The Odyssey
What sign does Zeus send to the assembly, and what is its meaning?
Zeus launches a pair of eagles who drop on the heads of the crowd/ Halitherses who is skilled in reading bird fight, tells them it means Odysseus is still alive and will return soon.
Who comforts Penelope after she learns of the suitors' plan and the journey of Telemachus?
Athena disguised as Penelope's sister Ipthime, comes to Penelope in a dream and calms her fears about Telemachus. However, she will not allay Penelope's fears about Odysseus.
What does this person tell Odysseus?
HE describes how his wife Clytaimenstra and her lover Aigsthos murdered him and his companions at their homecoming.
What does Orestes do?
He avenges his father's death. "Orestes killed the snake who killed his father. He gave his hateful mother and soft man a tomb together, and proclaimed the funeral day a festival day for all the Argive people."
How is craftiness and cunning of Odysseus revealed in this escape?
He brings along the potent wine, which he uses to drug Polyphemos. He announces that hsi name is Noman. Polyphemos calls to the other Cyclopes that Noman has injured him, so none of them come to his aid.
What natural phenomenon is controlled by Aelous?
He controls the winds.
What kind of creature does Odysseus encounter in the next land?
He encounters the Cyclopes, one-eyed giants who are quite lawless.
Why had Odysseus not yet return home from the Trojan War?
He had angered the god Poseidon's son, Polyphemos. Poseidon has placed obstacles in his way and Odysseus has not yet been able to return home.
What words are used to describe the suitors?
a. Mob b. Swagger c. Carousing d. Obscenely e. Lounge f. Gorging
How has Telemachos changed since the beginning of Book 1, and how does Penelope react?
He has become more assertive, referring to himself as the man of the house. She looks at him in wonder.
Why does Odysseus reveal his name to Polyphemos after he has escaped?
He is a hero of the Trojan War and a brave and proud man. He wants Polyphemos to know who has bested him
What happens at the homecoming of Agamemnon?
He is murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover, Aegisthus
Why is Menelaus to go to the Elysian Field instead of dying as other mortals do?
He is the husband of Helen, and son-in-law of Zeus, and he will not die.
Many other heroes speak to Odysseus, and he learns of their fates. What happens to Tantalos?
He is tortured by having an abundance of food and water always just beyond his grasp, so that his is constantly starved.
Why does Odysseus not let his mother come near the blood?
He is waiting to Teiresias to speak to him first
Why must Odysseus visit the house of Hades
He must consult with the blind prophet Tiresias, who will tell Odysseus all he needs to know about getting home.
What does Alcinous offer to Odysseus so he could stay with the Phaeacians?
He offers him marriage with Nausikaa
What does Odysseus promise Elpenor?
He promises to return to Circe's island and bury Elpenor's body
Athena tells Telemachos one piece of information about his father Odysseus from which men?
He should seek information from Nestor in Pylos and Menelaus in Sparta.
What does Teiresias tell Odysseus?
He tells him that his homecoming will be a hard one and gives Odysseus a warning not to harm the sheep and cattle of Helios on the island of Thrinakia. If they are harmed, Teiresias says he will lose all his companions and find trouble at home upon his long-delayed return. He also tells Odysseus that when he has put his home in order he must set out again on a journey and find a land where people do not know of the sea or the use of an oar, and there he must make generous sacrifices to Poseidon. If he does this, he will be assured of a peaceful life and seaborne death.
With Athena's help, what athletic feat does Odysseus accomplish?
He throws a heavy discus the farthest distance
Why does Telemachos call the men to the assembly?
He wants to publicly address the problem to the suitors.
According to Menelaus' informant, where was Odysseus?
He was being detained on an island by the nymph Calypso.
Which god or goddess brings Zeus' command to Calypso?
Hermes does.
What is the purpose of the first ten lines of the poem?
Homer is asking the muse, goddess of poetry, to inspire him, help him tell a story, and asks that his memory remain accurate
Why do you think Homer interrupts the narrative to Demodoks sing about the love of Ares and Aphrodite?
Homer wants to remind his own listeners that storytellers are blessed by the Muse and should be treated well.
Odysseus is insulted by Seareach. What does he accuse Odysseus of being? Why?
