Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book I
1. Why does the bard petition the Muses? What can they give him that he does not already have?
2. What was Odysseus' principal folly according to Homer? What does the poet imply about Odysseus'
culpability in this matter?
3. Epic poems almost always begin in medias res. Based on what knowledge of Latin you possess, what do
you think this phrase means? Regardless of how much Latin you know, why do you think the poet
begins telling the story where he does?
4. Why is Poseidon angry with Odysseus? In the assembly of the gods, who speaks on behalf of the hero?
5. Pay attention to the story of Aegisthus, Agamemnon, and Orestes. How is this story related to the
journey of Odysseus?
6. What encouragement does Athena give to Telemachus? Why does he need it?
7. How does Telemachus treat Mentes (the disguised Athena)? What does this tell us about the wider
culture of Ithaca and Greece?
8. What does the first scene in which we meet Penelope tell us about her character?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book II
1. How has Telemachus already changed with respect to his manner and his appearance since the story
began? How do you account for this change?
2. What effect does the initial speech of Aegyptius have in preparing the assembly for what Telemachus
has to say?
3. Who responds to Telemachus' claim against the suitors? How does the story of Penelope's deception
affect the assembly?
4. A sign is given to the assembly and Halitherses gives an interpretation. What is the relationship between
the sign and his reading? Why would the Greeks look to birds as bearing messages from the gods?
5. What does Homer mean us to learn about his characters in this scene? Think about their speech and
actions as being symbolic of their virtue or vice.
6. Besides our words and actions are there other means by which our own virtues or vices are known to
the world? Are our words and actions identical to our moral character? What do you think? What does
Homer think?
7. Book II ends with Telemachus addressing, successively, Antinous, Eurycleia, and his crew. What do
these conversations show us about the trajectory of his character? How is he changing?
Reading Questions
1.
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book III
How does Homer introduce Nestor's people to the reader? What do their actions on Telemachus'
arrival tell us about the people as a whole.
2. Nestor is a man described by Homer as being “far too wise” to lie. What does this mean about his
character and the nature of wisdom and lying?
3. When Nestor responds to Telemachus what compliment does he give the boy? What effect would this
be likely to have on Telemachus?
4. In what respect did Agamemnon and Menelaus disagree when they set off for home after sacking Troy?
Which side of the disagreement was Nestor on? What about Odysseus?
5. Two men who survived the Trojan war encountered grave obstacles on the way home. Who were they?
What were the obstacles? What single difference between the circumstances of these two men ensured
that one would come to a bad and the other would not?
6. What role does hospitality play in Telemachus' visit to Nestor? How does his experience at Pylos differ
from what he can offer to a guest at Ithaca?
7. What is wisdom? How does it differ from intelligence and cleverness? What qualities does the wise man
possess by which his wisdom is known? Who in The Odyssey is called wise? Do you know of anyone
personally whom you would identify as a possessor of wisdom?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book IV
1. What do you already know about Sparta? The knowledge you have is probably based on the GrecoPersian and Peloponnesian wars. Does Homer's depiction of prehistorical Sparta foreshadow any later
developments with which you are already familiar?
2. Who is Helen? What role has she played in the historical backdrop to this story? Imagine being Helen or
Menelaus in light of their history. What effect would the past have had on their relationship?
3. While reading Book II you were asked to compare Odysseus' fate to that of Agamemnon and to point
out the factor most essential to deciding their disparate fates. Compare the fate of Odysseus now to that
of Menelaus. With respect to love, fame, wealth, and happiness, how have their experiences differed?
Who, ultimately, would you rather be?
4. Many times in The Odyssey experienced men and women will observe that a guest of theirs looks to be
of noble or godlike stock. What does this mean? Is nobility in any way inherited or genetic? Have you
had the experience of seeing nobility in someone's appearance?
5. There are many scenes in these early pages of The Odyssey where characters display powerful emotions
openly and publicly. How much their attitude toward emotion differ from that of our culture? What
could we learn by investigating a culture's attitude toward emotional display?
