How do the gods interact with each other in the council scene of Book 1? What reasons do they give for their actions towards humans?
The gods are respectful towards each other. They speak in turns and determine the fates of human beings. However, sometimes they disagree in opinion as in the case of Poseidon disagreeing with the other gods concerning Odysseus. The gods expect human beings to obey them, and failure to do so results in punishment to the human beings. The gods make the rules of the land and expect human beings to abide by these rules.
How does Athena visit Telemachus? Does he recognize her?
Athena puts on her beautiful sandals, which carry her over the landscape. She also takes her spear, which is massive, and bronze tipped. She then shoots down to Ithaca and stands at the threshold of Odysseus court and watches the arrogant suitors. It was at this time that Telemachus spots her and is embarrassed that she, a visitor has been made to wait for such a long time before being invited in (Homer. and Lattimore, 04).
How does Mentes (Athena) act differently from the suitors in Odysseus's house? Based on this contrast, suggest how the suitor's behaviors are especially outrageous in the Greek culture
Mentes questions the character of the suitors who sit around all day and drink wine. He tells Telemachus that that is not the way it should be done. He advises the latter to send all the suitors away and take her mother back to her father's house from where she could be remarried if she so wished. The suitor's behavior contrasts the culture of the Greeks, which require that suitors go to the maiden home of a woman instead of to her husband's home. The suitors have broken the traditions by seeking Telemachus mother from her husband's house, and in the process, drinking wine and having fun, taking it as a joke.
In book 4, Menelaus explains why it took him so long to return home. What had he not done, and what did he have to do before he could go home?
Melanaus had failed to offer sacrifice to the gods, so the gods had kept him stuck at the harbor in Pharos for twenty days. To go back home, Melanaus had to ambush Proteus, an old god at high noon, when the sun is up high. It was at this time that the old man of the sea came out of the sea to sleep in the scalloped caves. If he did this, the daughter of the old man of the sea would lead him home at the break of day.
We first encounter Odysseus in book 5, where is he and what is he doing?
When we first encounter Odysseus, he is sitting at the shore horning his heart's sorrow. He is staring out the sea with hollow salt-rimmed eyes.
Odysseus met Nausica in book 6 and praised her greatly in his speech. Do you think he is sincere? Why/why not?
Yes, Odysseus is sincere in his speech. He notices that the resemblance between Nausicaa and Artemis and notices her profound beauty. He is at first nervous on how to approach her, or the words to say, but quickly gathers up courage and beautiful words.
Why do you think Odysseus asked the bird to sing about the Trojan horse in book 8? How did Odysseus respond to hearing the story?
Odysseus asked the bird to sing about Trojan so that the Greeks could know about what had happened in Troy, and the circumstances that surrounded the war. Odysseus responds to the story by weeping. Tears cascaded down his eyes, and he wept his heart out (Homer. and Lattimore, 60). He was heartbroken by what had happened in Troy.
Works Cited
Homer., and Richmond Lattimore. The Odyssey Of Homer. New York: Harper & Row, 1967. Print.
