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The Odyssey > Book 1 > Flashcards

Book 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Who prevented Odysseus from returning home and why?

A

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

Poseidon
- Odysseus blinded his son, the cyclops Polyphemus

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2
Q

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

A
  • Visiting the Ethiopians
  • He had gone to accept a sacrifice of bulls and rams
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3
Q

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

A
  • Aegisthus, who stole Agamemnon’s wife and then killed him, even though he’d been warned not to
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4
Q

What does Zeus say about Odysseus?

A
  • He’s the wisest man alive
  • The most generous in his offerings to the immortals
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5
Q

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

A
  • The Nymph Thoosa, daughter of Phorcys, Lord of the salt sea waves
  • Their child was Polyphemus
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6
Q

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

A
  • 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
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7
Q

Where does the Nypmph Calypso live?

A

The isle of Ogygia

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8
Q

Who did Athena disguise herself as?

A
  • The Taphian chief Mentes, who was a family friend of Odysseus
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9
Q

What did Athena see when she first arrived at Ithaca?

A
  • 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
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10
Q

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

A
  • How his father might appear, drive the suitors from the house, and rule again
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11
Q

How did Telemachus welcome Athena disguised as Mentes?

A
  • 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
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12
Q

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

A
  • Bound for Temesa with a cargo of iron
  • Want to trade iron for bronze
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13
Q

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

A

Rheithron Cove
Under the woods of Neion

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14
Q

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

A
  • He says he heard that Odysseus was home
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15
Q

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

A
  • 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
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16
Q

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

A
  • 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
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17
Q

What advice does Mentes (Athena) give to Telemachus?

A
  • 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
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18
Q

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

A

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

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19
Q

What did Athena do to Telemachus when she left him?

A
  • Implanted spirit and daring in his heart
    -Brought the image of his father closer to mind
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20
Q

What did Telemachus do when rejoined the suitors?

A
  • 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
21
Q

What happened when Penelope came downstairs?

A
  • 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
22
Q

What happened after Penelope cried?

A
  • She interrupted Phemius and told him he should have chosen another song
23
Q

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

A
  • 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
24
Q

What did Telemachus say once the suitors had left?

A
  • 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
25
Q

Who was the first suitor to speak up against Telemachus?

A

Antinous, Eupeithes’ son

26
Q

What does Antinous say to Telemachus?

A
  • He claims that the Gods taught him this bold and haughty way of speaking
  • He hopes that Telemachus will never become King of Ithaca
27
Q

Who is the next suitor to speak up?

A

Eurymachus, son of Polybus

28
Q

What does Eurymachus say to Telemachus?

A
  • 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)
29
Q

What did Telemachus do when it was night?

A
  • 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
30
Q

Who is Eurycleia?

A
  • 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
31
Q

Why might Athene have disguised herself as Mentes?

A
  • Because Mentes is a family, this means he’s more likely to have the trust of Telemachus
  • This could mean Telemachus takes ‘Mentes’’ advice more seriously, and does what Athene wants him to do.
32
Q

How is Penelope presented in her first appearance?

A

Weak and needing support
- ‘with one of her faithful maids on each side’

Emotional
- ‘bursting into tears’

Submissive and acquiescent
- ‘taken aback, but… took her son’s sensible words to heart’

33
Q

How does Antinous appear?

A

Rude
Overconfident
Dislikable

34
Q

How does Eurymachus appear?

A

Outwardly seems caring, but is also cunning and deceitful

35
Q

‘Men should blame…’

A

‘Men should blame the Gods… when it is their own transgressions that bring them suffering’

36
Q

‘Aegisthus has paid…’

A

‘Aegisthus has paid the final price for all his sins’

37
Q

‘Father of ours…’

A

‘Father of ours, Son of Cronos, King of Kings’

38
Q

‘May all who…’

A

‘May all who act as he did share his fate!’

39
Q

‘the insolent suitors…’

A

‘the insolent suitors… on hides of oxen… playing with countes’

40
Q

‘You can tell…’

A

‘You can tell us what has brought you here when you have had some food’

41
Q

‘Among the many…’

A

‘Among the many spears of the patient Odysseus’

42
Q

‘Phemius, the minstrel…’

A

‘Phemius, the minstrel whom they had forced into their service’

43
Q

‘Lives a miserable…’

A

‘Lives a miserable existence on his distant farm’

44
Q

‘No man can…’

A

‘No man can be certain of his parentage’

45
Q

‘You are no…’

A

‘You are no longer a child: you must put childish thoughts away’

46
Q

‘He killed the…’

A

‘He killed the cunning Aegisthus for murdering his noble father… you must be as brave as Orestes’

47
Q

‘You have spoken…’

A

‘You have spoken to me… like a father talking to his son’

48
Q

‘Surely it is…’

A

‘Surely it is not the poets who are responsible for what happens, but Zeus himself’

49
Q

‘Penelop was taken…’

A

‘Penelope was taken aback, but she retired to her own apartments, for she took her sensible son’s words to heart’

The Odyssey (5 decks)

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