6. Why do Antinous and Eurymachus respond so suddenly and violently to the new of Telemachus'
departure? What does Noëmon's testimony tell them about the nature of his journey?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book V
1. Book V begins with another gathering of the gods. How have circumstances changed since Athena last
placed the case of Odysseus before them? How does this change affect the willingness of Zeus to
intervene?
2. Zeus quickly reveals the entire plan for Odysseus' return to Ithaca. Does this strike you as a “spoiler”
that makes continued reading less enjoyable? If not, why not? How would a revelation like this affect
your enjoyment of a modern novel or movie?
3. Look at the description of Calypso's island in lines 64 and following. Compare this to the scene that
immediately follows. What is Homer trying to illustrate with this juxtaposition?
4. What two skills does Odyssey demonstrate as he prepares to leave and sets off from Calypso's island?
What do these pages tell us about the science and technology of the Greeks, even in Homer's time (ca.
1000 BC)?
5. When Poseidon renews his assault on Odysseus, the hero – as elsewhere – says that it would be have
died “on the plains of Troy” than on his journey home. Why does the manner of one's death matter?
Does it matter now more or less than it did in ancient times? If our views are different, what has
changed them?
6. Why does Odysseus distrust the help given by Ino? How does he “hedge his bets” against the
dishonesty of the gods?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book VI
1. Why does Athena provide Nausicaa as Odysseus' patron among the Phaeacians? How does the method
Athena uses for leading her to cross Odysseus' path prepare Nausicaa to be a zealous advocate for him?
2. Odysseus is in an awkward situation when he first encounters Nausicaa. How does he handle his own
involuntary immodesty in a way that wins over Nausicaa?
3. When Odysseus bathes, Athena lends him graces to make him look more noble and handsome. Why is
this a critical time for Odysseus to have visible nobility? Have you heard people referred to as having
charisma, a word related to charism, charity, and eucharist? What does it mean to have charisma? Where
does it come from?
4. The way in which Nausicaa suggests that they approach the court of Alcinous is also motivated by a
desire to preserve modesty. In what way will the two of them splitting up before reconvening at the
palace prepare the Phaeacians to receive Odysseus well?
5. Alcinous is described as being blessed with wisdom by the gods, yet Nausicaa advises Odysseus to
approach her mother first. What would be the rhetorical (persuasive) value in this? What do you know
about the character of Arete, the queen of the Phaeacians, from the brief descriptions Homer has given
of her in this book?
Reading Questions
1.
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book VII
Athena protects Odysseus on his journey to the court of Alcinous by covering him in a mist. She then
meets him in the guise of a young girl. How does this young girl's description of Alcinous and Arete
prepare Odysseus for success? What more do we learn about the king and queen of the Phaeacian's
from this exchange?
2. What are the special gifts given to the Phaeacian's by the gods? What do the respective gifts of the men
and women tell us about this people?
3. The Phaeacians are wealthy beyond the dreams of most other Greeks whom Odysseus has encountered.
Why is this the case? How does the Greek understandings of blessings and providence compare to the
Christian understanding?
4. What does Arete notice about Odysseus that her husband probably never would have? How does she go
about questioning him on this issue? How does Odysseus respond in a tactful way?
5. After Odysseus responds to Arete's pointed question, what offer does Alcinous make Odysseus? How
does this strike you? Keep in mind that as of this moment, neither Alcinous nor Arete know his name or
his land or origin.
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book VIII
1. How does Athena prepare the Phaeacian public and nobles before the day of songs and games begins?
How will this likely change Odysseus' fate?
2. As with the appearance of the storyteller in Book I, we should pay special attention to the words of
Demodocus, the “inspired bard” of Book VIII. What special kinship does he have to Homer? How
does the song he sings affect Odysseus? Why does he respond in this way? What alternative reaction
might we have expected?
3. How do the games of the Phaeacians – and ancient Greeks in general – differ from those which we
most commonly watch and play today? Consider the role athletics and athletic prowess plays in our own
culture in comparison to that of the Phaeacians. If in all things “balance is best”, which culture has the
more rightly ordered view?
4. Why would Homer include this long interlude dedicated to what the Phaeacians do for fun? After
Odysseus demonstrates his prowess at the discus, why does Alcinous redirect the attention of the
gathering to “nimble footwork, dance and song”?
