The Odyssey
Part 1 Study Guide
READ PAGES 1196-1198 AND FILL IN THE CHART AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW.
THE LANGUAGE OF HOMER
A. Directions: Epic poems contain certain elements, which are listed here. Fill in the chart with
notes that will help you remember the terms.
Element
What it is and what it does
Example
1. Simile
The comparison of two things using Her lips were as red as a rose.
the words like or as
2. Epic simile
a simile developed at great length
so that it goes on for several lines
3. Epithet
A brief descriptive phrase used to
characterize a person/thing
4. Allusion
A reference to a famous person,
place, or event
…while he himself rocked, rolling
from side to side, as a cook turns a
sausage, big with blood and fat at
a scorching blaze, without a pause
to broil it quick…
Odysseus is known by various
epithets including “son of Laertes”
and “raider of cities”
The wrath of Zeus was felt by all.
Book 1 “A Goddess Intervenes”
1. What is an invocation?
a prayer; the one in the Odyssey is to the Muses
2. Who are the Muses?
the nine goddesses of the arts such as poetry, music, dance; daughters of Zeus
3. Who is Telemachus?
Odysseus’ son who is looking for his missing father
4. Who is Odysseus?
leader of the Greek army in the Trojan War; wanders for twenty years before
returning home; the hero of the Odyssey
5. At the beginning of our reading, where is Odysseus?
on Calypso’s island
6. How long has it been since Odysseus left for the Trojan War?
twenty years – ten for the war; ten wandering after the War
7. Who is Odysseus’ patron goddess?
Athena, goddess of wisdom
Book 5 “Calypso, the Sweet Nymph”
8. Who is sent to Calypso as a messenger from Zeus?
Hermes, the messenger god
9. What is an epic or Homeric simile? Give an example of one – what two things are being
compared?
Comparison of epic events to simple and easily understandable every day events;
example: compares Hermes to a gull flying just above the waves, dipping down to catch
a fish
10. What is Odysseus doing when Homer first introduces him to his readers?
sitting, looking out over the ocean toward the direction of Ithaca; crying
11. Why is Odysseus acting in this manner?
He misses his wife and his home
12. What does Calypso give Odysseus to help him on his journey?
a raft, food, and drink
13. To whom does Calypso compare herself?
Penelope, Odysseus’ wife
14. Whom does Odysseus choose?
Penelope, even though she will become old
15. Why does Odysseus encounter a storm at sea?
Poseidon is angry at him and punishing him
16. Where does the storm leave Odysseus?
the island of Scheria
Book 9 “New Coasts and Poseidon’s Son”
“I am Laertes’ Son”
17. Who welcomes Odysseus?
Naussica- King Alcinous’ daughter
18. What law is given to Odysseus?
Greek Law of Hospitality- be kind to strangers
19. What had happened to Odysseus?
Angered the gods-they kept him off course
20. What does Odysseus ask for?
A song about Trojan War (himself)
21. Who is Odysseus’ father?
Laertes
22. Where is his home?
Ithaca
“The Lotus Eaters”
23. Who are the Lotus Eaters?
Live on island, eat Lotus flower-> forget about home
24. Who rescues the men from the Lotus Eaters?
Odysseus
“The Cyclops”
25. Who is the Goddess of Wisdom? Why is this goddess associated with Odysseus?
Athena – she’s his protectorate
26. Who are the Cyclops?
Brutish, 1 – eyed giants that raise sheep
27. Who is Polyphemus?
Cyclops, son of Poseidon
28. Why is Polyphemus important to the story?
He is the reason Odysseus has been kept off course and not allowed to return home- Poseidon’s
