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6th grade History

The Odyssey, Chp. 19

XIX The Great Bow

1. The next day was a holiday in honour of the god Apollo.

2. What does Odysseus think as he watched the servants prepare for the feast?

Odysseus is thinking that this will hopefully the last meal that the suitors eat at his expense.

3. How does Melanthius treat Odysseus (again) on this morning?

Melanthius tells Odysseus to beg at another’s home and that at some point he will force
Odysseus to leave himself.

4. What does Philoetius, the cowherd, say about Odysseus to Odysseus (the beggar)?

Philoetius tells Odysseus that Odysseus was a kind man and master. That he hopes that
Odysseus is still alive and will be loyal to him as long as he breathes.

5. Who is Ctesippus? What does he do?

Ctessippus is a noble of great wealth from Same. He threw an extra portion of food at
Odysseus’ head, it missed.

6. Theoclymenus stands up among the misbehaving suitors. What does he predict?

Theoclymenus tells them that they should be careful because he can see blood and dead
bodies on the floor in the future.

7. What challenge does Penelope offer the suitors?

She challenges them to string the bow and shoot through the space above a row of axes.

8. Whom does Penelope hope will win?

Penelope hoped that all the suitors would fail.

9. After the beggar (Odysseus) introduces himself to Eumaeus and Philoetius, what does he ask them
to do?
Odysseus asks Eumaeus to get him the bow to string and to have Eurycleia lock the doors
and he asks Philoetius to lock the gates of the courtyard so that nobody can leave.

10. Why does Antinous suggest they wait until tomorrow for the contest?
Antinous does not think that he can string the bow, so he suggests they wait until the next
day.

11. Where does Telemachus send his mother? Why?

Telemachus sends his mother to her rooms upstairs so that she will not see the slaughter.

12. Odysseus is able to string the bow.