Plot Flashcards

1
Q

The name of the people inhabiting in the area of Achaea in Greece. Identified as the Greeks who besieged Troy.

A

Achaians

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2
Q

The hero and subject of the epic poem. He brought his troops known as the Myrmidons, was insulted by the leader of the Achaean (Greek) forces, and was sitting out the war until his close friend Patroclus was killed. He then went after the man he blamed for the death, Hector, the prince of Troy.

A

Achilles

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3
Q

The nephew of King Priam of Troy, a son of Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite.

A

Aeneas

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4
Q

Leader of the Achaean (Greek) forces and the brother-in-law of the beautiful Helen, formerly of Sparta, now of Troy. He makes some hard choices, like sacrificing his daughter Iphigenia at Aulis to provide wind for his ships’ sails.

A

Agamemnon

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5
Q

King of Mycenae and commander of the Greek expedition to Troy, he was assassinated by his wife and her lover upon his return home. Homer frequently refers to him, comparing Penelope favorably to his wife, Clytemnestra. Odysseus sees him in the Land of the Dead.

A

Agamemnon

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6
Q

The treacherous lover of Agamemnon’s wife, Klytaimestra. He conspired with her to kill her husband and was later murdered in revenge by Orestes, Agamemnon’s son.

A

Aigisthos

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7
Q

Master of the winds, he helps Odysseus get within viewing distance of Ithaca but later abandons the voyager, concluding that anyone so unlucky must be cursed.

A

Aiolos

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8
Q

The son of Telamon, who is also the father of the best Greek bowman, Teucer. After Achilles’ death, he wanted Achilles’ armor thinking he deserves it as the second greatest of the Greek warriors.

A

Ajax

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9
Q

The wife of Trojan Prince Hector and the mother of a young son named Astyanax who features in touching scenes. Later she becomes Neoptolemus’ war-bride.

A

Andromache

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10
Q

Odysseus’ mother, she dies grieving her son’s long absence and sees him only during his visit to the Land of the Dead.

A

Antikleia

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11
Q

The love goddess who won the apple of strife that started things in motion. She helps her favorites in the fray, is injured, and discusses matters with Helen.

A

Aphrodite

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12
Q

The son of Leto and Zeus and the brother of Artemis. He is on the Trojan side and sends plague arrows to the Greeks.

A

Apollo

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13
Q

The war god on the side of the Trojans, fighting disguised as Stentor.

A

Ares

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14
Q

Trained by Odysseus some twenty years before, the discarded old dog, dying on a dung heap, recognizes his master as Odysseus and Eumaeus approach the palace.

A

Argos

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15
Q

The son of the Trojan prince Hector and his wife Andromache.

A

Astyanax

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16
Q

The daughter of Zeus, a powerful goddess of war strategy; for the Greeks during the Trojan War.

A

Athena

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17
Q

She frequently intervenes on Odysseus’ or Telemachus’ behalf, often in disguise and sometimes as Mentor, the prince’s adviser.

A

Athena

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18
Q

The source of ill-feeling between Agamemnon and Achilles. He had been awarded to Achilles as a war-prize, but then Agamemnon wanted her because he had been obliged to give up his.

A

Briseis

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19
Q

One of the monsters Odysseus must pass with his men. Is a whirlpool that swallows the sea and vomits it back up again.

A

Charybdis

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20
Q

She would become a prize of Agamemnon, the Achaean leader, but subsequent events would cause a divide amongst the Greeks.

A

Chryseis

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21
Q

In Book I, King Agamemnon dishonours Chryses, the Trojan priest of Apollo, by refusing with a threat the restitution of his daughter – despite the proffered ransom of “gifts beyond count.” The insulted priest prays to Apollo for help, and a nine-day rain of divine plague arrows falls upon the Achaeans.

A

Chryseis

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22
Q

One-eyed cannibal giants.

A

Cyclopes

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23
Q

The one-eyed cannibal giant who traps Odysseus and a scouting party in his cave and is blinded when they escape.

A

Polyphemus

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24
Q

The Greek people whom Homer identifies as the besiegers of Troy.

A

Danaäns

25
Q

The guy who wandered up to Circe’s roof and fell to his death before the men departed. Odysseus talks to him in the underworld, where he asks for a proper burial.

A

Elpenor

26
Q

The loyal shepherd who, along with the cowherd Philoetius, helps Odysseus reclaim his throne after his return to Ithaca. Even though he does not know that the vagabond who appears at his hut is Odysseus, he gives the man food and shelter.

A

Eumaios

27
Q

One of Odysseus’ companions. He is a cautious man, refusing to enter Circe’s hall even when accompanied by armed men – until he is not cautious at all, like when he convinces everyone to stay on the island of Helios’ cattle, and then eat those cattle despite repeated and explicit warnings against it.

A

Eurylochos

28
Q

The Trojan matriarch, mother of Hector and Paris, among others, and wife of King Priam.