Laodamas urges Odysseus to compete in the games, but Odysseus refuses, explaining that he has suffered too much and longs only to be home. Seareach accuses Odysseus of being a man concerned only with business and profits, and not with being an athlete.
How is Telemachus' identity revealed to Menelaus?
Menelaus, unaware of the identity of his visitors, speaks of his grief and losses during and after the Trojan War. When he mentions Odysseus, Telemachus begins to weep. Helen the wife of Menelaus, enters the room and recognizes Telemachus immediately, even though she has never met him. Apparently, Telemachus's resemblance to Odysseus is quite striking, and he is easily recognizable to those who knew Odysseus.
Why doesn't his benefactor bring Odysseus to the palace in person?
Nausikaa is of marriageable age, and does not wish appear to favor a foreign man when there are noble Phaecaians to choose as a husband. She does not wand to cause any gossip and resentment among her possible suitors.
Who discover Odysseus on the shore?
Nausikka, daughter of Alcinous, ruler of Scheria, found Odysseus
How does Nestor help Telemachus?
Nestor gives Telemachus a cart and a team of horses to take him on his inland journey.
Describe Nestor
Nestor is an old friend of Odysseus' who also fought in the Trojan War. He offers food and drink to Telemachus and his men, even before asking their names. Nestor then tells stories about Agamemnon and Menelaus.
How has Penelope managed to hold off the suitors' demands for the past four years?
She appeals to them to let her finish a death shroud for Laertes, father of Odysseus, so that when he dies she can properly wind him as in her duty. She weaves the shroud by day and then un weaves it at night to prolong having to answer the suitors.
What does Odysseus' discoverer do for him?
She gives him food for olive oil. The she guides him to the city and tells him how to approach her parents.
What help does Ino give to Odysseus?
She gives him her magic veil which allows him to survive the long swim to Scheria.
Where is Athena during this part of the story
She has accompanied Telemachus on his journey, in the disguise of Mentor.When Telemachis makes preparations to spend the night in Nestor's palace, she changes to a vulture and flies away. Nestor interprets this as a sign of her favor for Telemachus, and prepares a sacrificial offering to her.
What is Zeus' command to Calypso?
She is release Odysseus and allow him to return home. (Zeus adds that Odysseus is to have no help from gods or men, and must make his own raft from trees on Calypso's island. Calypso presents the idea to Odysseus as her own. She gives him an axe to use for cutting. When he is ready to leave, she gives him food and clothing)
To whom does Athena refer when she says: "They all would find death was quick, and marriage a painful matter?"
She refers to the suitors.
What does Athena counsel Telemachos to do to the suitors?
She suggests killing them either openly or by treachery.
Athena gives Telemachos one piece of information about his father. What is it?
She tells him that Odysseus is not dead but is detained somewhere on the sea. She says Odysseus can and will do anything to get home.
What punishment is Sisyphos enduring?
Sisyphos must constantly push a large boulder up a steep hill. As soon as the boulder reaches the top of the hill, the gods send it rolling down, and he must start his labors all over again.
Where does the action in book 3 take place?
The action takes place at Pylos, Telemachus' first stop on his search for information about his father.
Why is it necessary for Odysseus to take some of his men by force away from the land of Lotus-Eaters?
The lotus fruit contained a magical drug that made them want to stay and eat more.
Odysseus and his men come within sight of Ithaca. Why do they not land?
The men think the bag from Aeolus contains treasure that Odysseus is keeping for himself. While Odysseus is sleeping, they open the bag. The winds escape and they are blown back to the Aeolan island.
What happens to Odysseus at the end of book V?
The ocean currents take him to the mouth of a river. He swims up the river and lands safely on the shore. Odysseus tosses Ino's veil back into the sea, makes a bed of leaves, and falls asleep.
What is the setting of book 4
The setting is the home of Menelaus in Sparta.
Who helps odysseus outwit Circe?
The ships sail into a bay, where they are becalmed. Odysseus, however, moored his ship in the sea. When the Laestrygonians discover the man, they throw boulders at them and sing the ships. They spear the dying crewman and eat them. Odysseus sees the slaughter and manages to get away.
How do the Sirens destroy men, and how do Odysseus and his men avoid destruction?
