Book 12 - Scylla and Charybdis Flashcards
EXAM QUESTION:
Read the following passage and answer all of the questions which follow.
‘My men turned pale with terror; and now, while all eyes were on Charybdis as the quarter from which we looked for disaster, Scylla snatched out of my ship the six strongest and ablest men. Glancing towards my ship, looking for my comrades, I saw their arms and legs dangling high in the air above my head. “Odysseus!” they called out to me in their anguish. But it was the last time they used my name. For like an angler on a jutting point, who casts his bait to lure the little fishes below, dangles his long rod with its line protected by an ox-horn pipe, gets a bite and whips his struggling catch to land, Scylla had whisked my comrades, struggling, up to the rocks. There she devoured them at her own door, shrieking and stretching out their hands to me in their last desperate throes. In all I have gone through as I explored the pathways of the seas, I have never witnessed a more pitiable sight than that.’
a) How does Homer make this passage dramatic and exciting? Give reasons for your views and support them with details from the passage.
- Shock of the attack at the start
- The fact he loses his best men makes the odds of the group’s survival less
- Strong visual image of the dangling limbs
- Short and desperate direct speech of the men
- Pathos of the final time they call his name
- Simile to show the speed of attack and struggle of the men. This slows the pace of the scene and prolongs the agony.
- Final comment brings home the horror of the event.
EXAM QUESTION:
Read the following passage and answer all of the questions which follow.
‘My men turned pale with terror; and now, while all eyes were on Charybdis as the quarter from which we looked for disaster, Scylla snatched out of my ship the six strongest and ablest men. Glancing towards my ship, looking for my comrades, I saw their arms and legs dangling high in the air above my head. “Odysseus!” they called out to me in their anguish. But it was the last time they used my name. For like an angler on a jutting point, who casts his bait to lure the little fishes below, dangles his long rod with its line protected by an ox-horn pipe, gets a bite and whips his struggling catch to land, Scylla had whisked my comrades, struggling, up to the rocks. There she devoured them at her own door, shrieking and stretching out their hands to me in their last desperate throes. In all I have gone through as I explored the pathways of the seas, I have never witnessed a more pitiable sight than that.’
b) What does Circe tell Odysseus about Scylla?
- Creature with a dreadful bark, even if no louder than a pup
- Repulsive looking, even to a god
- 12 feet dangling in the air
- 6 scrawny necks each with a grisly head
- Each head has a triple row of fangs
- Her head protrudes from the abyss
- She fishes around for dolphins, seals and creatures
- No one can escape unscathed
- Best to flee before losing 6 more men (2nd speech)
- Don’t waste time putting on armour
- Call on Scylla’s mother to prevent a second attack
- Facing Scylla preferable to facing Charybdis.
EXAM QUESTION:
Read the following passage and answer all of the questions which follow.
‘My men turned pale with terror; and now, while all eyes were on Charybdis as the quarter from which we looked for disaster, Scylla snatched out of my ship the six strongest and ablest men. Glancing towards my ship, looking for my comrades, I saw their arms and legs dangling high in the air above my head. “Odysseus!” they called out to me in their anguish. But it was the last time they used my name. For like an angler on a jutting point, who casts his bait to lure the little fishes below, dangles his long rod with its line protected by an ox-horn pipe, gets a bite and whips his struggling catch to land, Scylla had whisked my comrades, struggling, up to the rocks. There she devoured them at her own door, shrieking and stretching out their hands to me in their last desperate throes. In all I have gone through as I explored the pathways of the seas, I have never witnessed a more pitiable sight than that.’
c) Explain how the Scylla story shows how Odysseus is both a good and bad leader.
-He does not tell his men about Scylla so as not to alarm them, causing panic and more death
-However it might be argued that not telling his men was poor leadership as they were not prepared for an attack
-He gives precise orders to the rowers and helmsman before they face Scylla
-His crew obey him showing he commands respect
-He ignores Circe’s order and arms himself. Picking a fight could lead to further deaths
-However it does show that he is trying to save lives in the heat of the moment
-He follows Circe’s instructions in choosing to face Scylla rather than Charybdis, and loses the minimum
number of men.
