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Wacky Wordsmith

Name: Cedric Chan Text: The Odyssey by HomerDate: August 31, 2010Books: Books 13-15

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

WONDERWORDS

Book # Definition and Significance

Homecoming 13 Def: An instance of returning home

Sig: It is something that Odysseus wishes,one of the major moving forces for the story

Libation 13 Def: A drink poured out as offering for adeity

Sig: This act of libation seems to beprevalent in the text since whereverOdysseus goes, he almost always does this.

Pontonooswith a prayer toour father Zeus,we may send ourguest on his way,back to his owncountry.

13 Def: The Phaiakians want to send Odysseushome

Sig: No matter of what race the men are,they always seem to pray and sendofferings to one of the gods before sendingOdysseus home.

where Athenehad indicated the

14 Def: Athene looks after the materialpossessions of Odysseus

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noble swineherdwho beyondothers cared forthe propertiesacquired by nobleOdysseus.

Sig: We see here that Odysseus has beenwatched over and protected by Atheneduring his journey.

Stranger, I haveno right to denythe stranger

14 Def: The person must accept anyone even if they are strangers

Sig: This is where the concept of xeniacomes in since the Greeks believe that allstrangers could be a god in disguise and sothey always accept the person, no matterwho that person is.

as I wishHelens seedcould all haveperished, pitchedaway, for she hasunstrung theknees of so manymen, for inAgamemnonscause my masterwent also to Ilion,land of goodhorses, there tofight with the

Trojans.

14 Def: This was all Helens fault

Sig: We see here that Odysseus blamesHelen for making him suffer because if itwasnt for her, the Trojan war wouldnt havestarted and he would still be at Ithacainstead of suffering out on the open seas.

At this time,Pallas Athenemade her wayinto wide-spacedLakedaimon, toremind theshining son of great-heartedOdysseus

15 Def: Athene is warning them about the plotof the suitors to kill both Telemachos andOdysseus on the way home

Sig: Both Telemachos and Odysseus arewatched over and taken care of Atheneduring their respective quests.

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Libation 13 Same as Wonder Words

Amain 13 Def: At full speedSig: One of the descriptive words used in his

journey

Promontories 13 Def: A point of high land that comes outfrom a large body of waterSig: Also describes Odysseus journey

Vagabonds 14 Def: A person who wanders around withouta home or jobSig: Someone Odysseus met