Story Events
What happens when Odysseus' men eat the Lotus flowers?
Odysseus' men, after eating the lotus flowers, lose their desire to go home and forget about their homeland.
The giant Cyclops Polyphemus is a ......?
shepherd
Who is the most powerful of the gods?
Zeus
Why doesn't Odysseus warn his crew about Scylla and Charybdis?
He thought his crew would panic and endanger the ship.
Why does Penelope choose the bow contest for the suitors?
Penelope knows that only Odysseus has the strength to string the bow.
Why does Odysseus decide to blind the Cyclops rather than kill him?
Only the Cyclops can move the boulder blocking his cave's entrance.
Who is the goddess that helps Odysseus the most?
Athena
Who is Odysseus' wife?
Penelope
What keeps Odysseus from giving his heart away to Calypso or to Circe?
He is eager to get back to his family in Ithaca.
How does Odysseus prove his identity to Penelope?
Odysseus explains how he built their bed.
How does Odysseus save his crew from the Sirens?
He plugged their ears with wax.
Who is the god of the oceans?
Poseidon
Describe the Sirens
The Sirens are sea nymphs who lure sailors to their deaths with their song.
What does Odysseus do when he and his crew are leaving the island of the Cyclops?
Odysseus brags about himself and reveals his identity.
What is an important theme of The Odyssey in Part 2?
Good triumphs over evil.
Why is Poseidon angry with Odysseus?
...because Odysseus injured Poseidon's son.
Who is Odysseus' father?
Laertes
Who is the accepted author of The Odyssey?
Homer
What prophecy told by Tiresias and Circe does Odysseus withhold from his crew?
Only Odysseus will survive and return home.
What difficult task does Penelope propose for the suitors?
They have to string and shoot Odysseus' bow.
When Odysseus returns home, what is he in disguise as?
A beggar
Who is Telemachus?
Odysseus' son
Who is the famous blind prophet in the Land of the Dead?
Tiresias
Why does Odysseus make Telemachus promise to tell no one that he is back in Ithaca?
Odysseus wants to test the loyalty of his wife and servants.
What is the plan of the suitors?
The suitors hope to get rid of Telemachus to obtain Odysseus' kingdom by marrying Penelope.