English Odyssey Quiz Flashcards
1
Q
What happens in book: The boy and the Goddess
A
- The gods hold a council, and Athena appeals to Zeus about Odysseus being trapped on the island of the nymph Calypso.
- Zeus agrees to send Hermes to make Calypso help Odysseus return home.
- Athena goes to Ithaca disguised as Mentor and encourages Telemachus, assuring him that
- Odysseus is still alive.
- Athena leaves, flying away like a bird, causing Telemachus to realize Athena is on his side and is a god
2
Q
What happens in book: A Dangerous Journey
A
- Telemachus Calls an Assembly: Telemachus gathers Ithaca’s elite men to discuss the problems caused by the suitors vying for his mother, Penelope.
- Antinous Explains Penelope’s Trick: Antinous, a leading suitor, reveals how Penelope deceived the suitors by weaving and then unweaving a loom.
- Zeus Sends an Omen: Two eagles sent by Zeus attack the crowd, and Halitherses interprets this as a sign that Odysseus is returning home.
- Mentor and the Suitors: Mentor (Athena in disguise) supports Telemachus, but the suitors, particularly Eurymachus and Leocritus, dismiss the warnings.
- Telemachus Prepares for a Journey: Telemachus requests a ship to seek news of his father, prays to Athena for help, and receives her promise of assistance.
- Athena’s Disguise and Assistance: Disguised as Mentor, Athena prepares a ship and assembles a crew for Telemachus.
- Telemachus Departs Secretly: Telemachus secretly gathers provisions with Eurycleia’s help, joins the ship prepared by Athena, and sets sail.
3
Q
What happens in book: An Old King Remembers
A
- Telemachus Visits Nestor: Telemachus arrives in Pylos, where he is warmly welcomed by King Nestor.
- Nestor’s Story: Nestor recounts the aftermath of the Trojan War, including the Greek fleet’s struggles, Athena’s curse, and the quarrel between Agamemnon and Menelaus.
- Agamemnon’s Fate: Nestor explains that Agamemnon was killed by Aegisthus, who had seduced Agamemnon’s wife.
- Menelaus’s Journey: Menelaus was swept off to Egypt by a storm.
- Warning to Telemachus: Nestor warns Telemachus to be cautious, using the story of Aegisthus as a cautionary tale.
- Advice to Visit Menelaus: Nestor advises Telemachus to visit Menelaus in Sparta before returning home.
- Hospitality and Farewell: Nestor insists that Telemachus stay the night, then sends him off with gifts, a carriage, and his son Pisistratus as a companion to Sparta.
4
Q
What happens in book: From the Goddess to the Storm
A
- Zeus and Athena’s Discussion: Zeus and Athena discuss Odysseus’s fate.
- Zeus’s Orders: Zeus sends Athena to protect Telemachus and Hermes to rescue Odysseus from Calypso.
- Calypso’s Reluctant Agreement: Hermes tells Calypso to release Odysseus, and she reluctantly agrees.
- Odysseus Builds a Raft: Odysseus constructs a raft to leave Calypso’s island.
- Poseidon’s Storm: As Odysseus nears Phaeacia, Poseidon sends a storm to wreck his raft.
- Ino’s Assistance: Ino, the White Goddess, helps Odysseus by giving him a plank to cling to.
- Athena’s Aid: With Athena’s help, Odysseus swims to shore and finds a safe place to rest at a river’s mouth.
- Odysseus’s Rest: Odysseus crawls out of the water, hides in some bushes, and falls asleep.
5
Q
What happens in book: What the Sea God Said
A
- Telemachus and Pisistratus’ Arrival in Sparta: They arrive at Menelaus and Helen’s home during a lavish celebration.
- Warm Welcome and Stories of Troy: Menelaus warmly welcomes them and shares stories of his difficult journey back from Troy, expressing grief over the loss of his brother Agamemnon and his friend Odysseus.
- Emotional Reactions: Telemachus becomes emotional, crying over the mention of his father, Odysseus. Helen identifies Telemachus and adds to the discussion.
- Use of a Magical Drug: Helen pours a magical drug into the wine to remove grief, and then recounts how Odysseus disguised himself during the Trojan War for a spy mission.
- Menelaus’ Wealth and News from Egypt: The next morning, Menelaus recounts his journey home, including his stop in Egypt where he captured the sea god Proteus, who gave him news about his fellow warriors.
- Gift Offerings: Menelaus offers Telemachus valuable gifts to take back home.
- Plot Against Telemachus: Back in Ithaca, the suitors learn of Telemachus’ journey and plot to kill him upon his return.
- Penelope’s Grief and Athena’s Comfort: Penelope learns of the suitors’ plot and is overcome with grief, but Athena sends a dream phantom to comfort her.
6
Q
What happens in book: A Magical Kimgdon
A
- Nausicaa returns home. (the princess who help oddessy and the princess who sis her laundry at the river)
- Odysseus walks to town, hidden by a magic mist from Athena.