5. As of line 618 in Book VIII Odysseus has not yet revealed his name to Alcinous or his nobles. Why
would Odysseus choose not to divulge such basic information to people whom he already calls friends?
How might he be treated differently if he revealed his name as soon as he entered the court of Alcinous?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book IX
1. The opening line of Book IX gives Odysseus an epithet (a formulaic title like “rosy-fingered Dawn,”
“gray-eyed Athena,” “Menelaus lord of the war cry”) which has a double-meaning. What does Homer
mean for us to glean this title, “great teller of tales”?
2. In Book IX we start to hear Odysseus' story from the beginning. Now you can start compiling the
authoritative list of events in your notes. (Example: 1. Agamemnon and Menelaus disagree about when
to leave Troy 2. Odysseus sides with Menelaus, aims to return, but is blown off course to the island of
the Cicones 3. Odysseus in the land of the Lotus Eaters) As you make this list, consider what sort of
opposition Odysseus faces in each situation and question why Homer orders his journey in this
particular way.
3. What is the nature of the danger encountered among the Lotus-eaters? How is Odysseus about to retain
the loyalty of his crew in the midst of this temptation?
4. When the Cyclops are first introduced (line 118), how is their society described? Does this seem like the
Golden Age of man described by Hesiod? How does it differ?
5. The prayer–or curse–of Polyphemus brings upon Odysseus the anger of Poseidon who in turn inflicts
upon him his long and painful journey. Is the god just to do so? Does Polyphemus wrong Odysseus?
How does Odysseus wrong him in turn? How do they both insult the gods and violate the natural law?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book X
1. Having escape the Cyclops, Odysseus and his crew find temporary reprieve on the island of Aeolus.
What gift does he give the wanderer? How does this gift become yet another temptation for the crew?
2. How does the nature of the temptation vary in each trial that Odysseus and crew face? Consider those
that we have seen so far: The Cicones, the Lotus-eaters, the Cyclops, the Aeolus' winds, the
Laestrygonians, and now Circe.
3. Some of Odysseus' crew are named in Book X. Consider especially Eurylochus and Elpenor. For what
are they to be remembered? How do they contribute to the story?
4. A central theme in the Odyssey is culpability, the degree to which a man is accountable for his sin. Use
this ocassion of Hermes' intervention and his advice to Odysseus to reconsider to what degree the hero
and his crew have merited the misery they have received at the hands of the gods.
5. As you read Book X it is important to remember that this is all part of the story Odysseus is telling to
Alcinous and Arete. How does this knowledge affect how we interpret this part of the epic? Consider
also how much of The Odyssey is spoken by characters in the story and how much is spoken by the
narrator himself. Why might Homer choose so frequently to use dialogue rather than narration?
6. To whom must Odysseus speak in the land of the dead? What must Odysseus do in order to open the
gateway between the land of the living and the Underworld? Why might Odysseus, more than any of his
crew, dread this episode of his journey?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book XI
1. After Elpenor and Anticleia, Odysseus next encounters Tiresias, the prophet of Thebes. He makes to
Odysseus a prophesy about the fate of his crew, the means by which it could be avoided, the ultimate
reparation the hero must make to Poseidon, and the hero's own death. How might knowing this
information about the future change Odysseus' course of action in the present?
2. Most of Book XI is dedicated to Odysseus' encounter with his mother and the mothers of heroes of the
previous generation. Why does Homer present Odysseus speaking to their mothers rather than the men
themselves? What is the effect of this part of the story on Alcinous and Arete?
3. The story of Ephialtes and Otus, beginning on line 348, is also mentioned by Hesiod. To what episode
of Old Testament history is this story analogous?
4. Odysseus pauses in the recounting of his conversations with the dead at line 375. In doing so, he invites
both commentary and an interesting command from Arete. Why does she respond this way? Alcinous
asks him to continue his tale, but with slightly different emphasis. Where do the king's interests lie?
5. When speaking to his fallen comrades, Odysseus has three encounters of particular significance. Why
has Homer chosen these men as interlocutors for our hero? What are the shades of Agamemnon and
Achilles most interested in? Why does Ajax refuse to speak?
