Odyssey, Books 1-8
The first four Books of the Odyssey are called the "Telemachy" because they concern Telemachos, Odysseus's son.
As usual, for each Book, be prepared to summarize briefly its events.
Book 1
- The first 7 lines of the Iliad told us what the story was about--theanger of Achilleus and its devastation. What do the first 10 lines of the Odyssey tell us the subject is?
- In lines 26-95, what is decided at the council of the gods? What does Athene do in this Book, and what is the result?
Book 2
- In the assembly on Ithaka, what do we learn about the character of the suitors, and about the character of Telemachos?
Book 3
- In Books 3, 4, 7, and 8, we see very generous hospitality offered to people who are apparently complete strangers, before even asking their names, etc. Why do you think this was so important in that culture?
- Lines 103-200 and 254-327, what information does Nestor give to Telemachos about the "nostoi" (Greek for "homecomings" or "returns") of the
Achaians generally, and Agamemnon specifically?
Book 4
- Lines 120-146 What do we know about Helen from this passage? What do we learn from lines 260-264?
- What do we learn about Odysseus from lines 240-289? Why might these two episodes about Odysseus be put here by the poet?
- How did Menelaos get the Old Man of the Sea to prophesy for him? What information did Menelaos gain from him about Agamemnon and about Odysseus?
Book 5
- Why does Kalypso keep Odysseus on her island? What is her reaction to Hermes' message from Zeus that she must let him go?
Book 6
- Describe Nausikaa's character from her reaction to and treatment of Odysseus.
- Why had Nausikaa gone to the river?
Book 7
- At the beginning of Book 6 and the beginning of this Book, how does Athene involve herself in Odysseus's adventures?
- Lines 81-132 Describe the palace of Alkinoos.
Book 8
- What is the name of Alkinoos's singer?
- Lines 62-73: This is the clearest picture we have from the ancient world of the role of the poet in Homer's day. All through history people have suspected that Homer has put himself into the story here as Alkinoos's poet. Note that he is blind (lines 63-64), that he sings about the Trojan War
(lines 73-82, and 487-521), and that he is treated very sympathetically throughout this Book (for example, lines 471-489).
- What episodes from the Trojan War does the poet sing about? What more do we learn here in addition to what we learned from Menelaos and Nestor?
- What is happening at the end of Book 8?
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