Odyssey Flashcards
(21 cards)
Who began their long journey home after the Trojan War?
Odysseus
Odysseus wandered for ten years before reaching Ithaca.
How many ships did Odysseus have at his disposal when he left Troy?
12 ships
These ships were used by his comrades during the war.
What caused the gods to send strong winds against Odysseus and his men?
The burning of their temples in Troy by the Greeks
The gods were angry about the Greeks’ hubris.
What did Odysseus and his men do when they reached the land of the Cicones?
They attacked and fought the native Cicones, snatching animals and wine
They faced consequences for their lack of prudence.
What did the Lotus Eaters offer to Odysseus’s men?
Enchanted fruit
The fruit caused them to forget their homeland.
Who is Polyphemus?
A Cyclops and son of Poseidon
He trapped Odysseus and his men in his cave.
What was Odysseus’s clever trick to escape from Polyphemus?
He told Polyphemus his name was ‘Nobody’ and blinded him
This led to the other Cyclopes ignoring Polyphemus’s pleas for help.
What did Aeolus provide to Odysseus before he departed from his island?
A favorable wind and a bag containing unfavorable winds
The bag was meant to ensure a safe journey back to Ithaca.
What happened when Odysseus’s men opened the bag given by Aeolus?
A storm destroyed 11 ships
This caused Odysseus to be swept to the island of Laestrygones.
What did the Laestrygonians do to Odysseus’s ships?
They threw boulders at them, sinking most of the ships
Only Odysseus’s ship survived the attack.
What transformation did Circe inflict on Odysseus’s men?
She turned them into pigs
This was a punishment for their greedy appetite.
Who helped Odysseus resist Circe’s magic?
The god Hermes
Hermes provided Odysseus with a protective herb.
What advice did Circe give Odysseus before he left her island?
To visit the underworld and meet the prophet Tiresias
Tiresias would provide guidance for Odysseus’s journey.
What did Tiresias warn Odysseus about?
To avoid disturbing the oxen of the Sun god
Disobeying this advice would lead to dire consequences.
What danger did Odysseus and his men face from the Sirens?
Their enchanting song would lure sailors to their deaths
Odysseus protected his men by plugging their ears with wax.
What monsters did Odysseus encounter in the Strait of Scylla and Charybdis?
Scylla and Charybdis
Scylla had six heads and Charybdis created whirlpools.
What did Odysseus’s crew do that led to their demise on the island of Helios?
They slaughtered the Sun god’s oxen
This act angered Zeus, leading to their destruction.
How long was Odysseus held captive by Calypso?
Seven years
Calypso wished to make him her immortal husband.
What did Athena inform Odysseus upon his return to Ithaca?
His palace was filled with suitors for Penelope
Penelope was still waiting for Odysseus’s return.
What challenge did Penelope set for the suitors?
To bend Odysseus’s bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axes
The winner would marry her.
Who was able to successfully bend Odysseus’s bow?
Odysseus himself
This revealed his identity to Penelope.
