Justice for Argos

How does the beginning of Book 1 show the gods intervening in people’s lives?

Athena is asking Zeus to help a human by having Hermes save him

Where has Odysseus been in the beginning of the book

Ody is in Ogygia

Why is Poseidon angry with Odysseus?

Odysseus blinds Poseidon’s son

How are the suitors disobeying Greek custom in the beginning?

The suitors are not asking Penelope’s father and they are staying at Odysseus’s home and eating/drinking his stuff

Why does Antinous blame Penelope for the suitors acting the way they do?

He says Penelope led them on because she said she would pick one once she is done weaving a shroud

How has Penelope been tricking the suitors?

She has been undoing the weaving she has done in the day at night

Where does Telemachus go to find new of his father?

He goes to pylos

How does Book 3 show us Greek religion?

It shows us people sacrifice bulls to the gods

What happened to Agammenon?

Agmen was killed by his wife and her lover

How does Nestor know that “Mentor” was actually Athena?

Both Mentor and the eagle had bright eyes

Why was Menelaus delayed in coming home?

He made a small sacrifice to the gods and they were pissed so they forced him to stay at Pharos for punishment

What plan do the suitors have?

They plan to kill Tele when he comes back

WHy does Athena feel Odysseus has been treated unjustly?

Becuase ody ruled gently but now he is stuck on Ogygia with no way to leave

Why does Zeus think Athena is responsible for what Odysseus is going through?

Zeus though she planned for ody to get revenge and kill the suitors, also to get fame

Why is Hermes sent to Ogygia?

To tell Calypso to let Ody go

Why doesn’t Hermes see Odysseus?

Ody was being a sad boy at the shore

What double standard does Calypso accuse the gods of having?

Gods can have lovers but goddess can’t

Why is Homer’s wording important in saying Calypso “no longer pleased him” on pg. 185?

She once pleased him

What oath does Calypso take on Styx?

She swears she will not hurt Ody anymore

How does Odysseus demonstrate wisdom in his conservation with Calypso about Penelope?

He says Pen will never be as beautiful as Calypso but he says he loves pen more

How does Calypso help Odysseus leave?

gave him an axe, clothes, wine, water, food, and showed him where tall tress grew

Why does Odysseus wish he had died at Troy?

He would have a proper burial and get honor

How does Ino save Odysseus?

Told ody to ditch his clothes and raft and gave him a scarf to protect him

How does Oddyseus show obedience to the gods?

He threw the scarf back to the sea

Why does Nausicaa go to the river?

to do laundry, Athena put the thought in her head

Why are girls terrified when they see Odysseus , in phaecia?

because he was naked and showed up out of no where

Why is Nausicaa so confident that no one would come to Phaeacia with hostile intentions?

They are beloved by the gods

Why are foreigners and beggars treated well?

They come from Zeus, Xenia

Why won’t Nausicaa let Odysseus walk with her to the palace?

People may gossip about him being her husband or she thinks negatively about her suitors

Who is Odysseus supposed to ask for help and what does this show?

the queen and shows she holds the power

Why won’t Athena appear to Odysseus until he reaches Ithaca?

she respects Poseidon

Why does Athena surround Odysseus with mist?

So people won’t ask who he is

What advice does Athena give regarding interacting with the Phaeacians on their way to the palace?

be silent, don’t look at people, they don’t like foreigners, don’t be scared, the brave succed, greet the queen first

What do we learn about Arete?

She is the queen and daughter of Rhexenor, she married her father’s brother, everyone loves her, she is smart and perceptive, she is the way out

What is Homer trying to show us in the detailed description of the Phaeacians palace?

How beloved they are by the gods and how wealthy they are

How does Arete know that someone from Phaeacia has already met Odysseus?

He is wearing clothes she woved

What criticism does Alcinous make of Nausicaa’s treatment of Odysseus?

She should have brought ody here herself and have her slaves escort him here

What lie does Odysseus tell ALcinous and why might he do so?

He said he was nervous and embarrassed, he said this to help Naus out

How do we know Alcinous likes Odysseus?

He wants ody to stay and marry his daughter, offers him a home

Why does strength of his approval seem odd?

He barely knows Ody, doesn’t even know his name

Why does Athena change Odysseus’ appearance in Phacia?

So the Phaeacians would welcome and respect him

How does Demodocus show that the god’s gifts can be good and bad?

A goddess took his sight but gave him the ability to sing

How might Demodocus’ songs help Alcinous figure out Odysseus’ identity?

Ody was tearing up at the song

How does Euryalus make Odysseus decide to compete in the games?

Euri taunts ody by saying he is not an athlete and only cares about his ship and cargo

Why won’t Odysseus compete with Laodamas?

Lao was his host and sees it as disrespectful to challenge his host

According to Alcinous what are the Phaeacian’s strengths and weaknesses?

Weakness- boxing, wrestling Strengths- Sprinting, ships

How does Hephaestus get revenge against Ares and Aphrodite?

He trapped Ares and Aphrodite ina bed and had the gods make fun of them

What is the moral of the Ares and Aphrodite story?

Don’t cheat or it will end in humiliation, love and war coexist, smartness can overcome brawns, don’t be hubris

How does Hermes show us that not everyone learns the lesson that a story is supposed to teach?

He says he would trade places with Ares

What gifts is Odysseus given from the Phaeacians?

given a sword, scabbard, a cup of gold, clothes, and gold

How does line 448 show Homer thinks we already know the story?

He mentions Circe

How does Odysseus show the importance of poets?

he gave the best meat to poet and said they were blessed by the muses

When does Alcinous ask Odysseus’ identity?

