Question
My men came pressing round me, pleading:
'Why not
take these cheeses, get them stowed, come back,
throw open all the pens, and make a run for it?
We'll drive the kids and lambs aboard. We say
put out again on good salt water!'
Ah,
how sound that was! Yet I refused. I wished
to see the caveman, what he had to offer –
no pretty sight, it turned out, for my friends.
-The Odyssey,
Homer
What inferences can be made about Odysseus based on his choice to stay and see the Cyclops? Check all that apply.
Odysseus does not care about his crew.
Odysseus is curious about what the Cyclops is like.
Odysseus wants to see if the Cyclops will give him anything.
Odysseus is scared of the Cyclops.
Odysseus needs to show who is in charge by not following what his men say.
'Why not
take these cheeses, get them stowed, come back,
throw open all the pens, and make a run for it?
We'll drive the kids and lambs aboard. We say
put out again on good salt water!'
Ah,
how sound that was! Yet I refused. I wished
to see the caveman, what he had to offer –
no pretty sight, it turned out, for my friends.
-The Odyssey,
Homer
What inferences can be made about Odysseus based on his choice to stay and see the Cyclops? Check all that apply.
Odysseus does not care about his crew.
Odysseus is curious about what the Cyclops is like.
Odysseus wants to see if the Cyclops will give him anything.
Odysseus is scared of the Cyclops.
Odysseus needs to show who is in charge by not following what his men say.
Answers
Answer
its just Odysseus is curious about what the Cyclops is like.
Odysseus wants to see if the Cyclops will give him anything.
Then he dismembered them and made his meal,
gaping and crunching like a mountain lion –
everything: innards, flesh, and marrow bones.
We cried aloud, lifting our hands to Zeus . . .
but Cyclops went on filling up his belly
with manflesh and great gulps of whey
-The Odyssey,
Homer
What inference can be made about the Cyclops based on the passage?
The Cyclops eats men because he is hungry and does not have any other source of food.
The Cyclops is more like a violent animal than a civilized man.
The Cyclops is very frightened and concerned with protecting himself from the men.
The Cyclops is deeply religious and is making a sacrifice to Zeus.
Odysseus wants to see if the Cyclops will give him anything.
Then he dismembered them and made his meal,
gaping and crunching like a mountain lion –
everything: innards, flesh, and marrow bones.
We cried aloud, lifting our hands to Zeus . . .
but Cyclops went on filling up his belly
with manflesh and great gulps of whey
-The Odyssey,
Homer
What inference can be made about the Cyclops based on the passage?
The Cyclops eats men because he is hungry and does not have any other source of food.
The Cyclops is more like a violent animal than a civilized man.
The Cyclops is very frightened and concerned with protecting himself from the men.
The Cyclops is deeply religious and is making a sacrifice to Zeus.
Answer
He had in wizardry among the Cyclops,
and these things he foretold for time to come:
my great eye lost, and at Odysseus' hands.
Always I had in mind some giant, armed
in giant force, would come against me here.
But this, but you – small, pitiful and twiggy –
you put me down with wine, you blinded me.
-The Odyssey,
Homer
What deeper meaning is revealed through the Cyclops’s interpretation of the prophecy?
Ignoring a prophecy leads to punishment by the gods.
Epic heroes can have qualities that one would expect only a supernatural being to have.
People are expected to treat guests with respect, and hospitality is rewarded.
Home is the best place to be.
and these things he foretold for time to come:
my great eye lost, and at Odysseus' hands.
Always I had in mind some giant, armed
in giant force, would come against me here.
But this, but you – small, pitiful and twiggy –
you put me down with wine, you blinded me.
-The Odyssey,
Homer
What deeper meaning is revealed through the Cyclops’s interpretation of the prophecy?
Ignoring a prophecy leads to punishment by the gods.
Epic heroes can have qualities that one would expect only a supernatural being to have.
People are expected to treat guests with respect, and hospitality is rewarded.
Home is the best place to be.
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
Based on Odysseus's choice to stay and see the Cyclops, the following inferences can be made:
1. **Odysseus is curious about what the Cyclops is like.** - This is evident in his desire to observe the Cyclops and understand his nature.
2. **Odysseus wants to see if the Cyclops will give him anything.** - Although it’s not explicitly stated, his decision to approach the Cyclops suggests he is considering the potential for interaction and what he might gain from it.
3. **Odysseus needs to show who is in charge by not following what his men say.** - By choosing to go against his crew's advice, Odysseus is asserting his authority and leadership.
The other options can be ruled out:
- **Odysseus does not care about his crew.** - While his decision may seem risky, it does not necessarily indicate that he does not care about them; rather, he seems driven by curiosity and a sense of leadership.
- **Odysseus is scared of the Cyclops.** - There is no indication in the text that fear motivates his choice to stay; instead, it seems more aligned with curiosity and a sense of adventure.
Thus, the applicable inferences are the second, third, and fifth options.