revenge
29. Why do Odysseus and his men visit the Cyclops’ cave?
Curiosity and hospitality
30. What does Odysseus tell Polyphemus about the location of his ship?
Lies and tells him it crashed on the rocks
31. What does Polyphemus do to two of Odysseus’ men after Odysseus tells him about the ship?
Eats them
32. Why doesn’t Odysseus kill Polyphemus?
Because they need his help to get out of the cave
33. What do Odysseus and his men make from the club found in the cave?
Spike/spear
34. When Polyphemus returns, what does Odysseus offer him?
wine
35. What does Odysseus tell Polyphemus his name is? (watch spelling!)
Nohbdy
36. What violent act does Odysseus perform on Polyphemus?
Puts his eye out
37. Why don’t the other Cyclops come to Polyphemus’ aid?
He says “Nohbdy” did anything to hurt him
38. How do Odysseus’ men get out of Polyphemus’ cave?
1 man tied to 3 sheep
39. How does Odysseus leave Polyphemus’ cave?
Grabs belly of largest/most prized ram
40. What does Odysseus do once he is back on his ship?
Taunts Polyphemus
41. How does the incident with Polyphemus have long-range effects on Odysseus?
He wont be able to return home for 10 years because of Poseidon’s revenge
42. What do we call today the result of what Polyphemus threw?
Tidal wave
Book 10 “Circe, the Grace of the Witch”
43. Who lives on the Isle of the Winds?
Aeolus
44. What gift does he give Odysseus?
All the stormy winds tied in a leather bag
45. When Odysseus and his men come within sight of Ithaca, why don’t they reach it?
His men opened the bag of winds and it blew them off course
46. Who are the Laestrygones?
Giant cannibals
47. Who is Circe?
Witch and goddess, most beautiful of all immortals
48. What do the men think of her when they first see her?
Harmless, beautiful, sings pretty (enchanting)
49. Who did not go into Circe’s home?
Eurylochus
50. Why not?
He’s suspicious of her
51. What does Circe do to Odysseus’s men?
Turns them into pigs; her spell makes them forget their home
52. Why is Odysseus immune to Circe’s spells?
Hermes gave him an antidote to counter Circe’s power
53. How long do Odysseus and his crew stay in the company of Circe?
1 year- many seasons
54. Explain the delay in departure from Circe’s island.
Circe commands Odysseus to visit the Land of the Dead to see Teiresias
Book 11 “The Land of the Dead”
55. Why does Odysseus go to the Land of the Dead?
To see Teiresias and learn of his destiny.
56. What does Odysseus do that will allow him to call up the dead?
a. sacrifice a heifer
b. burn bits on an altar
c. sacrifice a black lamb
d. let blood stream into pit
57. What god does Tiresias say is angry with Odysseus?
Poseidon
58. What does Tiresias predict for Odysseus’s men?
Death if they eat or slaughter the sacred cattle of Helios
59. What does Tiresias say Odysseus will find when he returns home?
His house filled with trouble; insolent (rude) men trying to marry his wife
60. What four steps does Tiresias recommend Odysseus do when he returns home?
1. kill the suitors 2. go overland on foot 3. take an oar 4. make sacrifice to Poseidon
61. Where does Tiresias say Odysseus will die?
At sea of old age
62. In Greek society, is death considered a good place? Why?
no- Teiresias asks why Odysseus would want to come there,
yes- reunited with family and friends
Book 12—“The Sirens; Scylla and Charybdis”
63. Who are the Sirens?
Sea hymphs who lured sailors to destruction with their songs – make them forget about home, ½ bird
½ woman
64. What does Circe tell Odysseus to do to his oarsmen?
Plug their ears with beeswax
65. What should Odysseus do if he wants to experience the Sirens?
Have his men tie him to the mast
66. Who is Scylla?
A rock who is personified as a female monster with 6 heads and 12 legs, devours sailors
67. What does Scylla do to all passing ships?
Takes 1 man from every gullet
68. Who is Charybdis?
A whirlpool, personified as female monster
69. What is Circe’s advice concerning Scylla and Charybdis?
Steer towards Scylla – better to lose 6 men than all of them
70. Why does she suggest this?
Better to lose 6 men than an entire crew
71. What does Circe warn will be the death of Odysseus’s crew?
When they slaughter the sacred cattle of Lord Helios
72. Of the sirens, Scylla, and Chrarybdis, of which does Odysseus tell his crew?
The Sirens
73. Why does Odysseus withhold information from his men?
Because he didn’t want them to panic
74. What kind of leader does Odysseus prove to be during this portion of the journey?
A fairly good one – he tries to motivate his men and he gets them through these dangers with only
losing 6 men
75. Whose cattle do Odysseus’s crew eat?
That is the worst way to die
76. Why do they do this?
Lord Helio’ – the sun god
77. What is the crew’s punishment?
Because they are hungry and don’t want to starve
78. Where was Odysseus while this was happening?
The gods made him fall asleep
79. What is the crew’s punishment?
Death – a thunderbolt from Zeus destroys their boat and all of the men drown except Odysseus.