The Odyssey: Quiz #2
Read the following passages and answer a few questions. Click on the question to get the answer and a brief explanation.
"Your men are shut up in Circe's pigsties, like so many wild boars in their lairs. You surely do not fancy that you can set them free? I can tell you that you will never get back and will have to stay there with the rest of them. But never mind, I will protect you and get you out of your difficulty. Take this herb, which is one of great virtue, and keep it about you when you go to Circe's house, it will be a talisman to you against every kind of mischief."
"Your men are shut up in Circe's pigsties, like so many wild boars in their lairs. You surely do not fancy that you can set them free? I can tell you that you will never get back and will have to stay there with the rest of them. But never mind, I will protect you and get you out of your difficulty. Take this herb, which is one of great virtue, and keep it about you when you go to Circe's house, it will be a talisman to you against every kind of mischief."
- What epic convention is evident in this passage?
- What does the word "boar" most likely mean in this passage?
- What does "talisman" most likely mean in the last sentence?
"Scylla pounced down suddenly upon us and snatched up my six best
men. I was looking at once after both ship and men, and in a moment I saw
their hands and feet ever so high above me, struggling in the air as Scylla
was carrying them off, and I heard them call out my name in one last despairing
cry. As a fisherman, seated, spear in hand, upon some jutting rock throws
bait into the water to deceive the poor little fishes, and spears them
with the ox's horn with which his spear is shod, throwing them gasping
on to the land as he catches them one by one- even so did Scylla land these
panting creatures on her rock and munch them up at the mouth of her den,
while they screamed and stretched out their hands to me in their mortal
agony. This was the most sickening sight that I saw throughout all my
voyages."
"Meanwhile Eurylochus had been giving evil counsel to the men, 'Listen to me,' said he, 'my poor comrades. All deaths are bad enough but there is none so bad as famine. Why should not we drive in the best of these cows and offer them in sacrifice to the immortal Gods? If we ever get back to Ithaca, we can build a fine temple to the sun-god and enrich it with every kind of ornament; if, however, he is determined to sink our ship out of revenge for these homed cattle, and the other gods are of the same mind, I for one would rather drink salt water once for all and have done with it, than be starved to death by inches in such a desert island as this is.'
- "Drink salt water" in the passage is an example of what?
- Eurolychus' speech has what effect on the crew?