The Odyssey
Name
Block
HOMER
Book Nine
1. The speaker in Book 9 is
2. What is Odysseus’ goal?
3. What was Odysseus’ reason for stopping in the land of the Cicones?
4. What was Odysseus’ main reason for stopping in the land of the Lotus-eaters?
5. How many men did Odysseus lose at the land of the Cicones?
6. How many men did he lose in the land of the Lotus-eaters?
7. How many ships did Odysseus have at the beginning of the journey?
8. What was the effect on Odysseus/ men when they ate the Lotus flower?
9. How did Odysseus persuade his three men to leave once they had eaten the Lotus?
10. What does Odysseus seem to think is the very worst characteristic of the Cyclopes as a
group?
11. What had Maron given Odysseus as a gift that came in very helpful in Odysseus’
encounter with the Cyclops?
12. Why did Odysseus visit the land of the Cyclopes?
13. How many of Odysseus/ men did the Cyclops eat?
14. What did the Cyclops say he would give to Odysseus as his stranger’s gift?
15. What was the Cyclops’ attitude toward Zeus and the rest of the gods?
16. What prevented Odysseus and his men from leaving the cave after the Cyclops left for
the day?
17. Why didn’t Odysseus kill the Cyclops the first night while the Cyclops was asleep?
18. What did Odysseus offer the Cyclops before putting out the Cyclops’ eye?
19. What name did Odysseus give when the Cyclops asked?
20. Why was that important later in the story? (Give specific details.)
21. How did Odysseus get his men out of the cave? (Be detailed and clear.)
22. How did Odysseus get himself out of the cave? (Be specific.)
23. List three character traits of Odysseus and for each give a specific example from the
story to prove it. (Identify three distinctly different traits and three different examples.)
25. What had the wizard told the Cyclops?
26-28. List three of the four items of information Odysseus gives about himself when he
introduces himself.
26.
27.
28.
29-31. List three of the four parts of the curse the Cyclops calls down on Odysseus.
29.
30.
31.
32. To whom does the Cyclops pray to curse Odysseus?
33. To whom does Odysseus burn an offering hoping to counteract the curse?
Matching:
34. Cicones
a. Odysseus’ father
35. Ithaca
b. god who is against Odysseus
36. Troy
c. author of The Odyssey
37. Alcinous
d. lived in the country which Odysseus 1st stopped
38. Circe
e. the city defeated by the Greek army
39. Poseidon
f. island home of Odysseus
40. Polyphemus
g. king of the land where Odysseus tells his story
41. Laertes
h. enchantress who detained Odysseus against his will
42. Homer
i. names of the Cyclops who eats men