Book 1

Question 1

Who prevented Odysseus from returning home and why?

Answer 1

The Nymph Calypso
- She wanted him to marry her, and kept him ‘in her vaulted cave’

Poseidon
- Odysseus blinded his son, the cyclops Polyphemus

Question 2

Where was Poseidon when the rest of the Gods assembled in Zeus’ palace?

Answer 2

• Visiting the Ethiopians
• He had gone to accept a sacrifice of bulls and rams

Question 3

Who was Zeus thinking of when he called the Gods together?

Answer 3

• Aegisthus, who stole Agamemnon’s wife and then killed him, even though he’d been warned not to

Question 4

What does Zeus say about Odysseus?

Answer 4

• He’s the wisest man alive
• The most generous in his offerings to the immortals

Question 5

Who did Poseidon have a child with, and whats his name?

Answer 5

• The Nymph Thoosa, daughter of Phorcys, Lord of the salt sea waves
• Their child was Polyphemus

Question 6

What does Athena say the will of the Gods is, and what does she plan to do?

Answer 6

• She says that the Gods will for Odysseus to return home to Ithaca
• She wants to send Hermes to tell Calypso that she must let Odysseus go
• She will go to Ithaca, install spirit into Telemachus, and for him to call an assembly, then she’ll send him to Sparta to seek news of his father

Question 7

Where does the Nypmph Calypso live?

Answer 7

The isle of Ogygia

Question 8

Who did Athena disguise herself as?

Answer 8

• The Taphian chief Mentes, who was a family friend of Odysseus

Question 9

What did Athena see when she first arrived at Ithaca?

Answer 9

• The suitors sitting by the door on oxen hides they’d killed themselves
• Playing with counters
• Squires and pages mixing wine and water, carving meat, and wiping down tables

Question 10

What was Telemachus imagining when he first saw Athena disguised as Mentes?

Answer 10

• How his father might appear, drive the suitors from the house, and rule again

Question 11

How did Telemachus welcome Athena disguised as Mentes?

Answer 11

• Took her spear and put it in a wooden rack
• Showed her to a beautiful carved chair
• A maid brought them water to rinse their hands
• The housekeeper brought bread and delicacies
• A steward served them meat and wine

Question 12

What did Mentes (Athena) say he’s going?

Answer 12

• Bound for Temesa with a cargo of iron
• Want to trade iron for bronze

Question 13

Where does Mentes (Athena) say his ship is berthed?

Answer 13

Rheithron Cove
Under the woods of Neion

Question 14

What does Mentes (Athena) say his purpose in Ithaca is?

Answer 14

• He says he heard that Odysseus was home

Question 15

What does Mentes go onto say about Odysseus not being home yet?

Answer 15

• He says he knows that he is not dead, but must be being kept on a distant island,in the hands of enemies
• He gives Telemachus a prophecy that Odysseus will not be exiled for much longer, and he’ll think of a way to return

Question 16

How does Mentes (Athena) suggest ridding the house of suitors?

Answer 16

• Call the Achaean Lords to assembly to hear his decision
• Tell the suitors to leave and go home
• If Penelope is set on marrying, he should send her to her father’s house, as they can arrange the marriage and a generous dowry

Question 17

What advice does Mentes (Athena) give to Telemachus?

Answer 17

• Choose his best ship and man it with 20 oarsmen, and set out to inquire after Odysseus
• Go to Pylos first and question Nestor
  -Then go to Sparta to see Menelaus

Question 18

How did Telemachus realise he’d been visited by a God?

Answer 18

She vanished like a bird through a hole in the roof
She implanted spirit and daring in him, he felt the change she made

Question 19

What did Athena do to Telemachus when she left him?

Answer 19

• Implanted spirit and daring in his heart
  -Brought the image of his father closer to mind

Question 20

What did Telemachus do when rejoined the suitors?

Answer 20

• They were listening in silence to a song from their famous bard (Phemius)
• The song was about the Achaeans return from Troy and the disasters that Athena made them suffer

Question 21

What happened when Penelope came downstairs?

Answer 21

• She came down with two waiting women
• When she neared the suitors she drew a veil across her cheeks and stood by a pillar with her maids on either side
• She cried

Question 22

What happened after Penelope cried?

Answer 22

• She interrupted Phemius and told him he should have chosen another song

Question 23

What did Telemachus say when he intervened Penelope’s interruption?

Answer 23

• He said Phemius should entertain them as he feels, and that this is the most popular song at the moment
• Penelope must be brave, as Odysseus is not the only one who did not return from Troy
• He tells her to go to her quarters and attend to her work

Question 24

What did Telemachus say once the suitors had left?

Answer 24

• He says he will announce his decision for the suitors to leave in an Assembly tomorrow
• He thinks its unfair for them to destroy his estate

Question 25

Who was the first suitor to speak up against Telemachus?

Answer 25

Antinous, Eupeithes’ son

Question 26

What does Antinous say to Telemachus?

Answer 26

• He claims that the Gods taught him this bold and haughty way of speaking
• He hopes that Telemachus will never become King of Ithaca

Question 27

Who is the next suitor to speak up?

Answer 27

Eurymachus, son of Polybus

Question 28

What does Eurymachus say to Telemachus?

Answer 28

• The Gods must decide who’s King in Ithaca
• He hopes that no one lays violent hands on T’s property
• Questions T on his guest (Mentes)

Question 29

What did Telemachus do when it was night?

Answer 29

• He went to his bedroom, a lofty chamber in the courtyard
• He was escorted by Eurycleia
• He took off his tunic, which E folded for him and hung up

Question 30

Who is Eurycleia?

Answer 30

• The daughter of Ops and grandaughter of Peisenor
• Laertes (T’s grandfather) bought her when she was a girl for 20 oxen, and treated her like a loyal wife, but never slept with her