A

Hekuba

29
Q

The lead Trojan prince whom Achilles kills. His corpse is dragged around in the sand (but by the grace of the gods, without destruction) for days while Achilles vents his grief and anger.

A

Hektor

30
Q

Wife of Menelaus and queen of Sparta. Her abduction from Sparta by the Trojans sparked the Trojan War. Her beauty is without parallel, but she is criticized for giving in to her Trojan captors and thereby costing many Greek men their lives. She offers Telemachus assistance in his quest to find his father.

A

Helen

31
Q

The island home of the hero Odysseus.

A

Ithaka

32
Q

A goddess-nymph, she holds Odysseus captive for seven years, sleeping with him, hoping to marry him, and releasing him only at Zeus’ order.

A

Kalypso

33
Q

The resident natives in Ismaros, where Odysseus first lands after leaving Troy. The Ithakans plunder them because they can, and the [they] retaliate, also because they can.

A

Kikonians

34
Q

A goddess-enchantress who turns some of Odysseus’ crew into swine, she reverses the spell and becomes Odysseus’ lover for a year, advising him well when he departs.

A

Kirke

35
Q

Wife of Agamemnon. She conspired with her lover Aegisthus to murder Agamemnon on his return from the Trojan War and was murdered in retribution by her son Orestes and her daughter Electra.

A

Klytemnestra

36
Q

The scary and not-quite human folk that the Ithakans encounter in Lamos on the way home from Troy.

A

Lastrygonians

37
Q

King of Sparta, brother of Agamemnon, and husband of Helen, he helped lead the Greeks in the Trojan War. He offers Telemachus assistance in his quest to find Odysseus when Telemachus visits him in Book 4.

A

Menelaos

38
Q

The soldiers commanded by Achilles.

A

Myrmidons

39
Q

Daughter of Alcinous and Queen Arete, she finds Odysseus when he washes ashore on Phaeacia and expresses an attraction toward him.

A

Nausikaa

40
Q

King of Pylos and a former warrior in the Trojan War. Like Odysseus, he is known as a clever speaker. Telemachus visits him in Book 3 to ask about his father, but [he] knows little of Odysseus’s whereabouts.

A

Nestor

41
Q

The lord of Ithaca who tries to persuade Achilles to re-join the fray. He plays a much larger part in The Odyssey.

A

Odysseus

42
Q

The central figure in the Odyssey, he employs guile as well as courage to return to Ithaca, defeat the suitors, and resume his proper place as king.

A

Odysseus

43
Q

The son of Priam. He plays a cowardly role in The Iliad and is helped by the Trojans’ gods.

A

Paris / Alexander

44
Q

The beloved friend of Achilles who borrows his armour to go lead the Myrmidons against the Trojans. He is killed in battle, which results in Achilles re-joining the fray to kill Hector.

A

Patroklos

45
Q

Wife of Odysseus and mother of their son, Telemachus, she is shrewd and faithful in fending off the suitors.

A

Penelope

46
Q

Islanders who lived on Scheria. They were highly skilled navigators who were able to help Odysseus return home to Ithaca.

A

Phaiakians

47
Q

Sea god who supports the Greeks, basically.

A

Poseidon

48
Q

God of the sea and father of Polyphemus, he seeks revenge on Odysseus for blinding his son.

A

Poseidon

49
Q

Another old and wise king, but this time, of the Trojans. He fathered 50 sons, among whom are Hector and Paris.

A

Priam

50
Q

Central to the Mycenaean settlement, it has the Palace of Nestor, named after the Greek hero Nestor.

A

Pylos

51
Q

The Trojans’ most important ally; killed by Patroklos.

A

Sarpedon

52
Q

These are the dangerous ladies who lure men to their deaths with their voices. Odysseus becomes the first mortal to live to tell the tale, because he has his men tie him to the mast while they plug their ears and sail on by.

A

Sirens

53
Q

The kingdom of Menelaus and Helen. Telemachus and Pisistratus visits there in Book 4 and are warmly welcomed.

A

Sparta

54
Q

The blind seer of Thebes, he meets Odysseus in the Land of the Dead, warns him of impending dangers, offers advice, and foretells a later quest and a long life.

A

Teiresias

55
Q

Son of Odysseus and Penelope, the prince struggles to gain his own maturity while attempting to deal with the problems of the palace.

A

Telemachos

56
Q

Odysseus and his crew arrive at Thrinacia after passing Scylla and Charybdis. The island is inhabited by Helio’s sun sheep/cattle.

A

Thrinakia

57
Q

Nymph mother of Achilles who asks Hephaestus to make her son a shield.

A

Thetis

58
Q

A native or inhabitant of ancient Troy.

A

Trojans

59
Q

King of the gods, he is somewhat unpredictable but usually supports wayfaring suppliants, hospitality, and his daughter Athena in her concern for Odysseus.

A

Zeus