Student Name:______________________
The Odyssey by Homer
Class Period:_______
The Odyssey Introduction: Background Notes
MYTHOLOGY INFORMATION
 Myths are the stories of a ________________. They are also _______________ about how things
________________.
 They always include _____________ & _________________ events, _____________ & _______________
of gods and goddesses, and _____________ & _______________.
 Myths are passed down from ____________ to ___________ by word of _______________. Myths explain
the __________________ experience. They tell us: a) ____________________________
b) ____________________________
c) ____________________________
 All myths have a basic structure. They attempt to answer the questions of:
1. ___________________ ______
2. ________________________
3. ________________________
 Myths are often seen as metaphors for:_____________, _______________, ________________,
_______________, _______________, evil, luck, war, etc.
5 General categories for myths:
1. Creation myths – answer:
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Example: ____________________
2. Golden Age – reflects hope ____________________ and fear of the ___________________________.
3. Trickster – most unattractive, ______________ ________________ traits; his role is to account for
____________ in the world; great form of _____________. Example:_______________________
4. Folk Tales – focus on narrative of a _______________ adventure rather than on Supernatural creation;
provide entertainment, not ____________; characters are usually _______________ in nature, based on
real ______________ whose deeds are exaggerated.
Example: __________________
5. The Monomyth - _____________ ____________ ______________. The pattern is remarkably
________________: The hero is ___________, goes on a perilous _____________, shows off his
prowess against _____________, and returns to the ________________. (Hero follows the pattern:
_______________, _______________, and _______________.)
Example:__________________
2
THE ODYSSEY INFORMATION
o
Genre: _________________________
o A long narrative poem about a national or legendary ___________
o Oral tradition (bards)
o Ancient Greece
o TWO epics attributed to ______________
o
Author: __________________
o Born ______ century B.C.
o Two Schools of thought:
1. ________________ poet
2. a ___________________________ over the course of 3-4 hundred years
o Also wrote ______________
o Rhapsode: ____________________________________
o
2 Epic Poems written between _________________ by Homer
o The Iliad
 First written record of___________________
 describes the events of _______ days during the last year of the
__________________________
o The Odyssey
 Describes the ________________ journey of ________________ as he tries to go
home to ______________ after the Trojan War
 ~500 year gap between the actual war & when the story was written down
o
The Trojan War (The Iliad)
o Happened around 1200 b.c. – lasted __________________
o Cause-unknown
o Legendary cause: _________________
 Helen, Queen of Sparta
o True cause: ______________________
o War began over control of the trade route between the _________________ and the
____________________ between the Trojans and _________________
o
The gods and goddesses and the Trojan War
o Gods and goddesses intervened in the war
o Respect for the gods was essential for __________________
o Gods and goddesses wanted the _________________ to win
o
King Peleus marries sea nymph Thetis
o All gods on Olympus invited except ______________, the evil goddess of Discord
o _______________ - “For The Fairest”
o __________________ (Queen of Gods), ________________, (Goddess of Wisdom/War),
_________________ (Goddess of Love) all claim apple
o _________________, Prince of Troy, will be the judge
o
The Bribe
o Hera - ________________________
o Athena - ______________________
o Aphrodite - _____________________________ (Helen)
o Paris chooses ______________—of course!
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o
Helen is Abducted
o Helen- beautiful daughter of King of ______________ (in Greece)
o Helen has many suitors- they swear oath to protect Helen and her new husband
o ________________ abducts Helen
o 1000 ships, including ________________ & Achilles, leave for ________
o
The gods take sides
o TROJANS (Paris, Hector)
 Aphrodite
 _____________, God of War
 Apollo
 Artemis
 Zeus (favored, but stayed neutral to please _______________)
o GREEKS (Achilles, Odysseus)
 Hera
 Athena
 ________________, God of the Sea
o
Surprise Attack
o Trojans thought they had won
o Sinon tells them ______________ is an offering to ____________ - big so Trojans wouldn’t take
it
o Trojans fall for it and drag horse into city gates to _____________ of Athena
o
Troy is in Flames
o In middle of night ________________ leave horse and attack
o Troy is in flames before Trojans know what has happened
o King of Troy ______________________
o Helen is returned to ________________________
o
Odysseus, King of Ithaca, angers the Gods
o Trojans were slaughtered and city sacked and burned
o Greeks violated Trojan ___________________
o Greeks did not offer ________________ to the gods to thank them for their victory
o _________________, creator of Horse, will suffer the most
o
Structure of The Odyssey
o Begins _________________________: _____________________
o 3rd person ___________________ narrator
o ______________ books
o Non-linear plot (modern)
o Layout:
 The Telemachy
 Odysseus’ wanderings
 The ______________________
o
What is an odyssey?
o Odyssey [od-uh-see] –noun
o a long series of wanderings or ________________, esp. when filled with _________________
experiences, hardships, etc.
