Invocation of the Muse (Book I)
Directions: Use page 1204 of your textbook to answer the following questions.
1. The Gods are upset with Odysseus because after his victory at Troy, he didn't give a ______________ of
thanks to them. So they took action against him, and seeing as how he was sailing home, Poseidon was
best suited to mess with him.
2. Who is the speaker in this selection?
3. Who is the subject of this Epic Tale?
4. What war did he win?
5. Why did he fight?
6. What did the men do wrong?
7. Who killed the men?
8. Who is fighting for Odysseus?
9. What is happening to Penelope?
10. What will happen to Telemachus?
Directions: Use your own life events to fill in the lines below. Copy on SB.
Sing in Me, Muse, and through me tell the story of
a (man/woman) skilled in (what activity)________________________________________________________
driven by (what forces)______________________________________________________________________
after conquering or preforming (what?)_________________________________________________________
(s/he) has traveled (where?)_________________________________________________________________
seen (whom?) ____________________________________________________________________________
learned (what?) ___________________________________________________________________________
suffered (what?) __________________________________________________________________________
attempted (what?) _________________________________________________________________________
lost (what?) ______________________________________________________________________________
(s/he) has struggled (how?)__________________________________________________________________
Striven to do (what?) _______________________________________________________________________
And now yearns for (what?) _________________________________________________________________
Begin the story, Muse where you will, and sing of our time, too.
Calypso, the Sweet Nymph (Book V)
1. How long has Odysseus been with Calypso?
2. Who relays to Calypso that she must free Odysseus?
3. What does the epic simile in lines 9-12 tell the reader about Hermes?
4. What quote(s) could be used to prove the painting on 1207 appropriately reflects the imagery used to
describe Calypso?
5. What is Odysseus doing at this time?
Calypso is “reluctant” to send Odysseus home because she sees a double standard working. Immortal
gods (men) and humans (women) can couple but the opposite is frowned upon.
6. Odysseus spends his days ________________ and his nights laying with _____________.
7. Where does Calypso say she got the idea to let Odysseus go?
8. What is the epithet used in this book?
9. What tactics, in addition to flattery, does Calypso use to persuade Odysseus to stay with her?
10. How does Odysseus’ response to Calypso reveal about his ability talk his way out of a tough situation?
Directions: Write a well thought out Letter advising Odysseus to either stay on a desert island with a
goddess or go home to his wife. Copy on SB.
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New Coasts and Poseidon’s Son (Book IX)
1. Odysseus is “known for guile (crafty or artful in deception or lying) in peace and war.” Since Athena is
the goddess of strategy, explain why she favors him.
2. What does the elevated way Odysseus speaks about himself to King Alcinous reveal about Odysseus’
character?
3. How are Calypso and Circe presented in Odysseus’ tale?
4. What does Odysseus mean by “…in my heart I never gave consent?”
5. Paraphrase lines 24-26 on page 1210.
6. What can lotus plants be compared to?
7. What lines in this excerpt prove that Odysseus does not respect the Cyclopes?
8. Why does Odysseus expect that the Cyclops will offer him food and gifts?
9. Why does Odysseus Lie to the Cyclops about his ship and his name?
10. Why does Odysseus reveal his real name to the Cyclops?
To the ancient Greeks heroism did not mean perfection, it meant that a person had an extraordinary attribute
or ability, making Odysseus, a lying, cheating, killer a hero because of ability to lie well. Directions: Write a
paragraph about why you or a friend in this class is an ancient hero. Copy on SB.
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Circe, the grace of the witch (Book X)
1. What does the epic simile regarding the lions and wolves in Circe’s hall reveal about her abilities?
2. Who is the only of the party to escape Circe? Why?
3. What happens to the men that do not escape?
4. What does Hermes give Odysseus and what advice is he offered?
5. How long do the men stay in a trance?
Write an ESSAY in which you determine whether it would be more enjoyable to be a land or sea
dwelling animal. Copy bullet points to SB.
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Land of the Dead (Book XI)
1. How do ancient Greeks refer to their dead?
2. What is Erebus?
3. How did Elpenor die?
4. Odysseus discovers his mother has died in the time he has been away, but he does not allow her to
taste of the sacrifice because it is for _____________________.
5. Where is the only safe rout back to Ithica?
6. What must the sailors leave alone on this island?
7. What does Tiresias say is happening to his wife and son?
8. Does Odysseus journey end by kicking out his wife’s’ suitors?
9. With which god must Odysseus make amends?
10. How did Odysseus’ mother die?
Write TWO paragraphs answering the following prompt. If you could meet with someone who is no
longer living who would it be and what would you discuss?
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The Siren; Scylla and Charybdis (Book XII)
1. How do the men avoid being ensnared by sirens’ song?
2. If you were Odysseus, would you want to listen to their song? Why?
3. What will happen when the men pass Scylla?
4. Why must the men avoid Charybdis?
5. Do you think that Odysseus should have told his shipmates about Scylla?
Circe asks Odysseus, “‘Must you have battle in your heart forever?/The bloody toil of combat?” In your
estimation, do you feel that people born to or exposed to an environment of violence can rid their
hearts of the violence they have learned?
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