English 1
Summer Reading Packet
The Odyssey -The Telemachia
(Image: Telemachus and Mentor by Pablo E. Fabisch,
from Les Adventures de Telemaque [1699])
Name: ___________________________________________
Summer - 2014
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Table of Contents
Summer Reading Packet 2014
Information Page
Books 1-4 Guided Reading Questions
“The Olympian Gods and Goddesses”
“Who’s Who and What’s What” Crossword Puzzle
Vocabulary Words
Scavenger Hunt (Extra Credit)
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For Your Information
The Odyssey is an Epic. One quality of an Epic is that it is LONG! Therefore,
we hope you will DO YOUR BEST to get to know Telemachus in Books 1-4! He
is a young man, about your age. His home-life is a bit difficult, but he has a
VERY exciting future! We will be reading Books 5-24 in class.
1. Please read the FAGLES translation of the text. Also, please know that audio
books are available at the library, AND the entire text is available on YouTube
(here is a link to Book 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgB9vxYT9kw)!
2. As you complete the study guide questions, please answer in COMPLETE
sentences. The answers to ALL questions in this packet MUST be HANDWRITTEN! Do not type.
3. We encourage you to USE THE WORDS from the text in your answers to the
questions. If you DO use these words, you must CITE the lines. This means
you must indicate both the BOOK and line number of your answer. For
example, if you are quoting the first page of the epic, you would write, “but he
could not save them from disaster” (1.7). This means this line is from Book
one, line seven.
4. Finally, PLEASE put in the effort to complete this work on your own or with a
small group. Don’t just copy answers from someone. If you do this, you will
be at a great disadvantage when school starts because you will be missing
important information that is NOT even in this packet. READ the Books. You
CAN do this. It IS difficult at first, but once you understand who the characters
are and what the situation is, the reading will become much easier.
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Name:
Packet A
The Odyssey
Books 1-4: The Telemachia
Guided Reading Questions
Directions: Complete the following questions as you read. Be sure to respond fully and in
complete sentences!
Book 1
1. Where is Odysseus as the book begins? What has happened to his crew?
2. What is the current situation in Ithaca at Odysseus’ home?
3. Please give one example from your reading of Book 1 that shows that the gods are involved
in the lives of the people?
4. Why is Zeus “sorely troubled” on the second page of the text?
5. Describe the relationship between Telemachus and his mother.
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Book 2
6. Why does Telemachus call an assembly?
7. Explain how Penelope tricks the suitors!
8. Describe Antinous. What kind of a man is he?
9. What sign from the sky does Zeus send? What does it mean?
10. How do the suitors view Telemachus? Give textual evidence to support this.
Book 3
11. What is occurring as Telemachus arrives at the island? Who is being honored?
12. Who is the host of these activities? Describe some of the activities.
13. How does Athena describe Nestor? Provide the quote.
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14. Nestor says, “Your way with words – it’s just like his.” How do you think this impacts
Telemachus?
15. How long has Nestor ruled this island?
Book 4
16. What does Telemachus learn during the ritual at the beginning of this book?
17. How does Menelaus recognize Telemachus’ identity?
18. What is the point of the story of Proteus, the old man of the sea?
19. What are the suitors planning at home?
20. Whom do we NOT hear from in this book?
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Name:
Summer Reading Packet
The Odyssey – The Telemachia
The Olympian gods and goddesses
Greek God
Roman
Name
God of… and other interesting info
Symbol
Favorite
animal/ tree/
bird
Zeus
Poseidon
Hades
Athena
Aphrodite
Hera
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Artemis
Ares
Hermes
Apollo
Hestia
Hephaestus
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Name:
The Odyssey- Book One Vocabulary
Word
Part of
Speech
Definition
Synonym
Antonym
Plundered
(1.77)
Seething
(1.78)
Colossal
(1.79)
Rouse
(1.80)
Mortified
(1.81)
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Name:
The Odyssey- Book Two Vocabulary
Word
Part of
Speech
Definition
Synonym
Antonym
Squandered
(2.95)
Inept (2.95)
Unbridled
(2.96)
Cunning
(2.96)
Guile (2.96)
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Name:
The Odyssey- Book Three Vocabulary
Word
Part of
Speech
Definition
Synonym
Antonym
Appease
(3.112)
Enticing
(3.116)
Spurn (3.116)
Craven
(3.117)
Impetuous
(3.121)
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Name:
The Odyssey- Book Four Vocabulary
Word
Part of
Speech
Definition
Synonym
Antonym
Reveling
(4.125)
Teeming
(4.131)
Brazen (4.140)
Stealthy
(4.141)
Circumspect
(4.51)
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Extra Credit
Name:
The Odyssey –The Telemachia
SCAVENGER HUNT!!
You are travelling with an army from Boeotia, in Greece, to Ilium. The year is 400 BC. You
can’t go north; there are too many mountains. You must travel east, across a sea.
Here are some resources to help you find the answers:
http://www.salimbeti.com/micenei/war.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trireme
http://www.bronze-age-swords.com/index.htm
Directions: For each of the questions, you will need to provide an answer, but you should also
provide a source for your information. If it’s not on those sites above, use your ingenuity!
What sea will you travel across?
What will you ride on across the sea? Hint: How many banks of rowers will each have?
If you are relying on the wind to get you there, what god should you appease?
Before you set sail, you must be sure the gods will favor you. Agamemnon must appease
Artemis with something very dear; what is it that he sacrifices to her?
The same god who controls earthquakes controls something that surrounds Greece. This
same god also created horses. Who is he?
One goddess in particular is the creator of the olive tree and is the goddess of wisdom and
strategy. Who is it?
Your army consists of 100,000 soldiers, together with horses and all the gear and weapons
you’d need. Once you land, you will be attacking a city known as Ilium.
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What weapons would you be using in 400 BC?
A typical army would be divided into hoplites, hippeis, peltasts, slingers, and archers.
Hoplites:
From what would your armor be made?
What sort of armor would you wear?
What would your primary weapons be?
When you are assembled for combat, in what formation are you?
Hippeis:
Would you walk or ride into battle?
What weapons would you have?
Could you travel in a dromon?
Would you have a ballista with you?
Does Ilium have a patron god?
Is Ilium a real place?
Could you travel to see it in 2014?
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