4
o
Setting
o GREECE
o __________ century BC.
o _____________ Sea and Ionian Islands
o Journey from ______________ to Ithaca
o
Modern Adaptations
o Cold Mountain
o O Brother, Where Art Thou?
o Atwood’s Penelopiad
o “Lost” (Desmond Hume?)
5
IN THE BEGINNING by James Nelson
For ages upon ages, people have told stories about how the world came to be as it is. Some of these tales describe how
the universe was created. Others explain how social customs began and why people live and behave as they do. The
following story describes how the world was “in the beginning” and how it came to be as it is today.
HOW THE WORLD BEGAN
Few stories of creation are as fascinating—or as violent—as the one concocted by the ancient Greeks.
Adapted by Betty Bonham Lies
Before anything existed, there was only Chaos, shapeless and empty. Then Chaos gave birth to two children: the
goddess named Night and the place of darkness in the Underworld, named Erebus. The wind fell in love with Night and
wooed her, and she laid a silver egg deep in the darkness. Before long, the egg hatched, and Love was born. At once,
Love began to create order and beauty. First it made the light and the day, then the earth and the sky.
Mother Earth, named Gaea, and Father Sky, named Uranus, had many children. They were all enormous
creatures, as powerful as volcanoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes. The first three to be born were giants with 100 hands
and 50 heads, called the Hecatonchires. The next three were the enormous Cyclopes. Each Cyclops had only one eye,
huge as a wheel, set right in the middle of his forehead. The last of the children of Gaea and Uranus were the 12 Titans,
six male and six female children. They were as large and as powerful as their brothers, but not as violent or destructive.
THE PROPHECY
Uranus hated the Hecatonchires and the Cyclopes. As soon as they were born, he shut them up in caverns deep
underground. Naturally, Gaea was furious about this act. She begged her youngest children, the Titans, to do
something about it.
Cronus, the youngest Titan, was the only one who had enough courage to help his mother. He fought Uranus,
wounding him horribly. As Uranus died from the wound, he made a prediction. “Beware of your children,” Uranus said
to Cronus. “One of them will do to you as you have done to me.”
After defeating Uranus, Cronus ruled as king of Heaven and Earth. He made another Titan, Rhea, his queen. When Rhea
was about to give birth to the couple’s first child, Cronus became very nervous. He remembered his father’s prophecy.
Would he really be killed by one of his own children?
Rather than risk it, Cronus decided to destroy his offspring. When Rhea gave him their firstborn child to hold,
Cronus swallowed it. Later, when Rhea gave birth to other children, Cronus swallowed these as well. He gulped down
three daughters, the goddesses Hestia, Demeter, and Hera, and two sons, the gods Hades and Poseidon.
Rhea mourned the loss of her five children and was furious with her husband. When the next and final child, the
god Zeus, was about to be born she swore that she would save him from his father. Before Cronus had a chance to see
the new baby, Rhea gave Zeus to his grandmother, Gaea. Then she wrapped the baby blankets around a stone and
presented the stone to Cronus. Without looking closely at the blanketed stone, Cronus swallowed the bundle.
Zeus swore that someday he would rescue his brothers and sisters. When he grew up, he returned home
secretly with a plan. He told his mother the plan, and she agreed to help him. One night she gave Cronus a drink that
made him sick. Cronus began to throw up. First the stone came up, then each of Zeus’ brothers and sisters. Amazingly,
they were all unhurt! They all thanked Zeus and begged him to help them get rid of Cronus and the other Titans.
THE WAR OF THE GODS
A long war followed, a war over who would rule Heaven and Earth. Both the Titans and the gods fought fiercely.
At first, Cronus and the Titans seemed likely to win. Then Zeus asked his uncles, the Cyclopes, for help.
The Cyclopes were blacksmiths. They could work wonders with metal and had created some amazing weapons.
The Cyclopes said they would be happy to help their nephews by giving each of them a weapon. First, they gave Zeus a
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mighty thunderbolt. His brother Hades got a helmet that would make the wearer invisible. To Poseidon, they gave a
sharp three pointed weapon called a trident. With such tools, the gods could not lose.
One night, Hades put on his helmet of invisibility and entered his father’s room. Quietly, he opened the door for
his brothers. Then Poseidon held Cronus off with the trident while Zeus hurled his thunderbolt. Cronus, the leader of
the Titans, was struck dead.
The war had been long, but at last the gods were victorious. They banished the defeated Titans to the
underworld. Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, the three brother gods, controlled the entire universe.
Now they only had to figure out how to divide their power. There were four realms: Heaven, Earth, the Sea, and
the Underworld. At first, Earth seemed too unimportant for the gods to bother with, so they ignored it. Then they
threw dice to decide who would rule the other kingdoms. Zeus won the first toss, and he chose Heaven as his realm.
Poseidon was next, happy to take the Sea. Hades was left with the Underworld, the lad of night, of sleep, and of death.
