Penelope's Dream and Odysseus's Identity

In Book 19 of Homer's Odyssey, Telemus and Odus remove weapons from the armory to prevent suitors from accessing them. Odus, disguised as a beggar, tells Penelope a fabricated story about his past. Penelope shares a dream about an eagle killing her geese, which Odus interprets as a sign of Odysseus' return. Homer discusses dreams as divine messages, some true and some false. Odus' identity is revealed by a scar on his leg, recognized by a handmaid, who promises to keep it secret.

Why do Telemus and Odus remove the weapons from the armory?

• To replace them with new ones

• To sell them for profit

• To prevent the suitors from accessing them

• To clean them from smoke damage

What story does Odus tell Penelope about his past?

• He is a merchant from Athens

• He is a soldier returning from Troy

• He is a rich man named Ethon from Crete

• He is a poor fisherman from Ithaca

What does Odus claim about Odysseus's current location?

• He is in Ithaca

• He is in the land of the Thresprian

• He is in Crete

• He is in Troy

In Penelope's dream, what animal swoops down and kills her geese?

• An eagle

• An owl

• A falcon

• A hawk

How does Odus interpret Penelope's dream?

• As a prophecy of her remarriage

• As a message to leave Ithaca

• As a sign of Odysseus's return

• As a warning of danger

What does Penelope say about the nature of dreams?

• They are messages from the dead

• They can be baffling and unclear

• They are always false

• They are always true

What are the two gates of dreams mentioned by Penelope?

• Gold and silver

• Iron and bronze

• Wood and stone

• Horn and ivory

According to Homer, what is the challenge with dreams?

• Interpreting their language

• Determining if they are divine messages

• Remembering them upon waking

• Sharing them with others

What does Homer assert about dreams in Book 19?

• They are reflections of daily life

• They are always deceptive

• They are mere fantasies

• They are divine messages about the future

What does the handmaid recognize on Odus that reveals his identity?

• A birthmark

• His voice

• His eyes

• A unique scar