ll take you across in a tiny boat, about so big, for two obols. Aristophanes, Frogs DIONYSUS: But to come to the point – I see you’re looking at my lion-skin. Well, I took the liberty, seeing that you travelled in those parts when you went down after Cerberus – well, I wondered if perhaps you could give me a few tips: any useful contacts down there, where you get the boat, which are the best eating-houses, bread shops, wine shops, knocking shops … And which places have the fewest bugs. XANTHIAS: I might as well not exist. HERACLES: You don’t seriously intend to go down there? You’re crazy! DIONYSUS: Never mind that, just give me a simple answer: which is the quickest way to Hades? I want a route that’s not too warm and not too cold. HERACLES: Let me see now. You could go via Rope and Gibbet: that’s a very quick way, if you don’t mind hanging around for a bit, to begin with. DIONYSUS: Don’t give me a pain in the neck! HERACLES: Well, there’s a good short way of executing the journey, via Pestle and Mortar. That’s used a lot these days – you can just pound along.

2. (a) Give TWO reasons why Heracles is the one that Dionysus consults about how to get to the Underworld. Quest ion EvidenceAchievementMerExc (a)Heracles has been to the Underworld before (not sufficient to say he went to get Cerberus).  He has returned successfully He has a reputation as a hero. He is known for enjoying the pleasures of life. He is Dionysus’ half-brother. (Other answers possible.) TWO reasons are required.

3. (b) (i) Who was Cerberus? (line 3) (ii) What is Heracles supposed to have done to Cerberus when in the Underworld? QuEvidenceAchMerExc (b)(i) The (three-headed) watchdog / of the Underworld. (ii)To have throttled him / strangled him / kidnapped him BOTH parts are require d.

4. (c) (i) Name the “old ferryman” (line 37). (ii) Explain the significance of “two obols” being charged to cross the lake (line 38). QuEvidenceAchMerExc (c)(i)Charon (ii)The traditional cost of one obol has been affected by (wartime) inflation / price has increased because of (wartime) inflation BOTH parts are required.

5. QuEvidenceAchMerExc (d)(i) All methods are violent / suicidal / could result in death (ii) Hemlock worked from the feet up (Or similar.) BOTH parts are required. (d) (i) What do the three routes suggested by Heracles in this extract have in common? (ii) Explain the joke that Dionysus is making when he says “Now you’re giving me cold feet” (line 22).

6. QuEvidenceAchMerEx (e)(i)Dionysus is more focused. He is trying to be practical, eg “I want a route that’s not too warm and not too cold”. Heracles is more of a buffoon / smart-alec: he just wants to make jokes and tease Dionysus. Dionysus is more cowardly because he wants a less threatening route cf Heracles is unconcerned about nature of the route (Other answers possible, eg contrast of Heracles’ confidence and Dionysus’ hesitancy.) (ii)Eg: Dionysus is basically pleasure-loving. Despite his lion- skin, he is not really interested in being heroic and wants to have a good time in the Underworld: “best eating houses”, etc. Dionysus is quite determined. Heracles warns him against the journey – “You’re crazy” – but he persists with his questions. Dionysus is a bit of a wit and responds with one-liners to Heracles’ laboured jokes about how to get to Hades, plus an example from extract (ONE characteristic required.) ONE part fully answered or TWO parts partially answered. TWO parts fully answered are required. (e) (i) Identify and explain ONE difference in the natures of Heracles and Dionysus shown in this extract. Both characters must be mentioned. Provide evidence from the text to support your answer. (ii) Discuss ONE further aspect of Dionysus’ character shown in this extract. Provide evidence from the text to support your answer.

7. QuEvidenceAchMerEx (f)(i) (As he rows across) Dionysus is joined by the Frogs, who swim around Charon’s boat / are heard off-stage. He wants to silence their chanting, but ends up competing with them (or similar) in their (raucous chorus) (of Brekeke-kex-koax). 2 details needed (ii) The Frogs: provide the reeds used by Apollo for his lyre provide the reeds used by Pan in his pipes are adored by the Muses, goddesses of artistic inspiration are popular in a home of the gods, Mt Parnassus sing in praise of Dionysus at his annual festival of the Marshes. (ONE area needed – 2 points required) ONE part fully answered or TWO parts partially answered. TWO parts fully answere d are required. (f) (i) Describe in detail the contest that Dionysus has with the Frogs when he crosses the lake (line 35). (ii) Explain ONE area in which the Frogs say they are helpful to the gods.

8. (g)(i) Eg Dionysus is wearing his own costume of the yellow gown and buskins as well as that of Heracles (the lion-skin and club), because he wants people to think he is Heracles. Both costumes must be mentioned. (ONE aspect in detail of costume or staging needed. Other answers, such as explanation of the skene / Heracles’ house. are possible.) Any TWO points fully answered or THREE points partially answered. Any THREE points fully answered or FOUR points partially answered. FOUR points fully answered are required. (g) (i) Discuss ONE aspect of the staging and / or the costumes of this extract. You must explain the aspect fully and provide evidence from the text to support your answer.

9. (ii) Discuss the possible staging and / or costumes of the episode following this extract, in which Dionysus crosses the lake and the contest with the Frogs takes place. You must describe in detail THREE aspects of the staging and / or costumes and explain why each aspect would have been effective. Do not repeat information used elsewhere. (ii)Eg: The orchestra was big enough to effectively represent the lake of the Underworld, across which Dionysus had to row, while Xanthias walked through the reeds and mud around the edges, represented by the audience. (sufficient without Xanthias as long as shape of orchestra is discussed) Charon the boatman might have poled his boat-on-wheels along the parodos and into the orchestra. Alternatively, the boat might have appeared on the ekkyklema, pushed from within the skene. Either method might have presented an effective gliding movement of a boat on water. The entrance of the Frogs from the parodos might have featured rhythmic leaping and dancing around the boat. This would have been a lively and colourful interlude. (Other answers possible, including the possibility of a non-visible chorus of Frogs. THREE aspects required.)