Vocab
Avenge
Part 1 is told using this literary device.
Flashback
A cyclops and son of Poseidon.
Polyphemus
As they travel through the land of the Sirens, how do Odysseus’ men avoid falling under the Sirens’ spell?
He puts beeswax in their ears.
Which god/goddess is the first to help Odysseus when he returns to Ithaca?
Athena
Who is Penelope?
Odysseus' wife.
Definition: inspiring fear
Formidable
"I wished to see the caveman, what he had to offer - no pretty sight, it turned out, for my friends"
Foreshadowing
The goddess/witch who turns Odysseus' men into pigs.
Circe
How does Polyphemus affect Odysseus' journey home?
He curses Odysseus' journey home.
What do Penlope's actions suggest about her? (Two qualities)
She is clever and loyal to Odysseus.
Why does Odysseus blind the Cyclops rather than kill him in his sleep?
Odysseus and his men need the Cyclops to move the stone that blocks the cave’s entrance.
Reverly
"Her heart is iron in her breast"
Metaphor
Sun god whose sacred cattle is eaten by Odysseus' men.
Helios
What happens when Odysseus' men eat the lotus flower?
It causes them to lose interest in returning home.
Which two gods show their support for Odysseus during the battle with the suitors?
Athena and Zeus
How does Circe help Odysseus and his men?
By giving him advice on the dangers he'll encounter on his way home.
Definition: to slowly become less/diminish
Dwindle
"Like pipes his nostrils jetted / crimson runnels."
Simile
Horrible monster with six heads.
Scylla
What is Charybdis?
A giant whirlpool.
What is unique about Penelope and Odysseus' bed?
It is carved from a tree stump and rooted to the ground.
How do Odysseus' men react to his reckless behavior?
They dislike it and try to discourage him from it.
Definition: to be distant and standoffish
Aloof
“Blood ran out around the red-hot bar. / Eyelid and lash were seared; the pierced ball / hissed broiling, and roots popped.”
Blind Prophet Odysseus visits in the Underworld.
Tiresias
Once Polyphemus is blinded, how do the men escape the cave?
By hiding under rams and sheep.
Penelope proposes a contest to the suitors. It consists of these two tasks.
2. Shoot an arrow through 12 axe heads.
Odysseus tells Polyphemus his name is "Nohbody," showing that he has what positive quality?
Cleverness/intelligence/quick-thinking skills.
Definition: to be heavy/bulky
Ponderous
"Sickly green fear / pulled at their entrails..."
Personification
Crew member who criticizes and defies Odysseus.
Eurylochus
What god gives Odysseus the magical plant moly?
Hermes
How does Penelope know that Odysseus is really who he says he is?
He knows how their bed was constructed.
In epic poetry, who plays a large role in the outcome of events?
Gods
Definition: to be pleasant and charming
Beguiling
“Like a musician, like a harper, when / with quiet hand upon his instrument / he draws between his thumb and forefinger / a sweet new string upon a peg: so effortlessly / Odysseus in one motion strung the bow.”
Epic Simile
Swineherd/one of Odysseus' loyal servants.
Eumaeus
Odysseus must travel here for information on how to get home.
The Underworld
Who helps Odysseus in his plan for revenge? (Name at least two humans/non-gods)
Telemachus, Eumaeus, and Philoetius
What is an epic?
A long narrative poem.
Definition: to be unhappy and uncomfortable
“When the young Dawn with fingertips of rose…” (as seen multiple times throughout the story)
Epithet
Rude suitor who is the first to die by Odysseus' arrow.
Antinous
King Aeolus does not help Odysseus and his men a second time because...
he thinks they are cursed by the gods.
Who is the suitor that attempts to bargain with Odysseus?
Eurymachus
There are 8 qualities of an epic hero. Identify four.
1. Supernatural abilities
2. Quest/Journey
3. Tested often to prove worth
4. Receives help from mythological figures
5. Travels to Supernatural world
6. Hits rock bottom
7. "Resurrection"/finds the strength to carry on.
8. Regains rightful place