The Odyssey
Books Two-Eight: Cloze Notes Activity
Book Two: Telemachus Prepares for his Voyage
Telemachus calls the first assembly of the (1)
since the departure of (2)
Telemachus complains about the (3)
.
and demands that they leave the palace to allow his mother
to grieve in peace. The leader of the suitors, (4)
, is the only one who challenges Telemachus.
Antinous states that the suitors will remain until Penelope (5)
one of them. He deflects the blame
Telemachus places on the Achaean suitors onto Penelope, revealing her shrewd strategy to delay choosing a
(6)
. Prudent Telemachus declares that he will never order his mother away and evokes the
name of (7)
as he gives the suitors an ultimatum. A pair of (8)
by Zeus. The old warrior (9)
, a seer, delivers the (10)
the assembly that (11)
denounces (13)
will not be away much longer. (12)
is sent, as a sign,
of the eagles and warns
, Polybus’ son,
stating that his prophecy will not come to fruition. Telemachus announces his
intention of making a voyage to discover what has happened to his (14)
closed. The goddess (15)
. The assembly is
, in the guise of Mentor, promises to procure a ship and crew.
Meanwhile, the arrogant suitors grow worried about Telemachus and his plans to find Odysseus. Telemachus
enlists the help of (16)
Telemachus of the wicked (17)
, the old nurse, to prepare provisions for his voyage. Eurycleia warns
of the suitors and begs him to remain at (18)
.
Telemachus remains firm in his decision and swears the old nurse to secrecy. Athena, in the guise of
(19)
, prepares the ship and crew. The goddess with the glittering eyes puts all the suitors to
(20)
allowing Telemachus to depart unharmed. He sails until dawn.
Book Three: Telemachus Visits Nestor in Pylos
Telemachus arrives in (1)
, a well-built city ruled by (2)
guide Athena, still in the form of (3)
(4)
to Poseidon, the dark-haired (5)
. Telemachus and his
, are welcomed by the Pylians, who are sacrificing black
of the Earth. Odysseus’ brave son presents
The Odyssey
Books Two-Eight: Cloze Notes Activity
himself to Nestor. Geranian horseman (6)
(7)
(10)
, the murder of (8)
spins a long tale of the homecoming of the heroes of
by his wife, (9)
, and his cousin,
, and the revenge of Agamemnon's son, (11)
his father’s killer; Agamemnon's brother, (12)
had carried him to (13)
schemes against (15)
, who got his revenge against
, was unable to intervene, for unfavorable winds
. Nestor knows of the (14)
who are devising wicked
and bids him to visit Menelaus, Atreus’ fair-haired son, in
(16)
. Nestor offers him, on Athena's suggestion, a (17)
and his son,
(18)
, as a traveling companion. Gleaming-eyed (19)
(20)
. Telemachus spends the night at Nestor's palace then travels to Sparta.
departs in the form of a
Book Four: Telemachus Visits Menelaus in Sparta
Telemachus and Peisistratus, Nestor’s noble son, arrive at splendid Menelaus' palace, where his daughter's
(1)
is in progress. Menelaus welcomes the strangers but it is his wife, (2)
recognizes Telemachus due to his resemblance to (3)
(4)
. Divinely cherished
recounts the tragic loss of the heroes of Troy and the (5)
Agamemnon. Helen, Zeus’s daughter, pours a (6)
who disguised
to gain entrance into Troy; Menelaus follows with a tale of Odysseus' cunning
. Telemachus and Peisistratus spend the night at Menelaus’ palace. The next
plan of the (9)
morning (10)
(11)
of his brother
into the men’s wine to ease their troubled
minds. She then invites them to dine as she tells a story about steadfast (7)
himself as a (8)
, who
, skilled at war shouts, questions Telemachus about his voyage to
. Telemachus reveals his mission—to discover news of his father Odysseus—and reports
the destruction of his estates by the suitors. Fair-haired Menelaus is (12)
Telemachus how (13)
, daughter of the Old Man of the Sea, great (14)
by the news and tells
, helped
him escape the island of Pharos, where he was stranded. Following her instructions, Menelaus and his men
The Odyssey
Books Two-Eight: Cloze Notes Activity
trapped Proteus, forcing him to tell Menelaus his (15)
other companions (16)
and give Menelaus information about his
, (17)
, and (18)
married Zeus’ daughter, learned from Proteus that (19)
(20)
. Menelaus, the man who
was last seen weeping in the palace of
. Meanwhile, back in Ithaca, the suitors learn of Telemachus' voyage and plan an ambush at
the island of rugged (21)
to bring his search for his father to a dismal end. Penelope hears of
their plot from the herald (22)
. Athena, in the shape of (23)
brave Icarius and wife to Eumelus, enters wise Penelope’s (24)
(25)
, daughter of the
and assures her of her son's
.