After he notices ody is crying when the poet sings about Troy

What is special about Phaeacian ships?

They can steer themselve, know what the men are thinking, knows all human towns and fields, can hide itself in mist and clouds, can;t be damaged or lost

What prophecy did Nausithous make?

One ship will shipwreck on its return and a mighty mountain would block the town from sight

Why does Alcinous add a tax on his people and what might Homer be trying to say about government leaders?

Al puts a tax on his people because the king doesn’t want the nobles to lose money. Homer is saying gov leaders are greedy

Why does Poseidon want to punish the Phaeacians?

They helped Ody, felt his honor was attacked

What punishment does Poseidon mete out and how does this change Phaeacian society?

Pos turned the returning ship into stone and made it rooted into the sea bed, the phae no longer help visitors

Why doesn’t Odysseus recognize Ithaca when he wakes?

Athena casts a mist

What reason does Homer give for why Athena loves Odysseus?

Ody almost matches her wits, he is good at lying

Why didn’t Athena help Odysseus openly?

didn’t want conflict with Pos

Athena tells Odysseus that Penelope leads the suitors on “with promises and messages to each” (pg 329). Why might Odysseus be ok with this?

He knows this is pens way to protect the throne and herself, it shows she is loyal and trying to buy him time

Why does Athena disguise Odysseus the way that she does when he is at Ithaca?

So no one recognizes him and he isn’t seen as a threat and get information

Why is Odysseus angry that Athena sent Telemachus on his journey?

Ody is worried Tele will suffer like Ody and he is worried about Tele’s inheritance

What explanation does Athena give for sending Telemachus and how might this explanation also relate to Odysseus?

She sentt him to get glory, Same reason why ody was sent to troy

According to Eumaeus, what would Odysseus have given him if he were in Ithaca

a house with land and a wife

Why don’t Penelope and Telemachus trust news from Travellers?

They could be lying about the news to get a free meal

How is Homer’s portrayal of Eumaeus’ grief over Odysseus excessive and what might be his purpose in doing so?

Eu grieve Ody more than his own family, shows how loyal he is to ody

How does Eumaeus demonstrate piety?

He practices xenia, gave the gods libations, prayed to them, gave them stuff

Where does Eumaeus sleep and why does this seem so strange?

Eu slept with the pigs, this is weird because everyone else slept in the hut

What negative generalization of women does Athena make?

They will give all their assets to their new mans house and will forget about her children

What advice does Menelaus give regarding the treatment of guests to Telemachus?

A balance of friendliness and standoffish is needed, cant force them to go or stay

What is the significance of the gifts Helen and Menelaus give Telemachus?

dress, silver bowl, and a golden goblet that signifies their hospitality because these gifts were very important

What prophecy does Helen make?

Ody has come back and is ready to get revenge

How does Telemachus demonstrate the custom of helping strangers in need and why might a modern audience question his actions?

Tele allows a man to come aboard the ship, this is weird because we are taught stranger danger and the man is a known murderer

What does Odysseus consider the worst thing humans suffer

Homelessness

After learning Eumaeus’ Story, why might we find it odd that he holds one of the lowest positions in the household?

He was the son of a king and he was raised by odys mother with odys sister

What criticism of women does Eumaeus make in his story?

Women are always horny

How did Eumaeus become a slave

He was kidnapped by a nurse, was sold to Laertes

Why does Odysseus’ response to Eumaeus’ story seem callous or unfeeling?

Ody was like at least you live with someone kind when Eu could have been a king, his life would have been better if he stayed

How does Theoclymenus interpret the hawk carrying the pigeon?

Tele and his family are the most powerful in Ithaca and will rule for all eternity

How do we know that Telemachus and Eumaeus are close?

The dogs are not barking when tele arrives and Eu kissed tele

What reason does Telemachus give for not confronting the suitors?

He is too young

To whom does Odysseus reveal himself to first and what does this show us about Greek society?

Tele, the father son relationship is the most important

How many suitors are there and why is this important

there are 108 suitors, this is important because later it will show how smart and strong ody is

How does Odysseus’ plan show his gift for strategy?

The plan is very complex and relies on trickery rather than brute force

What plot do the suitors make against Telemachus?

to ambush and kill him

How does Homer make Antinous’ betrayal of Odysseus seem worse than the other suitors?

Ody saved ants father and ant is betraying ody

What false oath does Eurymachus swear to Penelope?

That no man will ever hurt tele, if someone does he will kill the man that does, he loves tele the most, tele is not in danger from the suitors

Why does Telemachus ask Piraeus to keep the gifts that he got from Menelaus and Nestor?

Tele would rather have his friend keep them than let them fall into the suitors hands

What prophecy does Theoclymenus make to Penelope

The new given to Pen was incomplete, ody is already here and he is planning for revenge

What is Melanthius’ job?

Goat herder

How do we know from the start that Melanthius supports the suitors

He wishes Apollo or the suitors would kill tele and said he is glad ody is not coming home

Who is Argos

Odys dog

Why is when Argos dies important

he can stop guarding the house because ody is home

Why does Athena have Odysseus beg for scraps from the suitors

to find out which were good and bad

How does Antinous respond to Odysseus and what does this tell us about him?

he throws a stool at ody, he does not care about the gods

How do we know that the other suitors are not as bad?

The other suitors defend the ody and gave him stuff

Why might it be seen as strange that Penelope sends for Odysseus

because of their different status

What omen does Penelope believe signals the death of the suitors and why might we think this is odd?

Tele sneezes, all he was sneeze