Sweet Nymph and Open Sea
THE ODYSSEY translated by Robert Fitzgerald
1. Summarize the conversation among the gods at the opening of the book. Which of the gods appeals to Zeus, and how is this appeal answered?
2. What is Odysseus doing when he first appears?
3. What will Odysseus sacrifice by returning to Penelope?
4. How do Odysseus’s speeches with Kalypso reveal his cleverness?
5. What aide does Kalypso give to Odysseus in his departure from the island?
6. Describe Odysseus’s voyage. In what condition does he arrive in Skheria, and why is it appropriate? (Consider that he is stripped naked, and that the swim is up river…)
