Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ____________________
Directions: Choose the best answer for each question. Each question is worth 1 point. Total: 10 points.
1. Why do Odysseus and his men suffer heavy losses after attacking the Cicones at Ismarus?
A. They ignore Odysseus's order to leave and remain on shore until Cicone reinforcements arrive.
B. They lose their ships in a storm before they can leave the harbor.
C. They are betrayed by the Lotus-eaters, who lead the Cicones to them.
D. They divide into two groups and accidentally fight one another.
2. What name does Odysseus give Polyphemus in order to deceive the Cyclops?
A. Laertes
B. Nobody
C. Mentes
D. Eurylochus
3. How do Odysseus and his surviving companions escape from Polyphemus's cave?
A. They climb through an opening in the roof during the night.
B. They hide inside large storage jars until the Cyclops leaves.
C. They cling beneath the Cyclops's sheep as the flock leaves the cave.
D. They break down the stone doorway while Polyphemus is asleep.
4. What causes Odysseus's ships to be blown away from Ithaca after Aeolus has nearly helped them home?
A. Poseidon overturns the ships with an earthquake.
B. Odysseus orders the crew to sail back toward Troy.
C. The crew opens the bag of winds while Odysseus is asleep.
D. Aeolus recalls the favorable wind before they reach land.
5. What does Circe do to the members of Odysseus's crew who enter her house?
A. She turns them into pigs while leaving their minds unchanged.
B. She puts them into a sleep from which they cannot awaken.
C. She sends them back to Aeolus in a magical storm.
D. She forces them to serve the Laestrygonians.
6. Why does Odysseus travel to the land of the dead in Book 11?
A. To retrieve a lost weapon from Achilles
B. To ask the prophet Teiresias about his journey home
C. To persuade Agamemnon to return to the living
D. To search for a route that avoids Phaeacia
7. What important warning does Teiresias give Odysseus about the island of Thrinacia?
A. He must not enter the cave of the nymphs.
B. He must not allow his men to eat the lotus plants.
C. He and his crew must leave the cattle of Helios unharmed.
D. He must sacrifice one of his ships before leaving the island.
8. How is Odysseus able to hear the Sirens' song without being drawn to his death?
A. Athena makes him deaf until the ship has passed the Sirens.
B. His men plug their ears with wax and tie him securely to the mast.
C. Circe gives the entire crew a potion that blocks the Sirens' spell.
D. He orders the crew to sail only at night while the Sirens are asleep.
9. What happens when Odysseus's ship passes Scylla in Book 12?
A. Scylla carries off six of Odysseus's companions.
B. Scylla destroys the entire ship and crew.
C. Odysseus defeats Scylla with his sword and spear.
D. The crew captures Scylla and releases her near Thrinacia.
10. What finally causes the destruction of Odysseus's ship and the death of his remaining crew?
A. The Laestrygonians pursue them and sink the ship.
B. Polyphemus follows them to sea and smashes the ship with a rock.
C. After the crew kills the cattle of Helios, Zeus strikes the ship with lightning.
D. The Sirens summon a storm that drives the ship onto the rocks.
Teacher Answer Key
Suggested scoring: 1 point per question; 10 points total.
1. A - They ignore Odysseus's order to leave and remain on shore until Cicone reinforcements arrive.
2. B - Nobody
3. C - They cling beneath the Cyclops's sheep as the flock leaves the cave.
4. C - The crew opens the bag of winds while Odysseus is asleep.
5. A - She turns them into pigs while leaving their minds unchanged.
6. B - To ask the prophet Teiresias about his journey home
7. C - He and his crew must leave the cattle of Helios unharmed.
8. B - His men plug their ears with wax and tie him securely to the mast.
9. A - Scylla carries off six of Odysseus's companions.
10. C - After the crew kills the cattle of Helios, Zeus strikes the ship with lightning.
Teacher Use Note
This quiz is intended for use after students complete Books 9-12. It focuses on the major episodes of Odysseus's wanderings, including the Cyclops, Aeolus, Circe, the underworld, the Sirens, Scylla, and the cattle of Helios, rather than minor details. The questions are aligned to Books 9-12 of the Richer Resources Publications edition of Ian Johnston's translation.
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.
