The Odyssey Book 11: The Kingdom of the Dead (Hades) Book 12: The Cattle of the Sun  Reading Comprehension Quiz: Book 11: Hades 1. What ritual does Odysseus perform to call up the spirits of the dead? 2. How did Odysseus' mother Antikleia die? 3. What final journey does Tieresias tell Odysseus that he must travel when he has grown old? 4. What does Agamemnon advise Odysseus to do when he gets home? 5. How does Achilles compare existence in the Underworld to life? 6. What does Ajax say when Odysseus tries to apologize for their argument at Troy? 7. What tortures must Tanatalus and Sisyphus undergo in Hades? Reading Comprehension Quiz: Book 12: The Cattle of the Sun 1. Who do the men bury before setting off on their journey once again? 2. Circe advises Odysseus to try Scylla and Charybdis to avoid what? 3. How does Odysseus resist the Sirens' song? 4. What simile is used to describe the men in Scylla's clutches? 5. What strange thing happened to Odysseus' men on the Island of the Sun when they started cooking their din-din? 6. What type of tree does Odysseus grab to avoid being sucked into Charybdis?  Book 11: The Kingdom of the Dead (Hades) Class Writing Exercise: The Hades episode of The Odyssey, Odysseus' journey to the underworld, is given the central position in the whole poem: we are literally at its centerpoint. In this episode the hero conquers death. The ghosts of the people whom he loved teach him the meaning of life. Explain the secret that Odysseus learns. Notice also that Odysseus accomplishes his goal on Phaecia: Queen Arete finally speaks, and she offers Odysseus a way home. Hades: The Sacrifice (p. 250) - What do the souls of the dead (psykhai) seem like in this Greek conception of the Underworld? - What must the dead do in order to speak once again? 1. Elpenor (pp.251-252) - What is grotesque about the way he lost his life?  - What is the only thing he asks of Odysseus? Why? 2. Teiresias (pp. 252-254) - What does Teiresias tell Odysseus about the rest of his voyage? - What final journey must he take as an old man? 3. Antikleia (pp. 254- 256) - What does Antikleia tell Odysseus about how his family has been faring at home? - What has happened to Odysseus' father, Laertes?How did Antikleia die? Catalog of Women (pp. 256-260) Interlude in Phaecia (pp. 260-261) What does Queen Arete announce when Odysseus pauses in his story? How does Alkinoos respond?  Who is the true power in Phaecia? 4. Agamemnon (pp. 261-264) - Where was Agamemnon murdered? - What is Agamemnon's advice about how to deal with women? 5. Achilles (pp. 264-267) - At this climactic moment of the episode, the great hero of The Iliad faces the great hero of The Odyssey. - When Achilles returned to the field of battle, he knew that he was dooming himself. - What does he think now of that decision to die for honor? - What does he dream of doing one last time, fight again at Troy? 6. Ajax (pp. 267-268) - Why does Ajax refuse to accept Odysseus' apology? - To what code of behavior has he remained true? Catalog of Men Tantalos Sisyphus  Hercules The Odyssey Book 12: The Cattle of the Sun  Think of Book Twelve as the final stage in Odysseus' transformation. How does he shed the last vestiges of his identity as Odysseus, raider of cities and awaken to being Odysseus, the man of wile? How do his men destroy themselves? 1. The Burial of Elpenor (pp. 271-272) 2. Circe's Advice (pp. 272-275)  - Why does Circe draw Odysseus away from his men in order to advise him? - What advice does she give him about the route home. 3. Circe's Rebuke (p.275) - Odysseus asks Circe if he should try to fight Scylla. - Why does the goddess rebuke him for considering a heroic option? 4. The Sirens' Song (pp. 276-277) - What is so irresistible about the song that the Sirens sing to Odysseus? - How has he learned to resist it? 5. The Clashing Rocks (pp. 277-278) Scylla and Charybdis (pp. 278-279) - Even though Jason and his argonauts successfully passed through the Clashing Rocks, Odysseus follows Circe's advice and makes instead for the pass between Scylla and Charybdis.  - Why does he choose a course which is certain to bring death to many crew members? - What does Odysseus describe as his most difficult moment in his whole journey? 6. The Cattle of the Sun (pp. 279-285) - What crime does Odysseus' men commit which dooms them? - How does Odysseus escape? Essay Writing Exercise: Write a paragraph that explains the secret of life that Odysseus discovers on his fantastic journey. Think of the psychological distance he has covered in his travels. How does he transform himself from a warrior into a man ready to be reunited with his family?  Remember that a good body paragraph in an essay will have a topic sentence which ties together your whole argument. Don't simply summarize the action; interpret it. 1. Kikonens 2. Lotus Eaters 3. Cyclops 4. Aeolus 5. Laestrygonians 6. Circe 7. Hades 8. Sirens 9. Scylla and Charybdis 10. Cattle of the Sun