Book IX
Which army, “trained to fight on horseback,” were offended when Odysseus’ men got drunk and butchered their sheep and cattle? In response, they “unfleshed” Odysseus’ men.
What are the giant “louts” whose land is “unplanted and untilled, a wilderness, who live without a law to bless them”?
Which character / host does not adhere to the rules of the guest-host relationship? What is his name?
How does Odysseus trick this character? What does he do to him?
How is Odysseus able to (along with the remaining men) escape this giant?
What name does Odysseus give to this dangerous character?
What happens when Odysseus reveals his identity?
Book X
Know the island and who lives there (at the beginning).
What gift does he give to Odysseus?
What do the men do with this “gift”? What motivates them to do so?
What does the gift-giver say about giving him a replacement gift? Why will he not do it?
Who are the Laistrygonians?
Who is Artakía?
What happens to some of Odysseus’ men after their encounter with Artakía?
What is the name of the island upon which Kirkê resides?
Describe the island and explain why this is a warning. Compare to the island of the Kyklopes.
Odysseus orders his men to break up into two groups. Who does he choose as the leader of the expedition?
What strange, unnatural, and supernatural things do the men find when they get to their destination?
Which character suggests that they should enter the dwelling?
How does Kirkê treat the men once they enter? Give specifics.
After treating them kindly, what does she do to them?
Which named character did not enter because his intuition told him not to?
When that character gets back to inform Odysseus, how does that character react when Odysseus says that Odysseus will lead the next expedition to Kirkê’s house?
Which god helps Odysseus in this endeavor?
What does the god give to Odysseus?
What does the god instruct Odysseus to do (beyond the molü)?
What weapon does Odysseus bring with him?
What happens the men after Odysseus has beguiled the charming Kirkê?
How long does Odysseus remain with Kirkê?
Who tells Odysseus that he must return home?
Before he goes Kirkê tells Odysseus that he must visit the underworld. What animal sacrifices must they make first?
Which famous seer will Odysseus seek once he is there?
What happened to Elpênor?
Book XI
What kinds of libations does Odysseus prepare once he has arrived in “the realm and region of the Men of Winter”?
To which famous goddess must Odysseus make sacrifices?
Who is the first “shade” that they see?
What does this once-human, former shipmate, ask of Odysseus?
Which relative does Odysseus discover here, has died? How did she die?
What prophecy does Tiresias give?
Note that Odysseus also encounters Oedipus and Jocasta.
Who is Lêda?
Who is Ariadnê?
What does Agamemnon reveal?
What does Agamemnon say about the “intrigues of women”? What does he say about Helen? What advise does Agamemnon give about how one should regard or treat a woman?
What does Agamemnon say about Penelope? How does he later contradict himself?
What is said of/by Akhilleus?
Know about Orion, Tityos, Tántalos, Sísphos, and Herakles.
Book XII—Sea Perils and Defeat
What happens to the recently-fallen comrade’s body? How does Odysseus show honor?
Know about the Seirênês.
Know about Amphitritê.
Know about the Symplegades.
Know about Skylla and Kharybdis.
Know what will happen on Thrinákia—who lives there, and which animals no one must touch.
What does Odysseus do to save himself from the Seirênês?
How are his men saved from the fate normally wrought when one listens to the Seirênês?
What is the choice Odysseus has to make when they encounter Skylla and Kharybdis? Which one does he take?
What does Eurýlokhos say?
Why do the men start to starve? What events cause this?
Who is Lampetía?
What sin do Odysseus men commit?
What are the consequences?
Where does Odysseus end up at the end of Book XII?
Book XIII
What does Alkínoos offer and give to Odysseus?
What price do the Phiákians pay for helping Odysseus?
Athena intervenes early in the story, arriving in what human form?
Into what form does Athena change later?
Note her criticism of Odysseus: “’Always the same detachment! That is why / I cannot fail you, in your evil fortune, / cool-headed, quick, well-spoken as you are! / Would not another wandering man, in joy, / make haste home to his wife and children? Not / you, not yet’” (387-392).
What does Athena say about Odysseus’ wife?
