pyramus and thisbe

Question 1

Pyramus and Thisbe, he the most handsome of young men, she the most desirable girl in the East.

Answer 1

Makes story exotic,
· more romantic,
· takes readers away from ordinary lives,
· provides escapism, makes story more magical and mysterious,
· allows author to use fantasy,
· explains presence of the lion,
Famous in Ovid’s time, Babylon was one of 7 wonders (irrigation in dry area), exotic, glamourous, great buildings, different to Ovid’s other stories that are set in Italy Greece Africa etc.
Ovid shows off he was “learned” by using obscure references e.g. mythological queen Semiramis of Assyria kingdom where Babylon was capital.

Question 2

lived next door to each other in the towering city of Babylon that Semiramis is said to have surrounded with brick walls.

Answer 2

Ovid conveys sense of isolation by word choices:
Towering city
Surrounded with brick walls
Couple are not free to do as they wish, cannot be with each other, held in their own prison inside their homes

Question 3

Being neighbours, their first childhood steps brought them together and in time their love grew. They would have married too, but their parents said no.

Answer 3

Knew each other since an early age, families must have been friends but Ovid does not say why the families do not speak anymore or allow Pyramus and Thisbe to be with each other

Question 4

Do you think their parents were right to keep them apart? Explain your answer.

Answer 4

Any from Yes
* Pyramus and Thisbe were too young to marry
* they had little experience of life/had had too sheltered an upbringing
* they should have obeyed their parents. Any other valid point.

No
* Pyramus and Thisbe were very much in love
* their parents should have respected their feelings
* young people falling in love is natural
* their parents were far too strict

Question 5

They were both on fire with love for each other, something no parent can forbid. There was no one they could confide this to; they communicated by nods and signs, and the more it was hidden, the more the fire of love burned.

Answer 5

Metaphor of FIRE:
Any two from
Fire symbolises danger and destruction which foreshadows their tragic deaths, in other words their love leads them to their death.
fire is often linked to passion.
love makes people feel ‘hot’.
they “burned” for each other.
the fire of love could not be extinguished fire represents impetuous and uncontrollable things love, like fire, blazes up and gets stronger

Question 6

Extract 2 In Latin
Lines 1-5
fissus erat tenui rima, quam duxerat olim,
cum fieret, paries domui communis utrique.
id vitium nulli per saecula longa notatum.
quid non sentit amor? primi vidistis amantes
et vocis fecistis iter, tutaeque per illud

Answer 6

A wall (paries) shared by both houses
(domui communis utrique) had been split
(fissus erat) when it had been built (cum
fieret) by a thin crack (tenui rima) which had
been formed long ago(quam duxerat olim).
This fault (id vitium) had been noticed
(notatum) by no one (nulli) through many
long years (per saecula longa). But what
escapes the notice of (non sentit) love
(amor)? You lovers would first (primi) have
seen it (vidistis), and you made it (fecistis) a
channel (iter) for your voices (vocis), and
through it (per illud) loving words
(blanditiae) often travelled (transire
solebant) safely (tutae) in tiny whispers
(murmure…minimo).

Question 7

Lines 6-13
murmure blanditiae minimo transire solebant.
saepe, ubi constiterant hinc Thisbe, Pyramus illinc,
inque vices fuerat captatus anhelitus oris,
“invide” dicebant “paries, quid amantibus obstas?
quantum erat, ut sineres toto nos corpore iungi
aut, hoc si nimium est, vel ad oscula danda pateres?
nec sumus ingrati: tibi nos debere fatemur,
quod datus est verbis ad amicas transitus aures.”