6. Who is the last shade to whom Odyssey speaks? What is the significance of saving this encounter for
last? What pulls Odysseus suddenly out of his visit to – or, perhaps, vision of – the Underworld?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book XII
1. What do the funeral rites of Elpenor, as well as the entire journey to the Underworld, tell us about the
Greeks' view of death? How does this differ from the Christian conception? Is there, distinct from the
pagan and Christian views of death, a third view which we could ascribe the Modern era?
2. What does Circe know about how Odysseus will respond to hearing of the sirens? What is the
significance of the choice presented by the path past Scylla and Charybdis?
3. Consider the two potential ends to Odysseus' journey based on his conduct on the island of Helios. This
is not the first time the hero has been warned about the cattle of the Sungod. How does foreknowledge
of these encounters make Odysseus more culpable? Why would the gods give him repeated warnings?
4. Odysseus gives the crew ample warning about the Sirens and the cattle of the Sungod, but not about
Scylla and Charybdis. Why?
5. How does Eurylochus convince the remaining crew members to commit the precise trespass they have
been repeatedly warned against?
6. Odysseus arrives alone on the shore of Calypso's island. What has happened to his crew? Once he is
alone, what final trial does Odysseus meet before his long stay on Ogygia? List them now and consider
the significance of the complete order, number, and nature of his trials.
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book XIII
1. What happens to Odysseus as soon the Phaeacian ship leaves the harbor? What do the crewmen do with
him when they arrive in Ithaca? Why does Homer write this into the story?
2. Look at the section of Book XIII which begins at line 142. What does Poseidon ask of Zeus? How has
this event already been foreshadowed? Do you view this action of the gods as being just? If not, who is
most at fault?
3. Why does Odysseus not immediately recognize Ithaca? Is something more than his long absence
affecting his perception? Why do the inhabitants not recognize him? Look closely at his first interaction
on Ithaca, lines 252 and following.
4. Odysseus now meets Athena face-to-face. Note the tone of their conversation. How does Athena
respond to Odysseus' skepticism? How does Odysseus react upon seeing the goddess “in the flesh”?
5. Athena provides Odysseus with a complete plan for securing his kingdom. What does she direct him to
do? What will she accomplish in the meantime?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book XIV
1. Who is Eumaeus? Why is he notable both to the characters within the story and to the readers? Why do
you think Homer speaks of him in the second person (“And you replied, Eumaeus”) throughout Book
XIV?
2. What qualities does Odysseus most value in an ally? How does he test Eumaeus, seeing whether he will
be worthy of taking part in his plan? How does Eumaeus demonstrate his worth in the eyes of his
master?
3. How does Eumaeus react to the stranger's promise that Odysseus will return? What report does he have
on Telemachus and Penelope? Note how his perspective differs from the more complete view of the
situation which we have received from the narrator himself.
4. Examine the story that Odysseus tells Eumaeus when asked his history and place of origin. Is there any
truth in this story? Or resemblance to Odysseus' actual journey? Why is Odysseus hesitant to be honest
with his servant? Finally, how does Eumaeus' response to this story show that he shares an important
quality with his master?
5. Who is Mesaulius? He is a minor character and you will not ever be required to know his name, but his
presence serves to show both the reader and Odysseus something very important about the character of
Eumaeus. What does the inclusion of Mesaulius in the story reveal to us?
6. As they prepare for bed, Odysseus further tests Eumaeus. What more does he ask of the swineherd at
this point and how does he go about doing it? After this final test, Eumaeus further demonstrates his
virtue without even being asked. What do the last dozen or so lines confirm for us about his character?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book XVI
1. How does Eumaeus react to Telemachus' return? Consider what Odysseus must be feeling and thinking
as he experiences the same thing and witnesses Eumaeus' expression of relief at seeing the boy alive.
2. Why does Odysseus not reveal himself to Telemachus immediately? How does Athena make sure that
the deception will not be carried on too long? What does Homer mean for us to glean from situations
like this in which the hero and the goddess seem to have different ideas about which course of action is
best?
