Odyssey 1-10 test

Odysseus

(main character) Son of Laertes and Anticleia, husband of Penelope and father of Telemachus. A cunning, shrewd and eloquent hero. Came up with the idea of the Trojan horse which led the Greeks to victory against Troy. "Man of many wiles".

Telemachus

Odysseus and Penelope's son

Penelope

Wife of Odysseus

Athena

Goddess of wisdom

Zeus

King of the gods

Poseidon

God of the sea, who makes Odysseus's journey home long and difficult

Calypso

The beautiful nymph who falls in love with Odysseus when he lands on her island-home of Ogygia. Calypso holds him prisoner there for seven years until Hermes, the messenger god, persuades her to let him go.

Circe

The beautiful witch-goddess who transforms Odysseus's crew into swine when he lands on her island. With Hermes' help, Odysseus resists Circe's powers and then becomes her lover, living in luxury at her side for a year.

Antinous

The most violent and impious suitor. Antinous riles the other suitors to conceive violent schemes against Odysseus and Telemachus, ignores rules of basic decency, and mouths off every chance he gets. He is the first to die in the battle

Eurymachus

A rude and deceitful suitor. The second ring leader of the suitors and the second to die. He tried to blame Antinous and buy the suitors' safety from Odysseus.

Nestor

King of Pylos and a former warrior in the Trojan War. Like Odysseus, Nestor is known as a clever speaker. Telemachus visits him in Book 3 to ask about his father, but Nestor knows little of Odysseus's whereabouts.

Menelaus

King of Sparta, brother of Agamemnon, and husband of Helen, he helped lead the Greeks in the Trojan War. He offers Telemachus assistance in his quest to find Odysseus when Telemachus visits him in Book 4.

Helen

Wife of Menelaus and queen of Sparta. Helen's abduction from Sparta by the Trojans sparked the Trojan War. Her beauty is without parallel, but she is criticized for giving in to her Trojan captors and thereby costing many Greek men their lives.

Orestes

son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra who eventually avenged his father's murder by killing Aegisthus and Clytemnestra

Alcinous

King of the Phaeacians, whom hosts Odysseus very hospitable and helps him return to Ithaca.

Arete

The Phaeacian queen, She suspects there is more to Odysseus' initial tale and questions him further because she recognizes the clothes she made for her daughter that Odysseus is wearing.

Nausicaa

The beautiful daughter of King Alcinous and Queen Arete of the Phaeacians. Nausicaa discovers Odysseus on the beach at Scheria and, out of budding affection for him, ensures his warm reception at her parents' palace.

Polyphemus

A Cyclops, son of Poseidon, blinded by Odysseus. He eats 6 of Odysseus' men while Odysseus plots to get out of the Cyclops' cave. Odysseus had the

opportunity to kill Polyphemus, but wisely chose not to because they wouldn't be able to

move the boulder from the cave's opening. Instead, Odysseus gets Polyphemus drunk,

tells him his name is Noman, and blinds him. The survivors escape by hiding underneath Polyphemus' cattle. Making their getaway, Odysseus taunts Polyphemus by declaring that Odysseus, Son of Laertes, of Ithaca, is the one who beat him. Polyphemus prays to his father, who curses Odysseus

Aeolus

The god of wind. He entertains Odysseus on his floating island for a month. He gave Odysseus a bag of winds for his journey home. Within sight of Ithaca,

Odysseus' jealous crew opens the bag looking for gold, and they are blown all the way back to Aeolia. Assuming Odysseus is cursed by the gods, he refuses to help them further.

Why does Odysseus remain awake on their way back to Ithaca from Aeolia?

Because he doesn't trust his crew to get them home. Alas, within sight of Ithaca he falls asleep and the crew open the bag of winds, sending them back to Aeolia.

Laestrygonians

giant cannibals

How long has Odysseus been trapped on Ogygia?

Seven years

What does Athena tell Telemachus to do in disguise?

To call an assembly to call out the suitors, and then to go search for news of his father in Pylos and Sparta, so that he might make a name for himself

Who holds Odysseus captive for seven years?

Calypso

How long has it been since an assembly has been called?

20 years

Where does Telemachus sit when the assembly is called?

In his father's seat

What does Telemachus ask for at the assembly?

He calls out the suitors and asks for help outfitting a ship to bring news back of his father.

How did Penelope stall the suitors?

She told them before she picked someone new to marry, she had to make a death shroud for her father-in-law. She would weave all day, then undo all her work at night.

What is happening when they arrive in Pylos?

They are performing a massive sacrifice to Poseidon

How does Telemachus act when he gets to Pylos?

He is nervous to approach Nestor and talk to him (He is urged on by Athena)

How does Nestor welcome Telemachus?

He welcomes him warmly, showing proper Xenia and inviting him to take part in their sacrifice.

What does Telemachus learn from Nestor?

Nestor does not know what happened to Odysseus, but he tells Telemachus stories from Troy about Odysseus

How and where does Nestor send Telemachus off to?

He sends him off with his son on chariots to Sparta.

Who does Athena say Telemachus should be like? Why?

Orestes because he honored his father and claimed his birthright

What do they arrive to in Sparta?

A massive wedding between the daughter of Menelaus and the son of Achilles

What does Telemachus learn from Menelaus?

That Odysseus is alive, but stranded on Ogygia

How long did it take for Menelaus to get home?

Eight years

What did Helen do that was questionable?

She puts a drug into their drinks that makes them forget their anger and sorrows

What is Telemachus' response to Menelaus' offered gifts?

He replies diplomatically, saying that he has no time to go around to the different cities, and Ithaca is no place for horses.

Who tells Calypso to give up Odysseus?

Hermes

What do both Calypso and Circe offer Odysseus?

Immortality

What does Calypso tell Odysseus to do, once she realizes she has to let him go?

She tells him to build a raft and sail home.

How long does Odysseus sail on his raft away from Ogygia?

18 days

Who helps Odysseus when Poseidon sends a storm to sink his raft?

Ino, a goddess

Ino (Odyssey)

Female mortal-turned-Goddess who lends a magic scarf to Odysseus as he is drowning in the water.

Where does Odysseus land once Poseidon sinks his raft?

Phaeacia

Who finds Odysseus on the shore of Phaeacia?

Nausicaa and her servants

How does Athena aid Odysseus in Phaeacia?

She surrounds him in mist so that he isn't noticed until he is right up at the king and queen as a suppliant

The king receives Odysseus, but what of the Queen?

She suspects that there is more to Odysseus, because he is wearing clothing she made for Nausicaa.

When questioned about what went down at the shore with his initial meeting between Nausicaa, what does he do?

He says a white lie to protect Nausicaa's honor, he asked to go to the palace alone since he was "scared"

What causes Odysseus to hide his tears at the feast prepared by Alcinous? Who notices?

The bard, Demodocus, sings songs about Troy. Only Alcinous, the king, notices.

What song does Odysseus request of the bard, Demodocus?

A song about the Trojan horse

What happens when Odysseus goes against some of the Phaeacians at the games at the feast?

He shows them up, and brags of his great skill.

The Land of the Lotus Eaters (Odyssey)

If you eat the flowers there, you never want to leave-it strips you of your desires, making your mind like that of an animal

True or false: Polyphemus cares greatly about the laws of Xenia

False

Why can't Odysseus kill Polyphemus?

Polyphemus is the only one who can move the heavy boulder, blocking the only exit to the cave