The Odyssey Questions
Opening
1) Who were the Muses?
2) Why don’t Odysseus’ shipmates return home?
Sailing from Troy
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Who is Odysseus’ son?
What impressions do you get of Odysseus so far?
Why did Odysseus’ men get slaughtered at Cicones?
What lesson can be learned from the defeat of Odysseus and his men at Ismarus?
How do Calypso and Circe keep Odysseus from reaching home?
What were Odysseus’ feelings when he was with Calypso and Circe?
The Lotus-Eaters
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Why doesn’t Odysseus make it home after Cicones?
What happens to the men who eat the Lotus?
What does this episode suggest about the main problem that Odysseus has with his men?
How does Odysseus get them to leave?
What modern-day problem can you compare to the Lotus-Eaters?
The Cyclops
1) Before meeting with the Cyclops, what had Odysseus received from Maron at Ismarus?
2) What does the encounter with Maron reveal about ancient Greek attitudes regarding
hospitality?
3) How do Odysseus and his companions expect to be treated by the Cyclops?
4) How does the Cyclops respond to Odysseus’ threat that Zeus will avenge “the offending guest”?
5) Why doesn’t Odysseus kill the Cyclops when he first has the chance?
6) How does Odysseus get the Cyclops to fall asleep?
7) What does Odysseus do to the Cyclops’ eye?
8) What does Odysseus tell the Cyclops his name is?
9) Why don’t the other Cyclopes help?
10) How do the men escape from the Cyclops?
11) Why does Odysseus keep taunting Polyphemus?
Land of the Dead
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What was in the bag that Aeolus gives to Odysseus?
What happens when the men open the bag?
What does Circe do to Odysseus’ men?
Who does Circe tell Odysseus he must talk to in order to go home?
5) Whom does Odysseus encounter in the Land of the Dead?
6) What character trait does Odysseus display in the Land of the Dead that he did not reveal
earlier?
7) What does Teiresias say would cause Odysseus and his men destruction?
8) What does Teiresias say Odysseus will find when he returns home?
9) What does Teiresias tell Odysseus to do after he has his revenge?
The Sirens
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Where do the men go after Odysseus visits the Land of the Dead?
What advice does Circe give Odysseus?
How do the Sirens lure travelers to their destruction?
What does Odysseus do with the beeswax?
Compare and contrast the danger of the Sirens and the danger of the Lotus-Eaters?
Scylla and Charybdis
1) What are Scylla and Charybdis and why do they pose dangers for travelers?
2) Why does Odysseus choose to sail toward Scylla rather than Charybdis?
3) Was Odysseus right not to tell his men about his decision to sail toward Scylla?
Cattle of the Sun God
1) What does Eurylochus say to persuade Odysseus’ men to slaughter and eat the cattle of Helios,
the sun god?
2) Why is Odysseus unable to keep his men from killing the cattle?
3) What happens to Odysseus’ men after they eat the cattle at Helios?
4) Where does Odysseus end up after Zeus destroys his ship?