Which army, “trained to fight on horseback,” were offended when Odysseus’ men got drunk and butchered their sheep and cattle? In response, they “unfleshed” Odysseus’ men.
What are the giant “louts” whose land is “unplanted and untilled, a wilderness, who live without a law to bless them”?
Which character / host does not adhere to the rules of the guest-host relationship? What is his name?
How does Odysseus trick this character? What does he do to him?
How is Odysseus able to (along with the remaining men) escape this giant?
What name does Odysseus give to this dangerous character?
What happens when Odysseus reveals his identity?
Book X
Know the island and who lives there (at the beginning).
What gift does he give to Odysseus?
What do the men do with this “gift”? What motivates them to do so?
What does the gift-giver say about giving him a replacement gift? Why will he not do it?
Who are the Laistrygonians?
Who is Artakía?
What happens to some of Odysseus’ men after their encounter with Artakía?
What is the name of the island upon which Kirkê resides?
Describe the island and explain why this is a warning. Compare to the island of the Kyklopes.
Odysseus orders his men to break up into two groups. Who does he choose as the leader of the expedition?
What strange, unnatural, and supernatural things do the men find when they get to their destination?
Which character suggests that they should enter the dwelling?
How does Kirkê treat the men once they enter? Give specifics.
After treating them kindly, what does she do to them?
Which named character did not enter because his intuition told him not to?
When that character gets back to inform Odysseus, how does that character react when Odysseus says that Odysseus will lead the next expedition to Kirkê’s house?
Which god helps Odysseus in this endeavor?
What does the god give to Odysseus?
What does the god instruct Odysseus to do (beyond the molü)?
What weapon does Odysseus bring with him?
What happens the men after Odysseus has beguiled the charming Kirkê?
How long does Odysseus remain with Kirkê?
Who tells Odysseus that he must return home?
Before he goes Kirkê tells Odysseus that he must visit the underworld. What animal sacrifices must they make first?
Which famous seer will Odysseus seek once he is there?
What happened to Elpênor?
Book XI
What kinds of libations does Odysseus prepare once he has arrived in “the realm and region of the Men of Winter”?
To which famous goddess must Odysseus make sacrifices?
Who is the first “shade” that they see?
What does this once-human, former shipmate, ask of Odysseus?
Which relative does Odysseus discover here, has died? How did she die?
What prophecy does Tiresias give?
Note that Odysseus also encounters Oedipus and Jocasta.
Who is Lêda?
Who is Ariadnê?
What does Agamemnon reveal?
What does Agamemnon say about the “intrigues of women”? What does he say about Helen? What advise does Agamemnon give about how one should regard or treat a woman?
What does Agamemnon say about Penelope? How does he later contradict himself?
What is said of/by Akhilleus?
Know about Orion, Tityos, Tántalos, Sísphos, and Herakles.
Book XII—Sea Perils and Defeat
What happens to the recently-fallen comrade’s body? How does Odysseus show honor?
Know about the Seirênês.
Know about Amphitritê.
Know about the Symplegades.
Know about Skylla and Kharybdis.
Know what will happen on Thrinákia—who lives there, and which animals no one must touch.
What does Odysseus do to save himself from the Seirênês?
How are his men saved from the fate normally wrought when one listens to the Seirênês?
What is the choice Odysseus has to make when they encounter Skylla and Kharybdis? Which one does he take?
What does Eurýlokhos say?
Why do the men start to starve? What events cause this?
Who is Lampetía?
What sin do Odysseus men commit?
What are the consequences?
Where does Odysseus end up at the end of Book XII?
Book XIII
What does Alkínoos offer and give to Odysseus?
What price do the Phiákians pay for helping Odysseus?
Athena intervenes early in the story, arriving in what human form?
Into what form does Athena change later?
Note her criticism of Odysseus: “’Always the same detachment! That is why / I cannot fail you, in your evil fortune, / cool-headed, quick, well-spoken as you are! / Would not another wandering man, in joy, / make haste home to his wife and children? Not / you, not yet’” (387-392).
What does Athena say about Odysseus’ wife?
RSS Feed