The Odyssey Quiz and Test Book 1-12

epic simile

a detailed comparison in the form of a simile that is many lines in length

epthets

characterizing phrase for person,place, or thing "rosy fingered dawn or son of laertes" for Odysseus

hubris

excessive pride or self-confidence

nostos

Greek word for homecoming

xenia

Greek code of hospitality; guest friendship

kleos

glory, fame

insolent

showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect

mettle

courage

propitiate

to soothe or satisfy; to appease

bard

A poet; in olden times, a performer who told heroic stories to musical accompaniment.

minstrel

a singer or musician who sang or recited poems to music

prophet

A person who speaks or interprets for God to other people

oracle

a sacred shrine where a priest or priestess spoke for a god or goddess

firament

the sky or heavens

lineage

ancestry

prowess

(n.) distinguished bravery; superior skill or ability

heralded

announced or publicized

guile

treacherous cunning, deceit

perilous

full of danger or risk

plundered

Took goods by force

bosom

n. The breast or the upper front of the thorax of a human being, especially of a woman.

bough

a main branch of a tree

famished

suffering severely from hunger or from lack of something

ravenously

with excessive greed and hunger

provisions

the action of providing or supplying something for use

prodigious

remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degree

prudent

wise, careful, cautious

lamenting

regretting deeply; mourning, expressly sorrow

jeer

to make fun of rudely or unkindly

plight

a dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation

renown

fame, glory

Ulysseus (Odysseus)

legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey.

Telemachus

Odysseus and Penelope's son

Penelope

Wife of Odysseus, Mother of Telemachus

Athena/Minerva

Goddess of wisdom and war

Nester (Pylos)

King of Pylos

Menelaus (Sparta)

King of Sparta, husband of Helen

King Alcinous of Phaeacia

the king who gives Odysseus a ship so he can go home to Ithaca, king of Phaecia

Queen Arete

Alcinous' wife; is the person that Odysseus must truly impress should he wish to command the kindness and hospitality of the Phaecian people.

Nausciaa

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.

Euryclea

Odysseus' aged nurse, who recognizes Odysseus by a familiar scar.

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.

Hermes

Messenger of the gods who gives Odysseus advice and gives him Molly

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.

Polyphemus

the Cyclops who imprisoned Odysseus, got blinded by Odysseus and is the son of Poseidon

Teiresias

famous blind prophet from the city of Thebes. Odysseus meets him in the Land of the Dead

Antinous

The most arrogant of Penelope's suitors. Antinous leads the campaign to have Telemachus killed. Unlike the other suitors, he is never portrayed sympathetically, and he is the first to die when Odysseus returns.

Aeolus

King of the winds. Gives Odysseus a leather bag of winds that sends him back to Aeolus after Odysseus's crew open the bag believing it was gold and silver

Eurylochus

a member of Odysseus's loyal crew

Book 1

athena urges zeus to allow for her to help odysseus get home and telemachus regain confidence. he grants her permission and she (disguised as mentes) arrives to meet a very disheartened telemachus who has lost hope in his father's return and the rehabilitation of his palace now infested with suitors. athena inspires confidence in the young prince and encourages him to seek out his father (who she says is alive) and stand up to the suitors. telemachus becomes more confident.

Book 2

Telemachus calls the meeting and "steps into his father's shoes". He delivers a passionate speech but breaks down and cries at the end. Antinuous blames the situation on Penelope, who has "led the Suitors on" through her weaving scheme. Halithereses predicts Odysseus's return to Ithaca. Athena appears as Mentor to urge Telemachus on his journey, and Telemachus leaves to Pylos, telling only Eurycleia, his loving maid.

Book 3

Telemachus and Athena [Mentor] arrive at Pylos to a beautiful religious sacrifice (Homeric Sacrifice). Telemachus approaches Nestor (with Athena's encouragement) about his father. Nestor tells the story of his journey with Agamemnon and Agamemnon's fate at the hands of his wife. Nestor sends Pisistratus with Telemachus on his journey to Sparta.

Book 4

The last book following Telemachus. Menelaus and Helen immediately recognize Telemachus as the son of Odysseus. Menelaus relives the cunning of Odysseus at the Battle of Troy, and recounts the story of the Trojan Horse. Then, Menelaus tells his own story of his journey home, including his wrestling of Proteus, and ends his story with the knowledge of Odysseus being trapped at Calypso's island. Telemachus sets sail for Pylos. The Suitors in Ithaca learn of Telemachus's journey and prepare to ambush him upon his return. Penelope also learns of Telemachus's departure, and grieves until she learns of the goddess's protection.

