Odyssey 7-12 Study Questions

1. Identify: Scheria, Polyphemus, Demodokos, Euryalos, Deiphobus, Kikonians, Aiolos, Laistrygones, Antiphates, Aiaia, Circe, Eurylochos, Teiresias, Elpenor, Antikleia, Thrinakia, Tityos, Tantalos, Sisyphos, Herakles, Sirens, Skylla, Charybdis

Book 7

2. What kind of place is Scheria?

3. What sort of hospitality does Odysseus receive there?

Book 8

4. What three songs does Demodokos sing? How are they significant?

5. What does Euryalos say to anger Odysseus?

6. What do the Phaiakians give to Odysseus?

7. How does Odysseus respond to the song of the Trojan horse?

Book 9

8. When do the Phaiakians find out who Odysseus is?

9. What was Odysseus' first stop after leaving Troy?

10. What happened after they leave the Kikonians?

11. How do the Lotus-Eaters prevent nostos?

12. Where previously have the Cyclopes been mentioned?

13. How is xenia violated on the island of the Cyclopes?

14. What special qualities of Odysseus are demonstrated in this episode? What mistake does he make?

Book 10

15. What sort of host is Aiolos?

16. What prevents a return home to Ithaka from Aiolia?

17. What sort of hosts are the Laistrygones?

18. What is Circe's genealogy?

19. What is she doing as the men arrive?

20. How does she delay their nostos?

21. Which god helps Odysseus here and how?

22. What specific threat does Circe hold for Odysseus?

23. How does she identify Odysseus?

24. What does Circe say Odysseus must do to get home and how does he react?

Book 11

25. How does Odysseus attract the souls of the dead?

26. What advice does Teiresias give to Odysseus?

27. What does Odysseus learn from the ghost of his mother?

28. How is Odysseus rewarded for his storytelling?

29. What warning does the ghost of Agamemnon give Odysseus?

30. What does Achilleus say to Odysseus? How does this reflect on Odysseus' story?

31. How does the ghost of Aias respond to Odysseus?

33. Who else does Odysseus see from the Underworld?

Book 12

34. What sort of song do the Sirens sing and why is it dangerous?

35. What threat is posed by Skylla and Charybdis?

36. What causes Odysseus' companions to behave recklessly on Thrinakia? What is the result?

37. What sort of storyteller is Odysseus? Is he telling the truth?