About
With the help of the gray-eyed goddess, Athena, Odysseus and Telemachus must set out to regain control of Ithaca.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
Summarize how this story begins.
Page 9 — Odysseus survived the storm and is sleeping on an island hoping to get home; Penelope is heart-broken that her son and husband are gone and in danger; Telemachus is trying to decide if he go search for his father or go home to help his mother; Athena is going to help them
9
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
How is Athena helping Odysseus in this chapter?
Page 21 — She sent the daughter of the king down to the beach where Odysseus is sleeping
21
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
How did Odysseus make it to the palace without being noticed?
Page 28 — Athena put a mist around him and made him invisible
28
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
What did Odysseus do in this chapter to betray who he was?
Page 40 — Wept openly twice
40
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Describe how the sailors treated Odysseus.
Page 47 — They put a blanket over him to sleep and let him sleep the entire way home; they carried him onto his island and left him with the gifts
47
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
What word describes Odysseus’s relationship with Athena? He has faith in her; loyal; trust;
listen to your child’s answer
How would you answer Odysseus if you were Athena? Why did you take away his son?
Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
How do you know the swine herd is a good servant to Odysseus?
Page 63 — He loves him; is respectful and protective when talking about him and his family; he longs for him to return home; he cares about his swine and went into the storm to watch them through the night
63
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
What instructions did Athena give Telemachus?
Page 71 — Set sail for home immediately; don’t sail close to the shore in the strait; send your men on the ship to the harbor, but Telemachus go to his father’s swine herd
71
Why did Athena direct Telemachus to go to the swine herd?
Page 76 — That’s where his father is
76
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
Explain what this phrase on page 86 means: “it is easy for the gods to cast a man down and then raise him up again”.
Page 86 — Gods have power to humble and help men
86
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Why did Telemachus believe they would win against the suitors?
Page 90 — They would have the gods, Zeus and Athena, helping them fight
90
What’s Odysseus’s plan?
Page 92 — Telemachus will go to the palace; Odysseus will dress as a beggar and go to the palace later; when Athena gives the word, Telemachus is to take most of the weapons to an upstairs room
92
Downloads
All the book’s resources, or just the ones you need, ready to read or print.
Worksheets
Practice sheets with space to write your answers.
Download one reading section
A small printout with all the resources for the selected section.
