Quotes
The Odyssey
Pay attention to the due dates for each of these quotes.
For each of the quotes below, you must (in a paragraph) identify the
following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Who is speaking?
Why is this person saying this?
What is going on at the time this is said?
How does this relate to what has happened in the novel thus far?
Book I
Pg. 12: “But what about that clever Odysseus? I am anxious about him,
poor fellow, kept from his friends all this while, in trouble and sorrow, in
that island covered with trees, and nothing but the waves all round it, in the
very middle of the sea!”
Pg. 13-14: “Good day to you, sir. You will be welcome in our house.
Refresh yourself, and after you have eaten and drunk you shall say what you
have come for.”
Book II
Pg. 24: “Young men who seek my hand, now that Odysseus is dead I know
you are in a hurry for marriage; but wait until I finish this cloth, for I don’t
want to waste all the thread I have spun.”
Pg. 24: “And as for you, this is the answer of those who pay court to your
mother, a plain answer to you and to all the nation: Send your mother out of
the house, tell her to marry whichever her father says, whichever she likes
herself.”
Book III
Pg. 32: “Some things you will think of yourself, Telemachos, some things
God will put into your mind. Not without the blessing of heaven were you
born and bred, I think.”
Pg. 40: “My friend, I do not think you will turn out a coward or a craven, if
in your young days you have gods to escort you! For this is one of those
who dwell in Olympos, none other than the very daughter of Zeus, most
glorious Tritogeneia, the same who used to honour your father amongst our
people.”
Book IV
Pg. 44: “Here are two strangers, your majesty. They look like young
princes. Tell me if we are to put up their horses, or send them to find
entertainment elsewhere.”
Pg. 49: “I am not going to tell you everything, all the long tale, all the
labours of Odysseus, that indomitable man; but one daring deed with he did
in the land of Troy where you Achaians had so many hardships.”
Book V
Pg. 62: “Father Zeus, and all you gods everlasting and blessed! From this
time forth let no sceptred king be kind and gentle, let none have justice in his
heart! Let him always be harsh and act the tyrant! For none of his subjects
remembers that noble prince Odysseus, who ruled them like a kind father.”
Pg. 66: “Gracious goddess, don’t be cross with me! I know all that as well
as you do. My wife is nothing compared to you for beauty, I can see that for
myself. She is mortal, you are immortal and never grow old. But even so, I
long for the day of my home-coming.”
Book VI
Pg. 76: “I kneel to thee, Queen!—Art thou goddess? Are you mortal? If
you are a goddess, one of those who rule the broad heavens, I would liken
you most to Artemis the daughter of Zeus Almighty, so tall and beautiful
and fair. If you are a mortal and one of those who dwell upon earth, thrice
blessed are your father and your gracious mother, thrice blessed are your
brothers; their hearts must be warm for your sake, when they see such a
fresh young creature tripling over the green.”
Pg. 80: “Hear me, daughter of Zeus Almighty, Atryone! Hear me now at
least, since formerly thou didst not hear what a blow I had, when the famous
Earthshaker struck me! Grant me to come among the Phaiacians as a friend
and one worthy of compassion!”
Book VII
Pg. 81: “Indeed I will, father, and welcome; my own father lives close by.
But just follow me quietly, and don’t look at anyone or ask any questions.
People here simply will not stand strangers, they are not glad to see any one
who comes from abroad.”
Pg. 84-85: “Or if he is one of the immortals come down from heaven then
we may take it that this is something new in the gods’ dealings with us. For
in time past they have always been in the way of showing themselves to us
face to face when we perform our solemn sacrifices, dining with us and
sitting along with us in the same place.”
Book VIII
Pg. 88: “This way, lords and princes of the nation! To parliament, and you
shall hear about the stranger who has lately come to the palace of your wise
King, after long travel on the sea, a man who seems like a visitor from
heaven!”
Pg. 91: “Sir, I do not like your way of speaking. We know the gods do not
grant all the graces to any man, handsome looks and good sense and
eloquence together. One man is not much to look at, but God crowns his
words with beauty, so that all may listen to him with delight…”
Book IX
Pg. 101: “Nine days after that I was beaten about on the sea by foul winds,
and on the tenth day we made land in the country of the lotus-eaters, who get
their food from flowers. We went ashore and took in water, and the men
made their meal on the spot close to the ships…I sent some of them to find
out who the natives were…Before long they cam across some of the lotuseaters.”
Pg. 110: “’I say, Cyclops! If ever any one asks you who put out your ugly
eye, tell him your blinder was Odysseus, the conqueror of Troy, the son of
Laertes, whose address is in Ithaca!”
Book X
Pg. 113: “Get out of this island at once, you miserable sinner! It is not
permitted to comfort the enemy of the blessed gods! Get out of this! You
are the gods’ enemy come to my doors!”
