Note:  These questions are like the ones in the Core 1 Study Guide.  They aim simply to elucidate the events in the text.   Broader questions are addressed in class discussions and in xeroxed materials and on-line lectures.

1. How does the Odyssey begin? What themes are introduced? (1-10)
2. Where is Odysseus? Which god opposes his return? (11-21)
3. Where and when do the gods meet? What story does Zeus tell? (22-43)
4. What does Athena request? (44-62) Why does Poseidon thwart Odysseus' return? (63-79)
5. What does Athena propose to do (80-95) Where does she go? In what disguise? Who greets her? How? (80-143)
6. What does Telemachus say about the suitors? his father? (144-77)
7. What story does Athena tell about herself? about Laertes? Odysseus? What is the dramatic irony? How does Athena reassure Telemachus? (178-222)
8. Why are the suitors feasting? (221-51)
9. What does Athena wish for? What advice does she give Telemachus? (252-305)
10. What story does she mention? How is it relevant? (298-302)
11. What does Telemachus offer? How does Athena respond? (306-27)
12. Who enters after Athena's departure? What does she request? What does Telemachus say to her? What do his actions reveal about him? (328-64)
13. What does Telemachus say to the suitors? How do they reply? What is ironic about Antinoos' words? (365-99)
14. What does Eurymachus ask about? Is Telemachus' answer deceitful? (400-20)
15. How does Book 1 end? (420-44)

1. Where does Telemachus go in the morning? Who is Aigyptios? What does he say? (1 -34)
2. What does Telemachus say to the assembly?  Does he have any power to command? (35-83)
3. Who does Antinoos blame for the trouble? (84-128)
4. Why is Telemachus reluctant to send his mother to Ikarios? (129-45)
5. What omen appears? How is it interpreted? (146-207)
6. What does Telemachus ask for? How does Mentor rebuke the people? (208-41)
7. What doubt does Leokritos express? (242-256)
8. What does Telemachus do after the meeting? (257-95)
9. Who speaks to Telemachus on his return home? How does Telemachus reply? (296-320)
10. What are the suitors thinking? (321-36)
11. How does Telemachus prepare for his journey? (337-81)
12. How does Athena help Telemachus' departure? (382-434)

 

1. What is happening as Telemachus arrives at Pylos? Who greets him? When does Telemachus identify himself? What does he say? (51-101)
2. What does Nestor say about Odysseus at Troy? (102-29)
3. What happened after the defeat of Troy? (130-92)
4. What does Nestor say about Aegisthus? (193-224)
5. Why does Telemachus despair? What does he ask about? (225-52)
6. How did Aegisthus seduce Clytemnestra? What happened to Menelaus? Where does Nestor urge Telemachus to go next? (253-328)
7. How does Nestor show his generosity? (329-55)
8. What does Athena do at this point? (356-72)
9. How does Nestor react? What: does this reveal about him? (373-463)
10. How does Telemachus leave Pylos? Who goes with him? (464-97)

What is Menelaus doing as Telemachus arrives? (1-29)
What does he say to Eteoneus? What do his actions reveal about his character? (30-75)
What does Menelaus say about wealth? about Odysseus? (76- 112)
How does Menelaus guess at Telemachus' identity? What does Helen notice? (113-54)
Who speaks for Telemachus? (155-67)
What does Menelaus say about Odysseus? How does Peisistratos react? (168-202)
What does Helen put in the wine? What story does she tell about Odysseus?  For what reasons does she tell this story? (203-64)
What story does Menelaus tell? At whom is the story directed, Telemachus or Helen? (265-95)
When does Telemachus ask Menelaus about his father? (296-331)
What does Menelaus wish for? remember? (332-50)
Why was Menelaus detained in Egypt? Who gave him what advice? (350-434)
What does Proteus tell Menelaus about his homecoming? about Ajax? about Agamemnon? about Odysseus? (435-592)
What does Telemachus say to Menelaus? What gift does he receive? (593-619)
What is going on back home? (620-74)
What does Medon tell Penelope? (742-66)
What is Antinoos doing? (772-86)
How does Athena reassure Penelope (786-841)
How does the book end? (842 -47)
 
 

