ODYSSEY BOOK 10

THE ODYSSEY
BOOK 10

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 ODYSSEY BOOK 10

SCRAMBLED NAMES
Unscramble the letters in the box below to form proper names found in Book X of the Odyssey.

1. SHUKYLOORE 8. PLEERON
2. ESUZ 9. LAAIIO
3. AAAII 10. HATAKI
4. STREEIISA 11. ERIKK
5. THAPISETAN 12. STOPLIE
6. ESSSDOYU 13. LAIOOS
7. IESLOH 14. RESHEM

3 islands: ________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

3 gods: ________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

1 sorceress: ________________________________

2 kings: ________________________________

________________________________

4 Akhaians: ________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

1 blind shade: ________________________________

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 ODYSSEY BOOK 10

TEACHER’S KEY
SCRAMBLED NAMES

3 islands: Aiolia (9)

Aiaia (3)
Ithaka (10)

3 gods: Hermes (14)

Zeus (2)
Helios (7)

1 sorceress: Kirke (11)

2 kings: Aiolos (13)

Antiphates (5)

4 Akhaians: Odysseus (6)

Polites (12)
Eurylokhos (1)
Elpenor (8)

1 blind shade: Teiresias (4)

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 ODYSSEY BOOK 10

PEOPLE, PLACES, and THINGS

Match the words below with their descriptions. Some words you will use more than once.

Aiaia Dogskin Cap Kirke Odysseus

Aiolia Elpenor Kyklops Pig
Aiolos Eurylokhos Laertes Polites
Antiphates Helios Laistrygones Shipmates
Buck Hermes Molu Teiresias
Dawn Ithaka Nymphs Zeus

____________________________ 1. I refused to leave Aiaia while my men were under Kirke’s spell.

____________________________ 2. I was breakfast for Odysseus and his men on Kirke’s island.

____________________________ 3. I am Odysseus’ island home.

____________________________ 4. I spoke out against returning to Kirke’s house, but I finally went
with Odysseus and his men.

____________________________ 5. I made Aiolos the warden of the winds.

____________________________ 6. I swore on heaven and hell that I would work no more

enchantments on Odysseus and his men.

___________________________ 7. We shot boulders from slings at Odysseus’ ships.

____________________________ 8. I gave Odysseus a great herb with holy force to protect him from
Kirke’s magic.

____________________________ 9. I fell off a ladder and died just before we were to leave Aiaia.

____________________________ 10. We were jealous of Odysseus’ presents and plunder.

____________________________ 11. I am Odysseus’ father.

____________________________ 12. I am Kirke’s father.

____________________________ 13. I am the item into which the lots were placed to determine who
would explore Aiaia.

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 ODYSSEY BOOK 10

PEOPLE, PLACES, and THINGS (continued)

Aiaia Dogskin Cap Kirke Odysseus

Aiolia Elpenor Kyklops Pig
Aiolos Eurylokhos Laertes Polites
Antiphates Helios Laistrygones Shipmates
Buck Hermes Molu Teiresias
Dawn Ithaka Nymphs Zeus

____________________________ 14. After a year with Kirke, my companions wanted to go home to

Ithaka.

____________________________ 15. I am a giant who ate some of Odysseus’ men just before we
landed on Aiolia.

____________________________ 16. I encouraged the men to greet Kirke on the first expedition.

____________________________ 17. I have a black root and a milky flower.

____________________________ 18. I led twenty-two men to explore Aiaia while Odysseus remained
on the ship.

____________________________ 19. I am an island adrift upon the sea, the home of the wind king.

____________________________ 20. Odysseus must visit me to receive the course for sailing before he
can return to Ithaka.

____________________________ 21. I have fingertips of rose.

____________________________ 22. I held a sword against Kirke’s throat, and she guessed who I was.

____________________________ 23. I feared treachery from Kirke so I stayed back when the others
entered her marbled house.

____________________________ 24. I sent Odysseus away when he returned for more help.

____________________________ 25. I told Odysseus how to get to the land of Death and what
sacrifices he must make there.

____________________________ 26. I told the story of the Akhaians to Aiolos.

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 ODYSSEY BOOK 10

PEOPLE, PLACES, and THINGS (continued)

Aiaia Dogskin Cap Kirke Odysseus

Aiolia Elpenor Kyklops Pig
Aiolos Eurylokhos Laertes Polites
Antiphates Helios Laistrygones Shipmates
Buck Hermes Molu Teiresias
Dawn Ithaka Nymphs Zeus

____________________________ 27. I am the island where Kirke lives.

____________________________ 28. I gave Odysseus a bull’s hide full of storm winds.

____________________________ 29. I am a goddess who weaves and sings to lure men into my house.

____________________________ 30. We prepared chairs, tables, wine, water and food for Odysseus
and Kirke.

____________________________ 31. I am the animal into which Kirke changed Eurylokhos’

companions.

