The Odyssey

Homer

Who wrote the Odyssey?

Troy

Where did Odysseus go to fight the war?

Alcinous

Who is the king of the Phaeacians to whom Odysseus tells his story?

Odysseus

Who is the king of Ithaca?

Circe

Who was the enchantress who turned Odysseus' men into swine, but also helped him on his journey?

Zeus

King of the gods

Apollo

god of music, poetry, and medicine

Poseidon

god of sea and earthquakes

Athena

goddess of wisdom, skills, and warfare

Polyphemus

The Cyclops who imprisoned Odysseus and his men

Laertes

Odysseus' father

Tiresias

Blind prophet who advised Odysseus

Persephone

Wife of Hades

Telemachus

Son of Odysseus and Penelope

Sirens

Creatures whose songs lure sailors to their deaths

Scylla

Sea monster who whisks sailors from their ships

Charybdis

Enormous and dangerous whirlpool

Hermes

Herald and messenger of the gods

Eumaeus

Old swineherd and friend of Odysseus

Antinous

Leader among the suitors

Eurynome

Housekeeper for Penelope

Penelope

Odysseus' wife

Lotus Eaters

Creatures who offer the sweet Lotus to travelers which makes the travelers desire to do nothing and stay forever

3 men

How many men fell prey to the Lotus Eaters?

Hubris (arrogance, extreme pride)

Odysseus' fatal flaw is

Poseidon

Who is Polyphemus' father?

The cyclops is the only one strong enough to move the stone slab that is the barrier to exit the cave

Why does Odysseus not kill Polyphemus where he lays?

Nohbdy

What fake name does Odysseus give Polyphemus?

Eat him last

What does Polyphemus promise Odysseus (Nohbdy) as a reward for the sweet liquor?

What does Odysseus shove into Polyphemus' eye?

A pike of Olive branch that has been heated

How does Odysseus get his men out of the Cyclops' cave?

Ties them to the sheep

What creatures are a race of cannibals and destroy all of Odysseus' ships except the one he is sailing on?

Laestrygonians

Who is the king of the winds?

Aeolus

What does Odysseus promise to sacrifice for Tiresias?

A black lamb

What does Odysseus order his men to do before reaching the Sirens?

He orders his men to plug their ears with wax and tie Odysseus up on the mast.

What does Odysseus order his men to do before reaching Scylla and Charybdis?

He orders them to keep calm and listen to what he says

How many men does Scylla take from Odysseus?

6 men

What does Odysseus order his men to do when they reach the cattle of Helios?

He orders them to NOT eat the cattle no matter how tempting it may be

Who was the man that persuaded Odysseus' men to eat the cattle?

Eurylochus

Why does Odysseus not stop his men from eating the cattle of the sun god?

He is asleep

Why is Telemachus doubtful of Odysseus' plan to kill all the suitors?

The suitors are large in number

What does Odysseus order Telemachus to do?

Stow the suitors' weapons away.

How many axhandle sockets must Odysseus shoot through?

12

What does Odysseus do after the suitors offer restitution for what they did?

He disregards the suitors' attempt for an apology and kills them all with the help of his servants and Telemachus.

Who attempts to rally the suitors and get them to attack Odysseus?

Eurymachus

Why does Penelope test Odysseus with the marriage bed?

He will know it's not movable.

What does Athena do to Odysseus appearance after he arrives back on Ithaca?

She changes him into a beggar so he can go incognito.

Which god hates Odysseus?

Poseidon bc he blinded Polyphemus.

Which god helps out Odysseus?

Athena sides for Odysseus, and she represents his cleverness and sharp mind.

Why does Homer refer to the Muse in the first line?

To inspire his storytelling.

Which goddess intervenes and how?

Athena intervenes by asking her father Zeus to help Odysseus.

What does the story, "Sailing from Troy," reveal about who survives and who does not? Why doesn't everyone survive?

No one in Odysseus' group of 700+ men survives (except Odysseus) due to their recklessness.

Out of the 10 years Odysseus has been trying to get home after the Trojan War, for how many has he been Calypso's prisoner? (Calypso's Island)

7

What is the name of Odysseus's homeland?

Ithaca

Where do the men go after the Cicones drive them away? ("Sailing from Troy")

They go to the island of the Lotus Eaters.

What happens if they eat the Lotus? ("The Lotus Eaters")

They forget about home.

What do the lotus flowers symbolize?

temptation

What is Odysseus' tragic flaw at the BEGINNING of the "Cyclops" episode?

curiosity

What virtue does Polyphemus not exhibit to his guests?

hospitality

Which god (and his rules) does the cyclops disrespect?