Question 8

loving words (blanditiae) often travelled (transire
solebant) safely (tutae) in tiny whispers
(murmure…minimo). Often, when Thisbe
had stood (constiterant) on this side (hinc),
and Pyramus on the other (illinc), in turn
each had felt (fuerat captatus) the breath
(anhelitus oris) of the other, they often said
(dicebant), “Jealous wall, (invide paries),
why do you separate (quid..obstas) lovers
(amantibus)? How little it would cost you
(quantum erat) to (ut) allow (sineres) us
(nos) to embrace each other (toto..corpore
iungi) or (aut), If this is too much (nimium
est), that you should open enough (pateres)
so that we can kiss (ad oscula)? But we are
not ungrateful (nec sumus ingrati): we
admit (fatemur) our debt to you (tibi nos
debere), because (quod) you have given us
(datus est) a way to communicate
(transitus) to our lover’s ears (ad amicus
aures) with our words (verbis).

Question 9

Pyramus and Thisbe had mixed feelings about the wall:

Answer 9

Any from
* they called the wall jealous or equivalent (invide)
* they blamed the wall for getting in the way
* the wall was stopping them from kissing/hugging/physical contact
* they were grateful it has a crack, through which they could talk
Any other valid point.

Question 10

What evidence is there that they were very much in love?

Answer 10

they found a way to communicate/found the crack in the wall
they communicated in secret/against parents’ will
they whispered romantically to each other they tried to catch each other’s breath
they wanted to hug/kiss
they were pleased they could hear each other/grateful to the wall
they overcame difficulties
they overcame the odds
they were determined
they are frustrated by being separated by the wall
they explicitly describe themselves as lovers –“amantes”

Question 11

They were speaking to the wall itself. Do you find Ovid’s description of the couple’s behaviour here realistic or not? Explain your answer.

Answer 11

Any from
No, not realistic because
no one talks to walls
the wall would never hear them/respond
it would make no difference/the wall would never open up

Yes, realistic because
they were annoyed that the wall was in their way/was keeping them apart
they accused the wall of being jealous/spoiling their romance
the wall was all they could see
taking their frustrations out on the wall might have made them feel better
people do talk to inanimate objects (often when annoyed)
talking to the wall might reflect their immaturity

Question 12

why use “you”

Answer 12

this technique is called personification. the first you is Pyramus and Thisbe just by themselves showing they are alone, but the second you is them with the wall showing they are no longer alone.

Question 13

Extract 2 lines 14-19

talia diversa nequiquam sede locuti
sub noctem dixere “vale” partique dedere
oscula quisque suae non pervenientia contra.
postera nocturnos Aurora removerat ignes,
solque pruinosas radiis siccaverat herbas:
ad solitum coiere locum. tum murmure parvo

Answer 13

So they talked (locuti) in vain (nequiquam), seated
apart (diversa ..sede), and at nightfall (sub noctem)
they said (dixere) “goodbye” (vale) while each
(quisque) gave kisses (oscula) which could not reach
the other (non perventientia contra). On the next day
(postera) when Aurora had removed the fires of the
night (nocturnos….ignes), and the sun (sol) had dried
(siccaverat) the frosty grass (pruniosas..herbas) with
her rays (radiis): they came (coiere) to their usual
place (ad solitem…locum). Then at first (prius)
complaining (questi) of their many misfortunes
(multa) in quiet murmurs (murmure parvo),

Question 14

Extract 2 Lines 15-28
multa prius questi statuunt, ut nocte silent,
fallere custodes foribusque excedere temptent,
cumque domo exierint, urbis quoque tecta relinquant,
neve sit errandum lato spatiantibus arvo,
conveniant ad busta Nini lateantque sub umbra
arboris: arbor ibi niveis uberrima pomis,
ardua morus erat, gelido contermina fonti.
pacta placent; et lux, tarde discedere visa,
praecipitatur aquis, et aquis nox exit ab isdem.