SHAPING LIFE ON EARTH
With the important matters settled, the gods began to consider the Earth. How should they arrange it? First
they created all the natural features they could imagine to make it beautiful. They raised mountains, carved out valleys,
and set water flowing in rivers or gathered it in pools. Then they brightened the whole Earth with trees, green plants,
and flowers. At last they were ready to populate this lovely place with living creatures.
Prometheus and his brother Epimetheus were two titans who had helped Zeus in the war. As their reward, the
gods let them create the creatures of Earth. Prometheus’ name means forethought, but Epimetheus means
afterthought. He had none of his brother’s wisdom. Without ever thinking ahead, Epimetheus went to Earth and began
handing out presents to all the animals. He gave them speed and courage, cunning and strength. He gave out fins,
feathers, claws, and beaks, as well as fur for warmth. Suddenly he realized he had nothing left to give to humans!
Frightened, he called on his wiser brother, Prometheus for help.
Prometheus had already begun to mold a clay figure. Now he picked it up and changed its shape. He made the
figure into the very image of the gods, standing upright, and looking toward Heaven. Then Zeus’s daughter, the goddess
Athena breathed life into this creation. And so human-kind was born.
But there was still a problem. The animals had all the gifts that would help a creature survive. By comparison,
humans were weak and helpless. If only humans had fire, they would become the most powerful creatures on Earth!
Out of love for his creation, Prometheus flew up to Heaven. There, he stole fire from the sun and carried it back to
Earth. With this gift, humankind became more than a match for the other animals.
Zeus was outraged. He had never wanted humans to have fire. Fire belonged only to the gods! As a
punishment, Zeus condemned Prometheus to be chained to a high cliff, far from humankind. There, every day, an eagle
tore at his liver. And every night his body healed, to be ready for the next day’s agony. After a very long time, Zeus
agreed that his captive could be freed and sent Heracles to the rescue. Heracles killed the eagle and released
Prometheus from his chains. Now the friend of humans was free to help them once again, whenever they might need
him.
7
THE 12 OLYMPIANS – CHIEF GREEK (ROMAN) GODS: NEW GODS
1. Zeus (Jupiter) – supreme ruler of the gods. He was Lord of the Sky, Rain-god, Cloud-gatherer,
thunderbolt thrower, and a notorious womanizer. At times he was fair, at times unfair. His shield,
known as the aegis, was awful to behold. His bird was the eagle, his tree, the oak. His oracle was
Dodona in the land of the oak trees. His will was interpreted by the rustling of the leaves in the oak tree
by priests. He was the most powerful of the Olympians.
2. Poseidon (Neptune) – the ruler of the Sea and Zeus’ brother. He was second in eminence to Zeus.
Married to Amphitrite, granddaughter of the Titan Ocean. He was said to have given the horse to
humans. He carried a trident, a three-pronged spear, which he used to shake and shatter whatever he
wanted. He was also called the Earth-shaker and was thought to be the creator of earthquakes. Poseidon
was associated with the bull and the horse.
3. Hades (Pluto) – ruled the underworld and the dead. He was known for possessing wealth in the form of
precious metals in the earth. His other name was Dis (Latin for rich). His helmet made the wearer
invisible. He was unpitying, inexorable (unrelentless), but just (fair); he was a terrible, but not an evil
god. His wife was Persephone, daughter of Demeter and Zeus.
4. Hestia (Vesta) – Zeus’ sister and a virgin goddess. She was the goddess of the hearth. Meals began and
ended with an offering to her. Each city had a hearth dedicated to her with a fire that was never allowed
to go out. In Rome, her fire was tended by six virgin priestesses called Vestals.
5. Hera (Juno) – Zeus’ wife and sister; she was protector of women and marriage. She was extremely
jealous and vain; she punished all women who were involved with Zeus, even if he had tricked them.
Argos was her favorite city. The cow and peacock were sacred to her. She prolonged the Trojan War so
the Greeks could win because she was so angry at Paris (from Troy) for not having selected her as the
most beautiful of the goddesses (in the judgment of Paris).
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6. Ares (Mars) – the god of War; son of Zeus and Hera (who both hated him). He was murderous and a
curse to mortals. He was also a coward. His attendants included Eris (goddess of Spite), Strife, Enyo
(goddess of war), Terror, Trembling, and Panic. The Romans liked Mars more than the Greeks liked
Ares. Ares once was the lover of Aphrodite. He came from Thrace, home of a rude and fierce people.
The vulture and dog are his animals. Other symbols: weapons and armor.
7. Athena (Minerva) – sprang from Zeus’ head fully grown and in full armor. She had no mother. She was
war-like, the protector of cities, handicrafts, agriculture, and civilized life. She was the first to tame
horses for humans to use. She was the chief virgin goddess, known as Parthenos. Her temple was the
Parthenon. She was associated with wisdom, reason, and purity. Athens was her city; the olive, created
by her, was her tree. The owl was her bird. Other symbols: helmet and spear.