Zeus

What does Odysseus say is his name?

Nohbdy

Why don't the men kill the cyclops?

They will not be able to move the rock.

Odysseus' major epic hero trait in the Cyclops episode is

intelligence

What is Odysseus' tragic flaw at the END of the Cyclops episode?

HUBRIS (excessive pride/arrogance)

How will Odysseus prevent his men from listening to the Sirens? ("The Sirens")

beeswax in their ears

What lit term does the narrow passage that Odysseus must take between Scylla and Charybdis represent? ("Scylla & Charybdis")

idiom

Once they pass Scylla and Charybdis, where do Odysseus' crew insist on landing? What do they do there?

They insist on landing on Thrinacia, Helios' island. They eat the immortal cattle that they were told not to, angering Helios and dooming themselves to death.

What does Helios threaten to do if payment is not made for the loss of his cattle? How does Zeus respond?

Helios threatens to stop the sun from shining. To placate Helios, Zeus sends down a thunderbolt that sinks Odysseus' ship and kills all his remaining crew.

After Odysseus finishes telling King Alcinous his story, he finally goes home to Ithaca. How does he get there?

King Alcinous' men row him home.

How and why does Athena disguise Odysseus?

Athena disguises him as an old, homeless man so he can surprise the suitors at his house.

Why does Athena want Odysseus to visit his old swineherd, Eumaeus?

Athena wants Odysseus to visit Eumaeus to find out what's happening in Odysseus' house, and so Odysseus can see his son, Telemachus.

What three things does Athena tell Telemachus?

1. Go home. (Telemachus had been traveling around, searching for news about his father.)

2. The suitors are planning to kill him.

3. He should stay with Eumaeus for the night.

What is Odysseus' plan once Telemachus tells him he will have to face more than 100 strange men at his house?

Odysseus will follow Telemachus home in disguise. Telemachus will pretend not to know him, and lock up all the weapons and armor in the house.

What happens to Argos after he recognizes his old master, Odysseus?

He dies.

Who are the two most rude, demanding suitors?

Antinous and Eurymachus

What does Penelope finally decide to do about the suitors?

Penelope gives up waiting for Odysseus and tells the suitors that whichever of them can bend/string the heavy bow and shoot 1 arrow straight through 12 axe head hoops can marry her.

How do Odysseus, Telemachus, and Eumaeus prepare the manor for the fight against the suitors?

They make sure the women are locked safely in a room. Eumaeus and a cowherd lock the gates to keep the suitors in.

Who wins the archery contest?

Odysseus wins, surprising the suitors, who had been mocking him. Odysseus tells his son to prepare to fight.

Who does Odysseus kill first and how?

Odysseus kills Antinous first with an arrow through the neck.

What does Eurymachus say to save his life?

Eurymachus pins all the blame on Antinous, pleads everyone else's freedom, and promises to repay what they took (cattles, riches, etc.).

What do Odysseus, Telemachus, and Eumaeus do to Eurymachus and the rest of the suitors?

They slaughter them with the weapons Telemachus fetches.

How does Athena protect Odysseus?

Athena deflects some arrows away from Odysseus.

Odysseus asks for a bed. How does Penelope use this to test if Odysseus is really her husband?

Penelope tells a servant to move the master bed. This was a sacred bed that Odysseus built himself from the trunk of an olive tree that would be much too heavy for anyone to move, but only Odysseus would know that.

Ithaca

Odysseus's home and kingdom

Helios

God of the Sun who is very protective of his cattle

One of the things that the Greeks regarded as most offensive to the gods was to:

mistreat guests

This story is based on Odysseus's return from the ________ .

Trojan War

At the beginning of the story we learn that __________ have overrun Odysseus's house.

Suitors (men who want to marry Queen Penelope)

Odysseus's son, ________________, goes in search of him.

Telemachus

Calypso has held Odysseus prisoner for ____.

7 years

One of Odysseus's enemies? (god)

Poseidon

One of Odysseus's enemies? (cyclops)

Polyphemus

One of Odysseus's enemies? (goddess)

Calypso

One of Odysseus' enemies? (enchantress)

Circe

Odysseus is known as much for his _____ as his strength.

Brains

How does Odysseus win the battle with the Cyclops?

Tricks Polyphemus with a false name and wine, then blinds him and escapes under the bellies of sheep.

What does Circe turn Odysseus's men into?

Pigs

What is Odysseus disguised as when he returns to Ithaca?

a begger

Which god gives Odysseus the most trouble?

Poseidon

What weapon is used in the challenge Penelope presents the suitors with?

bow and arrow