Answer 14

They decided (statuunt), as the silent night arrived (ut
nocte silent), they would try (temptent) to cheat
(fallere) their guards (custodes), and to reach
(excedere) the outside (foribus), and when they left
(exierint) their homes (domo), they would also leave
behind (relinquant) the buildings of the city
(urbis…tecta), and to ensure they didn’t (neve sit)
miss each other (errandum) by wandering
(spatiantibus) in the open fields (lato..arvo), they
would meet (convenient) at the tomb of Ninus 3 (ad
busta Nini) and lie hidden (lateant) in the shade of a
tree (sub umbra arboris); the tree there was rich
(uberrima) with snow-white (niveis) fruit (pomis), a
towering (ardua) mulberry tree (morus), close by
(contermina) an ice-cold (gelido) spring (fonte). They
were delighted with their plan (pacta placent); and
the daylight (lux), which seemed (visa) slow (tarde) to
disappear (discedere), dropped into (praecipitatur)
the waters (aquis) and night came

Question 15

Ovid uses a number of techniques

He is keen to show the lovers’ excitement.

Answer 15

By using historic present tenses and infinitives (all verbs after line 19 are present tenses or infinitives except “exierint” in line 22),
which conveys their fast moving plan.

Question 16

Ovid also describes the plan of the lovers as a “multiple” escape –

Answer 16

first from their guards, then their house, then the city, into the open fields.

Question 17

The arrival of the day had been drawn out in a long description near the beginning of the passage (the section about Aurora).

Answer 17

slow to arrive as it reflects the lovers frustration at being parted by night.

However, by contrast, after making the decision to run away at night, they are frustrated now by the slow approach of the darkness.

Question 18

We can share their frustration as the time seems to crawl, as it often does when we want something to arrive more quickly. How does Ovid do this?

Answer 18

1. Ovid uses “–que”(“and”) on a number of occasions (5), much more often than he would normally, to slow the action down. This technique is called “polysyndeton”.
2. His choice of words – he uses the word “tarde” (slow) to describe the setting of the sun into the lake being slow to disappear.

Question 19

Meet at the tomb - a sense of foreboding
and to ensure they didn’t (neve sit)
miss each other (errandum) by wandering
(spatiantibus) in the open fields (lato..arvo), they
would meet (convenient) at the tomb of Ninus 3 (ad
busta Nini) and lie hidden (lateant) in the shade of a
tree (sub umbra arboris); the tree there was rich
(uberrima) with snow-white (niveis) fruit (pomis), a
towering (ardua) mulberry tree (morus), close by
(contermina) an ice-cold (gelido) spring (fonte). They
were delighted with their plan (pacta placent); and
the daylight (lux), which seemed (visa) slow (tarde) to
disappear (discedere), dropped into (praecipitatur)
the waters (aquis) and night came

Answer 19

So that they did not miss each other wandering in the open fields they made a plan top meet at the tomb of Ninus (ad busta Nini)
Foreshadows their looming deaths

They would lie hidden in the shade of the towering mulberry(morus) tree rich snow-white (niveis) fruit (pomis),
Image to show Pyramus and Thisbe’s innocence, naivety about their looming deaths,

Question 20

What does mulberry tree symbolise?

Answer 20

true love and to some death.

Question 21

Ovid also slowly builds the sense of foreboding or approaching disaster

Whilst the lovers are eager to meet, the reader is aware that the approaching night brings its dangers.

Answer 21

1. The word “night” (nox) and its variants are repeated four times within this passage.
   Night is the time of darkness and death.
2. The image of night appearing out of the water is quite unsettling and threatening.
3. The lovers, by willing on the coming of night, are symbolically willing on their own death.
4. The choice to meet at the tomb of Ninus may also be ill-fated. Tradition stated that the tomb was constructed by his wife who was rumoured to have killed him.
5. Ovid uses the word “umbra” to describe the shade of the tree where they will meet, but it also means the dead soul in Latin.

Question 22

Lovers described as talking “nequiquam”

Answer 22

Appropriate word for ovid to use because it means in vain, fruitlessly, to no purpose. All of Pyramus and Thisbe’s plans are pointless as it ends up in their deaths.

Question 23

Ovid describes “nocturnos Aurora removerat ignes”. What does he mean?

Answer 23

The “nocturnal fires” are the meetings at night between
Pyramus and Thisbe to express their love to each other.
“Dawn” had “removed” this “nocturnal fire” because it meant
the sun came up and they had to leave their meeting place at
the wall

Question 24

Contrasts
Why does Ovid do this?