8. Apollo (Apollo) – god of light and truth; son of Zeus and Leto (Latona) was born on Delos. He was a
beautiful figure in Greek poetry, the most “Greek” of all the Greeks. He was a master musician who
played a golden lyre (similar to a little harp) and was the archer god with the silver bow. He taught
humans the art of healing. His oracle (the most well-known) was at Delphi, under Mt. Parnassus. Other
names of Apollo include Delian (from the island Delos where he was born) and Pythian (for having
killed the python snake). He was a link between humans and the gods. His tree was the laurel. The
Dolphin and crow were sacred to him.
9. Aphrodite (Venus) – goddess of love and beauty who stole the wits from even the wise. She was born of
a drop of Father Heaven’s blood that fell into the ocean and created foam. She was born near Cythera.
Without her there was neither joy nor loveliness anywhere. She was sometimes treacherous and
malicious. She was married to Hephaestus, the lame and ugly god of the forge. Symbols: Cupid (her
son), dove, myrtle tree.
10. Hermes (Mercury) – son of Zeus and Maia (daughter of Atlas). He was graceful and swift of motion. He
wore winged sandals, a winged hat, had wings on his wand. He was Zeus’ messenger who flew as fast
as thought. He was cunning and the Master Thief. He was god of the market of Commerce. He made a
lyre from a tortoise shell and gave it to Apollo to repay him for the cattle he had stolen. He was also the
guide of the dead.
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11. Artemis (Diana) – also called Cynthia (born at Mt. Cynthus in Delos); she was Apollo’s twin sister. She
was the Lady of Wild Things, Huntress-in-chief to the gods, protector of youth (though she kept the fleet
from sailing to Troy during the Trojan War until a maiden was sacrificed to her). She was associated
with the moon. She was called Selene in the sky, Artemis on the earth, and Hecate in the lower world.
She was associated with deeds of darkness. The cypress was her tree, the deer, and all other wild
animals were sacred to her. She was also the protectress of female virgins.
12. Hephaestus (Vulcan) – the god of fire, son of Zeus and Hera. He was lame and ugly. Hera sent him out
of heaven upon finding out that he was deformed. Hephaestus made the armor for the Olympians. He
was kindly and peace-loving. With Athena, he was important in the life of the city. He was god of
handicrafts, the arts, and agriculture (as was Athena). Symbols: anvil and forge.
* The three maiden goddesses of Olympus were Aphrodite, Athena, and Artemis.
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Who’s Who on Mount Olympus
Realm
King of gods and ruler
of mankind
Greek Name
Roman Name
Symbol
God of sea, horses, and
earthquakes
God of underworld (did
not live on Mount
Olympus)
Goddess of hearth and
home; sister of Zeus
Queen of gods and wife
of Zeus
God of war
Goddess of wisdom,
war, and weaving
God of sun, music,
poetry, and medicine
Goddess of love and
beauty
Messenger god; god of
commerce, travelers,
and thieves
Goddess of moon and
hunting; patroness of
maidens
God of fire; forger of
armor
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The Odyssey Background Information
Epics are long narrative poems that tell of the adventures of heroes who in some way embody the values of their
civilizations. Two of the most famous epics are the Odyssey and the Iliad. The Odyssey is the model for the epic of a long
journey. The theme of the journey has been basic in Western literature-it is found in fairy tales, in such novels as The
Incredible Journey, Moby Dick, and The Hobbit and in such movies as The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars and The Lion King.
The background for Odysseus' story is found in the Iliad, which is set in the tenth and final year of the Trojan War. The
Greeks attacked Troy to avenge the insult suffered by Menelaus, King of Sparta, when his wife, Helen, ran off with Paris,
a young Trojan prince. For ten years the Greeks had been fighting the Trojans outside of Troy's massive walls. They had
been unable to break through and enter the city. Odysseus' plan was to build an enormous wooden horse and hide a
few Greek soldiers inside its hollow belly. After the horse was built, the Greeks pushed it up to the gates of Troy and
withdrew their armies so that their camp appeared to be abandoned. Thinking that the Greeks had given up and that the
horse was a peace offering" the Trojans brought the horse into the city. That night, the Greeks hidden inside the wooden
body came out and opened the gates of the city to the whole Greek army. The battle began, to win the war. It is
believed that there really was a Trojan War, but the reason was probably economics.
Homer is the author of both poems. Not much is known about him. These poems were considered the basis of Greek
education and were passed down orally from generation to generation. In Homer's day, heroes were thought of as a
special class of aristocrats. They were placed somewhere between the gods and ordinary human beings. Heroes
experienced pain and death, but were always sure of themselves.
The world of Odysseus was harsh, a world familiar with violence. In a certain sense, Odysseus and his men act like
pirates on their journey home. They think nothing of entering a town and carrying off all its worldly goods. The "worldly
goods" in an ancient city might only have been pots and pans and cattle and sheep.
The adventures that Odysseus encounters on his journey home are elements found in each man's life. This is one reason
that the poem is still read and studied today.
