People
Places
Events
It's Greek to Me
Literary Ideas
100
Elpenor
Who is Odysseus' crew mate, who fell off of Circe's roof
100
The place where Odysseus' men lose their motivation after they visit -- and sack -- Cicones.
What is the land of the Lotus Eaters?
100
Trojan Horse
What is how the Greeks won the Trojan War? The horse was presented as a gift that was then rolled inside the city walls.
100
Odysseus was cursed never to return to Ithaca after the Trojan War
What is because Poseidon was angry that Odysseus blinded his son Polyphemus?
100
A universal symbol that crosses cultures and time periods
What is an archetype?
200
Aeolus
Who is the person who gives Odysseus a bag of wind -- he also later denies him help because he believes Odysseus is cursed.
200
Phaeacia
What is home to King Alcinous? This is also where Poseidon wanted to block the port because the Phaeacians helped Odysseus but Zeus wouldn't let him. Instead he turned their ship to stone.
200
Telemachus sailing to Pylos and then Sparta to find his father (what stage is this in Telemachus' heroic cycle?)
What is the disorientation stage of Telemachus' heroic journey; it is a major step he takes toward manhood.
200
When the suitors can't string Odysseus' bow, they plan to offer a sacrifice to Apollo. Why?
What is because Apollo is the god of archery (and war)?
200
The ordinary events of daily life are compared with extraordinary, mythical events
What is a Homeric simile (or epic simile)?
300
The nymph who traps Odysseus on her island
Who is Calypso?
300
Pylos
What is the first place Telemachus sails? Here is meets King Nestor, who encourages him to sail onto King Menelaus' home in Sparta.
300
Odysseus shouts, "Cyclops--if any man on the face of the Earth should ask you who blinded you, shamed you so--say Odysseus, raider of cities, he gouges out your eye, Laertes' son who makes his home in Ithaca!' What does this illustrate about him at this moment in his journey?
What is perhaps the most illustrative moment of arrogance on the part of Odysseus?
300
Odysseus often makes animal sacrifices. Why?
What is to show/express deference and devotion to the gods?
300
An example of this is when Odysseus is called a man of action or son of Laertes.
What is an epithet?
400
She turns Odysseus' men into pigs
Who is Circe?
400
Laestrygonia
What is the place Odysseus and his crew landed in after struggling to leave the home of Aeolus (after the crew released the bag of wind); here Odysseus loses more men to the cannibals there.
400
The climax of the story
What is the "Slaughter in the Hall" chapter of the poem?
400
Why Eurymachus told Odysseus he had every right to be upset and then blamed Antinous for the problems the suitors brought to Odysseus' house?
What is how he tried to save the lives of himself and the other suitors? He also recognizes the importance of honor in Greek society.
400
Starting in the middle of the story
What is in media res?
500
Mentes
Who is the first old man Athena disguises herself as when she visits Telemachus in Book I?
500
When does Odysseus and his crew arrive at the Cicones?
What is the first place Odysseus goes after leaving Troy
500
The story's resolution
What is Zeus and Athena interceding to stop war/battle from breaking out between the townspeople and Odysseus, Telemachus, and Laertes? (It is an example of deus ex machina)
500
Belief in multiple gods
What is polytheism?
500
When a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly and abruptly resolved by the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability or object.
What is deus ex machina?
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