Who's Who?
This hero has been away from Ithaca for twenty years: ten fighting at Troy and ten trying to return home.
Who is Nobody? (jk it's Odysseus)
At the beginning of the epic, Odysseus desperately wants to return to this island kingdom after being trapped by Calypso.
Where is Ithaca?
Athena asks this king of the gods to allow Odysseus to finally leave Calypso's island.
Who is Zeus?
Menelaus recalls Odysseus showing remarkable self-control while Greek warriors were hidden inside of this.
What is The Trojan Horse?
Telemachus's journey away from Ithaca represents the beginning of this kind of story arc, in which a young person grows toward adulthood.
What is Coming of Age?
This family friend of Odysseus is chosen as a disguise for Athena, the goddess of wisdom, when visiting Ithica
Who is Mentes/Mentor?
Penelope tells the suitors she will choose a husband after finishing this task.
What is "Weaving a burial shroud"?
Athena intervenes partly because this god has left Olympus to visit the Ethiopians for a feast...
Who is Poseidon?
Helen tells Telemachus that Odysseus once entered Troy disguised as this kind of person.
Who is 'a Beggar?'
Penelope’s weaving trick demonstrates that she shares this important trait with Odysseus.
What is Cleverness/Cunning?
This old king of Pylos fought alongside Odysseus at Troy and gives Telemachus advice about finding his father.
Who is Nestor?
Nestor is unable to tell Telemachus exactly what happened to Odysseus because the Greek fleet did this after their victory at Troy.
What is "Split up/returned home by different routes"?
Calypso is the daughter of this titan, who is cursed to forever hold up the pillars of the sky and the sea...
Who is Atlas?
Menelaus learns from a sea god that this Greek hero died by drowning after boasting that he had survived against the gods’ will.
Who is Ajax?
The suitors violate this important Greek value by abusing the hospitality of Odysseus's household.
This character was also known as "the face that launched a thousand ships," an unfortunate name considering the ten year war it refers to...
Who is Helen?
This fate befell Agamemnon when returned home from the Trojan war?
What is 'He was murdered'?
Menelaus recounts the story of capturing this lesser sea god, who shapeshifted into various forms in an attempt to escape.
Who is Proteus?
According to Nestor, a disagreement between these two brothers after Troy caused the Greek leaders to split into separate groups for their journeys home.
Who are Agamemnon and Menelaus?
Odysseus does not actually appear in the present-day action until Book 5. By spending the first four books largely following Telemachus, Homer allows readers to understand Odysseus first through this.
This sea goddess gives Odysseus a magical veil to help him survive after Poseidon destroys his raft.
Who is Ino?
Telemachus travels first to this "sandy" city to seek news from its elderly king.
Where is Pylos?
Zeus sends this messenger god to order Calypso to release Odysseus.
Who is Hermes?
Helen walked around the Trojan Horse imitating the voices of these people to tempt the Greek warriors into responding.
Who are 'Their Wives'?
The repeated references to Agamemnon and Orestes encourage Telemachus to think about this responsibility as a son.
What is "Defending/avenging his father's household and legacy"?