book 19

• What does Odysseus order Telemachus to do?

  Remove the weapons from the hall
• What excuses should Telemachus. give when taking out the armour? (2)

  To stop smoke damage to the armour to avoid their use in a quarrel and avoid raising their suspicions
• Who provides light in the hall?

  Athene
• Who abuses Odysseus?

  Melantho, sister of Melanthius
• What does Odysseus look like?

  A beggar
• What does Odysseus say to Melantho? (2)

  He was rich once too. He gave good xenia to beggars. You never know when your luck might change and you lose your fine position that places you above other maids. No bad behaviour in the palace of any of you women will escape his notice.
• What does Penelope do?

  Tells off Melantho: "you bold creature, you shameless bitch, I am not unaware of your disgraceful behaviour and you shall pay dearly for it"
• Who is Penelope compared to? (2)

  Artemis and Aphrodite
• What does Penelope do for Odysseus?

  She gets her maid Eurynome to provide a chair and a rug for him.
• Why does Penelope want to chat to Odysseus?

  She wants to ask about her husband but will first inquire about his provenance and parentage.
• How does Odysseus flatter Penelope?

  Her fame has reached heaven, like a good king ruling a large and powerful country with the fear of gods in his heart and upholding justice. Not a man in the wide world who could find fault with you.
• In what way are they both alike in what they say?

  They have both suffered much
• How does Penelope feel about her husband?

  She eats her heart out with longing for him. "I am left to my misery"
• How had Penelope kept the suitors at bay initially? (2)

  She wove a shroud every day and unpicked it every evening in private
• Who was the shroud for?

  Laertes, when he dies. (Odysseus' father)
• How many years did Penelope's trick work for?

  3 years
• Why did Penelope's trick stop working?


  Disloyal maids told the suitors
• What reasons does Penelope have for remarrying? (3)

  1 Odysseus has been away 20 years

  2 Her parents want her to remarry

  3 Telemachus wants the suitors to leave before they are a complete drain on his estate and inheritance.
• What false story does Odysseus give about his family? (3)

  1 He is the grandson of Minos, king of Crete

  2 His brother Idomeneus was fighting at Troy

  3 His father was Deucalion

  He was tasked to give hospitality to Odysseus on Crete when the others were absent.
• What does Odysseus say had happened on Crete? (2)

  Odysseus had arrived on his way to Troy and been entertained by him for 12 days
• What is Penelope's response to hearing of her husband?

  She weeps like a river filled with melted snow
• What three pieces of evidence does Odysseus mention? (3)

  1 The golden brooch

  2 The tunic that Penelope had given him

  3 his servant Eurybates
• What does Odysseus say about the brooch?

  It showed a hound attacking a young deer
• What does Odysseus say about the tunic?

  It gleamed like the skin of a dry onion and shone like the sun.
• What news does Odysseus give Penelope? (3)

  1 Odysseus is alive and returning home

  2 with a large fortune

  3 He is nearby but has no crew
• Why does Odysseus have no crew?

  They were killed because they ate the sun god's cattle
• Where is Odysseus now apparently?

  At the oracle of Dodona, to find out the will of Zeus
• What is Penelope's response to this news?


  She hopes that this news is true but her heart forbids it, so that she does not unduly get her hopes up.
• What is Odysseus' response to Penelope's offer of a wash from the maids and then the promise of bed, mattress, blankets, and rugs? (2)

  1 He wants to sleep by the door

  2 But he will accept a foot wash from an old maid
• Who is Eurycleia?


  Odysseus' old faithful nurse
• What is significant about the scar on Odysseus' thigh?

  A boar had wounded Odysseus when he was hunting as a young man but Odysseus still managed to kill it.
• Where had Odysseus been hunting?

  Near his (maternal) grandfather's house - Autolycus in the wooded mountains of Parnassus.
• What was Autolycus? (2)


  1 the most accomplished thief

  2 a manipulator of oaths
• What did Odysseus, the name given by Autolycus, mean? (2)

  1 I am angry or

  2 I am the cause of anger
• Why did Autolycus suggest the name Odysseus?

  He had been 'at odds' with many men and women
• How does Odysseus stop Eurycleia from revealing his identity? (2)

  He grabs her by the throat and threatens to kill her if she gives away his secret.
• Who had distracted Penelope?

  Athene
• What two options does Penelope have?

  1 Stay, in loyalty to her husband's bed

  2 Marry again, so Telemachus can enjoy what the house and what remains of the estate after the extended stay of the suitors.
• What dream does Penelope have? (3)

  1 A great eagle kills her flock of 20 beloved geese breaking their necks
• What does the eagle say in the dream? (2)

  1 The geese are the Suitors 2 the eagle was Odysseus returned home.

  Eagle represents Zeus who is the upholder of justice.