For a thorough answer, candidates should explain what aspects of leadership Odysseus does or does not show.
EXAM QUESTION:
Read the following passage and answer all of the questions which follow.
‘Before she had run very, a howling wind suddenly sprang up from the West and hit us with hurricane force. The squall snapped both forestays simultaneously. As the mast toppled, all the rigging tumbled into the hold, and the mast itself, reaching the stern, struck the helmsman on the head and smashed in all the bones of his skull. He plunged like a diver from the deck, and his brave soul left his body. Then at one and the same moment Zeus thundered and struck the vessel with lightning. The whole ship reeled from the blow of his bolt and was filled with the smell of sulphur. My men were flung overboard and round the black hull they floated like sea-gulls on the waves. There was no homecoming for them: the god saw to that.’
a) How does this passage show the power of the storm? Give reasons for your views and support them with details from the passage.
Candidates may refer to either literary techniques or factual details or both. Credit any valid ideas which are supported by the passage. Candidates may refer to some of the following:
- Force of the wind – hurricane and the damage it does to the ship
- Graphic descriptions of the crew’s deaths
- The immediate effect of Zeus’ thunderbolt
- The use of simile highlights the men’s insignificance
- The passage appeals to the senses with the smell of sulphur
- Personification of wind
- Use of onomatopoeia – ‘howling’.
Clear reference to the passage is required for thorough.
Candidates may explain several aspects in more detail or may cover a greater range of aspects more briefly.
Either approach is valid and should be credited in line with the marking grid.
EXAM QUESTION:
Read the following passage and answer all of the questions which follow.
‘Before she had run very, a howling wind suddenly sprang up from the West and hit us with hurricane force. The squall snapped both forestays simultaneously. As the mast toppled, all the rigging tumbled into the hold, and the mast itself, reaching the stern, struck the helmsman on the head and smashed in all the bones of his skull. He plunged like a diver from the deck, and his brave soul left his body. Then at one and the same moment Zeus thundered and struck the vessel with lightning. The whole ship reeled from the blow of his bolt and was filled with the smell of sulphur. My men were flung overboard and round the black hull they floated like sea-gulls on the waves. There was no homecoming for them: the god saw to that.’
b) What happens to Odysseus after these events and before he is washed up on Calypso’s island?
- Odysseus unsuccessfully tries to stay on board what was left of the wrecked ship
- He gets swept back to Scylla and Charybdis
- Odysseus grabs hold of a fig tree
- He clings there like a bat
- He waits for some timbers of his vessel to re-emerge from Charybdis
- Odysseus paddles away from Scylla
- He drifts for nine days.
Answers may either offer an overview of the help given or focus on the detail of several types of assistance.
Either approach is valid and should be credited in line with the marking grid.
EXAM QUESTION:
Read the following passage and answer all of the questions which follow.
‘Before she had run very, a howling wind suddenly sprang up from the West and hit us with hurricane force. The squall snapped both forestays simultaneously. As the mast toppled, all the rigging tumbled into the hold, and the mast itself, reaching the stern, struck the helmsman on the head and smashed in all the bones of his skull. He plunged like a diver from the deck, and his brave soul left his body. Then at one and the same moment Zeus thundered and struck the vessel with lightning. The whole ship reeled from the blow of his bolt and was filled with the smell of sulphur. My men were flung overboard and round the black hull they floated like sea-gulls on the waves. There was no homecoming for them: the god saw to that.’
c) All of Odysseus’ men are killed in the storm. Explain why they are punished in this way.
Accept any reasonable opinion based on any of the following:
- Odysseus warns them not to eat the Sun-God’s cattle
- Odysseus makes them swear an oath not to touch the cattle
- As a result of the prolonged storm the crew are desperately hungry and feast on the cattle
- Odysseus is fast asleep after going off to pray. He is unable to stop them from doing this
- Hyperion complains to Zeus and threatens to shine among the dead if the men are not punished
- It is part of destiny as a result of Polyphemus’ curse.
Candidates need to offer some sort of explanation as to why the men are punished to achieve a mark of sound
or higher.
