THE ODYSSEY

Review – Wrap Up – Study Guide

IMPORTANT PEOPLE

ANTICLEA

Odysseus’ mother

Dies of a broken heart

Odysseus meets her when speaking with the dead

ANTINOUS

Suitor of Penelope

ARGOS

Odysseus’ dog

Trained as a puppy by Odysseus

Dies after seeing his master again after 20 years

CALYPSO

Sea Nymph who lives on an island in the Mediterranean

Keeps Odysseus captive for 7 years

Told by Hermes to allow Odysseus to go home

CHARYBDIS

Monster that swallows large amounts of water and then vomits it back up, creating a huge whirlpool

Across the straight from the Scylla

CIRCE

Goddess of magic

Gives Odysseus’ men wine and honey that turns them into pigs

Odysseus tricks her with the help of Hermes and makes her return his men to human form

EUMAEUS

A faithful swineherd of Odysseus’ that helps him when he returns to Ithaca

HELIOS

The Sun God

Has a large herd of cattle on his island that are eaten by Odysseus’ men despite warnings not to do this

Is angered by the loss of his cattle and demands restitution

Zeus hits Odysseus’ ship with a bolt of lightning, sinking it and killing his men, due to this.

PENELOPE

Odysseus’ wife

Besieged by suitors wanting her to marry them

Tricks them by saying she will marry one of them when she finishes weaving a burial shroud for Laerties, Odysseus’ father. Each night she undoes that day’s work.

POLYPHEMUS

Cyclops

Son of Poseidon

Eats Odysseus’ men.

Is blinded by Odysseus

Prays to his father, the god of the sea, to make Odysseus’ journey home difficult

SCYLLA

6 headed monster

Across the straight from the Charybdis.

Will eat a man for each head when a ship passes.

SIRENS

Sea Nymphs

Lure in sailors with their singing, causing them to smash into the rocks

Odysseus covers the ears of his men with wax and commands them to keep rowing

TELEMACHUS

Son of Odysseus

Tries to get rid of the suitors

Goes on a voyage to find out if his father is still alive

Helps his father destroy the suitors

TIRESIAS

Blind prophet

In the Underworld

Odysseus has to ask him for information before he can return home

Warns Odysseus not to eat the cattle of Helios

IMPORTANT PLACES

AEAEA

Home of Circe

Odysseus’ men are turned to pigs

Odysseus and his men spend about a year here

AEOLUS

Home of the God of the Wind

Odysseus is given a bag of all winds except for the West Wind

Bag is opened and they are blown back off course, back to this island

ITHACA

Odysseus’ homeland

The destination he is trying to reach

Small island off of Greece

LAND OF THE CYCLOPS

Where Odysseus and his men meet Polyphemus

LAND OF THE DEAD

Hades

The Underworld

Odysseus journeys here to find Tiresias

Also meets his mother and one of his men, as well as many other Greek heroes/characters

LAND OF THE LOTUS EATERS

Island full of peaceful people who eat the flower of the lotus plant

The plant makes you lose all desire except for staying on the island and eating the lotus

Three of Odysseus’ men eat the plant which causes him to pack them up and make his men leave the island

OGYGIA

The island where Calypso lives

Odysseus is held captive here for seven years

TROY

An island across the Mediterranean from Greece.

War was waged between Troy and Greece lasting 10 years.

Odysseus is instrumental in them winning the war because of his idea for the Trojan Horse

THINGS TO KNOW

THINGS TO KNOW

How does Athena help Odysseus through this story? Be able to name multiple times.

How does Odysseus show his intelligence during this story. Be able to name multiple times.

Be able to name multiple times that Odysseus’ men show that they are unintelligent

THINGS TO KNOW

What does Odysseus disguise himself as upon returning home and who helps him?

How Odysseus deals with the suitors living in his home.

The Olive Tree in book 23.