Epic: a long narrative poem centered on the adventures of a heroic character
Characteristics of an epic:
*based on historic happenings
*events occur somewhere in the real world
*the problems and conflicts the hero faces are the same as those faced by all men in any period of history
Mythology: system of myths told by a given race full of struggle between good and evil
Myth: an account of early man's explanation of the forces of nature
Creation myths explain nature.
Explanatory myths explain aspects of life.
The gods were endowed with human emotions and failings as well as a divine nature. Humans were faced with the
challenge of living their lives without offending any of the gods .
Polytheism is the belief in many gods.
Monotheism is the belief in one god.
Ways mythology has influenced our lives: literature, names of planets, constellations, and moon exploration, chemistry
and biology names and classifications, flowers, symbols, art and music.
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The Odyssey: Characters
Odysseus - The protagonist of the Odyssey. Odysseus fought among the other Greek heroes at Troy and now
struggles to return to his kingdom in Ithaca. Odysseus is the husband of Queen Penelope and the father of
Prince Telemachus. Though a strong and courageous warrior, he is most renowned for his cunning. He is a
favorite of the goddess Athena, who often sends him divine aid, but a bitter enemy of Poseidon, who
frustrates his journey at every turn.
Telemachus - Odysseus’s son. An infant when Odysseus left for Troy, Telemachus is about twenty at the
beginning of the story. He is a natural obstacle to the suitors desperately courting his mother, but despite his
courage and good heart, he initially lacks the poise and confidence to oppose them. His maturation, especially
during his trip to Pylos and Sparta in Books 3 and 4, provides a subplot to the epic. Athena often assists him.
Penelope - Wife of Odysseus and mother of Telemachus. Penelope spends her days in the palace pining for
the husband who left for Troy twenty years earlier and never returned. Homer portrays her as sometimes
flighty and excitable but also clever and steadfastly true to her husband.
Athena - Daughter of Zeus and goddess of wisdom, purposeful battle, and the womanly arts. Athena assists
Odysseus and Telemachus with divine powers throughout the epic, and she speaks up for them in the councils
of the gods on Mount Olympus. She often appears in disguise as Mentor, an old friend of Odysseus.
Poseidon - God of the sea. As the suitors are Odysseus’s mortal antagonists, Poseidon is his divine antagonist.
He despises Odysseus for blinding his son, the Cyclops Polyphemus, and constantly hampers his journey home.
Ironically, Poseidon is the patron of the seafaring Phaeacians, who ultimately help to return Odysseus to
Ithaca.
Zeus - King of gods and men, who mediates the disputes of the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus is occasionally
depicted as weighing men’s fates in his scales. He sometimes helps Odysseus or permits Athena to do the
same.
Antinous - The most arrogant of Penelope’s suitors. Antinous leads the campaign to have Telemachus killed.
Unlike the other suitors, he is never portrayed sympathetically, and he is the first to die when Odysseus
returns.
Eurymachus - A manipulative, deceitful suitor. Eurymachus’s charisma and duplicity allow him to exert some
influence over the other suitors.
Amphinomus - Among the dozens of suitors, the only decent man seeking Penelope’s hand in marriage.
Amphinomus sometimes speaks up for Odysseus and Telemachus, but he is killed like the rest of the suitors in
the final fight.
Eumaeus - The loyal shepherd who, along with the cowherd Philoetius, helps Odysseus reclaim his throne
after his return to Ithaca. Even though he does not know that the vagabond who appears at his hut is
Odysseus, Eumaeus gives the man food and shelter.
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Eurycleia - The aged and loyal servant who nursed Odysseus and Telemachus when they were babies.
Eurycleia is well informed about palace intrigues and serves as confidante to her masters. She keeps
Telemachus’s journey secret from Penelope, and she later keeps Odysseus’s identity a secret after she
recognizes a scar on his leg.
Melanthius - The brother of Melantho. Melanthius is a treacherous and opportunistic goatherd who supports
the suitors, especially Eurymachus, and abuses the beggar who appears in Odysseus’s palace, not realizing that
the man is Odysseus himself.
Melantho - Sister of Melanthius and maidservant in Odysseus’s palace. Like her brother, Melantho abuses the
beggar in the palace, not knowing that the man is Odysseus. She is having an affair with Eurymachus.
Calypso - The beautiful nymph who falls in love with Odysseus when he lands on her island-home of Ogygia.
Calypso holds him prisoner there for seven years until Hermes, the messenger god, persuades her to let him
go.
Polyphemus - One of the Cyclopes (uncivilized one-eyed giants) whose island Odysseus comes to soon after
leaving Troy. Polyphemus imprisons Odysseus and his crew and tries to eat them, but Odysseus blinds him
through a clever ruse and manages to escape. In doing so, however, Odysseus angers Polyphemus’s father,
Poseidon.
Circe - The beautiful witch-goddess who transforms Odysseus’s crew into swine when he lands on her island.
