Prose Set Text Group 1 (2027–28): Lucian, Charon 1–5 and 15–21

Lucian's *Charon* is a satirical dialogue from the 2nd century AD that presents the ferryman of the dead, Charon, observing the futility of human life from a cosmic perspective. In sections 1–5, Charon and Hermes discuss the vanity of human ambitions, with Charon asking Hermes to show him the world of the living. This sets up a philosophical critique of human pursuits—wealth, power, and fame—which Lucian exposes as trivial when viewed from the perspective of death. The text is a key example of Menippean satire, blending humour with serious moral commentary, and is set against the backdrop of the Second Sophistic, a period when Greek literature flourished under Roman rule.

For OCR A-Level Greek, this text is studied as part of Prose Set Text Group 1 (2027–28). It requires students to translate and analyse the original Greek, focusing on Lucian's linguistic style, rhetorical techniques, and philosophical themes. The dialogue's structure—a conversation between a god and a mortal-turned-psychopomp—allows Lucian to critique contemporary society while drawing on earlier traditions like Cynic philosophy and Homeric parody. Understanding *Charon* helps students grasp how Greek authors used satire to question societal norms and explore existential questions, a skill essential for analysing other prose texts in the specification.

The selected sections (1–5 and 15–21) are particularly rich: the opening establishes the premise, while sections 15–21 include Charon's famous 'view from above' (the *kataskopos*), where he observes humans as tiny, busy creatures. This passage is a highlight of Lucian's style, using vivid imagery and irony to mock human pretensions. Students must pay close attention to Lucian's word choice, sentence structure, and use of direct speech, as these are often tested in examination questions on literary analysis and translation.