1
Q
melanthius
A
brother of melantho
- A treacherous and opportunistic goatherd who supports the suitors, especially Eurymachus.
- Abuses the beggar in the palace, not knowing that the man is Odysseus.
2
Q
melantho
A
- Sister of Melanthius
- Maidservant in Odysseus’s palace.
- Abuses the beggar in the palace, not knowing that the man is Odysseus.
- Having an affair with Eurymachus.
3
Q
eumaeus
A
- Swineherd.
- An old and loyal servant to Odysseus.
4
Q
philoteus
A
cowherd
loyal to odysseus
5
Q
eurymachus
A
- A manipulative, deceitful suitor.
- His charisma and duplicity allow him to exert some influence over the other suitors.
- Sleeps with Melantho.
6
Q
ismarus
A
home of the cicones, Ody and his men take over the place and kill many of its citizens
7
Q
honour and reputation (time, kleos)
A
- Blinding Polyphemus: Book 9
- Odysseus blinds the Cyclops Polyphemus in order to avenge the deaths of six crew members: the violence is an act of honor because vengeance is customary and just.
- The Phaeacian games: Book 8
- Odysseus is asked to participate, however he declines.
- A young athlete, Broadsea, then insults him, which goads his pride to action.
- Odysseus easily wins the discus toss and then challenges the Phaeacian athletes to any other form of competition they choose.
- Killing of the suitors: Book 22
- Odysseus murders all the suitors in the great hall when he returns to Ithaca to uphold his reputation as king.
- In Book 17 he and Telemachus analyses if any should be spared.
- Odysseus honours Nausicaa: Book 7
- King Alcinous is impressed with how Odysseus treated Nausicaa on the beach at the first meeting, he showed her honour and respect.
- He wishes Odysseus would marry Nausicaa.
- Odysseus honours Elpenor: Book 12
- Odysseus and his crew return to Circe’s island to bury Elpanor who we see at the land of the dead.
- They are therefore honouring his life.
8
Q
portrayal of different societies
A
- Cyclops society: Book 9
- The land is extremely fruitful, controlled by the gods, so that the Cyclops have no need to farm their land.
- The environment is depicted as hostile, with the Cyclops all living separately without the need of communicating with their neighbours.
- Cyclops take to their own activities, such as Polyphemus who cares for his Goats that are provided by the Gods.
- The island is also isolated so that the inhabitants are rarely disturbed by outsiders. - Phaeacians: Books 7-13
- A juxtaposition to the Cyclopean way of life, it’s structured, sophisticated, and harmonious; in a word, civilized.
- Society works together as a structured whole. Thus, their society is lawful and cultured.
- Furthermore, their society has many technai [arts], which is something that the Cyclopes as a whole lack. - Laestrygonians: Book 10
- A race of cannibalistic giants whose king, Antiphates, and unnamed queen, turn Odysseus’s scouts into dinner.
- Odysseus and his remaining men flee toward their ships, but the Laestrygonians pelt the ships with boulders and sink them as they sit in the harbor. Only Odysseus’s ship escapes. - Ithaca: Books 13-23
- Ithaca is continuously hailed as the ideal community, one which Odysseus desperately seeks to return to from the savage and uncivilised lands he journeys through.
- Homer uses this representation of Ithaca as the ideal Greek community to both emphasise the differences and lack of civilisation in other communities - and draw comparisons between more civilised communities encountered by Odysseus, in particular that of the Phaecians.
- This allows Homer to create some communities which would appear even more alien and magical to his audience, and some which would have an air of familiarity, perhaps contributing to how enrapturing they would have found his tales.
9
Q
nostos examples quizlet
A
- Poseidon prevents homecoming.
- Lotus flower fruit makes people forget about home.
- Calypso keeps Odysseus on her island for 7 years.
10
Q
disguise recognition quizlet
A
- Odysseus often disguises his identity.
- Claims to be called Nobody in the cave of Polyphemus.
- Assumes the appearance of a beggar upon his return to Ithaca (he also disguises himself as a beggar as part of a military manoeuvre in Troy: both disguises ultimately bring him glory).
- Athena covers Odysseus in a shroud of mist so he can sneak into the palace and beg for Queen Arete’s help.