Book Five: Odysseus Leaves Calypso’s Island and Reaches Phaeacia
(1)
stirs from her bed, bringing light to the second assembly of the gods. Athena pleads the case
of Odysseus before high-thundering (2)
messenger god, is dispatched to (4)
and the other blessed gods. (3)
to order (5)
to release (6)
Zeus decrees that Odysseus will receive no assistance from the (7)
reach (8)
within (9)
, the
.
or mortal men but he will
days and the Phaeacians who rule this fertile land will honor
Odysseus and give him safe passage home. The lovely goddess Calypso welcomes the killer of
(10)
into her cave but is distraught over Zeus’ order stating that it is proof of the
(11)
of the gods. Knowing she can not defy aegis-bearing Zeus, Calypso reluctantly agrees. She
seeks out Odysseus, that great-hearted man who sits (12)
a (13)
on the beach and instructs him to build
. Initially, Odysseus questions her sincerity but Calypso promises that he will suffer no
more injury at her hands. After returning to her cave, Calypso questions Odysseus about his longing for
(14)
. Cunning Odysseus replies that Penelope, although (15)
Calypso’s beauty. It takes Odysseus (16)
following day. On the (17)
, is no match for
days to complete the raft. He departs for Phaeacia the
day of his voyage, Odysseus spies Phaecia, but Poseidon, returning
The Odyssey
Books Two-Eight: Cloze Notes Activity
from (18)
, sees him and becomes (19)
and Odysseus laments his wretched fate. (20)
council—take off his (21)
. The mighty Earthshaker sends a storm
with the lovely ankles notices him and gives him
, leave the raft, and swim towards the land of the Phaeacians where
Fate says he will be rescued. Ino gives Odysseus a (22)
for protection and instructs him to throw
it back into the sea once he reaches shore. Earthshaker (23)
sends a monstrous, menacing,
terrifying wave that forces Odysseus to abandon his craft. Once Odysseus is in the water, Poseidon leaves for
Aegae, giving Athena the chance to save Odysseus by stopping all the winds. Odysseus swims for
(24)
days and nights upon the divine veil received from the sea-nymph Ino until he reaches the
coast. Odysseus escapes the sharp crags with a prayer to the gods and falls (25)
underneath two
bushes on the shore.
Book Six: Odysseus and Nausicaa
Athena, in the guise of (1)
and in a (4)
(5)
Great-hearted (6)
his wife, (7)
daughter, visits (2)
, princess of (3)
,
instructs her to wash her clothing when the day breaks, lest her chances of
be ruined. Fair-robed Nausicaa asks for permission to wash the clothing the next morning.
orders his slaves to prepare a smooth-running wagon for his daughter while
, prepares food, wine, and oil for the short trip to the washing tubs at the mouth of
the river. Nausicaa and her attendants arrive at the river where (8)
the clothes to dry, Nausicaa and her attendant maids play with a (9)
is asleep. While waiting for
. Bright-eyed Athena causes
the lovely girl to toss the ball into the deep, swirling river, causing the girls' to scream which awakens
Odysseus. Naked and unkempt, Odysseus emerges like a mountain (10)
and beseeches Nausicaa
to take pity on him in a careful, flattering speech. Persuaded, she commands her attendants to bathe and clothe
Odysseus but he prefers to bathe himself in private. Athena makes Odysseus (11)
,
The Odyssey
Books Two-Eight: Cloze Notes Activity
(12)
like (14)
, and more (13)
to win the admiration of white-armed Nausicaa. When god-
reappears, Nausicaa is indeed impressed and tells her companions she would love to
take a man like him as her (15)
. Nausicaa, an (16)
girl, can not accompany a
stranger into town so she gives Odysseus a detailed description of the city, with the advice to pass by
(17)
, the king, and to clasp the knees of her mother, (18)
alone, Odysseus prays to Pallas (19)
, in supplication. Once
. She, fearful of her father’s brother (20)
,
hears his prayer but did not reveal herself to him directly.
Book Seven: Odysseus at the Court of Alcinous in Phaeacia
Odysseus sets off for the city enveloped him in (1)
sent by Athena so that he might not be seen
by the Phaeacians. Athena, in the guise of a young (2)
carrying a (3)
, meets and
guides Odysseus to the palace. The young girl tells Odysseus of the lineage of the great house and advices him,
as did (4)
, to first greet the (5)
magnificent palace and its lovely garden (6)
enclosed in mist, and kneels in supplication to (8)
. Athena leaves Odysseus at the palace. The
him. Long-suffering (7)
enters, still
. The miraculous mist dissolves leaving all the
guests struck with wonder at the sight of him. Well received, he dines among the nobles of Phaeacia. Whitearmed (9)
recognizes the (10)
Resourceful Odysseus does not reveal his (11)
Odysseus is wearing and asks his name.
, instead, he tells of his imprisonment on
(12)
and his perilous journey to their shore where he encountered their daughter
(13)
. Although (14)
promises Odysseus a speedy journey (15)
wishes Odysseus will stay and marry his daughter, he
. Odysseus spends the night in the palace.
The Odyssey
Books Two-Eight: Cloze Notes Activity
Book Eight: Odysseus is Entertained in Phaeacia
The next morning royal and might (1)
unnamed stranger, (3)
summons an (2)
to offer a ship to the
, and then invites the lords into his palace to hear (4)
, the
godlike minstrel, sing tales of great Odysseus. Odysseus attempts to hide his (5)
(6)
as blind
sings but Alcinous observes his reaction and he calls for a contest of (7)
contests include (8)
, (9)
, (10)
, and discus (11)
Odysseus responds to a challenge from the proud (12)
and hurling it (13)
. The
.
by choosing the biggest, heaviest discus
than the marks of all the other men. (14)
, in the likeness of a
man, congratulates Odysseus. The guests return to the palace, Demodocus sings of the infidelity of
(15)
, goddess of love, with (16)
the war-god, and how her husband
(17)
, the lame god, caught them in an invincible (18)
and the presentation of gifts to Odysseus, Demodocus, encouraged by (19)
of Odysseus and the (20)
. After marvelous dancing
, recites the exploits
. Again Odysseus weeps, and Alcinous asks him his story.