Eagle

STAGE

4STAGE

4The Eagle of the NinthRosemary Sutcliff

Introduction

The storyThe story is set nearly two thousand years ago in

Roman Britain. Some years before the beginning of

the story, Marcus’s father, a commander of the Roman

Ninth Legion, disappeared with all his men into the

mists of Caledonia (Scotland). No-one returned, and

the Legion’s Eagle, the symbol of pride of any legion,

also disappeared. Now Marcus himself, at the age of

nineteen, arrives in Britain as a Legion Commander.

After only a short time in Britain, Marcus is

wounded in the leg in battle, and has to leave the

army. He remains in Britain, staying with his uncle, and

makes friends with his slave, Esca (whose life he has

saved), and also with Cottia, the British girl who lives

in the house next door.

It takes several months for Marcus’s leg to heal.

When his leg is better, he decides that he must go

to Caledonia to try and retrieve the Eagle – the only

way the good name of both the Ninth Legion and his

father can be recovered. He gives Esca his freedom,

and invites him to come with him as a friend, not

as a slave. Esca agrees, and they set off, travelling

disguised as an eye-doctor and his assistant.

They cross Hadrian’s Wall, which separates Roman-

occupied Britain from Caledonia, and soon meet

Guern. He was once a soldier in the Ninth Legion,

and is able to tell Marcus how the Ninth Legion

met its end, surrounded by Caledonian tribesmen.

Guern himself was wounded but was saved by some

villagers. He stayed in Caledonia and married a woman

from the village. He is unable to tell Marcus how his

father died, but assumes it was in the last battle with

the tribesmen. As for the Eagle, he knows only that it

was carried northwards by men from the tribe of the

Epidaii, who live in the mountains on the west coast.

For a month Marcus and Esca travel among the

Epidaii. Eventually they arrive in a village where they

stay for some time while Marcus treats the eyes of a

child. They discover that the eagle is being held there

in a secret place – as it was captured in battle it has

great signifi cance for the tribe.

They manage to steal the Eagle and head south

towards Hadrian’s Wall, pursued by the Epidaii. As they

get nearer to the Wall, their pursuers are close behind

them. They meet Guern again and he helps them to

escape to the Wall.

Back in Roman Britain, the Eagle is buried with

honour. Marcus returns to his uncle’s home where he

meets Cottia, who has grown into a young woman.

Because he has found the Eagle, Marcus is given land

and money, so that they can remain in Britain and farm.

For his part in the story, Esca is made a Roman Citizen

– but continues to live with Marcus and Cottia.

Background to the storyMost of Britain was part of the Roman Empire for

several hundred years, but Scotland was never fully

occupied. The Romans built a wall – Hadrian’s Wall – to

separate their Empire from Caledonia, but they also

attempted to extend their Empire northwards. And

it was in an attempt to maintain a Roman presence

north of the Wall that the Ninth Legion disappeared in

this story.

Roman Britain, south of the Wall, was very much

a mixture of the British and Roman cultures, with

the latter dominant. Many British people, like Cottia’s

uncle and aunt, adopted Roman ways, and tried to live

as Romans.

47

This ungraded summary is for the teacher’s use only and should not be given to students.

© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

OBW4 Activity Worksheets MB.indd 47 20/2/08 12:53:44

48 PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

STAGE

4The Eagle of the NinthPre-reading activity

The Romans

To the teacher

Aim: To start students thinking about the context of

the story

Time: 10–15 minutes

Organization: Give one copy of the worksheet to

each student or group of students. Ask the students

to think about the statements and decide which ones

they think are true. Ask them to write comments to

justify their decisions.

Key: 1: yes, 2: no (around two thousand years ago),

3: yes, 4: no (only North Africa), 5: no (they never

conquered Scotland), 6: yes, 7: yes, 8: no (they spoke

Latin), 9: no (but sometimes they made them slaves),

10: yes, 11: yes, 12: no, 13: yes, 14: no (they left a

large number of written documents).

