The Odyssey Part 1 Study Questions – Flashcards
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Who wrote the Odyssey
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Homer wrote the Odyssey
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When was the story composed
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The story was compossed around 800 BC
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What kind of Poem is the Odyssey?
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The Odyssey is an epic.
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What are some characteristics of an epic poem?
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Characteristics of an epic are, Opens in the midst of the story, The setting is vast covering many regions of the world and universe. Begins with the statement of the theme. It uses epithets
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What kind of hero does this kind of poem always have?
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The poem always has a brave hero
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What are the characteristics of a brave hero
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The characteristics of a brave hero are wisdom, truth, beauty
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What war had Odysseus recently help to win?
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Odysseus helped win the Trojan war
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How long did the war last?
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The ware lasted ten years
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Give two reasons the Gods were angry at Odysseus at the beginning of his journey?
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He doesn't follow their directions, he is causing too much destruction
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Which of the gods is Odysseus's primary enemy?
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Odysseues enemy is Poseidon
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How long does it take Odysseus to reach home after the war?
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It takes Odysseus 10 years to get home.
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Where is Odysseus's home?
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Odysseus's home is on the island of Ithaca
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How does he feel about his home?
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He loves his home and thinks it is beautiful
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To whom does Odysseus tell his stories about his adventures?
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He tells his stories to Nausicaa and the Phaeacians
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What reputation does Odysseus have among men?
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He has the reputation of being home-sick
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Describe the battle with the Cicones. Where did it take place?
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The battle of the Cicones took place in Ismara, but they get over thrown because they got drunk and were disrespectful.
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Who were the Lotus eaters?
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They were a group of men who lived on an island that eat Lotus.
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Why were the Lotus Eaters dangerous to Odysseus and his men?
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They gave Odysseus and his men fruit that made them forget about their homes and made the want to stay
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What kind of men were the Cyclops
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The Cyclops were large man like creatures and instead of two eyes had only one
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What is the name of the Cyclops that Odysseus meets?
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The name of the Cyclops is Polyphemus
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Who is this Cyclops father?
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The Cylops father is Poseidon
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How many men does Odysseus take with him to the Cyclops cave?
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Odysseus took 12 men to the cave.
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How many men return with Odysseus to the ship after going to the cave
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Only 8 men return with Odysseus
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What do the men find in the Cyclops cave when they first enter?
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They find wine, cheese, rams, and goats
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How does the cyclops keep intruders out at night?
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He put a big boulder in the entrance
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What does the Cyclops do to several of Odysseus's men?
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He eats them
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When the Cyclops asks Odysseus where his ships are what does Odysseus tell him? Why?
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He tells him the ship was destroyed in a sea wreck so that Cyclops will not go out and destroy their ship
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Why doesn't Odysseus kill the Cyclops when he first meets him?
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He doesn't kill him because the Cyclops is too strong and he would not succeed
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How does Odysseus injure the Cyclops?
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He jabs it in the eye with a spear made from a timber and sharpened by his men
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Why does he choose this way to injure the Cyclops?
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Because he knew the Cyclops would move the stone away from the opening while looking for them and they would be able to escape
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How many men does it take to injure the Cyclops?
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It took 5 men
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What false names does Odysseus give the cyclops Polyphemus?
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no man or nobody depending on the translation
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WHY IS THIS A CLEVER NAME?
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When Cyclops tells what has happened to him and his friends ask who did it to him he can only say "no one".
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Why must Odysseus think of a clever way to leave the cave?
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He and his men are not strong enough to move the stone covering the door.
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How do Odysseus and his men escape the Cyclops Polyphemus?
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After blinding him, they wait for him to try and find them They know he will open the door of the cave and try to catch them as they leave. They hide under his sheep as they go through the door.
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What mistake does Odysseus make after escaping the Cyclops Polyphemus?
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He finally tells the Cyclops his real name.
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What does this tell us about Odysseus?
