Odyssey Quotes books 1-12

Question 1

3 Quotes about Xenia?

Answer 1

‘May Zeus and the other immortal Gods forbid that you should go to your ship and turn aside from my house as though it belonged to some destitute pauper’ -Nestor to Telemachus

‘We find ourselves here as suppliants at your knees’-Odysseus to the cyclops, kind of a breach of xenia because he’s lying as they have enough stuff.

‘helping me liberally to all she could offer’ -repeated throughout book

Question 2

3 Quotes about Time?

Answer 2

“we Argives honoured you as though you were a God” -Odysseus to Achilles about how he’s super famous. book 11

‘There is no chance that you will ever be a coward or weakling when, young as you are, you already have your guardian gods at your side.’ -Nestor to Telemachus book 3

‘-and what a man he was in word and deed!’ -book 2, Athene as Mentor on Odysseus.

Question 3

3 Quotes about kleos?

Answer 3

‘not even troubling to remove his cloak, picked up the biggest discus of all, a huge weight’ -book 8 at the phaecian games when odysseus wins the discus competition.

‘tell him your eye was put out by Odysseus, sacker of cities, the son of Lartes, who lives in Ithaca.’ -Book 9, when Odysseus is bragging to Polyphemus.

‘What greater exploit can you plan to surpass your voyage here?’ -book 11, Achilles to Odysseus about visiting the underworld.

Question 4

5 quotes about Odysseus?

Answer 4

‘he could not outwit someone with my knowledge of the world’ -book 9 Odysseus about Polyphemus after giant tried to trick him.

‘I do indeed pray to Zeus the thunderer, husband of Hera, to let me reach my home and see the day of my return.’ -book 8, Odysseus to Nausicaa

‘Life with its sweetness was ebbing away in the tears he shed for his lost home.’ -Odysseus on Calypsos island.

‘I would be happy if you pressed me, to stay among you even for a year, as long as you saw me safely back and loaded with your splendid gifts’ -book 11, Odysseus to Alcinous.

‘Again you are spoiling for a fight and looking for trouble.’ -Book 12, Circe to Odysseus on not fighting the monster thing on his way home.

Question 5

5 quotes about the Gods?

Answer 5

‘It is for Odysseus that my heart is wrung, the wise and unlucky Odysseus’ -Book 1, Athena talking to Zeus

‘The gods were responsible for that, weaving catastrophe into men’s lives to make a song for future generations.’ -Book 8, Alcinous.

‘You are hard-hearted, you gods, and unmatched for jealousy.’ -book 5, calypso to Hermes about how they never let a Goddess sleep with a mortal man.

‘Cyclopes, a fierce, lawless people who never lift a hand to plant or plough but just leave everything to the immortal gods.’ -Book 9, Odysseus describing the Cyclopes nation.’

‘But listen to my words and some God will recall them to your mind.’ -Book 12, Fits in the theory of the Gods as a concept to explain lucky things or as a reasoning mechanism.

Question 6

3 Quotes about Telemachus?

Answer 6

‘do you tamely submit to this’ -book 3, Nestor to Telemachus about the suitors,

‘I’m old enough to learn from others what happened and to feel my own strength at last’ -Book 2, Telemachus to the suitors on punishing them all for their transgressions.

‘I take by their looks to be divine descent’ -book 4, guard to Menelaus about how pretty Telemachus is and therefore royal.

Question 7

3 Quotes about Penelope?

Answer 7

‘It is your own mother, that incomparable schemer’ -book 2, Antinous revealing the shroud. Homophrosyne with Odysseus

‘no one was dealt a heavier blow than I, who pass my days in mourning for the best of husbands’ -book 1, Penelope on how she got the worst of the Trojan war’s collateral damage.

‘Icarius’ daughter is far too loyal in her thoughts and feelings. The Wise Penelope!’ -Agamemmnom to Odysseus after just saying all women are backstabbing traitors. Book 11

Question 8

2 Homophrosyne quotes?

Answer 8

‘there is nothing better or finer than when two people of one heart and mind keep house as man and wife, a grief to their enemies and a joy to their friends, and their reputation spreads far and wide’ -Odysseus on homophrosyne bringing time to women. Book 6

‘For a friend with an understanding heart can be quite as dear as a brother.’ Book 8, Alcinous when he asks who Odysseus is.

Question 9

3 Quotes about Suitor’s hubris?

Answer 9

‘he’d come to an ignominious end, fighting against alone against so many’ -Book 2, suitors on what will happen if Odysseus comes back.

‘Insolent youth’ epithet for suitors

‘eating us out of house and home’