MIND MAPPING THE ODYSSEY
(if you missed any of the mind maps, use this to help you catch up. Each # represents a frame in your mind map.
Directions: Draw the following steps for each of the stories: Remember, the first box is always the title.
One: Trojan War PowerPoint
1. How many years ago did the Trojan War take place?
2. What three goddesses are involved in the dispute?
3. Which goddess won?
4. What did she offer Paris?
5. Who is the most beautiful women in the world?
6. List the gods and goddess on each side (Trojans and Greeks)
7. Why was Odysseus punished by the gods? (mainly Poseidon)
Two: A goddess Intervenes
1. Who is asking for help?
2. Who is he asking help from?
3. Whose story is Homer trying to tell and what is the general story about?
4. On the next four frames, give four parts of the action of the story.
Three: Calypso- The Sweet Nymph
1. How long was Odysseus with Calypso?
2. What was the Goddess that helped Odysseus get away? Who did she go to for help?
3. Who did Zeus send to tell Calypso the news?
4. What did Odysseus do every morning as he sat on the beach?
5. How did Calypso tell Odysseus the news and what did she ask him?
6. What god still had a vengeance against Odysseus and what happened to him after he left Calypso?
7. Where did Odysseus land?
Four: I am Laertes’s Son
1. I am Laertes’ son
2. Odysseus is known as a warrior (The great hero of the Trojan War, so the court is probably proud to have him as a guest.
3. Ithaca is on the highest point/peak and it is green. He loves his home (Odysseus talks about his home, and how much he wants to see it again.)
4. “What happened to me when I sailed from Troy?” asks Odysseus, “Where have I been for the last 10 years?” (trouble, trouble, trouble)
5. He went to the coast of Cicones and fought, where 72 of his men were killed (because they were not smart/selfish, they were greedy)
6. After that, they set out to sea and went through a giant storm.
Poseidon made the storm that tired them out, they went to shore to rest and set sail again on the 3rd day.
7. Nine (9) days they were on the dangerous sea drifting in the high waves and gusty winds.
Five: Lotus Eaters
1. The land of the Lotus Eaters is the first place Odysseus and his men travel after Troy, and The men stop to get water.
2. Odysseus sends two men and one runner out to scout the island. The men leave and start looking around.
3. The men discover that people live on the island. They eat the Lotus plant leaves. They are one happy bunch.
4. The people on the island (Lotus Eaters) offer the two men flowers to eat. They tasted like honey. The flower’s effects were to make you “happy” and never want to leave the island.
5. All of Odysseus’ men wanted to visit the village of the Lotus Eaters.
6. The men chose to try the Lotus flowers. After trying it they did not want to leave.
7. Odysseus comes to get his men so they can leave. (Chases them back to ship)
8. The men refuse to leave with him, so Odysseus grabs each man and throws them over his shoulder, tosses them in the boat, and ties them down so they cannot escape.
9. Once all the men are back on the ship they set off again for home (Ithaca).
Six: The Cyclops (only if you are not here for the Cyclops cartoon strip)
1. How many men did Odysseus take with him onto the island?
2. What did they find in the cave?
3. What was their first encounter with the Cyclops like?
4. What did the Cyclops do to the men?
5. What was Odysseus’ plan to cripple the Cyclops?
6. Who did the Cyclops call for to help him?
7. How did the men get out of the cave?
8. What did they take with them on the ship?
Five: The Witch Circe
1-3. Draw a picture of Circe’s hall. Draw at least three different images
4-5. What did she do to the men after she greeted the men into her hall?
6. What God helps Odysseus to battle Circe’s power? What does he give him?
7-8. Draw two things that Odysseus had to do once he reached the Land of the Dead.
Six: The Land of the Dead
1. Odysseus meets the blind prophet Tiresias.
2. Odysseus offers gifts and sacrifices to the souls gathered and the dead souls gather around wanting some of the blood.
