Book XVII Practice Quiz — The Odyssey
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Practice Quiz: Book XVII
What does Telemachus instruct Eumaeus to do with the disguised Ulysses at the start of Book XVII?
Telemachus tells Eumaeus to bring the stranger to town to beg for food, saying he cannot be burdened with other people while dealing with his own troubles.
What news does Telemachus relay to Penelope about Ulysses from his travels?
He reports that Menelaus learned from Proteus (the old man of the sea) that Ulysses was alive but stranded on Calypso's island with no ship to bring him home.
What happens when Melanthius encounters Ulysses and Eumaeus on the road?
Melanthius insults them both, calls Ulysses a worthless beggar, and kicks him on the hip. Ulysses restrains himself from retaliating.
What does Argos the dog do when he recognizes Ulysses?
Argos drops his ears and wags his tail but is too weak to approach his master. He dies immediately after recognizing Ulysses.
How do the suitors react when Ulysses begs from them in the great hall?
Most suitors give him something, filling his wallet with bread and meat. Only Antinous refuses and instead hurls a footstool at him.
Where does Antinous strike Ulysses with the footstool?
Antinous hits Ulysses on the right shoulder-blade near the top of his back, but Ulysses stands firm and does not stagger.
Why does Ulysses ask to delay his meeting with Penelope until nightfall?
He fears being mistreated by the suitors if he draws attention to himself during the day, and a nighttime meeting allows them to speak privately after the suitors retire.
What does Penelope promise the stranger if his story proves true?
She promises to give him a shirt and cloak of good wear, which are the items he most needs.
How does Telemachus show maturity when Antinous strikes his father?
He suppresses his fury, sheds no tears, and shakes his head in silence while brooding on revenge, demonstrating the same strategic patience as Ulysses.
What role does Theoclymenus play in Book XVII?
He is a seer who prophesies to Penelope that Ulysses is already in Ithaca, going about the country and preparing a day of reckoning for the suitors.
How does Eumaeus defend himself against Antinous's accusation of bringing a beggar to the palace?
He argues that no one would invite a beggar on purpose, and that useful strangers like seers, healers, and bards are the ones people seek out.
What contrast does Melanthius represent compared to Eumaeus?
Melanthius is a disloyal servant who feeds and supports the suitors, while Eumaeus remains faithfully devoted to Ulysses and his household. They represent betrayal versus loyalty.
How does Penelope react when she hears the beggar has been struck?
She is outraged and wishes Apollo would strike Antinous. She calls Antinous hateful "like the darkness of death itself" and says she hates all the suitors.
How does Antinous's treatment of the disguised Ulysses violate the concept of xenia?
Xenia (guest-friendship) requires hosts to feed and shelter strangers. Antinous not only refuses food but physically assaults a beggar-guest, one of the gravest offenses in Greek culture.
What does Argos's neglected condition symbolize in the broader story?
Argos represents the deterioration of Ulysses's entire household during his twenty-year absence. His neglect mirrors how the suitors have degraded the estate.
How does Book XVII develop the theme of disguise and recognition?
Ulysses moves through his own home unrecognized by every human, yet his dog Argos knows him instantly. This highlights the gap between human perception and true identity.
What is the significance of Telemachus's sneeze in Book XVII?
Penelope interprets it as an omen that all the suitors will be killed, illustrating the Greek belief in divine signs embedded in everyday events and foreshadowing the coming slaughter.
What is the dramatic irony in Ulysses begging from the suitors?
The audience knows the beggar is actually the master of the house and rightful owner of everything the suitors are consuming, while the suitors unknowingly insult their future destroyer.
How does Homer use apostrophe in Book XVII, and why is it significant?
Homer directly addresses Eumaeus as "you" ("To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus"), breaking the third-person narrative. This rare technique signals the swineherd's special importance and intimacy in the story.
What literary device does Homer use when Ulysses stands "firm as a rock" after being struck?
This is an epic simile, comparing Ulysses's physical and emotional steadfastness to immovable stone, emphasizing his extraordinary self-control under provocation.
How does the suitors' warning about gods disguised as strangers function as foreshadowing?
Their warning that the beggar might be a god hints at the divine justice awaiting them, since Ulysses is under Athena's (Minerva's) protection and will indeed bring godlike retribution.
What are hecatombs, as mentioned in Penelope's vow?
Hecatombs are large-scale animal sacrifices offered to the gods, traditionally of one hundred oxen. Penelope vows them in exchange for revenge on the suitors.
What does the term "case-hardened" mean when Ulysses uses it to describe himself?
It means toughened or made resilient through long experience of hardship. Ulysses says he has been so battered by war and sea travel that he can endure further abuse.
What does "importunity" mean in the context of Antinous's complaint?
Importunity means persistent, annoying begging or solicitation. Antinous uses it to accuse the disguised Ulysses of being excessively demanding.
Who says "Light of my eyes" and what is the context?
Penelope says this to Telemachus upon his return home, embracing him and weeping. It expresses her maternal relief and the depth of her fear that she would never see him again.
What does Ulysses mean when he tells Antinous, "Your looks, my fine sir, are better than your breeding"?
Ulysses is saying that while Antinous appears noble and wealthy, his behavior is ignoble and cheap. It is a sharp rebuke of Antinous's refusal to give even a scrap of food to a beggar.