- Athena, disguised as a little girl, guides Odysseus to the palace.
- Odysseus supplicates Queen Arete, seeking her help.
- King Alcinous welcomes Odysseus, providing him with food and wine.
- Arete notices Odysseus is wearing clothes she made.
- Odysseus explains that Nausicaa gave him the clothes.
- Odysseus is offered a place to sleep on the porch for the night.
7
Q
What happens in book: A Princess and Her Laundry
A
- Athena’s Dream Message: Athena appears in a dream to the Phaeacian princess Nausicaa, advising her to go to the washing pools to do laundry, hinting at her future marriage.
- Nausicaa’s Journey: Nausicaa sets out for the washing pools with a packed lunch, a wagon of dirty laundry, and accompanied by slave girls.
- Odysseus’ Encounter: After the laundry is done and the girls are playing ball, Odysseus emerges from his hiding place and appeals to Nausicaa for help.
- Nausicaa’s Assistance: Nausicaa provides Odysseus with clothes and instructs him on how to reach her parents’ palace without drawing attention.
- Odysseus’ Prayer: Odysseus waits at Athena’s sanctuary outside the town and prays for the goddess’s assistance.
8
Q
What happens in book: The Songs of a Poet
A
- Alcinous’ Invitation: Alcinous, the king of Phaeacia, invites the lords to his palace for a feast to welcome a stranger (Odysseus).
- Ship Preparation: Alcinous orders men to prepare a ship to help the visitor (Odysseus) continue his journey.
- Feast and Song: During the feast, the blind poet Demodocus sings about a quarrel between Odysseus and Achilles, causing Odysseus to cry.
- Sports Competitions: Alcinous suggests everyone go outside for sports competitions, including sprinting, wrestling, discus, and boxing.
- Challenge to Odysseus: Laodamas, Alcinous’ youngest son, invites Odysseus to participate. Euryalus, another son, taunts Odysseus about not being an athlete.
- Odysseus’ Feat: Odysseus throws a discus far beyond the others, impressing everyone, including Athena in disguise.
- Second Song: Demodocus sings about the affair between Aphrodite and Ares, which pleases Odysseus.
- Gifts and Hospitality: The Phaeacians give Odysseus lavish gifts, bathe him, and feed him.
- Third Song and Weeping: Odysseus asks Demodocus to sing about the Wooden Horse, and when the poet complies, Odysseus weeps.
- Alcinous’ Question: Noticing Odysseus’ distress, Alcinous asks him to reveal his identity.
8
Q
What happens in book: A Pirate in a Shepherd’s Cave
A
- Odysseus’ Journey After Troy: After sacking Troy, Odysseus and his fleet were blown off course and reached the land of the Cicones.
- Encounter with the Cicones: Odysseus’ men sacked the city, killed the men, and enslaved the women. They stayed on the shore drinking, and the Cicones retaliated, killing some of Odysseus’ men.
- Storm and the Lotus-Eaters: Another storm struck the fleet, and they arrived at the land of the Lotus-Eaters, where some men were tempted to eat the lotus fruit and forget about home. Odysseus ordered everyone back on board.
- Arrival at the Cyclopes’ Island: They reached the island of the Cyclopes and found a cave belonging to the Cyclops Polyphemus. Despite his crew’s advice to steal food and leave, Odysseus insisted on staying.
- Polyphemus’ Revenge: Polyphemus returned, ate two of Odysseus’ men, and trapped the rest inside the cave. The next morning, he ate two more men.
- Odysseus’ Plan: Odysseus devised a plan to blind Polyphemus with a sharpened olive wood stake after getting him drunk on wine. Odysseus tricked Polyphemus by telling him his name was “Noman.”
- Escape from the Cyclops: After blinding Polyphemus, Odysseus and his men escaped by clinging to the bellies of the Cyclops’ sheep.
- Odysseus’ Taunt and Curse: As they sailed away, Odysseus taunted Polyphemus and revealed his true name. Polyphemus hurled a rock at the ship and called on his father Poseidon to curse Odysseus.
9
Q
What happens in book: The Winds and the Witch
A
- Arrival at Aeolus: The fleet arrives at Aeolus’ floating island, where he gifts Odysseus a bag of winds to aid their journey.
- Disaster with the Winds: The fleet almost reaches Ithaca, but Odysseus falls asleep. His crew, envious of his treasure, opens the bag of winds, causing the ship to be blown back to Aeolus’ palace. Aeolus refuses to help them further.
- Laestrygonia: They then reach the land of Laestrygonia, where the cannibal giants kill all the men who had moored inside the harbor, except for Odysseus.
- Circe’s Island: The surviving ship sails to Circe’s island, where she turns half of Odysseus’ men into pigs. With Hermes’ help, Odysseus persuades Circe to return them to human form.