Answer 24

Night and day?
Ice cold stream and their love for each other “ fire”
One morning when Aurora had quenched the fires of night, -
the sun’s rays had thawed the frosty grass,Ovid did this to contrast their life with their death?

Question 25

In what ways is the plan well-thought out? In what ways might there still be
problems?

Answer 25

Plan to meet by the tomb in case they missed each other in the open fields.

Problems - getting past the guards, escaping their houses etc

Also the lovers had not thought that the countryside would contain such dangers, which deflates the idea of them as good planners – they are out of their comfort zone.

Question 26

Extract 2 Lines 29-34

callida per tenebras versato cardine Thisbe
egreditur fallitque suos adopertaque vultum
pervenit ad tumulum dictaque sub arbore sedit.
audacem faciebat amor. venit ecce recenti
caede leaena boum spumantis oblita rictus
depositura sitim vicini fontis in unda.

Answer 26

Cunning (callida) Thisbe slipped away (egreditur) through the darkness (per tenebras), turning the door on its hinges (versato cardine), and deceived (fallitque) her own family (suos) with her face veiled (adopertaque vultum) and reached the tomb (pervenit ad tumulum) and sat down (sedit) under the tree (sub arbore) as arranged (dicta). Her love (amor) created (faciebat) her boldness (audacem). Look (ecce), a lioness (leaena) arrived (venit) from a recent kill (recenti caede), with her jaws (rictus) splattered (oblita) with the gore (spumantis) from the cattle (boum), intending to get rid of (depositura) her thirst (sitim) in the waters (in unda ) of the
nearby spring (vicini fontis).

Thisbe sees the lion and hides in a cave, leaving her scarf behind. The lion picks it up in its bloody mouth, but drops it. When Pyramus arrives at the tree he sees the lion’s tracks and the blood-stained scarf. He jumps to the conclusion that the lion has killed Thisbe and blames himself. In tears, he decides to kill himself.

Question 27

What do we learn about Thisbe’s character in these lines?

Answer 27

She was sneaky / cunning (callida)
She was brave to go into the dark (per tenebras)
She was deceitful (fallitque) and hid herself from her own family (adopertaque vultum) as she sneaked past them
She was brave to set out alone
She was prepared to slip past the family(suos) and guards
She was rebellious/strong-willed/defiant
She was eager/got to the meeting place first
She was foolhardy/took risks
She was guided/strengthened by love
She stuck to her plan/was true to her word

The idea is how Thisbe’s love for Pyramus has changed her behaviour.

Also notice how Thisbe is described as cunning, deceitful and veiled, but then at the first sight of the lion, she becomes a simpering girl again.

Question 28

Ovid uses an EPIGRAM in this extract (which he is fond of using).

Answer 28

An epigram is a short sentence or phrase which conveys in a few words an idea which we might expect to run to more words.

The idea is how Thisbe’s love for Pyramus has changed her behaviour. Also notice how Thisbe is described as cunning, deceitful and veiled, but then at the first sight of the lion, she becomes a simpering girl again. Also the lovers had not thought that the countryside would contain such dangers, which deflates the idea of them as good planners – they are out of their comfort zone.

Question 29

Look at lines 29 to 31. How has love made Thisbe bold? Refer to the text in your answer.

Answer 29

She was sneaky / cunning (callida)
She was brave to go into the dark (per tenebras)
She was deceitful (fallitque) and hid herself from her own family (adopertaque vultum) as she sneaked past them
She was brave to set out alone
She was prepared to slip past the family(suos) and guards
She was rebellious/strong-willed/defiant
She was eager/got to the meeting place first
She was foolhardy/took risks
She was guided/strengthened by love
She stuck to her plan/was true to her word

Question 30

Look at lines 29 to 31. How has love made Thisbe bold? Refer to the text in your answer.