Their singing entices men to land on their island, where, enchanted, they die on the beach. Odysseus orders his men to plug their ears with beeswax so they won't hear the singing.
Identify the leading men of the suitors
They are Antinous and Eurymachus
Describe the Laestrygonians.
They are giants and cannibals
At Odysseus' house in Ithaca, we are introduced to the suitors. What are they doing in the house?
They are waiting for Penelope to make up her mind for which one of them she is going to marry. While waiting they are eating and drinking all of the food in the house.
Whom does Odysseus approach for assistance when he enters the palace?
As instructed by both Na and Athena, Odysseus grasps the knees of Arete, the wife of Alcinous.
Odysseus asks for further help from Aeolus. What is his reply?
Aeolus believes the gods hate Odysseus and that is why he has been blown back to the island. He refuses to help anyone who is in disfavor with the gods.
How does Aeolus show his goodwill when Odysseus is about to leave?
Aeolus gives Odysseus a bull's hide sewn into a bag. It contains the destructive storm winds. As long as the bag remains closed, Odysseus will have smooth sailing.
Who comes to speak to Odysseus after all the souls of the women have departed?
Agamemnon does.
Why was this person near the river?
Athena had come to her in a dream and chided her for having soiled clothes. According to Athena, no one will want to marry a girl who has piles of dirty laundry around. When she awoke in the morning, Nausikaa gathered the dirty laundry, and she and her maids set out for the river to wash the clothes.
How does Athena present herself to Telemachos?
Dressed as Mentes
What does Athena do during a meeting on Mount Olympus?
During Poseidon's absence, she asks Zeus to let Odysseus return home. She suggets that Hermes be sent to tell Calypso to release Odysseus. She will go to Ithaca and talk to Odysseus' son, Telemachus, and tell him where to go find out information about his father, Zeus agrees.
How is Odysseus able to wound Polyphemos?
Odysseus and his men prepare a log sharpened on one end. When Polyphemos returns to the cave with his flock, odysseus offers him the potent wine he has brought along. Polyphemos drinks it and falls into a stupor. Then the men heat the point of the log and drive it into his eye while he sleeps.
How does Odysseus gain access to the underworld?
Odysseus follows circe's instructions and digs a votive pit. He pours libations to the dead and sacrifices the lamb and ewe given him by Circe.
Why does Odysseus lead his men into Polyphemos' cave
Odysseus is both curios and hungry. He steals some of the animals and cheese. Being the warrior and explorer that he is, Odysseus is curious to see the owner of the cave; this is his mistake. Also, keep in mind the Greek custom of offering food to strangers. It is quite possible that Odysseus expected this kind of treatment from the Cyclopes.
Odysseus brags that he is an accomplished athlete but allows one test where the Phaecians would likely win. To which test does he refer? Why?
Odysseus says he would not preform well in a foot race, since he has been battered by the sea for so many days.
What happens to Odysseus on the eighteenth day, just as he sights the shores of Scheria?
Poseidon, returning from a vacation in Ethiopia, sees the raft. In a rage he creates a storm which destroys the raft.
Menelaus describes his stay in Egypt to Telemachus. During his stay there, who told Menelaus where Odysseus was detained?
Proteus, the Old Man of the Sea, did.
Who accompanies Telemachus to Sparta to the house of Menelaus?
Peisistratos, son of Nestor, does
What happens when Polyphemos finds Odysseus and his men in the cave?
Polyphemos is quite angry at the intrusion. He scoffs at Odysseus' request for courtesy. Instead, Polyphemos devours two of Odysseus' men.
What does Telemachos plan to do now?
Telemachus plans to take a ship and twenty men and sail to Sparta and Pylos in search of news of his father. He keeps this news secret until time for his departure. Then Athena causes the suitors to fall into a deep sleep, and sends a good wind to start Telemachus on his journey.
How do Odysseus and his remaining men escape from the cave?
They lash themselves to the rams and escape when Polyphemos lets the sheep out in the morning.
The scene shifts to the home of Odysseus. What plan do the suitors devise against Telemachus?
They put a ship in the harbor in order to ambush and kill him when he returns.
Which encounter does Odysseus and his men have before Polyphemos?
They sack Ismaros and take the Cicones' wives and possessions.