- Stay with Circe: They stay with Circe for a year to recuperate. When they prepare to leave, Circe instructs them to visit the house of Hades to consult the prophet Tiresias for guidance.
- Elpenor’s Death: Before they leave, Elpenor, the youngest crew member, falls from the attic and dies.
9
Q
What happens in book: The Dead
A
- Arrival in the Cimmerians’ Land: Odysseus arrives in the dark land of the Cimmerians and performs a sacrifice to seek a safe return home.
- Summoning the Dead: He digs a ditch, fills it with blood, and summons the spirits of the dead.
- Elpenor’s Request: The first spirit to appear is Elpenor, who asks for a proper burial.
- Tiresias’ Prophecy: The prophet Tiresias appears and warns Odysseus of future dangers.
- Meeting His Mother: Odysseus’ mother, Anticleia, appears. He mourns her death and tries to embrace her, but she slips away.
- Famous Mythical Figures: Odysseus sees a procession of famous mythical women linked to legendary heroes and gods.
- Agamemnon’s Ghost: He encounters Agamemnon’s ghost, who reveals he was murdered, and Achilles’ ghost, who regrets trading his life for honor.
- Ajax’s Silence: The ghost of Ajax refuses to speak to Odysseus.
- Other Spirits: Odysseus glimpses other heroes, sees the torments of the dead, and speaks briefly to Heracles.
- Return to Ship: After these encounters, Odysseus returns to his ship.
10
Q
What happens in book: Two Tricksters
A
- Gifts and Departure: The Phaeacians give Odysseus valuable gifts and provide him with a magical self-steering ship to return to Ithaca.
- Poseidon’s Wrath: On the journey, Poseidon wrecks the ship and turns it to stone, threatening to cover Phaeacia with a mountain.
- Arrival at Ithaca: Odysseus, asleep, is deposited on Ithaca’s shore beside the Nymphs’ cave. He does not recognize Ithaca due to Athena’s disguise of the island.
- Meeting Athena: Athena, disguised as a young man, reveals their location and questions Odysseus. Odysseus pretends to be from Crete. Athena praises his caution, reveals her true identity, and discusses their plans.
- Plans and Disguises: They hide the treasure in the cave and plan to kill the suitors. Athena disguises Odysseus as an old beggar and goes to fetch Telemachus from Sparta.
10
Q
What happens in book: Difficult Choices
A
- Advice from Circe: Circe advised Odysseus on his journey.
- Sirens: They sailed past the Sirens; only Odysseus heard their song while tied to the mast.
- Scylla and Charybdis: They encountered Scylla and Charybdis, resulting in Scylla devouring six men.
- Island of Helius: Stranded on the island of the Sun God, Helius, the men, starving, ate the forbidden cattle.
- Zeus’s wrath: Zeus destroyed their ship as punishment, drowning all the men.
- Odysseus’s survival: Odysseus survived, clinging to a fig tree and then a piece of shipwreckage, eventually reaching the island of Calypso.
- Return to Calypso: The story of his wanderings concludes as he arrives at Calypso’s island.
11
Q
What happens in book: Father and Son
A
- Telemachus’ Arrival: Telemachus arrives at Eumaeus’ hut and is welcomed by the swineherd, who introduces him to the disguised Odysseus.
- Revelation: Athena transforms Odysseus to appear young and strong again. Odysseus reveals his true identity to Telemachus, and they share an emotional reunion.
- Planning: They plan to kill the suitors, with Odysseus instructing Telemachus to hide the weapons to disarm them and keep Odysseus’ identity secret from everyone except Telemachus.
- Suitors’ Reaction: News of Telemachus’ safe return reaches the palace. The suitors, frustrated by their failed attempt to kill Telemachus, continue to plot against him. Amphinomus speaks against killing Telemachus.
- Penelope’s Response: Penelope criticizes the suitors and then retires to her quarters.
- Eumaeus’ Report: Eumaeus returns to the hut, informing Telemachus and Odysseus that the suitors have come back from their failed ambush. They then eat and rest.
11
Q
What happens in book: A Loyal Slave
A
- Odysseus in Disguise: Odysseus, disguised, visits Eumaeus, the swineherd.
- Initial Hostility and Rescue: Eumaeus rescues Odysseus from guard dogs and welcomes him into his home.
- Eumaeus’ Loyalty and Grief: Eumaeus expresses his loyalty to his master, Odysseus, and his sorrow over his presumed death.
- Odysseus’ False Story: Odysseus fabricates a story about his journey from Crete, through Egypt, Thesprotia, and Ithaca, eventually ending up in Eumaeus’ hut.
- Eumaeus’ Skepticism: Eumaeus is skeptical about Odysseus’ story and expresses distrust of tricksters.
- Storytelling and Reward: Odysseus tells a story about Odysseus tricking one of his men and is rewarded with a cloak by Eumaeus.
- Sleeping Arrangement: They go to sleep, with Odysseus staying in the hut and Eumaeus outside with the pigs.
