Untitled Flashcards Set

Flashcard 1:

Q: What is the first major challenge Odysseus and his men face in Book 9?
A: The Cyclops Polyphemus. Odysseus and his men are trapped in his cave, and Polyphemus begins eating them one by one.
Escape: Odysseus devises a clever plan. He tells Polyphemus his name is "Nobody." After getting Polyphemus drunk, Odysseus and his men blind him. When Polyphemus calls for help, he says "Nobody" is attacking him, and the other Cyclopes leave him alone. They escape by hiding under the sheep as Polyphemus lets them out to graze.

Flashcard 2:

Q: What happens when Odysseus and his men encounter the island of Aeolus, the god of the winds?
A: Aeolus gives Odysseus a bag of winds to help him sail home. However, his men, curious about the bag, open it while Odysseus sleeps, releasing the winds and blowing them back to Aeolus.
Escape: Aeolus refuses to help them again, believing they are cursed.

Flashcard 3:

Q: What danger do Odysseus and his men face on the island of the Laestrygonians?
A: The Laestrygonians are giant cannibals who attack and destroy all of Odysseus’ ships, except the one he is on.
Escape: Odysseus and his remaining men flee to their ship, escaping the island with great difficulty.

Flashcard 4:

Q: What does Odysseus encounter on the island of Circe?
A: Circe, a powerful sorceress, turns some of Odysseus' men into pigs.
Escape: Odysseus is protected by the god Hermes, who gives him a magical herb called moly to resist Circe's spell. He confronts Circe, and she agrees to turn his men back into humans. They stay with her for a year.

Flashcard 5:

Q: What does Circe warn Odysseus about during his stay?
A: Circe warns Odysseus that he must go to the Underworld to speak with the prophet Tiresias, who will help him return home.

Flashcard 6:

Q: What challenge does Odysseus face in the Underworld (Book 11)?
A: In the Underworld, Odysseus consults Tiresias, the prophet, who tells him how to return home and warns him not to harm the cattle of the Sun God, Helios.
Escape: Odysseus does not face immediate danger in the Underworld, but he learns critical information for his journey ahead.

Flashcard 7:

Q: What are the Sirens, and how do Odysseus and his men avoid them?
A: The Sirens are creatures whose singing lures sailors to their doom.
Escape: Odysseus orders his men to block their ears with beeswax, and he ties himself to the mast of the ship, so he cannot act on the temptation to steer the ship toward the Sirens.

Flashcard 8:

Q: What is the danger of Scylla and Charybdis?
A: Scylla is a six-headed monster that eats sailors, and Charybdis is a massive whirlpool that can swallow ships whole.
Escape: Odysseus chooses to sail closer to Scylla, sacrificing a few men, rather than risk being pulled into Charybdis. This minimizes the damage, but still results in the loss of some men.

Flashcard 9:

Q: How do Odysseus' men disobey him on the island of Thrinacia?
A: Despite Odysseus’ warning, his men slaughter and eat the sacred cattle of Helios, the Sun God.
Escape: Helios punishes them by sending a storm that destroys their ship, killing all the men except Odysseus.

Flashcard 10:

Q: How does Odysseus end up on the island of Ogygia?
A: After the storm and shipwreck, Odysseus washes ashore on the island of the nymph Calypso.
Escape: Calypso keeps Odysseus on her island for many years, but eventually, the gods order her to let him go, and she helps him build a raft to continue his journey.

Flashcard 11:

Q: What happens to Odysseus when he returns to Ithaca (Book 13)?
A: Odysseus is initially disguised as a beggar by Athena. He returns home to find it overrun by suitors vying for Penelope’s hand.
Escape: Odysseus plans to reclaim his throne and punish the suitors, with the help of his son Telemachus.

Flashcard 12:

Q: How does Odysseus deal with the suitors in his palace?
A: Odysseus, still disguised as a beggar, convinces the suitors to participate in a contest involving his bow. He is the only one who can string the bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axeheads.
Escape: Odysseus reveals his identity and, with the help of Telemachus and a few loyal servants, kills all the suitors and reclaims his home.