Studied by 37 people
Looks like no one added any tags here yet for you.
Two major pieces of epic literature in Western civilization?
Iliad and Odyssey
Famous ancient Greek poet?
Homer
Who is Herodotus?
Greek historian and geographer
What is the Iliad?
Greek hexameter epic poem
Who is Helen?
Most beautiful woman of Greece, wife of Menelaus, and cause of the Trojan War
Book 1?
Begins with the invocation of the Muse
Nostos?
Odysseus’ return home from Troy by sea
Kleos?
Theme of glory or fame, especially as achieved through heroic deeds
In medias res?
In the middle of things, the narrative starts in the middle of the story
Who tells the story?
A bard
What line is Odysseus first mentioned?
Line 21
Polutropos?
An epithet used to describe Odysseus, often translated as "man of many turns"
Odysseus’ absence causes problems for his family. What problems for Penelope? Telemachus? Society?
Penelope is harassed by suitors, Telemachus struggles with his father's absence, and society is disrupted by the suitors' behavior
Who are the suitors?
Men from Ithaca and surrounding islands who wish to marry Penelope
Xenia?
Ancient Greek concept of hospitality
Telemachy?
Series of books (1-4) in the Odyssey where Telemachus sets out to find news of his missing father
Why does Telemachus call the men to assembly?
To address the issue of the suitors who have taken over his home
How has Penelope managed to hold off the suitors' demands for the past four years?
By weaving a burial shroud for Laertes and undoing part of it each night
What sign does Zeus send to the assembly, and what is its meaning?
Two eagles, interpreted as a prophecy of disaster for the suitors
What does Telemakhos plan to do now?
Embark on a journey to find news of his father
Where does the action in Book III take place?
In Pylos, at the palace of King Nestor
Where is Athena during this part of the story?
In Sparta
What happens at the homecoming of Agamemnon?
He is murdered by his wife Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus
What does Orestes do?
Avenges his father's death by killing Clytemnestra and Aegisthus
How does Nestor help Telemakhos?
Provides him with a chariot and his son Pisistratus as a companion
Who accompanies Telemakhos to Sparta to the house of Menelaus?
Pisistratus, the son of Nestor
What is the setting of Book IV?
In Sparta, at the palace of Menelaus
According to Menelaus' informant, where was Odysseus?
On the island of Ogygia, held captive by the nymph Calypso
The scene shifts to the home of Odysseus. What plan do the suitors devise against Telemakhos?
To ambush and kill him upon his return
Identify the leading men of the suitors.
Antinous and Eurymachus
What character do we finally see in book 5?
Odysseus
Where is Odysseus as the book opens?
On the island of Ogygia, held captive by the nymph Calypso
What happens when Odysseus sails away on his raft? Where does he end up?
Encounters a storm sent by Poseidon and ends up on the island of the Phaeacians
What is Zeus's command to Kalypso?
To release Odysseus and allow him to return home
Muse
Goddess of arts ans sciences
Summery of the odyssey?
Epithet of Polutroops
What are we told about odysseus immediately in the beginning of the book?
Cleverness
ability to think on his feet
Ability to reason his way out of trouble
Penelope’s two struggles
Wife or Widow?
Telemachus’ 2 struggles
Guard kingdom or assert himself as king
Who is odysseus’ patron?
Athena
Where is telemachus going and why?
He is going to sparta to find news of his father
What does telemachus tell the suitors?
To get out
What is antinious’ reaction to telemachus’ kicking the suitors out of his house?
Doesn’t want telemachus to receive throne. Hopes he doesn’t get what he deserves. Thinks telymachus is brash and prideful
What is Euromachus’ reaction to telemachus kicking the suitors out of his house
Hopes telymachus gets his house and maybe throne. Curious about mentes. (hates telymachus under the surface)
What is the order of the speakers at the council that telymachus calls in book 2?
Aegyptius
One of his sons died who was part of body. crew
Telymachus
a. Lost father and house is being ripped apart b. grandfather must provide dowry for his mother
c.can’t fight them all alone
d. he will bring the god’s into it.
antinious
says Penelope wove a burial shroud during the day and unwove it during the night
telymachus
tells suitors about xenia and not to devour his wealth
Old hatiecherses
Makes prediction that ody. is nearing home
Euromachus
tries to discredit old dude says tely. must send his mother away.
Telymachus
Says we are done her rejects all suitors demands unless his father is dead
Leocritus
Says even if ody. comes back suitors can take him.
Mentor
says to reject suitors. encourages people to follow ody.
Nestor shows what? Who is impressed?
Nestor show’s xenia and athena/mentes is impressed
King of troy
Priam
Lesson from nestor
Don’t stay away from home for too long
Ossifage
type of vulture
Who goes with tely. ?
Nestor’s son pecistritus
Who killed aegenemnon and who killed him?
Aegisthus was klytaimestra’s lover and he killed aganemnon. He was then killed by agamemnon’s son orestes.
Is menelous hospitable?
Yes
Is menelous wealthy?
Yes tely. says his riches rival zeus however menelous quickly corrects him
Who does menelous miss from the trojan war the most?
Odysseus
How old was tely. when odysseus left for troy?
Newborn
Who are the head suitors?
Antonius and euromachus
What do the suitors decide to do to telymachus and where?
They decide to kill telymachus at the island of Asteris. And they take 20 men in a ship to kill him..
What were calypso’s examples when hermes tells her to let ody. go?
Dawn and Orion Orion killed by artemis
Demeter and Iasian Iasian killed by zeus
What are the three things calypso gives ody.?
Axe
Adze - ancient and versitile cutting tool
Fabric for sails
How long did it take ody to build his raft?
4 days.
Note 
Flashcard (29)