books i and v

Who opens the divine council in Book I by complaining that mortals foolishly blame the gods for their own self-inflicted sufferings?

Zeus

Why is Poseidon furious with Odysseus throughout the epic?

Because Odysseus blinded Poseidon's son, the Cyclops Polyphemus.

Who is holding Odysseus captive on the island of Ogygia at the start of the epic?

The nymph Calypso

Who visits Prince Telemachus in Book I disguised as Mentes, lord of the Taphians?

Athena

What problem is Telemachus facing at his palace in Ithaca in Book I?

A mob of arrogant suitors has taken over his home, eating his food and forcefully trying to marry his mother, Penelope.

What two places does Athena advise Telemachus to visit to search for news of his father?

Pylos (to see King Nestor) and Sparta (to see King Menelaus)

Which god does Zeus send to Ogygia in Book V to order Calypso to release Odysseus?

Hermes (the giant-killing guide)

How long has Odysseus been trapped on Calypso's island before he builds his raft?

Seven years

How many days does Odysseus sail before spotting Phaeacia, and who spots him and wrecks his raft?

He sails for 17 days (spotting land on the 18th); Poseidon wrecks his raft with a massive storm.

Which sea-nymph takes pity on drowning Odysseus and gives him her immortal magic veil?

Ino (Leucothea)

What does Odysseus do with Ino's magic veil once he safely reaches the shore of Phaeacia?

He unties it and throws it back into the wine-dark sea without turning around, as she instructed.

Where does Odysseus finally collapse to sleep at the end of Book V?

Underneath a thick, protective bed of leaves in a wooded grove/riverbank.