3. Tiresias tells Odysseus about the trials and troubles at home in Ithaca
4. He warns him about NOT eating the cattle of the sun god (Helios).
5. He tells Odysseus that he must kill the men that are trying to take over his land and marry his woman.
6. Odysseus must travel across the land and make a sacrifice to Poseidon
7. Odysseus will live to old age and die peacefully at sea.
Seven: The Sirens/ Scylla/ Charybdis
1. What does Odysseus do to keep his men from hearing the sirens?
2. What do his men have to do to him to keep him from going crazy and jumping into the water?
3-7. Draw the physical description of Scylla.
Draw a picture of Charybdis.
Eight: Coming Home and Father and Son
1. Athena tells Odysseus to be careful going home. She helps him by turning him into an old man (disguise him).
2. Odysseus gets home to Ithaca and shows up at the swine herder’s home. The swine herder tells Odysseus what has been happening at the palace.
3. Telemachus has gone to Sparta to look for his father. Has been gone one year.
4. It has been 20 years since Odysseus has been gone.
5. Telemachus gets home after one year away and goes to the swine herder’s cottage; the trusted servant of Odysseus.
6. Odysseus is sitting there looking like an old beggar. He doesn’t recognize his son but knows his name when Eurmaeus speaks it Telemachus.
7. Athena turns Odysseus back into himself, he is handsome and looks like he did 20 years ago. Telemachus does not believe that it is his father at him at first.
8. Telemachus says he will take Odysseus to his palace, but tells him “I can’t protect you.” (they both go to Odysseus’ kingdom to take care of the suitors.) Odysseus tells Telemachus to lock up all the weapons and the armor.
Nine: The Beggar and the Faithful Dog
- Loyalty and Faithfulness is shown by Argos the faithful dog. This is a symbol of the loyalty and faithfulness of his trusted servants and his wife, Penelope.
- The people of the palace have been eating Odysseus’ food, living on his land and trying to take his palace and become Penelope’s husband
- Odysseus and Telemachus return to the palace. Odysseus is in disguise as an old beggar.
- Eurclycea, the nursemaid and servant, came to wash Odysseus’ feet. She recognizes him by a scar on his leg that she had tended years earlier. Odysseus has sworn her to secrecy.
Ten: The Test of the Great Bow/Death in the Palace
1. Penelope says she will marry the suitor that can shot an arrow threw 12 axe handles by stringing and using Odysseus own bow.
2. The suitors line up and not a single one of them can accomplish this task.
3. Then Odysseus disguised as the old beggar strings the bow, shoots the arrow and is successful! At that moment Athena turns him back into the Odysseus of 20 years earlier, a very handsome strong man.
4. Odysseus tells them that they are all going to die. The suitors tell him not to get angry. They tell him they will repay him for all the food they have eaten.
5. Odysseus orders the doors of the Palace bared shut, and he tells the women to go to the woman’s hall and stay there.
6. He tells Telemachus that to be angry is easy. He needs to be patient and wait for the right time.
- Telemachus and Odysseus kill all of the suitors. (cowherd and the swineherd join them)
- Odysseus says to not let Penelope see the room until it is cleaned up. The servants clean the room and then Odysseus has them hanged from the neck for being disloyal to his household.
***Odysseus has learned to become humble and patient. His journey is almost complete. He patiently waits for Penelope to recognize him and accept that he is truly home.
Eleven: The Trunk of the Olive Tree/Odysseus and Penelope
- Olive Tree symbol of Peace, Love and Faithfulness (draw an Olive Tree)
- Odysseus and Penelope’s bed is built around the Olive Tree.
- Odysseus built this bed with his own hands for them. Only he and she know the secret to the tree.
- Penelope tests Odysseus to see if it is truly him: by asking Eurcyleia to make Odysseus a bed outside.
- Odysseus becomes angry and describes for Penelope when he built the marriage bed for them.
- At this point she believes that he is home and they happily reunite.
- The people of Ithaca celebrate King Odysseus’ return.
Our hero has come through the full journey from his Hubris – Arrogance (saying he does not need the gods help, to being patient and knowing he needs to be grateful for the help of