1. **Odysseus is curious about what the Cyclops is like.** - This is evident in his desire to observe the Cyclops and understand his nature.
2. **Odysseus wants to see if the Cyclops will give him anything.** - Although it’s not explicitly stated, his decision to approach the Cyclops suggests he is considering the potential for interaction and what he might gain from it.
3. **Odysseus needs to show who is in charge by not following what his men say.** - By choosing to go against his crew's advice, Odysseus is asserting his authority and leadership.
The other options can be ruled out:
- **Odysseus does not care about his crew.** - While his decision may seem risky, it does not necessarily indicate that he does not care about them; rather, he seems driven by curiosity and a sense of leadership.
- **Odysseus is scared of the Cyclops.** - There is no indication in the text that fear motivates his choice to stay; instead, it seems more aligned with curiosity and a sense of adventure.
Thus, the applicable inferences are the second, third, and fifth options.
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
Based on the passage, the most accurate inference about the Cyclops is:
**The Cyclops is more like a violent animal than a civilized man.**
This is evident from the description of his actions—dismembering his victims and eating them in a brutal manner, reminiscent of a predator. The imagery of him "gaping and crunching like a mountain lion" further emphasizes his savage and animalistic behavior compared to civilized human norms.
The other options can be ruled out:
- **The Cyclops eats men because he is hungry and does not have any other source of food.** - While hunger might be a motivation, the passage emphasizes his violent behavior more than a necessity for survival.
- **The Cyclops is very frightened and concerned with protecting himself from the men.** - There are no indications of fear; rather, the Cyclops appears aggressive and dominant in this scenario.
- **The Cyclops is deeply religious and is making a sacrifice to Zeus.** - The passage depicts his actions as purely predatory rather than ritualistic or religious.
Therefore, the most fitting inference is that the Cyclops behaves more like a violent animal than a civilized individual.
**The Cyclops is more like a violent animal than a civilized man.**
This is evident from the description of his actions—dismembering his victims and eating them in a brutal manner, reminiscent of a predator. The imagery of him "gaping and crunching like a mountain lion" further emphasizes his savage and animalistic behavior compared to civilized human norms.
The other options can be ruled out:
- **The Cyclops eats men because he is hungry and does not have any other source of food.** - While hunger might be a motivation, the passage emphasizes his violent behavior more than a necessity for survival.
- **The Cyclops is very frightened and concerned with protecting himself from the men.** - There are no indications of fear; rather, the Cyclops appears aggressive and dominant in this scenario.
- **The Cyclops is deeply religious and is making a sacrifice to Zeus.** - The passage depicts his actions as purely predatory rather than ritualistic or religious.
Therefore, the most fitting inference is that the Cyclops behaves more like a violent animal than a civilized individual.
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
The deeper meaning revealed through the Cyclops’s interpretation of the prophecy is:
**Ignoring a prophecy leads to punishment by the gods.**
The Cyclops reflects on his expectations about facing a giant with significant strength, but he is defeated by Odysseus, who is portrayed as smaller and seemingly weaker. This twist indicates that the Cyclops's failure to heed the prophecy serves as a reminder that prophecies, especially those delivered by powerful or divine forces, should not be ignored. His anticipated fate contrasts sharply with the reality he faces, highlighting that there are often consequences associated with dismissing the forewarnings of fate or divine will.
The other options can be ruled out:
- **Epic heroes can have qualities that one would expect only a supernatural being to have.** - While Odysseus displays cunning and strength, the focus here is on the Cyclops's misunderstanding of the prophecy rather than a comparison of hero qualities.
- **People are expected to treat guests with respect, and hospitality is rewarded.** - The context of the passage focuses more on the Cyclops's prophecy and downfall rather than themes of hospitality.
- **Home is the best place to be.** - This theme does exist in "The Odyssey" but is not central to this particular passage about the Cyclops and his prophecies.
Thus, the most relevant interpretation is about the consequences of ignoring prophecies.
**Ignoring a prophecy leads to punishment by the gods.**
The Cyclops reflects on his expectations about facing a giant with significant strength, but he is defeated by Odysseus, who is portrayed as smaller and seemingly weaker. This twist indicates that the Cyclops's failure to heed the prophecy serves as a reminder that prophecies, especially those delivered by powerful or divine forces, should not be ignored. His anticipated fate contrasts sharply with the reality he faces, highlighting that there are often consequences associated with dismissing the forewarnings of fate or divine will.
The other options can be ruled out:
- **Epic heroes can have qualities that one would expect only a supernatural being to have.** - While Odysseus displays cunning and strength, the focus here is on the Cyclops's misunderstanding of the prophecy rather than a comparison of hero qualities.
- **People are expected to treat guests with respect, and hospitality is rewarded.** - The context of the passage focuses more on the Cyclops's prophecy and downfall rather than themes of hospitality.
- **Home is the best place to be.** - This theme does exist in "The Odyssey" but is not central to this particular passage about the Cyclops and his prophecies.
Thus, the most relevant interpretation is about the consequences of ignoring prophecies.
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