2c. Content of Verse Literature (H443/04) - Group 3 - For examination in 2027, 2028 and 2029 (fifth set text cycle) — OCR A-Level Latin
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2c. Content of Verse Literature (H443/04) - Group 3 - For examination in 2027, 2028 and 2029 (fifth set text cycle) explained
2c. Content of Verse Literature (H443/04) - Group 3 - For examination in 2027, 2028 and 2029 (fifth set text cycle) covers 2 specification points, including Virgil, Aeneid Book 4, lines 1–128, 529–629 and Tibullus 1.2, 1.5, 2.4.
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Open a point below for its explanation and revision guidance.
Virgil, Aeneid Book 4, lines 1–128, 529–629
This row sets the prescribed Latin text for Group 3 of Verse Literature: Virgil's Aeneid Book 4, but only lines 1–128 and 529–629, for examination in 2027, 2028 and 2029. Treat those line ranges as the boundary of what you must know in Latin. Read the two passages closely in the original, building vocabulary and recognising Virgil's word order, enjambment and imagery. Lines 1–128 open the book with Dido's turmoil and her sister Anna's encouragement; lines 529–629 present Dido's final speeches and preparations. Learn to translate and comment on the Latin, and connect the passages to the wider book and to material studied in translation. Do not assume the intervening lines are examinable in Latin; use them only as context.
Tibullus 1.2, 1.5, 2.4
This row names the Group 3 verse prescription for H443/04 in the 2027–2029 cycle: three Tibullus elegies, 1.2, 1.5 and 2.4. Treat the three poems as one connected study set. Read each elegy in Latin first for sense and speaker, then annotate: who speaks, to whom, and where the poem shifts between address, narrative and reflection. Build a running vocabulary and note recurring elegiac motifs such as the locked door, the rival, the wish for a simple country life, and the poet's stance towards love and loss. Compare how the three poems handle similar themes rather than reading each in isolation. Check the OCR specification and sample assessment materials for the exact prescription and any permitted supporting material before you rely on a translation or commentary.
Your focus
- Identify the exact prescribed line ranges of Aeneid Book 4 for this group.
- Translate and analyse Latin from lines 1–128 and 529–629.
- Relate the prescribed passages to the wider book using material studied in translation.
Show all 6 objectives
- Identify the speaker and addressee in each of Tibullus 1.2, 1.5 and 2.4.
- Explain how recurring elegiac motifs are handled across the three prescribed elegies.
- Support points with accurate references to the Latin text.
2c. Content of Verse Literature (H443/04) - Group 3 - For examination in 2027, 2028 and 2029 (fifth set text cycle) exam tips
Examiner Tips
- 💡Mark the exact line ranges in your text and annotate vocabulary and constructions within them.
- 💡Practise translating short sections aloud and then in writing to build accuracy.
- 💡Link each passage to the wider narrative of Book 4 using translated material as context, not as a substitute for the Latin.
- 💡Read each elegy aloud in Latin to fix metre and sense before annotating content.
- 💡Keep a motif log with line references so comparisons across the three poems are quick to retrieve.
- 💡Check the OCR specification and sample assessment materials for the exact prescription and permitted resources before revising.
Common Mistakes
- Assumes the whole of Book 4 is examinable in Latin; restrict close study to lines 1–128 and 529–629 and use the rest only as context.
- Reads the passages in translation only; work through the Latin itself to build translation and analytical skill.
- Ignores the examination years attached to this group; check that your cycle matches 2027, 2028 or 2029.
- Treats the three elegies as unrelated set texts; build a comparison grid linking shared motifs across 1.2, 1.5 and 2.4.
- Reads a translation only and never engages the Latin; work from the Latin text and use translation as a check.
- Assumes a fixed number of marks or a prescribed essay shape; consult the specification and sample materials instead of guessing.