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He is foolish
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What curse does the Cyclops Polyphemus make against Odysseus
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He calls upon Poseidon to make Odysseus get lost at sea
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Who is Aeolus?
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The ruler of the winds
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What gift does Aeolus give Odysseus?
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A gift of each of the four winds to help get Odysseus back to Ithaca
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How was the gift wrapped?
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in a bag
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What terrible event makes this gift a curse?
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when they are almost home Odysseus men open the gift thinking it contains treasure. The winds blow them all back to Aiolia, where Aeolus refused to provide any further help.
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Where does the ship go after almost reaching Ithaca
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Back to Aiolia where they had just left
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Why does Aeolus refuse to help a second time?
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He says that Odysseus has been cursed by the Gods
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Who are the Laestrygonians?
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A race of giant cannibals that live in the city of Telepylus on an island that appears to be roughly shaped like a horseshoe (or...
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How many ships does Odyessus have after encountering the the Laestrygonians
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one
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who is Circe?
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A minor goddess of music
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What is the name of the island that Circe lives on?
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The island of Aeaea
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What does Circe transform some of Odysseus's MEN INTO?
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Swine (pigs)
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What does Circe tell Odysseus he must do before he can reach home
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She tells Odysseus he must visit the underworld of Hades
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What is the Land of the Dead called
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The Land of the Dead is called the Underworld
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Who is Elpenor?
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He is the youngest man of Odysseys group to survive the Laestrygonians
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Why is he unhappy
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Because he was left dead in Circe's den
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What favor does Elpenor ask of Odysseus?
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he asks for a proper burial
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Which of Odysseus's relatives has died since he left home?
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The relative that has died is his mom
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what are the names of Odysseus's wife and son?
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Penelope is his wife and Telemachus is his son
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WHo does Odysseus come to the Land of the Dead to see?
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to speak to the dead prophet named Teiresias,
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Describe Tiresias?
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was a blind prophet of Thebes, famous for clairvoyance and for being transformed into a woman for seven years.
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What does Odysseus give tiresias to drink
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Odysseus sacrifices a black lamb and lets Tiresias drink its blood
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What does this man prophesy will happen to Odysseus and his men? What does he warn them not to do
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He prophesies death would come out of the sea, and not to kill the cattle
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What does he warn Odysseus not to do?
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Not to touch the flocks of the Sun god Helios when he reaches land of Thrynacia.
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What does this man say is happening at Odysseus' home?
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He told him about Penelope's suitors and how they are trying to marry his wife.
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Who are the Sirens? why are they alluring
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They were sea nymphs, sailors passing by them got enchanted and had to stay
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Why are they a danger to Odysseus and his men? Is he successful
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The Sirens lure men to their death on the rocks by their enchanting singing.
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Who warns Odysseus of the danger of the Sirens?
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Circe warns Odysseus of the dangers
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What does Odysseus do to keep himself and his crew safe?
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They put wax in their ears so they can't hear the sirens.
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What is the first reaction of the men when they near Scylla and Charybdis
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The men were very scared
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Describe scylla and charbdis
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Scylla was a six-headed beast with three rows of sharp teeth in each head. Charbdis was a dangerous and deadly whirlpool
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Why does Odysseus not tell his men about Scylla
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Odysseus did not want to agitate his men and he didn't want them to go below deck for fear that Scylla might destroy them all.
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How many men does Odysseus lose to Scylla?
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Six
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What does Odysseus say is the saddest sight he has ever seen?
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when he lost his men to Scylla
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What is the sun god's name
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Helios
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Who talks odysseus's men into killing the sun god's cattle
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Eurylochus
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Where was Odysseus when this happened?
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Odysseus was sleeping when this happens
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What does Zeus do to the ship as punishment? How many men are left alive
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destroying Odysseus's ship and killing his men, Only Odysseus
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How does Odysseus keep from being Swallowed by Charbdis
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He hung from a plant above her until his mast came back up and floated away
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How does Odysseus get Ogygia, Who lives there?
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He sailed, Calypso
