The Odyssey Reading Guide Answers
Tell the Story
1. Who is speaking in this opening scene? Homer
2. What is a muse? Gods that inspire, Muse the goddess of Epic Poetry.
3. What happened in Troy? They won the war with the Trojan horse.
4. Where is Odysseus, the "contender," trying to go? Go home to Ithaca
5. Which god is plotting against Odysseus? Poseidon
PART ONE: THE WANDERINGS
Calypso, the Sweet Nymph
6. How long did the Trojan War last? 10 years
7. How many years has Odysseus spent trying to return home? Almost 10 yrs
8. Who is Calypso and what is her relationship to Odysseus? A nymph who held
Odysseus captive.
9. Who is narrating the story? Odysseus
10. Who is Hermes and what is his mission? Messenger, brings a message from
Mount Olympus telling Calypso to free Odysseus.
11. Of whom is Calypso seemingly jealous? Penelope Odysseus’ wife.
12. How does Odysseus regard his wife Penelope? He loves her tremendously.
13. How does Calypso assist Odysseus on his journey home? She builds him a raft.
"I am Laertes' son...."
14. What tragedy strikes Odysseus at sea? He shipwrecks during a fierce storm.
15. How is Odysseus received on the island of Scheria, home of King Alcinous? They
treat him as a noble guest.
16. Describe Ithaca. Home Island where Odysseus lives.
17. From his self introduction, how do you think Odysseus views himself? He thinks
highly of himself. (Refer to line 9)
18. What line signals Odysseus' flashback to the past, where he begins telling the story
of his adventures? (Refer to Line 29/31)
19. Summarize what happened at Odysseus first stop, Ismaros, land of the Cicones, on
his journey home. The attacked the Cicones costal line successfully. The men
became drunk and didn’t listen to Odysseus when they told him to retreat.
The Lotus Eaters
20. What danger did Odysseus and his men encounter when they landed on the Lotus
Eater's island? They longed to stay forever and never go home.
21. What did these people eat? A honeyed plant called the Lotus.
22. How did Odysseus solve the problem? He tried them down under their rowing
benches, ordered the men not to taste the Lotus.
The Cyclops
23. Describe the Cyclops Polyphemos. Son of Poseidon, one eyed giant.
24. What was the Cyclops response when Odysseus told him of their ship wreck? He
wanted to know where the ship and other men where at.
25. What plan did Odysseus contrive to divert Polyphemos? Get him drunk, blind him
and sneak out by hiding under the lambs when he moves the rock.
26. What is ironic about the use of the name "Nobody" by Odysseus? 1. Odysseus is a
hero and he is known by many. 2. When Cyclops is blinded he calls for help and
says nobody has hurt him, so his brothers do not come to help him.
27. After blinding the Cyclops, how do Odysseus and his men escape the cave? Hide
under the sheep and leave when Polyphemos opens the cave.
28. How does Polyphemos hope to avenge his injury from Odysseus? He prays to
Poseidon for “O’ to lose all of his men and return to see bad days at home.
29. How heroic are Odysseus' acts in this episode? In what ways does this help or
endanger his men? Talks to Polyphemos, and thinks up a plan to get them out. He
endangers his men when he calls out his real name to Polyphemos.
30. What customs of Greek society are observed in this story? The mandatory
acceptance of gifts/they don’t eat people.
The Witch Circe
31. What assistance does King Aeolus' give Odysseus and why isn't it successful? A
bag of wind Odysseus’ men are envious and want to know what is in the bag.
They open the bag and it blows them off course.
32. Summarize what happens on the island of the Laistrygones. Men turned into pigs
“O” saves men.
33. Why were men drawn to Circe? Lured the men to her house with food and wine.
34. Into what did Circe begin turning Odysseus' crew? They are turned into pigs.
35. Why did Circe's plan fail on Odysseus? Hermes gives Odysseus a magical herb.
The Land of the Dead
36. Why must Odysseus journey to Hades, the land of the dead? To find out how to
get home.
37. How does Odysseus summon the spirit of Tiresias? He brings a black lamb as a
sacrifice.
38. What advice does Tiresias give Odysseus regarding the island of Thrinakia? No
matter what happened avoid the cattle.
39. If Odysseus doesn't follow Tiresias advice at Thrinakia, what does the spirit foretell?
Eating the cattle would bring destruction for his ship and crew.
The Sirens; Scylla and Charybdis
40. What advice does Circe give Odysseus when he returns from the underworld?
Warns him 1. About the Sirens 2. Tells him to avoid Helios’s cattle.3. Warns him
about Scylla & Charybdis.
41. Describe the Sirens. What danger do they pose? Lure sailors to their deaths with
a beautiful song.
42. How did Odysseus keep himself and his men safe when going past the Sirens?
Placed beeswax in his men’s ears and tied him to the mast.