1. Who protests to Zeus about Odysseus? What is his reply? (1 -42)
2. Where does Hermes go? How and why is it described? What is Odysseus doing? (43-91)
3. What does Hermes tell Calypso and how does she respond? (92-144)
4. What does Calypso say about the gods? How does Odysseus react to her offer? How does she reassure him? (145-90)
5. What does Calypso warn him about? What does Odysseus' answer reveal about him? (190-224)
6. What preparations does she make? (225-81)
7. Where has Poseidon been? Why is he angry? What does he do? What does Odysseus wish for? Why? (282-332)
8. How is Odysseus saved? What is his initial reaction to Ino? (333-423)
9. How does Athena help him? (424-50)
10. What danger is Odysseus worried about on land? (451-93)

1. Who settled Scheria? Who is Nausicaa? What does Athena say to her? (1-40)
2. What does she ask her father? (41-84)
3. To whom is Nausikaa compared? (85- 109)
4. How does Odysseus meet Nausikaa? How does she appeal to her? (110-85)
5. What is her response? (186-222)
6. What does Nausikaa think about when she looks at Odysseus after his bath? (223-50)
7. What does Nausikaa tell Odysseus to do?
8. What is she concerned about? (251 -315)
9. Whom does Odysseus pray to? Why does this god not appear? (316-31)

1. How does Odysseus get into the city? Whom does Odysseus meet on his way into the city? (1--45)
2. Whom does she tell him about? (46-77)
3. How is Scheria described? (78-I32)
4. What does Odysseus do and say inside the palace? (133-54)
5. What does Echenous advise? (155-66)
6. How does Alkinoos react? (167-225)
7. What does Arete ask? How does Odysseus answer? What does he omit? (226-301)
8. What does Athena offer and promise? (308-28)
9. How does the book end? (328-47)

1. What does Alcinoos announce to the assembly? (1 -45)
2. Who is Demodocus? What does he sing? How does Odysseus react? (46-103)
3. What contests do the Phaeacians hold? (104-30)
4. When and why does Odysseus compete? (131-233)
5. What contests does he offer to compete in? Why? How does Alcinoos reply? (234-55)
6. What does Demodocus sing about? (256-366)
7. What does Alcinoos invite the nobles to do? (361-432)
8. What do Nausikaa and Odysseus say to each other? (433-68)
9. What does Odysseus do for Demodocus? (469-98)
10. What does Demodocus sing about? How does Odysseus react? (499-534)
11. What is Odysseus compared to? What does Alcinoos say? What is Odysseus' reaction? (534-86)

1. What does Odysseus finally tell Alcinoos? Why hasn't he said it before? (1-38)
2. What did Odysseus and his men do to the Kikonians? What does the story show? (39-61)
3. Why didn't Odysseus reach home sooner? (62-81)
4. What happened among the Lotus-Eaters? (82-104)
5. Describe the life of the Cyclopes. (105-51)
6. What does Odysseus do at first in their land? (152-92)
7. What does Odysseus take with him? What do they find in the cave? What do Odysseus' companions urge? Why does he stay? (193-230) How does Odysseus appeal to him? What does Polyphemus ask? Does Odysseus tell him the truth? Why? (231-86)
8. What does Polyphemus have for dinner? Why doesn't Odysseus kill Polyphemus? (287-344)
9. What does Odysseus offer Polyphemus? Why? What gift does he receive in return? (345-74)
10. Why doesn't anyone go to Polyphemus' aid? (375-412)
11. How do Odysseus and his companions escape? (413-60)
12. How does Odysseus almost destroy his chance to escape? What does this show about him? (461-545)

1. Who is Aiolos? What does he give Odysseus? Why does he fail to reach home? How does Aiolos react? (1-79)
2. Who are the Laistrygonians? (80-132)
3. What does Circe do to men? How does Odysseus defeat her? Who helps him? How? (132-335)
4. What virtue does Odysseus show? (336-405)
5. Where does Circe tell Odysseus to go? (406-448)
6. What happens to Elpenor? (541-74)