- Odyssey’ dog recognises him.
- Argos recognizes Odysseus at once and he has just enough strength to drop his ears and wag his tail but cannot get up to greet his master.
- Unable to greet his beloved dog, as this would betray who he really was, Odysseus passes by (but not without shedding a tear) and enters his hall, and Argos dies.
- Family recognising Odysseus
- He appears to Telemachus, as a beggar who is visiting the family’s pig farm.
- When they can be alone, Athena alters Odysseus’ appearance to something so impressive that the prince wonders if he might not be a god.
- Eurycleia privately identifies Odysseus when she recognizes a scar on his leg as she bathes him; however, she vows to keep the news to herself.
- Athena disguises’.
- She first appears to Telemachus as Mentes.
- This allows her to encourage the prince and lead him into an expository discussion of the problems in the palace.
- She most famously appears to Telemachus as Mentor, an Ithacan adviser who helps to protect the prince from the murderous suitors and to guide him through his coming of age.
11
Q
justice and revenge quizlet
A
- Poseidon: Throughout
In order to escape from the cave of Polyphemus, Odysseus blinds the one-eyed giant (Book 9). Unfortunately, the Cyclops is the sea god Poseidon’s son. Poseidon can’t kill Odysseus because the Fates have determined that he will make it home. However, the sea god can help to fulfill his son’s wish that Odysseus should arrive in Ithaca late, broken, and alone, his shipmates lost, and his household in turmoil (9.590-95).
- Suitors deaths: Book 22
Odysseus is avenging the suitors’ lack of respect for and the servants’ lack of loyalty to his office, his property, and his family. Odysseus’ vengeance is formidable when it is directed toward the suitors and his disloyal servants. He demonstrates impressive tolerance as he endures, in disguise, the insults and assaults of the suitor Antinous, the goatherd Melanthius, and the maidservant Melantho, for example.
- Helios’ cattle: Book 12
- Despite being warned against it, the seamen eat Helios’ cattle.
- Helios threatens to prevent the sun from shining if Zeus does not take revenge on Odysseus’ crew.
- They are all killed in a storm.
- Odysseus and Poseidon: Book 24
- To appease Poseidon, Odysseus had to place an oar far inland.
- This symbolises that Odysseus will stay far away from the water.
12
Q
xenia quizlet
A
- Respect, Telemachus to Athena disguised as Mentes: Book 1
- Athena comes to Ithaca in disguise as the hero Mentes to convince Telemachus to go in search of news of Odysseus.
- As is proper for hosts, Telemachus welcomes his guest and provides food and drink before even asking the guest’s identity.
- Telemachus’s behavior is especially notable because of the lack of attention paid by the rest of the household. - Respect, Phaeacians: Books 7-13
- Nausicaa meets a naked Odysseus on the beach and after he pleads her for help, advises him to see her mother Arête and beg for her help.
- Alcinous agrees to help Odysseus without knowing his true identity.
- Provides him with a ship and many gifts. - Respect & Disrespect, Aeolus: Book 9
- Aeolus refused to help him and turned him away, saying that Odysseus must be hated by the gods.
- However, he did welcome Odysseus and show him good xenia during his first visit, providing for Odysseus and his crew for a month and finally providing him with the gift of a bag of winds and a westerly wind to help him get home to Ithaca. - Respect & Disrespect, Circe: Book 10
- Circe showed Odysseus very poor xenia as she first attempted to turn him into a pig, and then attacked him with her wand. The only reason why she relented was because Odysseus had overpowered her using the advice and help from Hermes.
- However, her showing him great hospitality and care for a year, during which Odysseus and his men were content, overshadows this initial poor welcoming of Odysseus.
- She is also a good host when she provides Odysseus with instructions about how to get to the Underworld and seek the advice of Tiresias.
- She gives clear advice about what to do when encountering the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis. - Disrespect, Polyphemus: Book 9
- The cyclops makes no pretense toward hospitality.
13
Q
family quizlet
A
- Fathers and sons: Throughout
- Telemachus is sent on a quest to find out about his father’s whereabouts.
- When Odysseus visits the underworld, Achilles asks about his son, Neoptolemus.
