THE ODYSSEY ACTUAL 2026 EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔How and why does Athena disguise Odysseus? - ✔✔Athena disguises him as an
old, homeless man so he can surprise the suitors at his house.
✔✔Why does Athena want Odysseus to visit his old swineherd, Eumaeus? - ✔✔Athena
wants Odysseus to visit Eumaeus to find out what's happening in Odysseus' house, and
so Odysseus can see his son, Telemachus.
✔✔What three things does Athena tell Telemachus? - ✔✔1. Go home. (Telemachus
had been traveling around, searching for news about his father.)
2. The suitors are planning to kill him.
3. He should stay with Eumaeus for the night.
✔✔What is Odysseus' plan once Telemachus tells him he will have to face more than
100 strange men at his house? - ✔✔Odysseus will follow Telemachus home in disguise.
Telemachus will pretend not to know him, and lock up all the weapons and armor in the
house.
✔✔What happens to Argos after he recognizes his old master, Odysseus? - ✔✔He
dies.
✔✔Who are the two most rude, demanding suitors? - ✔✔Antinous and Eurymachus
✔✔What does Penelope finally decide to do about the suitors? - ✔✔Penelope gives up
waiting for Odysseus and tells the suitors that whichever of them can bend/string the
heavy bow and shoot 1 arrow straight through 12 axe head hoops can marry her.
✔✔How do Odysseus, Telemachus, and Eumaeus prepare the manor for the fight
against the suitors? - ✔✔They make sure the women are locked safely in a room.
Eumaeus and a cowherd lock the gates to keep the suitors in.
✔✔Who wins the archery contest? - ✔✔Odysseus wins, surprising the suitors, who had
been mocking him. Odysseus tells his son to prepare to fight.
✔✔Who does Odysseus kill first and how? - ✔✔Odysseus kills Antinous first with an
arrow through the neck.
✔✔What does Eurymachus say to save his life? - ✔✔Eurymachus pins all the blame on
Antinous, pleads everyone else's freedom, and promises to repay what they took
(cattles, riches, etc.).
, ✔✔What do Odysseus, Telemachus, and Eumaeus do to Eurymachus and the rest of
the suitors? - ✔✔They slaughter them with the weapons Telemachus fetches.
✔✔How does Athena protect Odysseus? - ✔✔Athena deflects some arrows away from
Odysseus.
✔✔Odysseus asks for a bed. How does Penelope use this to test if Odysseus is really
her husband? - ✔✔Penelope tells a servant to move the master bed. This was a sacred
bed that Odysseus built himself from the trunk of an olive tree that would be much too
heavy for anyone to move, but only Odysseus would know that.
✔✔Ithaca - ✔✔Odysseus's home and kingdom
✔✔Helios - ✔✔God of the Sun who is very protective of his cattle
✔✔One of the things that the Greeks regarded as most offensive to the gods was to: -
✔✔mistreat guests
✔✔This story is based on Odysseus's return from the ________ . - ✔✔Trojan War
✔✔At the beginning of the story we learn that __________ have overrun Odysseus's
house. - ✔✔Suitors (men who want to marry Queen Penelope)
✔✔Odysseus's son, ________________, goes in search of him. - ✔✔Telemachus
✔✔Calypso has held Odysseus prisoner for ____. - ✔✔7 years
✔✔One of Odysseus's enemies? (god) - ✔✔Poseidon
✔✔One of Odysseus's enemies? (cyclops) - ✔✔Polyphemus
✔✔One of Odysseus's enemies? (goddess) - ✔✔Calypso
✔✔One of Odysseus' enemies? (enchantress) - ✔✔Circe
✔✔Odysseus is known as much for his _____ as his strength. - ✔✔Brains
✔✔How does Odysseus win the battle with the Cyclops? - ✔✔Tricks Polyphemus with a
false name and wine, then blinds him and escapes under the bellies of sheep.
