Book 7

Question 1

What is Book 7 called?

Answer 1

The palace of Alcinous

Question 2

What did Nausicaa do when she returned home?

Answer 2

• Her brothers gathered around her, unharnessed the mules and took the clothes inside
• She returned to her own apartments, where a fire had been lit by her waiting-woman

Question 3

What is Nausicaa’s waiting woman called?

Answer 3

Eurymedusa

Question 4

Who is Eurymedusa?

Answer 4

• An old Aparaean woman
• She had been brought by ship from Aparaea, and selected as a prize for Alcinous

Question 5

What did Athene do when Odysseus set off for the town?

Answer 5

She enveloped him in a thick mist, in case any Phaeacian insulted him and asked him who he was

Question 6

How did Athene disguise herself to meet Odysseus?

Answer 6

As a young girl carrying a pitcher
She agreed to help him reach Alcinous’ palace

Question 7

What advice does Athene give Odysseus when she’s disguised as the young girl and why?

Answer 7

• To follow her lead without a word
• Look at nobody
• Ask no questions
• The Phaeacians have no affection for strangers and don’t welcome visitors with open arms

Question 8

What does Athene tell Odysseus about Alcinous’ palace?

Answer 8

• He will find Princes feasting there
• He should go straight in, as a bold man is likely to succeed
• He will first find the Queen, Arete, who is from the same family as Alcinous

Question 9

Who is Arete’s father and what happened to him?

Answer 9

• Rhexenor, Alcinous’ brother
• He was killed by Apollo with his silver bow

Question 10

Who is Arete’s grandfather and father in law?

Answer 10

Nausithous
- Nausithous is the one who moved the Phaeacians to Scherie
- He’s the son of Poseidon and Periboea

Question 11

What does Athene say about how Arete is treated and her personality?

Answer 11

• Alcinous gives her honour such as no other woman receives under her husband
• She enjoys extraordinary and heartfelt devotion
• She’s a wise woman who settles even men’s disputes

Question 12

Where did Athene go when she had finished helping Odysseus?

Answer 12

• She went to Marathon and the broad streets of Athens
• The great palace of Erechtheus

Question 13

How did Odysseus find the Phaeacians when he entered the palace?

Answer 13

• The Phaeacian captains and counsellors were pouring libations to Hermes

Question 14

What did Odysseus say to Arete?

Answer 14

He begs for an escort to his own country because he has had to live through many hardships

Question 15

What happened after Odysseus spoke to Arete?

Answer 15

• Odysseus sat down by the ashes in the fireplace
• The silence was broken by Echeneus, a Phaeacian elder

Question 16

What did Echeneus say?

Answer 16

• He said that it was unseemly for Alcinous to let a stranger sit in the ashes
• He tells Alcinous to make him get up and sit on a silver chair and have some wine

Question 17

What does Alcinous announce to the Phaeacians?

Answer 17

• Now they’ve dined, they should go home, and tomorrow, the elders will be gathered to entertain Odysseus and make sacrifices, as well as discuss his journey home

Question 18

What does Alcinous say he’ll do to Odysseus?

Answer 18

• Safeguard him from further hardship or accident until he reaches home
• When he reaches home then its not their problem what happens to him anymore

Question 19

What does Alcinous question if Odysseus is?

Answer 19

An immortal playing a trick on them
However he thinks this unlikely as the Gods have always shown themselves undisguised to the Phaeacians

Question 20

What does Odysseus reply to Alcinous’ suggestion that he’s an immortal?

Answer 20

• He claims he doesn’t have the looks or stature of the Gods, but those of a human
• Goes on about his hardships and grief again

Question 21

What did Arete say to Odysseus when everyone else had left?

Answer 21

• Who are you?
• Where do you come from?
• Who gave you all these clothes?

Question 22

How does Odysseus answer Arete’s questions?

Answer 22

• Describes seven years imprisoned with Calypso
• Calypso sending him off on his raft, and then Poseidon’ storm, then him making it onto Scherie
• Nausicaa helping him

Question 23

What does Alcinous say when he heard Nausicaa was involved in helping Odysseus?

Answer 23

• He says she should have brought him straight him
• he wishes a man like Odysseus would marry Nausicaa

Question 24

Who does Odysseus pray to at the end?

Answer 24

Zeus
- He prays outloud that Alcinous will achieve everything he’s promised, and that his fame will never die on Earth, and that he’ll return home