Odyssey Flashcards
Who is sent to order calypso to allow Odysseus’ release
Hermes is sent and says to calypso ‘Zeus bids you send him off without delay’
What was Odysseus on the shore when Hermes arrived
‘Tormenting himself with tears’
what does Odysseus long for on calypsos island?
‘His lost home’ and ‘wife of yours who is never out of your thoughts’
What does calypso sweat and oath to?
river Styx
What does calypso provide Odysseus with at his departure?
‘Sweet smelling clothes’ skins of ‘dark wine’ ‘leather sack of grain’
What happens to Odysseus on the raft back from calypsos island of Ogyia?
A ‘mountainous wave’ ‘crashed down upon him’ which we assume is from Poseidon as he says he means to give Odysseus a ‘bellyful of trouble’
Who offers Odysseus the ‘divine protection’ of the veil?
Ino, daughter of cadamus
How did Athene help Odysseus in book five?
put it into his head to grab onto the rock with both hands
What does the river do in response to Odysseus’ pleas in book 5?
‘River checked its current’ and held back its waves and was brought directly to land
What does Odysseus use as a bed in book 5
Dry leaves under a pair of olive bushes
How does Athene convince nausicaa to go to the washing pools in book 6?
She comes to her in a dream and says her beautiful clothes have been neglected she may ‘soon be married’ and ‘will need beautiful clothes’ and that’s how a bride gains a ‘good reputation’
Who does Athene appear disguised as in the dream in book 6?
Athenes friend
Who does nausicaa go to the river with?
Her friends
What god is nausicaa likened to?
Artemis the archeress
What awoke Odysseus in book 6?
The ‘loud shriek’ the girls made when the ball fell into the curren
What does Odysseus conceal his ‘manhood’ with? 😉
a ‘leafy bough’
How does Odysseus compliment nausicaa with tact and diplomacy to get her assistance?
‘Are you a goddess or a mortal woman?’, ‘I am overcome with awe when I look at you’ ‘thrice blessed are your father and mother’
What phallic image is there in Odysseus speech to nausicaa?
‘Like, a fresh young palm tree shooting up’
What is the Phaeacian island called?
Scherie
What does nausicaa say that shows good Xenia?
‘We must look after him since all strangers and beggars come under the protection of zeus’
Why does nausicaa want to walk separately from Odysseus?
She wants to avoid ‘unpleasant gossip’ about despising
Fellow phaecians and seeking to ‘find a husband from abroad’
How did Athene protect Odysseus from Phaeacian insults?
‘Enveloped him in a thick mist’
What did Athene disguise herself as in book 7 to help Odysseus reach the palace?
A young girl carrying a pitcher
How to the people treat arête?
‘Look on her as a goddess’ she ‘even settles men’s disputes’
How does the Phaeacian noble break the silence and remind alcinous of good Xenia?
Says it’s not right to let him ‘sit in the ashes at the heart’ and allows him to ‘sit on one of the silver chairs’
What does alcinous believe Odysseus may be at first?
One of the immortal gods come to trick him
How does Odysseus show the importance of food and appetite in book 7?
‘Nothing in the world is so shamelessly demanding as a mans stomach’
Why does alcinous reprimand nausicaa in book 7?
He says she ‘should’ve brought you home’ saying she showed bad Xenia
What is the name of the bard in book 8?
Demodocus
What did demodocus sing about before the Phaeacian games?
The quarrel of Odysseus and Achilles son Peleus
What bad Xenia does laodamas show to Odysseus?
He tries to ‘provoke him with his challenges’
How does Athena encourage Odysseus in the games?
‘None of the phaecians will make as good a throw, let alone better ‘
What are the Phaeacians known for?
Their ‘first rate seamen’
Who did Aphrodite sleep with?
Ares
How does alcinous show good Xenia in odysseus’ parting?
‘Let is make him parting gifts as is appropriate’ he gives him a sword of bronze, clothes and gold
Why should odysseus remember alcinous according to him
‘Since it is chiefly to me that you owe your life’
What does demodocus sing on odysseus’ parting?
the story of the Trojan horse
What did alcinous’ father prophesise
That one day a god would ‘wreck our fine vessels’ and ‘surround our city with a wall of mountain’
What does alcinous liken odysseus to?
A brother
What did odysseus’ ‘foolish’ men refuse to do when they sacked the cicones
To ‘escape with all speed’ and they kept on ‘drinking and butchering’ the wine and livestock
What is the name of the ciconeans island?
Ismarus
Who does odysseus claim the ciconeans were sent by?
Zeus to make them ‘suffer’
How many men were killed in ismarus in book 9?
Six of the comrades
What happened to odysseus and his comrades on the departure from ismarus?
Zeus sent a ‘terrible gale’ causing them to rest on land for two days
Where did odysseus go after the storm in book 9
The Island of the lotus eaters
How is the society of Cyclopes described?
‘Lawless people who never lift a hand to plant or plough’
What was Polyphemus quite unlike?
‘Any man who eats bread’
How many men did odysseus take with him to meet Polyphemus
Twelve best men in the company
How was odysseus foolish in polyphemus’ cave?
He could not be persuaded to leave the island quickly and wished to see the owner of the cave to get some ‘friendly gifts’
How does polphemus show he has no care for Zeus of Xenia
He says that care nothing got the ‘blessed gods since we are much stronger than they are’
How does homer describe Polyphemus’ murder of his men?
‘Seized a couple and dashed their heads against the floor as thought they had been puppies’
How do they sedate Polyphemus?
With wine to wash down his meal of human flesh
How does odysseus hide his identity from Polyphemus?
He said his name is nobody.
What is a bad omen with Polyphemus in book 9?
‘A stream of wine mixed with men’s flesh poured from his throat’
How did they blind Polyphemus?
The Cyclopes eye ‘hissed around’ the sharpened olive steak that they plunged into his eye till blood boiled around the wood
How does odysseus and his men escape polyphemus’ cave?
With three rams per man he was tied to the bottom of them using ‘willow twigs’ and full grown ram for odysseus
How does odysseus reveal his full identity to Polyphemus?
‘Tell him your eye was put out by odysseus, sacked of cities, the son of laertes who lives in Ithaca
What curse does Polyphemus put on odysseus?
He may reach his native land after a ‘wretched plight having lost all his comrades, in a foreign ship’
Where does odysseus reach after leaving the Cyclopes?
The floating island of Aeolia home of aeolus with the bag of wind
Why does odysseus return to Aeolus?
‘An untrustworthy crew and fatal sleep’ were his downfall, they opened the bag of winds in search of gold and silver
Where did the crew go after they were turned away by Aeolus?
Laestrygonia
What wisdom does Achilles give O?
‘Do not make light of death’ he knew rather work as a serf than be king of the dead, saying survival is more important than reputation