✔✔What does Circe turn Odysseus's men into? - ✔✔Pigs
✔✔What is Odysseus disguised as when he returns to Ithaca? - ✔✔a begger
ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔How and why does Athena disguise Odysseus? - ✔✔Athena disguises him as an
old, homeless man so he can surprise the suitors at his house.
✔✔Why does Athena want Odysseus to visit his old swineherd, Eumaeus? - ✔✔Athena
wants Odysseus to visit Eumaeus to find out what's happening in Odysseus' house, and
so Odysseus can see his son, Telemachus.
✔✔What three things does Athena tell Telemachus? - ✔✔1. Go home. (Telemachus
had been traveling around, searching for news about his father.)
2. The suitors are planning to kill him.
3. He should stay with Eumaeus for the night.
✔✔What is Odysseus' plan once Telemachus tells him he will have to face more than
100 strange men at his house? - ✔✔Odysseus will follow Telemachus home in disguise.
Telemachus will pretend not to know him, and lock up all the weapons and armor in the
house.
✔✔What happens to Argos after he recognizes his old master, Odysseus? - ✔✔He
dies.
✔✔Who are the two most rude, demanding suitors? - ✔✔Antinous and Eurymachus
✔✔What does Penelope finally decide to do about the suitors? - ✔✔Penelope gives up
waiting for Odysseus and tells the suitors that whichever of them can bend/string the
heavy bow and shoot 1 arrow straight through 12 axe head hoops can marry her.
✔✔How do Odysseus, Telemachus, and Eumaeus prepare the manor for the fight
against the suitors? - ✔✔They make sure the women are locked safely in a room.
Eumaeus and a cowherd lock the gates to keep the suitors in.
✔✔Who wins the archery contest? - ✔✔Odysseus wins, surprising the suitors, who had
been mocking him. Odysseus tells his son to prepare to fight.
✔✔Who does Odysseus kill first and how? - ✔✔Odysseus kills Antinous first with an
arrow through the neck.
✔✔What does Eurymachus say to save his life? - ✔✔Eurymachus pins all the blame on
Antinous, pleads everyone else's freedom, and promises to repay what they took
(cattles, riches, etc.).
, ✔✔What do Odysseus, Telemachus, and Eumaeus do to Eurymachus and the rest of
the suitors? - ✔✔They slaughter them with the weapons Telemachus fetches.
✔✔How does Athena protect Odysseus? - ✔✔Athena deflects some arrows away from
Odysseus.
✔✔Odysseus asks for a bed. How does Penelope use this to test if Odysseus is really
her husband? - ✔✔Penelope tells a servant to move the master bed. This was a sacred
bed that Odysseus built himself from the trunk of an olive tree that would be much too
heavy for anyone to move, but only Odysseus would know that.
✔✔Ithaca - ✔✔Odysseus's home and kingdom
✔✔Helios - ✔✔God of the Sun who is very protective of his cattle
✔✔One of the things that the Greeks regarded as most offensive to the gods was to: -
✔✔mistreat guests
✔✔This story is based on Odysseus's return from the ________ . - ✔✔Trojan War
✔✔At the beginning of the story we learn that __________ have overrun Odysseus's
house. - ✔✔Suitors (men who want to marry Queen Penelope)
✔✔Odysseus's son, ________________, goes in search of him. - ✔✔Telemachus
✔✔Calypso has held Odysseus prisoner for ____. - ✔✔7 years
✔✔One of Odysseus's enemies? (god) - ✔✔Poseidon
✔✔One of Odysseus's enemies? (cyclops) - ✔✔Polyphemus
✔✔One of Odysseus's enemies? (goddess) - ✔✔Calypso
✔✔One of Odysseus' enemies? (enchantress) - ✔✔Circe
✔✔Odysseus is known as much for his _____ as his strength. - ✔✔Brains
✔✔How does Odysseus win the battle with the Cyclops? - ✔✔Tricks Polyphemus with a
false name and wine, then blinds him and escapes under the bellies of sheep.
✔✔What does Circe turn Odysseus's men into? - ✔✔Pigs
✔✔What is Odysseus disguised as when he returns to Ithaca? - ✔✔a begger
