The Odyssey, Study Guide #4
The Cyclops (p. 1217)
Name: ____________________
Due: _____________________
1. What do Odysseus and his men do with the olive tree they find in the cave?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. What does Odysseus plan to do with what they make? (lines 235-240)
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. What does the Cyclops feast on after he does his chores? _______________
______________________________________________________________
4. How many of Odysseus' men has the Cyclops now killed? ______
5. After the Cyclops has feasted, what does Odysseus offer him? ___________
______________________________________________________________
6. What are “nectar and ambrosia”?___________________________________
7. When the Cyclops asks Odysseus his name, what does Odysseus tell him?
______________________________________________________________
8. What is the “gift” the Cyclops promises Odysseus? ____________________
______________________________________________________________
9. What do Odysseus and his men do when the Cyclops falls asleep? ________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
10. How does Homer describe the sound of the heated pike of olive being
jammed into the Cyclops’ eye (ll. 296-303) __________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
11. What does Polyphemus (the Cyclops) say when his neighbors ask him why
he is yelling, and what do his neighbors do? __________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
The Odyssey, Study Guide #4
12. How does Polyphemus try to prevent Odysseus and his men from getting out
of the cave? ___________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
13. How does Odysseus get his men out of the Cyclops’ cave? (ll. 337-346)
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
14. How does he get himself out? _____________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
15. Explain why the Cyclops’ speech to his ram is an example of irony. (ll. 357373) _________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
16. What does Odysseus shout at his adversary, the Cyclops, as he escapes?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
17. What does the Cyclops do? ______________________________________
______________________________________________________________
18. Why do Odysseus’ men plead with him to be quiet and why doesn’t he “heed
them”? ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
19. According to the Cyclops, who “fathered” him? _______________________
20. What does Polyphemus pray to Poseidon for? (ll. 443-452) _____________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
21. Why does Zeus “disdain” (refuse to accept) the offering from Odysseus and
his men? _____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________