With Hermes’ help, Odysseus resists Circe’s powers and then becomes her lover, living in luxury at her side for
a year.
Laertes - Odysseus’s aging father, who resides on a farm in Ithaca. In despair and physical decline, Laertes
regains his spirit when Odysseus returns and eventually kills Antinous’s father.
Tiresias - A Theban prophet who inhabits the underworld. Tiresias meets Odysseus when Odysseus journeys
to the underworld in Book 11. He shows Odysseus how to get back to Ithaca and allows Odysseus to
communicate with the other souls in Hades.
Nestor - King of Pylos and a former warrior in the Trojan War. Like Odysseus, Nestor is known as a clever
speaker. Telemachus visits him in Book 3 to ask about his father, but Nestor knows little of Odysseus’s
whereabouts.
Menelaus - King of Sparta, brother of Agamemnon, and husband of Helen, he helped lead the Greeks in the
Trojan War. He offers Telemachus assistance in his quest to find Odysseus when Telemachus visits him in Book
4.
Helen - Wife of Menelaus and queen of Sparta. Helen’s abduction from Sparta by the Trojans sparked the
Trojan War. Her beauty is without parallel, but she is criticized for giving in to her Trojan captors and thereby
costing many Greek men their lives. She offers Telemachus assistance in his quest to find his father.
Agamemnon - Former king of Mycenae, brother of Menelaus, and commander of the Achaean forces at Troy.
Odysseus encounters Agamemnon’s spirit in Hades. Agamemnon was murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, and
her lover, Aegisthus, upon his return from the war. He was later avenged by his son Orestes. Their story is
constantly repeated in the Odyssey to offer an inverted image of the fortunes of Odysseus and Telemachus.
14
Nausicaa - The beautiful daughter of King Alcinous and Queen Arete of the Phaeacians. Nausicaa discovers
Odysseus on the beach at Scheria and, out of budding affection for him, ensures his warm reception at her
parents’ palace.
Alcinous - King of the Phaeacians, who offers Odysseus hospitality in his island kingdom of Scheria. Alcinous
hears the story of Odysseus’s wanderings and provides him with safe passage back to Ithaca.
Arete - Queen of the Phaeacians, wife of Alcinous, and mother of Nausicaa. Arete is intelligent and influential.
Nausicaa tells Odysseus to make his appeal for assistance to Arete.
15
7.
8. & 10.
15.
11.
9.
6.
3.
1. & 16.
12.
2.
5.
14.
13.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Ithaca
Troy
Cicones
Lotus Eaters
Cyclopes
Aeolia’s Island
Laestrygonians
Circe’s Kingdom
9. Land of the Dead
10. Circe
11. Sirens
12. Scylla & Charybdis
13. Land of the Sun God (Thrinacia)
14. Calypso
15. Phaeacians
16. Ithaca
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THE ODYSSEY: INVOCATION (from Book 1: “A Goddess Intervenes”)
Homer opens with an invocation, or prayer, asking the Muse, Calliope (muse of epic poetry), to help
him sing his tale. Notice how the singer gives his listeners hints about how his story is to end. (Muses:
The Greeks believed that there were nine Muses, daughters of Zeus, the chief god. The Muses
inspired people to produce music, poetry, dance, and all the other arts.)
Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story
of that man skilled in all ways of fighting,
the wanderer, troubled for years on end,
after he robbed the stronghold
on the proud height of Troy.
He saw the townlands
and learned the minds of many distant men,
and weathered many bitter nights and days
in his deep heart at sea, while he fought only
to save his life, to bring his shipmates home.
But not by will nor valor could he save them,
for their own recklessness destroyed them all —
children and fools, they killed and feasted on
the cattle of Lord Hêlios, the Sun,
and he who moves all day through the heaven
took from their eyes the dawn of their return.
Of these adventures, Muse, daughter of Zeus,
tell us in our time, lift the great song again.
Begin with all the rest who left behind them
headlong death in battle or at sea
had long ago returned, while he alone still hungered
for home and wife. Her ladyship Calypso
clung to him in her seahollowed
caves—
a nymph, immortal and most beautiful,
who craved him for her own.
And when long years and seasons
wheeling brought around that point of time
ordained for him to make his passage homeward,
trials and dangers, even so, attended him
even in Ithaca, near those he loved.
Yet all gods had pitied Lord Odysseus,
all but Poseidon, raging cold and rough
against the brave king till he came ashore
at last in his own land…
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THE CATTLE OF THE SUN GOD (from Book 12)
Odysseus urges his exhausted crew to bypass Thrinakia, the island of the sun god, Helios. When the
men insist on landing, Odysseus makes them swear not to touch the god’s cattle. Odysseus is still
speaking to Alcinous’s court.
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“In the small hours of the third watch, when stars
that shone out in the first dusk of evening
had gone down to their setting, a giant wind
blew from heaven, and clouds driven by Zeus
shrouded land and sea in a night of storm;
so, just as Dawn with fingertips of rose
touched the windy world, we dragged our ship
to cover in a grotto, a sea cave
where nymphs had chairs of rock and sanded floors.