Answer 30

She was sneaky / cunning (callida)
She was brave to go into the dark (per tenebras)
She was deceitful (fallitque) and hid herself from her own family (adopertaque vultum) as she sneaked past them
She was brave to set out alone
She was prepared to slip past the family(suos) and guards
She was rebellious/strong-willed/defiant
She was eager/got to the meeting place first
She was foolhardy/took risks
She was guided/strengthened by love
She stuck to her plan/was true to her word

Question 31

Which two techniques which we have already noted does Ovid use again in this section.
Explain the effect of each. (4)

Answer 31

Short sentences (epigram)
Pacing prolongs the wait
Heightens suspense and tension

Historic present tenses and infinitives?

Question 32

Look at lines 32 to 34.
(a) Ovid makes his description of the lioness very frightening. Explain how he does this with his choice of words. (3)

Answer 32

arrived (venit) from a recent kill (recenti caede),
with her jaws (rictus)
splattered (oblita)
with the gore (spumantis)

Lioness had just recently killed, large jaws shows the danger that Thisbe is in as she could be its next prey victim
Splattered with gore shows vicousness of the kill that blood and flesh was everywhere

Question 33

Extract 2 lines 32-34
In what way does the appearance of the lion trigger the events that were to follow in the rest of the story?

Answer 33

The lion’s appearance made Thisbe hide in a cave/ run away from agreed meeting spot
The lion’s appearance made her drop her scarf
The lion seared the scarf with blood
When Pyramus arrives at the tree he thought it was Thisbe’s blood on the scarf and blames himself
He spotted the lion’s tracks
He thought the lion had killed Thisbe
HIs grief led him to suicide
She blamed herself and killed herself

You need to show a clear understanding of the sequence of events

Question 34

(b) We noted how Ovid likes to indicate that disaster is approaching. How does his
description of the lioness add to this? (2)

Answer 34

Lioness was smeared with blood and flesh gives a sense of foreboding that it will soon end in the lovers blood and their ultimate deaths????????????????????
The lion is foreshadowing their deaths???????

Question 35

Extract 3 in Latin lines 1- 9

quoque erat accinctus, demisit in ilia ferrum,
nec mora, ferventi moriens e vulnere traxit.
ut iacuit resupinus humo, cruor emicat alte,
non aliter quam cum vitiato fistula plumbo
scinditur et tenui stridente foramine longas
eiaculatur aquas atque ictibus aera rumpit.
arborei fetus adspergine caedis in atram
vertuntur faciem, madefactaque sanguine radix purpureo tinguit pendentia mora colore.

Answer 35

He thrust (demisit) the sword (ferrum) which he had around his waist (quoque erat accinctus) into his chest (in ilia), and without delay (nec mora) as he was dying (moriens), he pulled it out (traxit) from his burning wound (ferventi…e vulnere) . As(ut) he lay (iacuit) on his back
(resupinus) on the ground (humo), the blood (cruor) shot up (emicat) into the air (alte), not unlike when (non aliter quam) a water pipe (fistula) made with faulty lead (cum
vitiate..plumbo) is torn (scinditur) and shoots out (eiaculatur) a long stream of water (longas..aquas) through a narrow hissing crack (tenui stridente foramine) and
bursts (rumpit) into the air (aera) in spurts (ictibus). The fruits (frutus) on the tree (arborei), splattered by the gore (adsergine caedis), were given(vertuntur) a dark appearance(in atram…faciem), and the root (radix) drenched(madefacta) with purple blood
(sanguine..purpureo) tinted (tinguit) the hanging mulberries (pendentia mora) with the same colour (colore).

Question 36

In this section, Ovid does not spare us the gory detail of the effect of Pyramus’ suicide.
Explain how he does this by referring to his:-

(a) Choice of words and images

Word choice of “burning” wound links to the theme of burning passion/love/desire between the lovers.

Answer 36

Word choice of “burning” wound links to the theme of burning passion/love/desire between the lovers.

thrust (demisit) links to how passionate Pyramus’s feeling were for Thisbe?
Chest where his heart is, he had broken his heart?

