The Odyssey
NAME: _______________________________________________________________BLOCK__________ _____________
SETTING UP YOUR PAPER
Using your own sheet of paper, title the top of your paper with the section title from the book, which is The Land of the
Dead, include the page number (999), and write the date that you are doing the reading. You must repeat these steps
each time we complete a reading log.
AEOLUS, THE LAESTRYGONIANS, and CIRCE THE ENCHANTRESS– Read the italics on page 999 and then read the
description below.
After the encounter with Polyphemus, the Cyclops, Odysseus has tough times because of Poseidon’s anger, and
Poseidon’s attempts to kill Odysseus and his men. Odysseus is going to have several encounters with various
SUPERNATURAL beings. Supernatural means some creature, power, or object that goes beyond what is possible in the
real world, i.e. dragons, magic, leprechauns, telepathy, etc. Odysseus must use his heroic characteristics to make it out
of each of the various situations. Oftentimes, he is outdone by the supernatural force, and he and his men only make it
out by escaping.
1a. Label the three pictures (A,B, and C) below and identify which event is being represented in the picture from the
italics on page 999. 1b. Explain what details in the pictures helped you figure out what event it is representing.
A
B
C
1c. Explain how each encounter turns out for Odysseus and his men.
THE LAND OF THE DEAD – Read lines 525 – 577 and then read the explanation below.
Odysseus and his men must perform a religious sacrifice to Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld, in order to talk
to Tiresias since he is dead and resides in the Underworld. Odysseus and his men kill their most rare black sheep and
best cow. In ancient times, people depended on their livestock to live. Sacrificing your best livestock was a huge
The Odyssey
personal sacrifice to the people of that time. It would be like giving a huge part of your salary to a church or donating
your car. 2a. Why would Odysseus risk traveling into the Underworld and risk his own life? Explain.
Read lines 580 beginning on page 1001 and stop at line 610 and then read the description below.
Odysseus comes face to face with one of the men he has lost during his travels. 3a. What has happened to Elpenor? 3b.
What does Odysseus promise to do for him that will let his spirit rest?
TIRESIAS – The Blind Prophet – Read lines 615 – 671 and then read the description below.
Odysseus has sought out Tiresias to get advice about how to get home and what is ahead on his journey. Go back
through the reading, and paraphrase the information that Tiresias tells to Odysseus . Respond to the three questions
below, but use your own paraphrased words.
4a. What does Tiresias warn Odysseus about that will be the doom of all of his men? 4b. What does Tiresias tell
Odysseus he should do once he returns home to Ithaca and finds the suitors that have overrun his palace? 4c. What must
Odysseus do once he gets home to Ithaca in order to appease Poseidon?