I mustered all the crew and said:
‘Old shipmates,
our stores are in the ship’s hold, food and drink;
the cattle here are not for our provision,
or we pay dearly for it.
Fierce the god is
who cherishes these heifers and these sheep:
Helios; and no man avoids his eye.’
To this my fighters nodded. Yes. But now
we had a month of onshore gales, blowing
day in, day out—south winds, or south by east.
As long as bread and good red wine remained
to keep the men up, and appease their craving,
they would not touch the cattle. But in the end,
when all the barley in the ship was gone,
hunger drove them to scour the wild shore
with angling hooks, for fishes and sea fowl,
whatever fell into their hands; and lean days
wore their bellies thin.
The storms continued.
So one day I withdrew to the interior
to pray the gods in solitude, for hope
that one might show me some way of salvation.
Slipping away, I struck across the island
to a sheltered spot, out of the driving gale.
I washed my hands there, and made supplication°
to the gods who own Olympus, all the gods—
but they, for answer, only closed my eyes
under slow drops of sleep.
Now on the shore Eurylochus
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made his insidious° plea:
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‘Comrades,’ he said,
‘You’ve gone through everything; listen to what I say.
All deaths are hateful to us, mortal wretches,
but famine is the most pitiful, the worst
end that a man can come to.
Will you fight it?
Come, we’ll cut out the noblest of these cattle
for sacrifice to the gods who own the sky;
and once at home, in the old country of Ithaca,
if ever that day comes—
we’ll build a costly temple and adorn it
with every beauty for the Lord of Noon.
But if he flares up over his heifers lost,
wishing our ship destroyed, and if the gods
make cause with him, why, then I say: Better
open your lungs to a big sea once for all
than waste to skin and bones on a lonely island!’
Thus Eurylochus; and they murmured ‘Aye!’
trooping away at once to round up heifers.
Now, that day tranquil cattle with broad brows
were grazing near, and soon the men drew up
around their chosen beasts in ceremony.
They plucked the leaves that shone on a tall oak—
having no barley meal—to strew° the victims,
performed the prayers and ritual, knifed the kine
and flayed each carcass, cutting thighbones free
to wrap in double folds of fat. These offerings,
with strips of meat, were laid upon the fire.
Then, as they had no wine, they made libation°
with clear spring water, broiling the entrails° first;
and when the bones were burnt and tripes° shared,
they spitted the carved meat.
then my slumber
left me in a rush, my eyes opened,
and I went down the seaward path. No sooner
had I caught sight of our black hull, than savory
odors of burnt fat eddied around me;
grief took hold of me, and I cried aloud:
‘O Father Zeus and gods in bliss forever,
you made me sleep away this day of mischief!
O cruel drowsing, in the evil hour!
Here they sat, and a great work they contrived.’
Lampetia° in her long gown meanwhile
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had borne swift word to the Overlord of Noon:
‘They have killed your kine.’
And the Lord Helios
burst into angry speech amid the immortals:
‘O Father Zeus and gods in bliss forever,
punish Odysseus’ men! So overweening,°
925 now they have killed my peaceful kine, my joy
at morning when I climbed the sky of stars,
and evening, when I bore westward from heaven.
restitution or penalty they shall pay—
and pay in full—or I go down forever
930 to light the dead men in the underworld.’…”
(from Book 12)
When Odysseus and his men set sail again, they are punished with death—a thunderbolt from Zeus
destroys their boat, and all the men drown. Only Odysseus survives. Exhausted and nearly drowned,
he makes his way to Calypso’s island, where we met him originally, in Book 5.
Odysseus has brought us up to date. He can now rest and enjoy the comforts of Alcinous’s court—but
not for long. Ahead lies his most difficult task—reclaiming his own kingdom.
At this moment of suspense, Homer might have put aside his harp until the next night.
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The Odyssey Directed Reading Questions
Introduction: pp. 1188-1191, 1194-1197
1. Define (many are found in your textbook/resource packet – use the index; you may need a dictionary also):
Epic poemEpic/Homeric simileEpithetHamartiaHubrisInvocation2. How were epics told in the old days?