1 The Romans originally came from Italy.

2 The Romans lived more than three thousand years ago.

3 The Romans had slaves.

4 The Romans were the rulers of all of Africa.

5 The Romans were the rulers of all of Great Britain.

6 The Romans had an excellent army.

7 The Roman Empire lasted for hundreds of years.

8 The Romans spoke English.

9 The Romans killed everyone when they took over a country.

10 Many Romans liked to watch people fi ghting animals.

11 The Romans built a wall across the north of England.

12 The Romans went to America.

13 In many countries you can still see Roman buildings.

14 The Romans didn’t know how to write.

YES NO COMMENTS

What do you know about the Romans?


49 © OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS PHOTOCOPIABLE

STAGE

4The Eagle of the NinthWhile reading activity

What happens next?

To the teacher

Where: At the end of Chapter 3 (page 26)

Aim: To encourage prediction




to decide what they think will happen to each

character.

What do you think will happen to these characters in the story?

1 will never walk again.

2 will fi nd his father.

3 will follow the Ninth Legion into Caledonia.

4 will return to Rome.

5 will fall in love with Cottia.

6 will become a soldier again.

7 will disappear like the Ninth Legion.

8 will become a very important man.

9 will never fi nd out what happened to his father.

10 will be killed.

MARCUS YES NO

ESCA YES NO

1 will go to Caledonia with Marcus.

2 will fi ght with Marcus.

3 will become a free man.

4 will go back to live with his tribe.

5 will fi ght the Romans again.

6 will go to Rome.

7 will become a very important man.

8 will be killed.

COTTIA YES NO

1 will fall in love with Marcus.

2 will go with Marcus to fi nd the Ninth Legion.

3 will refuse to marry Marcus because he is a Roman.

4 will fall in love with Esca.

5 will go to Rome.

6 will be killed.

7 will become a very important woman.


50 PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

STAGE

4The Eagle of the NinthAfter reading activity

Letters home

To the teacher

Aim: To encourage discussion about the characters




to rearrange the sentences to form four letters,

one from each character, and to put each sentence

number in the correct box. Alternatively, each

sentence could be cut and pasted on card and the

students be asked to rearrange the pieces into four

letters.

If there is time, students could then write a letter

from Uncle Aquila to an old friend in Rome.

Key: Dear Grania, A23, B11, C19, D20, E2.

My dear cousin, A7, B21, C18, D6, E22, F3.

Dear Antonius, A14, B17, C10, D8, E1, F5.

Dear Tertius, A9, B16, C12, D15, E13, F4.

At the end of the story four of the characters might write letters to old friends explaining what has happened to them. Here are some numbered pieces of the letters. Put the numbers in the correct boxes. The fi rst one has been done for you.

Dear Grania,A B C D E

Dear Tertius,A B C D E F

My dear cousin,A B C D E F

Dear Antonius,A B C D E F

1 Almost every man was killed by the Caledonians, but you have taken the Eagle from them and buried it with honour.

2 Best wishes, Cottia

3 Best wishes, Esca

4 Best wishes, Guern

5 Best wishes, Marcus

6 He set me free, and then I helped him fi nd the Eagle of his father’s legion – it had disappeared in Caledonia.

7 I am writing to tell you some strange news. I have become a Roman!

8 I did fi nally discover what happened to my father’s legion – the Ninth.

9 I expect this is a surprise. It must be more than ten years since I wrote to you.

10 I had to leave the legion because I hurt my leg in a fi ght–but I can still walk.

11 I know I hated the Romans before, but I hated what they did to my father, not the people themselves.

12 I now live in Caledonia.

13 I sometimes think about Rome, but the memories are a long way away now.

14 I’m afraid I shall not be returning to Rome this year – or for many years to come.

15 I’m happily married to a woman from this country and we have two children.

16 I’ve almost forgotten how to write! I’ve come a long way from Rome.

17 I’ve married a British girl and we’ve been given some land to farm near Calleva.

18 It happened because I was lucky in my master – now my friend – Marcus.

19 My husband Marcus is a wonderful man, and I’m sure you would like him.

20 We now own a farm near Calleva. Marcus talks about visiting Rome, but I think he’s too happy here to leave.

21 When I think that only two years ago I was a slave of the Romans!

22 When we brought it back, the Roman Legate made me a Roman.

23 You will never believe what’s happened to me. I’ve married a Roman!

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Eagle