Book 5

The gods, excluding Poseidon, gather on Olympus. Athena's speech persuades Zeus to aid Odysseus on his journey home. Hermes convinces Calypso to let Odysseus escape from her island. Odysseus leaves on a make-shift boat and spots the Phoenician Islands, but Poseidon attempts to kill Odysseus. Ino gives Odysseus a magical scarf, allowing him to escape to to the islands.

Book 6

The comedic relief of the epic. Athena appears to Nausicaa in a dream, and persuades her to do laundry by the river. While at the river the next day, Odysseus appears before Nausicaa and the servants. The servants hide/flee in fear, but Nausicaa reacts calmly. Nausicaa helps Odysseus to the city, but they then separate to avoid the gossip of the townspeople. Odysseus heads to the palace.

Book 7

Athena, disguised as a young girl, guides Odysseus to the palace of Alcinous with a shrouding mist to disguise him to the fearful Phoenicians. Odysseus pleads to Arete, and Arete, noticing the clothing of Nausicaa on Odysseus, interrogates Odysseus on his identity. Odysseus, withholding his name still, explains his experience on the island with Nausicaa. Alcinous then offers his daughter in marriage to Odysseus.

Book 8

Alcinous calls a meeting of the Phoenician leaders, where the decide to offer Odysseus a ship so that he may return home. The king then hosts a feast in honor of Odysseus. Demodocus sings the tale of the Trojan War, causing Odysseus to cry, which leads Alcinous to hosting a number of competitions to distract Odysseus. Broadsea entice Odysseus to join in the games, but Alcinous begins another feast. Demodocus retells the story for the Trojan Horse, once again causing Odysseus to break down. Alcinous then asks Odysseus of his origins.

Book 9

(2 short stories; 1 long story) Odysseus reluctantly tells the story of his return from the Trojan War. Initially, Odysseus and his men pillage the Cicones, until being chased away. Then, Zeus's storm brings them to the land of the lotus-eaters. Afterwards, the men arrive at the island of the Cyclopes, where they are captured by Polyphemus, cyclops son of Poseidon, until Odysseus blinds the cyclops and tricks him, which allows the ships to escape. But Odysseus taunts Polyphemus, telling him his real name, allowing Zeus to find out and seek revenge on Odysseus for blinding his son.

Book 10

(2 short stories; 1 long story) The men sail to the island of Aeolus, who provides Odysseus with a bag of wind to expedite the return to Ithaca. Odysseus's men, believing the bag to be loot, open it, only to lose the wind. The men then sail to the land of the cannibalistic of the Laestrygonians. Only Odysseus's ship escapes the island. Then, the men travel to the island of Circes, where the witch enchants Odysseus's men and turns them into pigs. Hermes directs Odysseus on how to contrive his escape, and Odysseus obeys but lives as Circe's lover for the next year in exchange for the restoration of his sailors back to men. Circe finally tells Odysseus that he must travel to the underworld to speak with Tiresias. Before leaving, Elpenor is discovered to have died drunkenly the night before, and the sailors left his body.

Book 11

Odysseus travels to the underworld, and pours libations as instructed. Elpenor approaches him first, begging Odysseus to bury his body. Then, Tiresias instructs Odysseus on how to safely return to Ithaca and make amends with Poseidon. Odysseus listens to the tales of Achilles and other heroes, while Ajax continues to ignore the hero. Odysseus cuts the story short, but Alcinous asks him of the heroes that he met in the underworld. Odysseus lists his conversations with Achilles, and his observations of Heracles, Ajax, Tantalus, Sisyphus, Orion, etcc. Odysseus beings to be mobbed by ghosts of the underworld, and he flees on his ship.

Book 12

(2 short stories; 1 long story) Odysseus buries Elpenor as he sails towards Ithaca. Odysseus's crew passes the sirens, but as instructed by Circe, they filled their ears with beeswax, blocking out the Sirens song, except Odysseus, who was tied down, in order to listen to the Siren's enchanting song. Then the ship passes Scylla and Charybdis, the six-headed monster and monstrous cyclone. Odysseus finally arrives to Helios's island. Regardless of Odysseus's instructions, the crew kill and eat a sheep without his knowledge. Zeus sends a storm, killing the crew of Odysseus, but allowing Odysseus to float to the island of Calypso on the remnants of the destroyed ship.