1. Whom does Odysseus see first after he sacrifices? (1 -84)
2. What does Teiresias tell Odysseus about? (84-137)
3. What does he learn from his mother? (138-234)
4. Who is Tyro? (235-59)
5. Antiope? Alkmena? Epikaste? Chloris? Leda? Iphimedeia? (260-332)
6. Why does Odysseus break off his story? How does Alkinoos get him to
7. continue his story? (332-76)
8. What did Agamemnon tell Odysseus? (337-464)
9. What does Achilles ask about? (465-540
10. Why does Ajax turn away? (541 -67)
11. Who are Tityos, Tantalos, and Sisyphos?  (568-600)
12. Why does Odysseus leave Hades?(601-40)

1. Why did Odysseus go to Hades? Did he achieve his goal? What advice does Circe give him? (1-141)
2. How does Odysseus get past the Sirens? (142-200)
3. Scylla and Charybdis? (201-59) Who wants to stop at the island of Helios and why? (260-302)
4. What happens to Odysseus' companions? (303-419)
5. How does Odysseus survive? (420-54)

1. What does Alcinoos promise? (1-23)
2. What does Odysseus think about? To whom is he compared? (24-46)
3. How does Odysseus return to Ithaca? (47- 125)
4. Why is Poseidon angry? What does he not do? Why? What does he do? (126-64)
5. How does Alcinoos interpret this portent? (165-87)
6. What is ironic about Odysseus' speech? (187-216)
7. Whom does he meet? What does he ask? (217-35)
8. What does he learn? (236-49)
9. What story does he tell? Why? How does he make his appeal? (250-86)
10. Why does Athena reprove Odysseus? (287-310)
11. How does he answer? Does he believe her? (311-28)
12. What does she tell him? show him? (329-60)
13. What does Athena advise and promise? (361-415)
14. What does Athena say about Telemachus? (416-40)

1. Where does Odysseus go? What is happening to the herd? (1 -28)
2. How does Eumaeus rescue Odysseus? (29-54)
3. How does Eumaeus show his righteousness? (55-108)
4. What does Eumaeus say about Odysseus? How does Odysseus reassure him? (109-64)
5. Does he convince Eumaeus? (165-70)
6. What story does Odysseus tell about himself? (171-359)
7. How is this story calculated to win Eumaeus' trust and sympathy? What does Eumaeus not believe? Why does he entertain Odysseus? How does Odysseus try to convince him? Why does he fail? (360-408)
8. What story does Odysseus tell after dinner and why? Does Eumaeus understand it? (409-533)

1. What fear does Athena stir up in Telemachus? (1-42)
2. What does Telemachus say to Menelaus? What is Menelaus' reply? (43-91)
3. What do Menelaus and Helen give him? (92- 129)
4. What omen appears during Telemachus' departure? Who interprets it? (130-88)
5. Whom does Telemachus meet in Pylos? what is his story? What does he ask for? (189-300)
6. What does Odysseus tell Eumaeus? How does he reply? (301 -39)
7. What does Eumaeus say about Odysseus' parents? (340-79)
8. What is Eumaeus' story? Who arrives as they speak? (485-507)
9. What omen does Theoclymenos interpret? Where does he go? (525-57)

1. How does Eumaeus greet Telemachus? What is ironic about the simile at lines 17- 19? (1 -39)
2. What does Eumaeus say about Odysseus? What does Telemachus say to Eumaeus? (40-89)
3. What is ironic about Odysseus' speech? (90-111)
4. Why can Telemachus not punish the suitors? (112-34)
5. What do Eumaeus and Telemachus say about Laertes? (135-53)
6. Why does Telemachus not believe Odysseus? (154-212)
7. What plans do they make? (213-320)
8. How do the suitors react to the news of Telemachus' return? (321-57) what
9. does Antinoos propose? Who objects? (358-408)
10. What does Penelope say to Antinoos? How does Eurymachus answer? (409-51)
11. What does Eumaeus report? (451-81)

1. Where does Telemachus go? (1-30)
2. What does Penelope ask? How does Telemachus respond? (31-60)
3. What does Telemachus discuss with Peiraios? (61 -95)
4. What does Telemachus tell his mother? What does Theoclymenos say? (96- 165) Whom do Odysseus and Eumaeus meet on their way into town? What does he say? (166-253)
5. What is ironic about Odysseus' homecoming? Contrast it with that of Agamemnon. (254-89)
6. Who is Argus? What does his condition reveal? (290-327)
7. What does Telemachus bid Odysseus to do? What is the purpose of this? what is hypocritical about Antinoos' behavior? (328-408)
8. What is the point of Odysseus' story to Antinoos? How does Antinoos react? What do the other suitors think of Antinoos' action? (409-88)
9. What does Eurymachus say about the beggar? What omen does Penelope interpret? (489-550)
10. Why does Odysseus wish to wait? (551 -606)