3. Shortly after they are reunited, Odysseus and Telemachus began to formulate a plan for overcoming the
suitors. What difficulties does Telemachus recognize in their situation? Why is Odysseus confident that
they will be able to triumph despite the weakness of their position?
4. Consider the step-by-step plan Odysseus and Telemachus settle on. Are there any aspects of the
situation which they have ignored? If they do succeed in ousting the suitors, what will be the likely
consequences of their actions?
5. Two messengers are sent to Penelope in Book 16. What message do they have for her? How does the
manner in which they deliver their messages differ? What is the suitors' reaction to the news?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book XVII
1. Telemachus and Odysseus both set off for the palace, though they plan to arrive separately. How does
Telemachus respond to his mother's joy at seeing him again and to the questions she poses about his
journey? Consider how Penelope might feel hearing Telemachus' report contradicted by Theoclymenus.
2. Who is Melanthius? How does he demonstrate his character during his brief interaction with Eumaeus
and Odysseus? Consider what his actions tell us both about his attitude toward men and his piety
toward the gods.
3. There is a moving scene which begins at line 317 in Book XVII. Reread this scene, up through line 360.
Why does Homer include this digression? What might it tell us about the poet? What is the significance
of the name given to this poor creature by the poet?
4. In tonight's reading we see what is perhaps Antinous' greatest violation of hospitality. What is the
occasion for this slight? What are the consequences of his actions?
5. When Penelope invites Odysseus, still disguised as a beggar, to come and speak to her, why does he
refuse to do so immediately? What is his plan?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book XIX
1. Telemachus provides two different excuses regarding why he is locking away the weapons which
normally decorate the hall. One excuse is given to the suitors, another to Eurycleia. Why are each of
these excuses rhetorically effective (persuasive) to those for whom they are intended?
2. Odysseus tells Telemachus that he wishes to test the serving women and Penelope herself. Note the
name of the disloyal serving woman in Book XIX and how she demonstrates her vulgarity before both
her master and mistress. As Odysseus questions Penelope, how does she turn the test back on him?
3. In Book XIX we meet the only person who is able to recognize Odysseus in spite of his disguise. How
is this accomplished? What can we learn about this character from both her ability to recognize the
“beggar king” and her response once she does realize his identity?
4. Who gave Odysseus his name? What does his name mean? Consider, as we've mentioned before, the
importance of names in this poem (Kalypso from the Greek for “hidden,” Teleamachus meaning
“far/end-fighter,” Arete whose name means “excellence”) and whether the connections between people
and their names is only a matter of poetry (fiction) or whether a man's life and choices are affected by
the name he is given.
5. What unexpected help does Penelope give to Odysseus without knowing it? How is this proposal of
hers likely to affect the plan that Telemachus and Odysseus have already formed?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book XX
1. What is a portent? As you read this book, keep a running list – on paper or in your mind – of the
various portents given to the household of Odysseus and what they foreshadow.
2. When Odysseus and Athena are discussing the impending battle against the suitors at the beginning of
Book XX, Odysseus raises a concern which has not previously come up. What is it and how does
Athena respond? Which previous experience of Odysseus might have shown him that this particular
problem would be a likely result of his action?
3. In Book XX two more servants prove their loyalty to Odysseus, one of them named and one of them
unnamed. Note the name of the servant who is almost a peer to Eurycleia and Eumaeus, and what both
he and the unnamed loyal serving woman do to demonstrate their enduring affection for Odysseus.
4. As the story draws closer to its climax, Telemachus is more and more willing to rebuke and insult the
suitors. What occasions are provided for him in this chapter to speak out and antagonize them? How
does the suitors react toward this perceived insolence?
5. Why does the prophet Theoclymenus leave the palace of Odysseus? How do the suitors react to both
his words of warning and his desertion of the premises? Think about why Homer might have dedicated
this book to omens, augury, and foreshadowing. What vice of the suitors do these incidents help to
illustrate?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book XXI
1. Note the opening lines of this book. How do they set the tone for what is to come? As we head into the
final scenes of The Odyssey, consider the major themes that Homer has already touched upon and how
they are recapitulated and concluded in these final books.
