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THE ODYSSEY • QUIZ

The Odyssey - Books 17-20 Quiz

A ready-to-use 10-question reading quiz covering Books 17-20 of Homer's Odyssey, including Odysseus's return to the palace in disguise, the suitors, Penelope, Eurycleia's recognition, and the omens that foreshadow the suitors' fate. Includes a free printable student PDF for classroom use.

By Richer Resources Editorial Team

 
Name: ____________________________________________     Date: ____________________ 

Directions: Choose the best answer for each question. Each question is worth 1 point. Total: 10 points. 


1. Who recognizes Odysseus when he reaches his palace in disguise in Book 17?
 

A. Penelope, when she sees him at the doorway 
B. Argus, Odysseus's old dog, who recognizes him and then dies 
C. Antinous, who remembers him from before the Trojan War 
D. Melanthius, who immediately alerts the suitors 

2. How does Antinous treat the disguised Odysseus when Odysseus begs from the suitors?
 

A. He welcomes him and offers him a place at the feast. 
B. He questions him politely and sends him to Penelope. 
C. He insults him and throws a footstool at him. 
D. He recognizes him and secretly leaves the palace. 

3. What happens when the suitors encourage Odysseus and Irus to fight in Book 18?
 

A. Irus defeats Odysseus and drives him from the palace. 
B. Odysseus knocks Irus out while continuing to conceal his true identity. 
C. Telemachus stops the fight before either man is hurt. 
D. The two beggars refuse to fight and divide the prize. 

4. What does Penelope persuade the suitors to do when she appears before them in Book 18?
 

A. Leave Ithaca until she has chosen a husband 
B. Bring her presents as suitors traditionally should 
C. Give Telemachus control of their estates 
D. Ask the gods to decide which man she should marry 

5. What do Odysseus and Telemachus do with the weapons in the hall at the beginning of Book 19?
 

A. They hide them away as part of their plan against the suitors. 
B. They distribute them among the loyal servants. 
C. They carry them outside and bury them near the palace. 
D. They leave them in place so the suitors will not become suspicious. 

6. How does Eurycleia recognize the disguised Odysseus while washing his feet?
 

A. She recognizes his voice when he speaks her name. 
B. She sees a scar on his leg from an old boar-hunting wound. 
C. She notices that he is wearing Laertes's ring. 
D. She recognizes a birthmark on his shoulder. 

7. What contest does Penelope announce near the end of Book 19?
 

A. The suitors must race from the palace to the harbor and back. 
B. The suitors must answer a riddle about Odysseus's travels. 
C. The suitors must string Odysseus's bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axes. 
D. The suitors must defeat Telemachus in a wrestling match. 

8. What causes the suitors to abandon their plan to kill Telemachus in Book 20?
 

A. Penelope orders them to leave the palace. 
B. An eagle carrying a dove appears as an unfavorable omen. 
C. Odysseus reveals himself and threatens them. 
D. Menelaus arrives in Ithaca with armed men. 

9. What does Ctesippus throw at the disguised Odysseus during the feast?
 

A. A wine cup 
B. A wooden stool 
C. An ox hoof 
D. A bronze spear 

10. What does Theoclymenus foresee when he interprets the terrifying signs in the palace near the end of Book 20?
 

A. The suitors will soon escape from Ithaca safely. 
B. Penelope will leave Ithaca before choosing a husband. 
C. Disaster is coming for the suitors because of their reckless behavior. 
D. Telemachus will return to Sparta and remain there. 


Free Printable PDF 

Teachers may download a free, print-ready student PDF of this quiz for classroom use. The downloadable version includes space for a name and date and does not include the answer key. 

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