The Odyssey
The Odyssey
Reading Comprehension Questions Part 1
Part 1 1) Where is Odysseus located at the poem’s beginning? 2) What is a muse? And why is Homer asking the muse to, “sing in me?” 3) Who is lord Helios? 4) What did Odysseus’ men do to lord Helios? 5) Who is Odysseus’ father? 6) Where is Odysseus from? (What city is his home?) 7) Who is Calypso? Who is Circe of Aeaea? 8) What did Circe do to Odysseus? 9) Who were the Cicones and what does it sound like Odysseus did to them? What did they do to him and his men in return? 10) After Odysseus’ men (The Achaeans) left the island of the Cicones, how many of them had been killed? 11) How does Odysseus come to the shores of the Lotus eaters? 12) What happens to those who eat the honeyed plant, the Lotus? 13) How does Odysseus get his three men back from the clutches of the Lotus? 14) Write the description that is provided in the book about the Cyclops? 15) What does prodigious mean? 16) When they come ashore on the island of the Cyclops, Odysseus brings his 12 best fighters and something else, what is it? 17) Odysseus and his best men climb into the Cyclops cave and find what? Explain what “kids” and “whey” are. 18) What does the Cyclops swing “high overhead” to block the entrance to the cave? 19) What does Odysseus mean when he says, “…as custom is to honor strangers? We would entreat you, sir, have a care for the gods’ courtesy; Zeus will avenge the unoffending guest.” 20) What does the Cyclops mean when he says in response to Odysseus, “We Cyclopes care not a whistle for your thundering Zeus or all the gods in bliss; we have more force by far.” 21) When the Cyclops asks, “Tell me, where was it, now, you left your ship,” Odysseus lies and tells him that Poseidon, god of the ocean, sank it. Why does Odysseus do this? 22) What does the Cyclops do to Odysseus’ men immediately after this? 23) After the Cyclops goes to bed, Odysseus
Reading Comprehension Questions Part 1
Part 1 1) Where is Odysseus located at the poem’s beginning? 2) What is a muse? And why is Homer asking the muse to, “sing in me?” 3) Who is lord Helios? 4) What did Odysseus’ men do to lord Helios? 5) Who is Odysseus’ father? 6) Where is Odysseus from? (What city is his home?) 7) Who is Calypso? Who is Circe of Aeaea? 8) What did Circe do to Odysseus? 9) Who were the Cicones and what does it sound like Odysseus did to them? What did they do to him and his men in return? 10) After Odysseus’ men (The Achaeans) left the island of the Cicones, how many of them had been killed? 11) How does Odysseus come to the shores of the Lotus eaters? 12) What happens to those who eat the honeyed plant, the Lotus? 13) How does Odysseus get his three men back from the clutches of the Lotus? 14) Write the description that is provided in the book about the Cyclops? 15) What does prodigious mean? 16) When they come ashore on the island of the Cyclops, Odysseus brings his 12 best fighters and something else, what is it? 17) Odysseus and his best men climb into the Cyclops cave and find what? Explain what “kids” and “whey” are. 18) What does the Cyclops swing “high overhead” to block the entrance to the cave? 19) What does Odysseus mean when he says, “…as custom is to honor strangers? We would entreat you, sir, have a care for the gods’ courtesy; Zeus will avenge the unoffending guest.” 20) What does the Cyclops mean when he says in response to Odysseus, “We Cyclopes care not a whistle for your thundering Zeus or all the gods in bliss; we have more force by far.” 21) When the Cyclops asks, “Tell me, where was it, now, you left your ship,” Odysseus lies and tells him that Poseidon, god of the ocean, sank it. Why does Odysseus do this? 22) What does the Cyclops do to Odysseus’ men immediately after this? 23) After the Cyclops goes to bed, Odysseus