| List the 7 characteristics of an epic | 1. Begins with an invication to the muse 2. Begins in the middle of things 3. Anout an epic hero4. Outcome effects the fate of a nation 5. Gods take sides 6. Noble & majestic style language 7. Characters speak in long, ceremonious speeches |
| Define muse | Daughter of Zeus, credited with divine inspiration |
| What does the narrator ask the muse to do? | To tell the story |
| During the Trojan war, what city do Odysseus & his men plunder? | Troy |
| What happens to Odysseus’s shipmates | They die of their own foolishness |
| What does Athena advise Telemachus to do? | To search for Odysseus because the suitors want to take over Ithaca |
| How many years did calypso hold Odysseus on her island? | 7 |
| What news did Hermes come to give to calypso? | To release Odysseus & help him build a raft |
| What lines allow the reader to infer that Odysseus is not happy on calypso’s island | Lines 39-42 |
| Does homer characterize Calypso directly or indirectly? Give two examples | Indirectly 1. She tells Odysseus that he doesn’t need to grieve anymore & that he can leave her. (She is considerate)2. She reluctantly agreed to letting Odysseus go even though she didn’t want to (obedient) |
| What does “strategist Odysseus” imply? | He is skilled in planning action to get stuff done. |
| Who pushed the men by sending a storm? | Zeus |
| What happened to the men that ate the lotus flowers | They ended up wanting to stay & lost all hope of home |
| What does this episode suggest about a problem Odysseus has with his men? | They don’t obey him |
| Based on Odysseus’s criticism of the cyclops, what can you infer about the kind of society the Greeks valued? | An orderly society with laws & rules. They respected soldiers & lived in a community function |
| When Odysseus & his men enter the cave, where is Polyphemus? | Pasturing his sheep |
| What character flaw does Odysseus reveal by refusing to leave the cyclops’ cave? | He was stubborn, arrogant, & a little too confident |
| What Greek beliefs regarding respect for strangers does Odysseus talk about to the cyclops | He says Polyphemus should give them food & gifts because they are strangers |
| In what way does Odysseus show his craftiness when questioned by the cyclops | He comes up with a tricky plan on the spot |
| Why does Odysseus make the decision to not kill the cyclops when he gets the chance to? | The cyclops is the only one who can open the cave door |
| What heroic qualities does Odysseus show when he plots against the cyclops? | Bravery & creativity |
| What plan does Odysseus have in mind when he offers Polyphemus the wine? | To make him drunk |
| Despite his heroism, what human quality does Odysseus reveal when he’s sailing away from the cyclopse’s island | He doesn’t know when to shut up |
| To whom does Polyphemus pray & for what? | To Poseidon for Odysseus to never get home |
| What does this episode reveal about Odysseus? | He makes stupid decisions that affect everyone else |
| Describe the imagery of the land of the dead | Fire & suffering people |
| Who is Elpenor? What does he ask Odysseus to do? | A dead soldier, to bury him properly |
| Why must Odysseus show great restraint when he sees anticlea? | She is his mom & he doesn’t have time to talk to her |
| Who is the God who thunders on the land & his son | Poseidon & Polyphemus |
| What advice does Tiresias give to Odysseus regarding the suitors in Ithaca | To kill them |
| What warnings are given to Odysseus by Circe | Warnings about the Sirens, the Scylla, & the Charybdis |
| How do the sirens lure the sailors to their death | By singing to them |
| How does Odysseus protect his men from the sirens | He puts beeswax in their ears |
| How does Odysseus react to the sirens voices | He wants his men to untie him |
| When the men grow afraid of smoke & water how does Odysseus lift their spirits | He reminds them of how far they’ve come |
| Why does Odysseus refuse to tell his men that they are heading towards the scylla? | They will start to panic |
| Describe the Scylla & Charybdis | Scylla: 6 heads, scaled, rough tentacles, teethCharybdis: whirlpool |
| Why does Odysseus suffer more after the Scylla attacked than any other attack | He lost all of his men |
The odyssey part 2
April 18, 2020