Pg. 120: “Ah, Circe! What man with any decent feeling could have the heart
to taste food and drink, until he should see his friends free and standing
before his eyes? If you really mean this invitation to eat and drink, set them
free, that I may see my friends before my eyes!”
Book XI
Pg. 126: “You will find trouble in your house, proud blustering men who
devour your substance and plague your wife to marry and offer their bridal
gifts. But you shall exact retribution from these men.”
Pg. 133: “Then take warning now yourself, and never be too kind even to
your wife. Never tel. her all you have in your mind; you may tell
something, but keep something to yourself. However, you will not be
murdered by your wife, Odysseus. She is full of intelligence, and her heart
is sound, your prudent and modest Penelopeia.”
Book XII
Pg. 138: “‘First you will come to the Sirens, who bewitch every one who
comes near them. If any man draws near in his innocence and listens to their
voice, he never sees home again, never again will wife and little children run
to greet him with joy…’”
Pg. 140: “‘You hot-head! Fighting and asking for trouble is all you care
about! Will you stand up even to the immortal gods? She is not mortal, I
tell you, but an immortal fiend, dangerous, deadly, savage, invincible!’”
Book XIII
Pg. 148: “Well, Odysseus, since you have come as far as my brazen walls
and lofty roof, I don’t think you will look a foiled adventurer when you get
home, even if you have had plenty of trouble.”
Pg. 151: “That is what I should have done on the spot, Thundercloud, but I
always have a wholesome fear of your temper and I do my best to avoid it.
Now then, what I should like to do is, to smash that fine ship on the way
back from their convoy, that they may stop at once and convoy no more men
over the sea, and then I will raise a ring of high mountains about the city.”
ACHILLEUS
a-kill-LAY-us
AGAMEMNON
ag-a-MEM-non
AIAS
I-us
AIGISTHOS
ay-GIS-thus
AINEIAS
ay-NAY-us
AIOLOS
ay-OH-lus
ALKINOOS
al-KI-no-us
ANDROMACHE
an-DROM-a-ke
ANTIKLEIA
an-ti-KLY-a
ANTILOCHOS
an-TIL-o-kus
ANTINOOS
an-TI-no-us
APHRODITE
af-ro-DI-te
APOLLO
a-POL-lo
ARES
AIR-ez
ARETE
AH-re-te
ARTEMIS
AR-te-mis
ASTYANAX
as-TIE-a-naks
ATHENE
a-THEE-na
BRYSEIS
bri-SAY-is
CILISSA
sil-LIS-a
CHARYBDIS
ka-RIB-dis
CHRYSES
KRI-sez
CHRYSEIS
kri-SAY-is
CIRCE
SIR-sea
DEMETER
de-ME-ter
DEMODOKOS
de-MA-doh-kus
DIOMEDES
di-AH-ma-dez
ELECTRA
e-LEK-tra
ELPENOR
el-PAY-nor
EUMAIOS
u-MAI-us
EUMENIDES
u-MEN-i-dez
EURYKLEIA
u-ri-KLY-a
EURYMACHOS
u-RIM-a-kus
GLAUKOS
GLAW-kos
HADES
HA-dez
HEKABE
HEK-a-ba
HEKTOR
HEK-tor
HELEN
HEL-en
HEPHAISTOS
he-FAIS-tus
HERA
HE-ra
HERMES
HER-mez
IDOMENEUS
i-do-me-NAY-us
KALCHAS
KAL-kus
KALYPSO
ka-LIP-so
KASSANDRA
kas-SAN-dra
KIKONIANS
ki-KOH-nee-uns
KLYTAIMESTRA
kli-tem-NES-tra
LAISTRYGONES
lie-stri-GO-nays
LOTOPAHGOI
lo-to-FAG-oy
MELEAGROS
mel-e-A-grus
MENELAOS
men-e-LAY-us
NAUSIKAA
nau-SICK-a-a
NESTOR
NES-tor
ODYSSEUS
o-DIS-se-us
ORESTES
o-RES-tez
PARIS
PAR-is
PATROKLOS
pa-TRO-klus
PEISISTRATOS
pie-SIS-tra-tus
PELEUS
pe-LAY-us
PENELOPE
pen-EL-o-pea
PHEIMOS
PHAI-mus
PHOINIX
FE-niks
POLYPHEMOS
po-lee-FEE-mus
POSEIDON
puh-SI-don
POULYDAMAS
po-lee-DAM-us
PRIAM
PRI-am
PROTEUS
PRO-tea-us
PYLADES
PIL-a-dez
SARPEDON
sar-PE-don
SKYLLA
SKILL-uh
TEIRESIAS
tie-REE-sea-us
TELEMACHOS
tuh-LEM-a-kus
TEUKROS
TU-krus
THETIS
THE-tis
ZEUS
ZUS