The Final Battle

by Mary Pope Osborne

Grades 3-7; Genre - Mythology; GRL P; AR pts. 1.0

This sixth book of the series presents an excerpt from Homer's ODYSSEY where Odysseus returns to Ithaca and finds that he must fight to regain control from those who are plaguing his family.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

1. Why did Athena give Penelope the gift of sleep? She couldn’t sleep on her own; she was heartbroken for Odysseus and worried the gods would support the killing of Telemachus p.13

Chapter 2

1. Why was Odysseus broken hearted to see his dog? No one has taken care of him since Odysseus leftp.21

Chapter 3

1. Summarize this chapter. Athena told Odysseus to beg from each man to learn who was good and who was evil; Telemachus told the suitors to leave and they did; Athena guided the father and son as they moved the weapons to an upstairs room p.23

Chapter 4

1. What contest was Penelope going to require of the suitors? To string Odysseus’s bow and shoot an arrow through the rings of 12 ax handles p.39
2. Why did Athena call Odysseus a faithless mortal? He was beginning to doubt in her p.42

Chapter 5

1. What were the gods trying to tell the men and Odysseus’s family in this chapter? Odysseus would prevail and the suitors would die p.44

Chapter 6

1. Why was Penelope and the other women told to go to their rooms? To protect them from seeing the battle that was about to ensue p.56
2. Could Odysseus string the bow and shoot through the ax handles? Yes p.57

Chapter 7

1. How did Athena help Odysseus in this battle? She sent the enemies spears away from them; gave the enemies a cloud of her shield which meant certain death p.64

Chapter 8

1. What convinced Penelope she had her husband home? Odysseus’s upset reaction when she told her maid to carry out her bed p.74

Chapter 9

1. Why didn’t Odysseus fight the suitors' kin? Athena and Zeus told him not to seek their lives and that there was to be peace p.86

The Gray-Eyed Goddess

by Mary Pope Osborne

Grades 3-7; Genre - Mythology; GRL P; AR pts. 1.0

For nearly twenty years, Odysseus has fought terrifying giants and monsters, weathered the loss of his men, and angered gods and goddesses. Now he is trapped on the island of the alluring sea goddess, Calypso. Back in Ithaca, his wife, Penelope, and their son, Telemachus, are desperately warding off the suitors who want to marry Penelope in order to take control of Odysseus's island. Then a visit from a mysterious stranger gives Telemachus the courage to confront the suitors, and to head off in search of his long-lost father. Could the stranger be the gray-eyed warrior goddess, Athena?

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

1. How does this story begin? Odysseus has been captive on Calypso’s island for 7 years; the story turns to what’s happening at Odysseus’s home with his family p.13

Chapter 2

1. Explain what Mentor commanded Telemachus to do? Get rid of the suitors, go in search of his father, make a name for himself, have strength and courage p.30

Chapter 3

1. Why did Telemachus think Athena came to him? Mentor’s spear was like hers, his sandals were like hers, his gray eyes shone like her eyes, she had favored Odysseus before p.41

Chapter 4

1. How did Athena help Telemachus in this chapter? Find a crew for the ship; put everyone to sleep at his home so they wouldn’t know what he was doing; sailed on the ship with him p.52

Chapter 5

1. What’s causing Telemachus to look like a god? His presence and confidence p.67
2. Why is Telemachus traveling to see King Menelaus? He was the last to arrive home after the Trojan War and might have seen or heard what happened to Odysseus p.64

Chapter 6

1. What does it mean to “hold fast”? Hold on tight and not let go p.80
2. Predict what Telemachus is going to do. Listen to your child’s answer p.81

Chapter 7

1. How did Calypso help Odysseus prepare for his journey? She gave him a bronze ax; gave him linen cloth for a sail; gave food for the journey; told him what stars to follow; blew a fair warm breeze out to sea p.91

Chapter 8

1. How did Odysseus survive swimming in the ocean for three days? He had a veil from the white goddess and Athens kept the winds calm p99
2. How has Athena answered Odysseus’s prayer? She’s sending Telemachus to find him; she helped him get to shore, helped him sleep and took away his sorrow and pain p.103

Sirens and Sea Monsters

by Mary Pope Osborne

Grades 3-7; Genre - Mythology; GRL P; AR pts. 1.0

Retells a part of the Odyssey in which Odysseus and his men, returning from the Land of the Dead determined to sail home to Ithaca, encounter Scylla, the six-headed monster, and Charybdis, the deadly whirlpool.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

1. Summarize how this story begins. Odysseus and his men return to Circe’s island; she feeds them and they rest; Odysseus shares who he talked with at the Land of the Dead p.13

Chapter 2

1. List the warnings Circe gave Odysseus. He was going to pass the sirens, he needed to make sure his men put beeswax in their ears or they will die; he is to pass the sea monster Scylla but not fight her, if he fights more men will die, only 6 men will die if they hurry past her; he’ll reach the sun god’s island and he is not to touch the animals or his men will die and he’ll have trouble when he arrives home p.23

Chapter 3

1. Why did Odysseus want to tell his men about the dangerous voyage ahead of them? So, they could be prepared and know what to expect p.37
2. Describe the experience Odysseus and his sailors had while passing the sirens. The wind stopped blowing; Odysseus prepared the beeswax and his men put it in their ears; they tied Odysseus to the mast; the men rowed past the island; the sirens sang and Odysseus desired to throw himself into the water, but his men wouldn’t untie him; they got past the island, and they were all safe p.39

Chapter 4

1. What does it mean to defy something? openly resist or refuse to obey p.51
2. Why did Odysseus defy Circe’s counsel? He didn’t want any of his men to die p.51

Chapter 5

1. Why did Odysseus understand Circe’s words at the end of the chapter? He saw that there was no way he could fight Scylla and that the best thing he could do was to hurry past her p.56

Chapter 6

1. Why was Odysseus worried about Eurylochus’s plan? He knew that this plan could still go wrong and that circumstances might make his men want to eat the sheep and cattle of the sun god p.63

Chapter 7

1. How did the plan go wrong? Zeus caused a storm to rage on the island for so long that they ran out of provisions and found less and less to eat, so his men were hungry p.66

Chapter 8

1. Summarize this chapter. The men killed the sun god’s animals; Odysseus was angered; they sailed away, and a horrible storm hit and all of the men but Odysseus were killed p.73

Chapter 9

1. What word would you use to describe how Odysseus was feeling at the end of this chapter? Betrayed by his gods; alone; devastated 

Chapter 10

1. Who did Odysseus meet and how did she help him? Calypso; she sang to him which helped him feel comforted and at peace p.89

Describe how Odysseus felt at the end of this story. He was broken (heart and body); worried about his family; but relieved to find peace and safety after all the troubles he and his men have been through p.91