Wacky Wordsmith

Name: ________________________________
Text: ________________________________
Date: ________________________________
Books: ________________________________

Wacky Wordsmith: As the author of the two most famous epics in ancient Greek
literature, Homer helped define the Western World's vocabulary landscape. Your task is
to look for at least TEN WONDER WORDS, important words or phrases in the text which
you deem crucial to the text. If you find words that are puzzling or unfamiliar, list them
down in the second table, “NEW TO MY VOCABULARY”. Record the meaning that you
came up with and indicate its significance. Include words that you consider significant or
crucial to the text. When your circle meets, discuss the words, the reason(s) why you
think they are Wonder Words, and how you came up with their meaning. Ask them to
suggest additional Wonder Words to your list.

“WONDER Book # Definition and Significance

WORDS”
And as a bitch, 20 How mad Odysseus is
facing an
unknown man,
stands over her
callow puppies,
and growls and
rages to fight, so
Odysseus' heart
was growling
inside him as he
looked on these
wicked actions.
20 Why would she pray to Artemis first?
. . . first prayed to
Artemis
20 Kill me now!
Artemis strike
me, so that I
could meet the
Odysseus that I
longed for
20 The eagle carrying the tremulous pigeon
compacting their symbolizes something. Maybe Odysseus
plan of death and owning all the suitors
destruction or
Telemachus, an
eagle flew over
carrying a pigeon
And the one who 21 The test given to the suitors to have
takes the bow in Penelope's hand in marriage
his hands, strings
it with the
greatest ease,
and sends an
arrow clean
through all the
twelve axes, shall
be the one I go
away with,
forsaking this
house where I
was a bride, a
lovely place and
full of good living.
I think that even
in my dreams I
shall never forget
it.

The suitors fail 21 Obviously

And now I see 21 Odysseus has some loyal servants, and he

that of all my rewards them.
men it was only
you two who
wanted me to
come; I have not
heard one of the
others praying
that I should
return again and
come to my own
house. Therefore
I will tell you the
truth, and so it
shall be; if by my
hand the god
overmasters the
lordly suitors,
then I shall get
wives for you
both, and grant
you possessions
and houses built
next to mine, and
think of you in
the future always
as companions of
Telemachos, and
his brothers. But
come now, let me
show you a proof
that shall be
manifest, so that
you may know
me for sure and
trust my identity;
that scar, which
once the boar
with his white
tooth inflicted

230 let us go in 21 Their game plan

severally, not all
together, I first,
you after me, but
let us have this
as a signal
arranged; for all
the others there,
who are lordly
suitors, will not
say that you can
give me the bow
and the quiver;
but you must
carry the bow
through the
house, noble
Eumaios, 235 and
put it into my
hands, and then
you must tell the
womento bar the
tightly fitted
doors that close
the hall; tell
them, if any of
them hears from
inside the crash
and the outcry, of
men who are
caught within our
toils, that they
must not peep in
from outside, but
simply sit still at
their work, in
silence. 240
Noble Philoitios,
your task is to
make fast the
courtyard door
with the bolt, and
tie the fastening
quickly upon it.’

Odysseus shoots 21
through the
arrows

The suitors, one 22 All of the suitors are dead

man after
another; the floor
was smoking with
blood, and the
horribel cries rose
up as their heads
were broken.

Out of these 50, 22 Some of the maids were unfaithful to

12 have taken to Odysseus
immortality

This story is not 23 Penelope is doubtful

true but some
one of the
immortals has
killed the suitors
Come then, 23 Penelope wants to test if the person who
Eurykleia, and killed the suitors is really Odysseus.
make up a firm Odysseus didn't get fooled.
bed for him
outside the well-
fashioned
chamber: that
very bed that he
himself built. Put
the firm bed here
outside for him,
and cover it She
tricks him into
betraying
himself, 180 over
with fleeces and
blankets, and
with shining
coverlets.’
Soshespoketoher
husband,tryinghi
mout,butOdysseu
sspokeinangerto
his virtuous-
minded lady:
‘What you have
said, dear lady,
has hurt my heart
deeply. What
man has put my
bed in another
place? But it
would be difficult
185 for even a
very expert one,
unless a god,
coming to help in
person, were
easily to change
its position. But
there is no mortal
man alive, no
strong man, who
lightly could
move the weight
elsewhere. There
is one particular
feature in the
bed's
construction. I
myself, no other
man, made it.
190 There was
the bole of an
olive tree with
long leaves
growing strongly
in the courtyard,
and it was thick,
like a column. I
laid down my
chamber around
this, and built it,
until I finished it,
with close-set
stones, and
roofed it well
over, and added
the compacted
doors, fitting
closely together.
So you have 23 Penelope has been persuaded
persuaded my
heart, though it
may have been
stubborn

“NEW TO MY Book # Definition and Significance

VOCABULARY”
Portent 20 a sign or warning that something, esp.
something momentous or calamitous,
is likely to happen

Haughty 20 arrogantly superior and disdainful

20 he action or process of transporting

Conveyance someone or something from one place
to another

Baleful 20 threatening harm; menacing

Guile 20 sly or cunning intelligence

Sardonic 20 grimly mocking or cynical

Supplicate 22 ask or beg for something earnestly or

humbly