____________________________ 32. I considered suicide when the storm winds were loosed.

____________________________ 33. I am the cannibal king of the Laistrygones.

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 ODYSSEY BOOK 10

TEACHER’S KEY
PEOPLE, PLACES, and THINGS

1. Odysseus
2. Buck
3. Ithaka
4. Eurylokhos
5. Zeus
6. Kirke
7. Laistrygones
8. Hermes
9. Elpenor
10. Shipmates
11. Laertes
12. Helios
13. Dogskin Cap
14. Odysseus
15. Kyklops
16. Polites
17. Molu
18. Eurylokhos
19. Aiolia
20. Teiresias
21. Dawn
22. Odysseus
23. Eurylokhos
24. Aiolos
25. Kirke
26. Odysseus
27. Aiaia
28. Aiolos
29. Kirke
30. Nymphs
31. Pig
32. Odysseus
33. Antiphates

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 ODYSSEY BOOK 10

AIOLOS, WARDEN OF THE WINDS – PART I

Temptation Had Its Way
When Pandora opened the box, she succumbed to her curiosity. She did not seem to be motivated by
greed or a feeling of unfairness. When Odysseus’ sailors opened the bag of winds, they were not curious
about its contents at all; they were certain that the bag contained gold and silver. They planned to divide
among themselves the spoils that they believed Odysseus intended to keep for himself.

Write a four-paragraph essay that compares and contrasts the opening of Pandora’s box with the opening
of the bag of winds. Consider these questions as you outline your essay:

a. What is the difference between succumbing to curiosity and succumbing to temptation?

b. What were the outcomes of each situation?

c. What events made it inevitable that the box and the bag would be opened?

d. Did Zeus and Aiolos have hidden agendas when they gave their gifts?

READY TO WRITE

Your first paragraph should be an introduction.

Your second paragraph should include details that support similarities between the two incidents.

Your third paragraph should include details that support differences between the two incidents.

Your fourth paragraph should summarize what you have discussed in the previous two paragraphs.

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 ODYSSEY BOOK 10

AIOLOS, WARDEN OF THE WINDS – PART II

Fair Wind Failed Us When Our Prudence Failed
1. What does it mean to be “prudent”? Find the definition of “prudent” and write it here.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. When Odysseus stated, “Fair wind failed us when our prudence failed,” what situation was he
describing?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

(a) How did Odysseus’ prudence fail?

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

(b) How did the sailors’ prudence fail?

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

3. The goddess of prudence is Metis, Zeus’ first wife. Their child is Athena. How is the prudence of Metis
shown in her advice to Zeus when he plans to overthrow Cronus? How does Metis trick Cronus for
Zeus’ benefit?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

(a) What specific attributes of Athena show that she is indeed the daughter of Metis, goddess of
prudence?

___________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

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 ODYSSEY BOOK 10

THE ENCOUNTER WITH CIRCE

Part I: Circe has an interesting family. Fill in the blanks with the names of her relatives.

Father: _______________________________ Mother: _____________________________

Brother: ______________________________ Sister: _______________________________

Niece: _______________________________

Part II: When Circe encounters men, she transforms them

into animals representative of their natures. Imagine
that you can turn five of your friends into animals.
What positive aspects of their personalities or their
features remind you of certain animals? Be a
benevolent sorcerer or sorceress and fill in the
following chart.

Friend Animal Reason

Part III: Hermes saves Odysseus from the fate suffered by his shipmates by giving him a magic plant called
“moly.” It is possible that the expression “Holy moly!” is derived from Book X of the Odyssey. You
can read an interesting explanation of this possibility in Dale Dibbley’s book entitled From Achilles’
Heel to Zeus’s Shield.

“Holy moly!” is used extensively in the Captain Marvel comic books that were popular in the 1940’s. You
may recognize Captain Marvel in his recent incarnation as Shazam. Try to find one of the Captain Marvel
comic books and look for the expression. Watch an episode of Shazam and see if the expression appears
in the dialogue.

For the history of Captain Marvel, access this website.

http://www.toonopedia.com/capmarv1.htm

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 ODYSSEY BOOK 10

TEACHER’S KEY
AIOLOS, WARDEN OF THE WINDS – PART II
Fair Wind Failed Us When Our Prudence Failed

1. Capable of exercising sound judgment in practical matters; cautious; not rash

2. He was describing the nine days of smooth sailing before they sighted their homeland.

a. He slept when he should have been supervising his sailors. He had worn himself out
by not allowing anyone else to work the sheet for nine days.

b. They opened a bag that was not theirs. They decided to abandon trust in a man who
had risked his life for them.

3. Metis advises Zeus to obtain allies before he tries to overthrow Cronus. By telling Cronus that eating a
certain herb will make him invincible, she tricks him into ingesting the herb that causes him to
regurgitate Zeus’ siblings.

a. Athena is the goddess of wisdom. For example, she gave the city of Athens the olive
tree, a useful gift.

TEACHER’S KEY
The Encounter with Circe
Part I:
Father: Helios, the sun Mother: Perseis, a sea nymph

Brother: King Aeetes of Colchis Sister: Queen Pasiphae of Crete

Niece: Medea

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