The Odyssey Final Exam

Greek tales like The Iliad and The Odyssey were intended to be

• performed by oral poets called rhapsodes.

• read at home regularly by every good Greek citizen.

• understood only by the literate elite class.

• acted out by temple priests as part of religious ceremonies.

When finally written down, The Odyssey took the form of a(n)

• short story.

• drama (play).

• musical.

• epic poem.

In The Odyssey and other ancient Greek myths, the gods are portrayed as

• apathetic (def: showing little emotion toward) toward all creatures except fellow gods and demigods.

• powerful yet insecure individuals capable of jealousy and holding grudges, not unlike mortals.

• omnipotent (def: all-powerful) beings whose motivations are impossible to understand.

• kind and nurturing (def: supportive and encouraging), primarily using their powers to help Greeks triumph over those who don’t honor the Olympian gods.

While important, which god is usually not considered an Olympian because he does not live on Mount Olympus?

• Zeus

• Dionysus

• Hades

• Hermes

Which of the following is NOT a “creature” featured in the “9 Most Important Creatures of Greek Mythology” video?

• The hydra, who grows two new heads to replace any heads cut off by a skilled warrior.

• Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guards the gates of the underworld.

• The Kraken, a giant squid-like creature who destroys entire ships and drags sailors to their deaths.

• The Minotaur, a powerful creature with a man’s body and a bull’s head created to punish King Minos.

What double standard appears frequently in The Odyssey concerning gender roles, specifically women?

• Penelope allows men to control her, but Odysseus can’t be swayed by beautiful women, whether they are mortal or goddesses.

• Gods are allowed to make mistakes, but mortals are not.

• Women are expected to remain faithful to their husbands, but men are not expected to do so in return.

• Athena does not help both Odysseus and his crew equally.

Ruler of the Phaeacians, he welcomes Odysseus as an honored guest and is rewarded with stories of Odysseus’s travels.

• Calypso

• Alcinous

• Athena

• Telemachus

The goddess of wisdom and warfare, she convinces Zeus the gods should stop punishing Odysseus and allow him to return home.

• Alcinous

• Hermes

• Athena

• Odysseus

The god of the seas and lord of earthquakes, he delays Odysseus’s return home as punishment for the blinding of his son.

• Eumaeus

• Poseidon

• Athena

• Polyphemus

A messenger, he brings Odysseus an herb, moly, to guard against the effects of Circe’s potion; later, he brings the news to Calypso that she must free Odysseus.

• Hermes

• Eurylochus

• Charybdis

• Eumaeus