3. Summarize Odysseus’ history up until the Odyssey.
Part I: Directed Reading Questions
Book 1: “A Goddess Intervenes” p.1204 (extended version on p. 17 of Odyssey Packet)
1. This epic poem opens with a(n) ______________.
2. To which muse would Homer be praying?
3. What does line 15 mean?
4. Who is looking for Odysseus?
5. Which god/dess supports Odysseus?
Book 9: “New Coasts and Poseidon’s Son” pp. 1210-1223
1. Why was hospitality important in Homer’s day?
2. List Odysseus’ trials as he mentions them.
3. What might the lotus represent?
4. What literary devices are used in lines 191-212? List the devices and examples.
5. What does Odysseus tell the Cyclops his name is? Why is this ironic? Why is it a successful strategy?
6. What is the cyclops’ name?
7. How do Odysseus and his men escape?
8. What mistake does Odysseus make?
9. Who does the Cyclops pray to?
10. What lesson might this episode teach readers?
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Book 10: “Circe, The Grace of the Witch” pp. 1224-1225
1. Who is Aeolus?
2. Who are the Laestrygones?
3. What does Circe do to Odysseus’ men?
4. Who helps Odysseus before he faces Circe?
5. According to Circe, where must Odysseus visit before he can go home? Why?
6. What might this next visit represent?
Book 11: “The Land of the Dead” pp. 1226-1229
1. Who does Odysseus seek in the Land of the Dead?
2. Which characters does Odysseus encounter in the Underworld?
3. What does the prophet tell Odysseus?
Book 12: “The Sirens; Scylla and Charybdis” pp. 1230-1236
1. Who is Odysseus quoting at the beginning of this excerpt?
2. What warnings does Odysseus receive? What choices must he make?
3. What punishment does Circe threaten if the Sun God’s cattle are harmed?
4. Do you agree with Odysseus about not telling his men of the last prophecy by Circe?
5. What epithet is used for Helios?
6. Find and list an Epic/Homeric simile.
7. What happens with Scylla and Charybdis?
8. What might this challenge symbolize?
Book 12 (cont’d.): “The Cattle of the Sun God” (in Odyssey Packet pp. 18-20)
1. What evidence is there in this section that the gods are working against Odysseus and his crew?
2. Why do Odysseus’ men choose to eat the Sun God’s cattle after Odysseus warns them not to?
3. What does this adventure represent in life?
4. How does Zeus punish them?
5. Where does Odysseus arrive after escaping Scylla and Charybdis a second time?
Book 5: “Calypso, the Sweet Nymph” pp. 1206-1209
1. Who goes to Calypso’s island to order Odysseus freed?
2. On which line can an epithet be found? What is the epithet found there?
3. On which lines can an Epic/Homeric simile be found?
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4. What literary device is used in describing Calypso’s island? What is the island like?
5. Why does Calypso say she is letting Odysseus go?
6. How does Odysseus get off the island?
7. What challenge in life might Calypso’s island represent or symbolize?
Part II: Directed Reading Questions
Book 16: “Father and Son” pp. 1242-1247
1. Who are the Suitors, and what problems do they create?
2. How and by whom is Odysseus disguised when he returns to Ithaca?
3. Where has Telemachus been prior to Odysseus’ arrival?
4. Who guided Odysseus on his return?
5. Who did Telemachus believe Odysseus to be? What does this demonstrate about his character? How is
Telemachus different from his father at the same age?
Book 17: “The Beggar at the Manor” pp. 1248-1249
1. How does Odysseus safely return to his home?
2. Who or what is the only thing to recognize Odysseus?
3. How do the Suitors treat the beggar in Odysseus’ home?
4. What does the behavior of the Suitors to the beggar tell you of their character?
Book 21: “The Test of the Bow” pp. 1250-1255
1. What was Penelope’s test for the Suitors? What was the prize to the winner?
2. How does Odysseus prove who he is to his herdsmen?
3. How does Penelope treat the beggar?
4. What sign did Zeus give to show his approval for Odysseus’ revenge against the Suitors? What does this
tell you about Odysseus’ relationship with the gods at this point?
5. Who won Penelope’s contest?
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Book 22: “Death in the Great Hall” pp. 1256-1261
1. Odysseus requests the help of what god to aid him in his revenge against the Suitors?
2. According to Odysseus, what were the crimes of the Suitors?
3. How did the Suitors try to compromise and save themselves after Antinous’ death? Why did they think
that Antinous’ death should be enough?
4. Who joined Odysseus and Telemachus in the battle against the Suitors?
5. Who or what appeared to rally the spirits of Odysseus and his allies?
Book 23: “The Trunk of the Olive Tree” pp. 1262-1265
1. What were the gifts Athena gave to Odysseus for his final homecoming with Penelope?
2. How does Odysseus react when Penelope first arrives to meet him?
3. Why did Penelope not believe that Odysseus had returned? What does this show about her character?
4. Describe Penelope’s test and how Odysseus met the challenge.
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The Odyssey: Sequence of Events Timeline
Directions: As we read, place the following places and events from the Odyssey in chronological order on the
timeline below.

Aeaea (one year with Circe)

Aeolus (wind god)

Calypso’s island (spent 7 years there)

Cicones

Ithaca

Land of the Cyclopes

Land of the Laestrygones (cannibals)

Land of the Phaeacians (telling the story of his travels)

Lotus Eaters

Scylla, Charybdis, and Moving Rocks

Sirens

Thrinacia (island of the sun god Helios)

Troy—Trojan War

Underworld (Tiresias—then back to Circe)
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