Major Characters
Who hosts Odysseus and listens to his story in Books 9–12?
King Alcinous
What false name does Odysseus give the Cyclops?
Noman
Why does Poseidon hate Odysseus?
Odysseus blinded his son, Polyphemus.
What island tempts men to forget home?
The land of the Lotus-Eaters.
What gift from Aeolus almost gets Odysseus home, but ultimately ruins the journey?
The bag of winds.
Which goddess acts as Odysseus’s main protector and guide?
Athena
How does Odysseus escape from Polyphemus’s cave?
By hiding under the sheep.
What warning does Tiresias give about Helios’s cattle?
Do not harm them.
Where does Odysseus travel to seek advice from the dead?
The Underworld.
What lie does Odysseus tell Eumaeus about his past?
That he is a wandering soldier from Crete (any similar false background is acceptable).
Who proves loyalty by helping Odysseus while he is in disguise?
Eumaeus
Why does Odysseus keep his identity secret when he returns to Ithaca?
To test loyalty and plan revenge.
Who destroys Odysseus’s ship after the cattle are killed?
Zeus.
What narrow passage forces Odysseus to choose between two evils?
Scylla and Charybdis.
How many men does Scylla kill as the ship passes her?
6
Which god causes most of Odysseus’s troubles at sea?
Poseidon
How does Odysseus safely hear the Sirens’ song?
He is tied to the mast.
Which god sends Hermes to protect Odysseus from Circe?
Athena.
Where are most of Odysseus’s ships destroyed by giants?
The land of the Laestrygonians.
What mistake finally causes Odysseus to be stranded alone?
His crew kills Helios’s sacred cattle.
Who plots to kill Telemachus on his return home?
The suitors.
What mistake causes the crew to be blown back from Ithaca?
Opening the bag of winds.
What do the gods mainly punish Odysseus’s crew for?
Disobedience.
What island did Odysseus finally return to while asleep?
Ithaca.
What object symbolizes Penelope’s loyalty and cleverness?
Her weaving loom (or the burial shroud).