2. How do the suitors respond to Penelope's challenge? Consider especially the way in which Antinous
speaks about the challenge and the order in which the suitors attempt it.
3. What makes Telemachus so eager to try his hand at stringing the bow? Try to discern the significance of
both Odysseus' subtle sign asking him to stop and the narrator's assertion of what would have happened
had it attempted it a fourth time.
4. How does Odysseus reveal his identity to Eumeaus and Philoetius? What opportunity does he present
them with? How will they be rewarded if they are successful?
5. Reread the observation made by Eurymachus in lines 274 and following. What might his response to his
own failure indicate about both his character and about Greek culture in general?
6. What final preparations are necessary before Odysseus reveals himself to the suitors? Upon whom does
he depend in these final moments? Who is still left in the dark?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book XXII
1. Who is the first to suffer Odysseus' wrath? Look closely at the immediate response of the suitors to the
flight of the first arrow and how their attitude changes when Odysseus lists their offenses against him
and his household in lines 35 and following.
2. Eurymachus attempts to dissuade Odysseus from carrying out his plan to punish the suitors. What plan
does he have for reparations? After these two leaders fall, who is next? Why is this order fitting?
3. What role does Melanthius play during the battle with the suitors? How is he repaid for this service and
who has the honor of giving him his due?
4. Who briefly joins the four warriors in their stand against the suitors? What is his contribution to the
battle?
5. There are three men who attempt to save themselves through supplication, begging at the knees of
Odysseus and Telemachus. Two them receive mercy and one does not. Consider who is spared and
why. How did you react upon reading that Odysseus chose to kill an unarmed suppliant? What does
Homer mean for us to learn from presenting these three cases in swift succession?
6. What is Eurycleia's role in the final cleansing of Odysseus' house? After the last of the suitors has fallen,
what remains for Odysseus to do? Take time to reflect on the final lines of this bloody chapter and
consider why Homer chooses to end with the particular image he does rather than saving these last 25
lines for the next book.
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book XXIII
1. When Eurycleia tells Penelope of Odysseus' return, how does she react? How does her attitude change
as the conversation progresses? What evidence does Eurycleia provide to prove her story?
2. As soon as the battle is over, what is the next problem to which Telemachus turns his attention? What
plan does Odysseus contrive to delay the problem his son anticipates?
3. Reread lines 186 and following. What insight does Homer give us into Odysseus and Penelope's
relationship in this short conversation? What final test does Penelope have for Odysseus? How does he
respond to her cunning?
4. What contribution does Athena make to Odysseus and Penelope's reunion? How do they take
advantage of this gift? Again, we should ask what this shows about their relationship.
5. Does Odysseus' transparency in relating his journeys surprise you? Do you think that he tells Penelope
everything? Consider simply what the text says about this and think through how you might argue your
opinion.
6. When the sun rises, Odysseus leaves Penelope and heads where? Who accompanies him? Why do you
think Homer reserves this final reunion for last, rather than ending the story with the revelation of
Odysseus to Penelope?
Reading Questions
Classical Literature
Odyssey, Book XXIV
1. When Book XXIV opens we have a dramatic change of scene. What is the topic of the initial
conversation? Who are the interlocutors?
2. The shade of which suitor approaches Agamemnon? Why is he the spokesperson? What does he say to
the great general of the Trojan war? Look at lines 210 and following to see how Agamemnon responds
to his story.
3. Consider especially what Homer wishes us to glean from the lines: “The fame of her virtue will never
die./ The immortal gods will lift a song for all mankind,/ a glorious song in praise of self-possessed
Penelope.” What does it mean to be “self-possessed”? In what way are Agamemnon's lines prophetic?
4. Odysseus' first conversation with his father shows us the second time in story that he is unable to keep
up false appearances. The first time, Athena dissuades him from lying to Telemachus. What holds him
back from lying on this occasion?
5. How does Odysseus prove to his father that he is truly his son? What cuts their pleasant reunion short?
6. When the rumor of the slaughter of the suitors spreads, who attempts to dissuade their friends and
family from continuing the cycle of violence? In addition to the four fighters previously discussed, who
joins Odysseus for this final battle? Who ends this battle before it begins? How?