1. Who is Arnaios? Why is he called Iros? what happens to him? (1- 116)
2. What does Odysseus say to Amphinomus?  How is this ironic? (117-57)
3. What does  Eurynome suggest? (158-205)
4. What does Telemachus say to his mother? (206-42)
5. What does Penelope reveal? Why is Odysseus pleased? (243-303)
6. Who is Melantho? (304-45)
7. What does Eurynome ask Odysseus? (346-425)

1. What does Odysseus tell Telemachus? What do they say to Eurykleia? (1-52)
2. How does Odysseus warn Melantho? How does Penelope react? (53-99)
3. What does Odysseus tell Penelope? Why is he reluctant to reveal his identity? What does her ruse show about her? (100-63)
4. What does Odysseus tell Penelope? What is the aim of his tale? How does she test him? (163-260)
5. What more does Odysseus say? What is false? What is true? (261-307)
6. What does Penelope offer? What does he accept? (300-81)
7. What does Eurykleia recognize? What is the story behind it? What does Odysseus tell Eurykleia? (382-502)
8. What omen has Penelope seen in her dream? Does she believe it? (503-58)
9. What contest will there be? What is ironic about Odysseus' words? (558-604)

1. What conflict does Odysseus feel? (1-45)
2. What does Athena tell him? What does Penelope pray for-? Who is the daughter of Pandareos? (46-90)
3. What does Odysseus ask for? How does he know his wish is granted? (91-121)
4. Who comes to bring supper for the feast? (121-239)
5. What happens to Ktesippos? (240-319)
6. What omen appears? What does Theoclyrnenos say about it? (320-70)
7. What is ironic about the suitors' words? (371 -94)

1. How did Odysseus get his bow? What contest does Penelope set up? (1-79)
2. How does Eumaeus react to the sight of the bow? What does Antinoos say? (80-100)
3. What does Telemachus propose? (101-35)
4. Who tries the bow first? (136-80)
5. What does Odysseus tell Eumaeus? How does he prove the truth of his words? (181 -241)
6. What does Odysseus suggest to the suitors? (242-310)
7. How does Antinoos react? How does Penelope convince the suitors? What does
8. Telemachus order? (311 -75)
9. What is done before Odysseus shoots the arrow? (376-434)
10. What is ironic about Odysseus' words at 428-30?

1. Who is killed first? Why? (1-41)
2. What does Eurymachus offer? Is it accepted? (42-88)
3. How does Telemachus help? Who tries to escape? (89-134)
4. Who tries to help the suitors? Who stops him? (135-99)
5. How does Athena appear? (100-240)
6. Who supplicates Odysseus? What appeal does he make? Does Odysseus accept it? Why? (240-329)
7. What happens to Phemios and Medon? (330-80)
8. What does Odysseus ask about and instruct Eurycleia to do? (381-432)
9. What happens to the unfaithful slaves? (433-501)

1. What does Eurykleia tell Penelope? Does she believe him? (1-84)
2. What does Telemachus say to his mother when she sees Odysseus? What does Odysseus say? (85-140)
3. What does Penelope say to anger Odysseus? How does he give her proof of his identity? (141-230)
4. What does Odysseus tell her about the future? (231-87)
5. What does Odysseus tell Penelope? (288-343)
6. Where does Odysseus say he will go? (344-72)

1. Where do the suitors go? What are they compared to? What do Achilles and Agamemnon say to each other? (1-97)
2. What does Amphimedon tell them? (98- 190)
3. In what state does Odysseus find his father? What does he ask him? (191-314)
4. How does Odysseus prove who he is? (315-64)
5. Who else lives with Laertes? (365-411)
6. Who announces the death of the suitors? What is discussed at the assembly? (412-71)
7. How does the violence end? (472-545)