43. Describe Scylla and Charybdis. 6 Headed monster, Charybdis dangerous
whirlpool.
44. Which of the two, Scylla or Charybdis, was the lesser of two evils? Why? Charybdis
was more dangerous because the whirlpool could destroy the entire ship. Scylla
was going to eat 6 men.
The Cattle of the Sun God
45. Who owns the cattle on the island of Thrinakia? Helios (the Sun God)
46. Of what consequence does Odysseus warn his men? Do not eat the cattle or
something bad will happen.
47. When and why did Odysseus' men decide to kill the cattle? When they ran out of
Circe’s food they had to eat the cattle.
48. What threat did Helios make in response to the death of his cattle? He will go to
the Underworld and shine there instead.
49. Who punished Odysseus' men? How? Zeus sends down a lightning bolt and
destroys their ship. The men die except for Odysseus.
50. Who survives the punishment? Odysseus.
PART TWO: COMING HOME
51. Who helps Odysseus return to Ithaca after twenty years? The Phaeacians
52. Once in Ithaca, whom does Odysseus visit and how is he disguised? Eumaeus the
swineherd.
53. In Odysseus' absence, where has his son Telemachus journeyed? Why? He went to
find out the fate of his father. To prevent his mom from remarrying.
54. What news does Athena share with Telemachus? Men have moved into
Odysseus’s house, the suitors eat his food/drink his wine and are forcing
Penelope to marry one of them. They plan to ambush him.
The Meeting of Father and Son
55. When Telemachus returns to Ithaca, who does he visit first? Why? Eumaeus,
Athena tells him to go to see him.
56. What important Greek value does Telemachus' and Eumaues' treatment of the
unknown beggar reveal? You must feed and shelter your guests and treat them
kindly.
57. How does Athena transform Odysseus just before he reveals his identity to
Telemachus? He is disguised as an old beggar.
The Beggar and the Faithful Dog
58. Why is it ironic that Odysseus should return to Ithaca in beggar's rags? He is the
King/the highest person but returns as a beggar the lowest person.
59. What is Argos' condition when Odysseus sees him? In telling us how Odysseus's
dog is kept, what is Homer also telling us about conditions in Ithaca? Old and sickly,
sitting on a pile of poop.
60. What tale does the "beggar" tell Penelope? How does he describe Odysseus, and
why do you think he adds these details? He does not want to tell her about his life
because it’s too painful. He says that Odysseus is a God fearing king who rules in
fairness and justice.
61. How is Penelope's interview with the beggar ironic? She tells him she is trying to find
her husband and he is her husband.
62. Who recognized Odysseus, despite his rags, when he returns to his kingdom? By
what hidden sign did she recognize him? His nurse/nanny (because of the birthmark
on his foot).
63. What do we learn about the character of Penelope in her interview with the beggar?
She is cunning, she has remained loyal and faithful to Odysseus and it’s getting
too weak to continue to fight to avoid marriage.
64. Why do you think Odysseus continues to keep his identity hidden from his wife? He
wanted to find out if she was faithful to him while he was gone.
The Test of the Great Bow
65. In setting up the test of the bow for the suitors, how is Penelope really suggesting
she is looking for Odysseus? Only Odysseus can string his bow and shoot though
12 iron ax heads.
66. What does Penelope promise the winner of the contest? She will marry him.
67. Just before Odysseus steps forward to try the bow, he reveals his identity to two
other people. Who are they, and why does he reveal himself to them? Two loyal
swineherds Eumaeus and Philoetius.
68. As the epic reaches its climax, two signs are sent from Olympus to indicate the gods'
approval of Odysseus. What are they? Zeus thundered overhead and Athena is
present to rally their spirits and make sure none of her favorites are injured.
Death at the Palace
69. List at least five images/examples of figurative language that help you picture some
of the most tense or most horrifying moments in the battle? *See lines 15, 93, 100, 114,
126-127)
70. Is Odysseus revenge on the suitors and maids excessive? Defend your answer.
STATE YOUR OPINION
Odysseus and Penelope
71. Is Odysseus revenge on the suitors and maids excessive? Explain your answer
REPEATED QUSTION
72. How does Penelope test Odysseus after the battle? She says she will have their
bed moved into another room but their bed is part of a real tree and cannot be
moved.
73. What characteristic of their marriage bed suggests the strength and endurance of
their love? The tree that the bed is made from is still standing strong over the 20
year span and their love is strong and solid like the tree.
74. What do we learn about ancient Greek society from Homer's epic? Consider the
following: treatment of guests, man's relationship with the gods, view of the elderly, etc.
Always treat guests kindly, honor the Gods or they will make life extremely
difficult and older lower class people were not respected by the Greeks.
75. Discuss the meaning/etymology of the word "odyssey" in modern society based on
your knowledge. An Odyssey is a long journey. People still undergo long journeys
in their lives. People face many problems that they must fix and people who are
religious still call on God for help.