Question 37

b) His use of simile

Answer 37

The simile of the waterpipe shows how pressured the force of the blood spurting out of Pyramus was which contributes to the gory and violent nature of Pyramus’s suicide.

Question 38

(c) His description of the “metamorphosis” of the mulberry tree.

Answer 38

The mulberries become tinted (tinguit) with his red blood and the roots soak up the blood and gore to reflect the level of gore in the scene.

The tree has changed form so can be ib=ncluded in the book on metamorphosis since it has metamorphosised from one form into another (from white to red berries?)

Question 39

In what way does Ovid’s use of language emphasise the horror of the scene? Refer to the text to support your answer.

Answer 39

Any from
* he plunged (demisit) the sword into his side (graphic image)
* he pulled the sword out (graphic image)
* the wound was still warm (ferventi . . .vulnere)
* Pyramus was now dying (not just injured) (moriens)
* his blood shot up into the air (emicat alte)
* there was a lot of blood
* the blood made a hissing sound (stridente)
* the blood beat the air with force (ictibus aera rumpit)
* Ovid uses the simile of a burst water pipe – this may detract from the horror or may add to it

Question 40

3. In what way could the simile be seen as comic? (2)

Answer 40

However a number of commentators have felt that Ovid’s comparison of the death scene of Pyramus to the bursting of a faulty water-pipe is in fact partly comic.

In spurts makes it comical as it is not over immediately

Long stream of water through a narrow hissing crack - hissing sound could be taken as being comical/funny sound

Question 41

4. If the simile is at least partly comic, what does it reveal about Ovid’s attitude towards
   the lovers? (2)

Answer 41

We will look at the attitude of Ovid to the story of the lovers at the end of the extract, but this is the first indication that Ovid might not just want his audience to think of the lovers as tragic
characters.

Question 42

5. Look at the word “mora” – mulberry in Latin. It is close to the word “mors” death. Is this significant? (1)

Answer 42

Yes as it symbiolises their deaths as berries soaked in blood

Question 43

Describe what happens to the mulberry tree as a result of Pyramus’s actions.

Answer 43

The Tree got spattered with Pyramus’s blood
The fruit turned dark red/purple/black in appearance
The roots are soaked with Pyramus’s blood

Question 44

Suggest reasons why Ovid goes into so much detail when describing the tree at this point.

Answer 44

Ovid wants to emphasise how widely blood got spattered
He wants the scene to look horrible
He wants to give as vivid a picture as possible to his readers of the scene
This is the start of the magic transformation when the white mulberries turn red
The berries becoming blood stained red is a pivotal moment in the narrative

Question 45

Extract 3 lines 4-6 compare Pyramus’s blood to water from a pipe. What can a modern reader learn about Roman plumbing from this description?

Answer 45

Romans used pipes to carry water
Their pipes were made of lead
Their pipes were liable to burst
There was strong water pressure
BUrst water pipes created huge jets of water
Burst pipes caused water to go everywhere
Burst pipes must have been fairly common for Ovid to use this comparison

Question 46

Extract 3 lines 10 - 18
ecce metu nondum posito, ne fallat amantem,
illa redit iuvenemque oculis animoque requirit,
quantaque vitarit narrare pericula gestit;
utque locum et visa cognoscit in arbore formam,
sic facit incertam pomi color: haeret, an haec sit.
dum dubitat, tremebunda videt pulsare cruentum
membra solum, retroque pedem tulit, oraque buxo
pallidiora gerens exhorruit aequoris instar,
quod tremit, exigua cum summum stringitur aura.

