| Odysseus | The main character/epic hero of the Odyssey |
| Telemachus | Odysseus’ son |
| Athena | Goddess of wisdom and war, helps Odysseus over the Cyclops |
| Polyphemus | Son of Poseidon, the Cyclops that Odysseus and his men blind, curses Odysseus and prays against him to poseidon |
| Poseidon | God of the sea, curses Odysseus’ travel home to Ithica |
| Elpenor | Crewmate that dies and meets Odysseus and his men in Hades |
| Calypso | Sea of Nymph who keeps Odysseus on her island as she tries to make him fall in love with her |
| Laertes | Odysseus’ father |
| Circe | Enchantress goddess, sends Odysseus to the Land of The Dead with a warning about the sirens and the cattle of the sun of god |
| Scylla | Six-headed sea monster who lives near the whirlpool Charybdis; she eats six of Odysseus’ men |
| Helios | The sun of god whose cattle Odysseus’ men slaughter against his warning |
| The Sirens | Creatures who tempt Odysseus and his men with their voice |
| The Lotus Eaters | Offer the Lotus plant to Odysseus’ men that makes them forget their homeland |
| Invocation | a petition for help or support |
| Epic Simile | A long extended comparison |
| Allusion | a reference to a work of literature in another piece of literature |
| myths | traditional stories told through generations about cultural beliefs, customs, and/or religions |
| narrative | a story told |
| Epithet | word or phrase that characterizes a persons nature |
| Muses | nine sisters, goddess of the fine arts |
| Epic | a long narrative poem |
| Epic hero | main character in an epic |
| simile | comparison using like or as |
| Monster of the grey rock | scylla |
| overlord of high noon | helios |
| Raider of cities | odysseus |
| Eater of guests | polyphemus |
| Where is Odysseus’ home | Ithica |
| What happened at the land of Cicones | the men fought and took women and children; many of Odysseus’ men died in battle |
| Why is the lotus plant so dangerous | it makes men forget about home; has characteristics of addictive drug |
| How does Odysseus get his men out of the land of the lotus eaters | drags them out and ties them to the ship |
| How do we know that Cyclopes are uncivilized | they dont have laws, dont farm, dont have community meetings |
| What does it say about Odysseus that he wanted to stay at the Cyclops’ island | he is prideful, curious, take risks, etc. |
| Why doesn’t Odysseus kill the Cyclops in the cave | Only Polyphemus could remove the boulder from the opening of the cave |
| How does Odysseus and his men escape the Cyclopes’ cave | they tie themselves to the bottom of his sheep |
| What does Odysseus do upon leaving the Cyclopes island? What do his men think about it? | he yells to the Cyclops, giving away their location. the men think its reckless and dangerous |
| What does Polyphemus do that alters the course of Odysseus’ journey | he curses him and preys to poseidon that ODysseus’ men would die, that he would return to bitterness at home on a strangers boat |
| What is the first thing odysseus and his men do upon their arrival in the Land of the Dead | sacrifice sheep to the dead |
| Who is Elpenor? What does he ask of Odysseus? | a crewmate who died in Circe’s hall; he asks Odysseus to build him a monument |
| What does terisias say to odysseus in hades | Poseidon wants revenge for his blinded son, polyphemus denial of self and restraint of his men are the only way to get home he must not harm the cattle of helios all of his men will die and he will return on a strangers boat |
| Who are the Sirens | beautiful and enchanting creatures who sing to lure sailors to their island |
| How does Odysseus keep his men from hearing the Sirens’ songs | puts beeswax in their ears |
| What does he ask from his men to do with him | tie him to the ship |
| What happens at Scylla and Charybdis | Odysseus and his men get caught between the monster scylla and the whirlpool Charybdis; scylla eats some of the men |
| What is the first thing that Odysseus tells his men once they arrive to the island of the sun of god | dont eat the cattle |
| Who do the cattle belong too? what is the gods name? | Helios, sun of god |
| Why does Odysseus leave his men alone | he goes to a cave to pray and falls asleep |
| What does Eurylechus say is the worst way to die | starvation |
| How does he convince the rest of the men to slaughter the cattle after odysseus warning | he tells them that they will sacrifice the cattle to helios and then build him a temple when they return to Ithica |
| How does Zeus punish Odysseus | destroys his ship and all of his men die |
| Where do the winds drive Odysseus who has been drifting at sea after the ship was destroyed | scylla and charybdis |
| Where does he land after nine days of floating after leaving scylla and charybdis | caylpso’s island |
| The end of part 1 reminds the reader of what | the entire story is a flashback, a story being recounted to Alcinous |
| To whom is Odysseus telling his story | King Alcinous of Phaecia |
| List 5 characteristics of an Epic | vast setting; begins in the middle of the story, has a hero, long narrative poem, supernatural forces, long speeches, formal diction, etc. |
| List 5 characteristics of an Epic Hero | important and well known; good in battle, has supernatural strength, receives help from supernatural forces, women temptress, goes into the underworld, accomplishes his tasks, brings problems on himself, etc. |
The Odyssey: Part One Study Guide
April 18, 2020