- Poseidon prevents Odysseus’ homecoming as revenge for blinding Polyphemus.
- Book 24 ends with Odysseus going to see his father and having lunch with him.
- Slaves: Last chapters
- Both Eumaus and Philoteus remain loyal to Odysseus and help him take down the suitors.
- Euriclea helps raise Odysseus and Telemachus and is close to the family, she is their childhood nurse.
- Odysseus and Penelope: Throughout
- Penelope remains chaste for 20 years waiting for Odysseus’ return.
- They are often depicted as the perfect example of a married couple as they have homophrosne.
- When we first meet Odysseus in Book 5 he is crying as he is homesick and misses his family.
- Laertes and funeral shroud that Penelope makes: Book 1
- Nausicaa convinces parents to let Odysseus stay: Book 7
- Agamemnon returning home: Book 11
- In the underworld Agamemnon warns Odysseus about Penelope, just in case she kills him as Clytemnestra and her lover did to him.
- He advices Odysseus to return in disguise.
- Mother’s and sons: Book 11
- Telemachus wants to help with mother rid the suitors, however when he becomes a man he commands her around, however this is typical for a contemporary audience.
14
Q
men and women quizlet
A
- Odysseus and Penelope: Book 23
- Penelope remains chaste for 20 years waiting for Odysseus’ return.
- They are often depicted as the perfect example of a married couple as they have homophrosne.
- Odysseus and his mother: Book 11
- Calypso has a feminist rant about male gods taking lovers: Book 5
- Athena and Odysseus: Throughout
- Nausicaa and Odysseus: Book 7
- Odysseus uses sex to get his way.
- Telemachus and his mum: Throughout
- . Agamemnon returning home: Book 11
- In the underworld Agamemnon warns Odysseus about Penelope, just in case she kills him as Clytemnestra and her lover did to him.
- He advices Odysseus to return in disguise.
15
Q
telemachus and odysseus simile
A
‘thye cried aloud more piercingly and more convulsively than birds of prey’
recognition, nostos
16
Q
disguise menelaus comparison
A
menelaus compares odysseus to proteus; who espapes his captors by changing shapes. illustrates
17
Q
athene quote praising odysseus’ disgiuse
A
‘any man - any god who met you - would have to be some champion lying cheat to get past your all-round craft and guile’
18
Q
other people who disguise women
A
book 4: Agamemnon warns odysseus that ‘the time for trusting women is gone forever’
19
Q
supernatural points
A
-strength
-enhance ody’s rile as hero
-terror
-relies on the supernatural eg gods
20
Q
syclla and charybdis simlie fish
A
‘like an angler ona julting point who casts his fish bait to lure little fishes’
‘like a cauldron on a blazing fire’
21
Q
cyclops simile hisses and puppies
A
‘the cyclops’ eye hissed round the olive stake in the same way an axe hisses when a smith plunges it into cold water’
‘dashed their heads against the floor as if they were puppies’
22
Q
laestragonians fish quote
A
carried them off like fishes on a spear
23
Q
suitors consmption quote wine
A
;wine running like water’
24
Q
odysseus stringing the bow
A
book 21: it sang as he plucked it with a sound like a swallow’s note
24
nostos dream quote
book 21 'this home that not even in my dreams i will forget'
25
suitors running quote
'they scattered through the hall like a herd of cattle'
26
suitors dead quote
book 22: 'like fish that fishermen have dragged out to lie in the masses on the sand longing for the salt water till the bright sun ends their lives'
27
28
odysseus revenge lion simile
'spattered with blood and gore, like a lion when he comes from a feeding'
29
hyacinth simile
book 23: she caused the bushy locks to hang from his head thick as the petals of a hyacinth in bloom = blooming and flower represents rebirth also love and devotion that transcends beyond death. natural simile and connects their emotions to the natural world, pure!
30
everlasting gods simile book 23
'looking like an everlasting God' - raises him to that status and complimenting his kleos and beaty as you had to be very attractive to be a hero.
31
hall on xenia justice
breaking xenia is the suitor's fundamental crima nd needs to be punished. it is needed in a society where there is no police
OCR A-Level Classics Odyssey
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