Answer 46

Now although she had not yet (nondum) recovered (posito) from her fear (metu), to
avoid (ne) disappointing (fallet) her lover (amantem), she (illa) returned (redit) and
sought out (requirit) the young man (iuvenem) with her eyes (oculis) and her heart
(animo), and longed (gestit) to tell (narrare) how she had avoided (vitarit) such great
(quanta) dangers (pericula); and although (utque) she recognised (cognoscit) by sight
(visa) the place (locum) and the form of the tree (in arbore formam), the colour (color)
of the fruit (pomi) made her uncertain(facit incertam): she was unsure (haerit) whether
it was here (an haec sit). While she hesitated (dum dubitat), she saw (videt) the
twitching (tremebunda) limbs (membra) writhing (pulsare) on the bloodstained
(cruentem) earth (solum), and pulled back (retro…tulit) her feet (pedem), and as her
face (ora) grew paler (pallidiora) than boxwood (buxo), she shuddered (exhorruit) just like (instar) the surface of the sea (aequoris) trembles (quod tremit) when it is touched (stringitur) by a light (exigua) breeze (aura).

Question 47

In lines 10-14, Thisbe came out of her hiding place and experienced a range of emotions. Describe the different emotions she felt in these lines. Refer to the text to support your answer.

Answer 47

she was still fearful/anxious about the lion
she did not want to let Pyramus down/wanted to be at the agreed meeting place
she was eager to see Pyramus
she was eager to tell him about the dangers she had avoided
she was uncertain/hesitant that she was in the right place
she was puzzled that the tree had red and not white berries

Question 48

In lines 15-18, Ovid uses two similes to describe Thisbes when she saw Pyramus lying injured on the ground. Discuss how successful both similies are in helping the reader to picture the scene.

Answer 48

her paleness is described as the colour of boxwood
- this colour would be familiar to readers which would help them to picture Thisbe’s pale face

she shook/trembled like the surface of the sea when the breeze makes it ripple
- this description shows how shocked she was (or similar)

description of the rippling sea would be familiar to readers
similes from the world of nature were considered to be particularly effective
the similes are perhaps too gentle for the violent scene

For full marks, each simile needs to be explained for 1 mark, with some judgement on the simile’s appropriateness for 1 further mark.

Question 49

Questions
1. Describe an instance of “dramatic irony” in this passage. (2)

Answer 49

She was feraful of the lion and had not yet recovered from this dramatic event but little does she know that she is about to encounter her worst fear which is the death of her lover.

Now although she had not yet (nondum) recovered (posito) from her fear (metu), to
avoid (ne) disappointing (fallet) her lover (amantem), she (illa) returned (redit) and
sought out (requirit) the young man (iuvenem) with her eyes (oculis) and her heart
(animo), and longed (gestit) to tell (narrare) how she had avoided (vitarit) such great
(quanta) dangers (pericula);

Question 50

2. Explain how Ovid’s choice of words and phrases show Thisbe’s love for Pyramus. (3)

Answer 50

avoid (ne) disappointing (fallet) her lover (amantem), she (illa) returned (redit) a

sought out (requirit) the young man (iuvenem) with her eyes (oculis) and her heart
(animo),

Question 51

3. Describe how Ovid uses colour effectively in this passage by contrasting the mulberry
   bush with Thisbe’s cheeks. (2)

.

Answer 51

Mulberry bush stained red with blood in contrast to Thisbes pale cheeks/ almost white like the berries used to be

Question 52

4. Explain the effect of the simile in this passage. (2)

Answer 52

her paleness is described as the colour of boxwood
- this colour would be familiar to readers which would help them to picture Thisbe’s pale face

she shook/trembled like the surface of the sea when the breeze makes it ripple
- this description shows how shocked she was (or similar)

description of the rippling sea would be familiar to readers
similes from the world of nature were considered to be particularly effective
the similes are perhaps too gentle for the violent scene

For full marks, each simile needs to be explained for 1 mark, with some judgement on the simile’s appropriateness for 1 further mark.

Question 53

5. In what ways are the gruesome descriptions of the previous section continued here? (2)

Answer 53

Twitching limbs

Writhing

Blood stained earth

Lion devoured its prey in previous extract seen now in this extract with another of its victims twitching after it has been mauled to death, in pain, its blood staining the earth. Imgae of lion with gore and blood spatter from its vitime Pyramus.