Download The Odyssey Book 4

THE ODYSSEY
BOOK 4
B R E N T S C E L F O, B R I A N C RO S S , A N D
J AC K S O N E L L I OT T
MAIN POINTS
Telemachus and Pisistratus arrive at Sparta while Helen and Menelaus happily greet them
In Book 3, when Telemachus arrives at Pylos, he begins to talk to Nestor. Nestor sent his son,
Pisistratus, to help find Telemachus’ dad, Odysseus. When the crew safely makes it to Sparta,
they are greeted by the King and Queen of Sparta. The two are celebrating the weddings of
their separate son and daughter.
Menelaus warmly welcomes the men in, because he believes people he met had hospitality
during the war and wanted it to be spread to other people. Also, he saw the resemblance in
Telemachus.
MAIN POINTS
Helen recalls how Odysseus dressed as a beggar to infiltrate the Troy’s city walls, showing how
cunning he is
Helen is practically the reason that the Trojan War started. She was captured by the Trojans
and the Greeks fought the Trojans to get her back. Helen was there when Odysseus dressed as
a beggar to infiltrate the city of Troy.
MAIN POINTS
Then, Menelaus tells the story of Odysseus and the Trojan horse, and how he slaughtered the
Trojans
The Trojan Horse is the way the war ended between the Greeks and Trojans, the Greeks won
the war. Odysseus had the idea of making a huge horse to pretend to have a “peace offering”,
the Trojans took it to please Poseidon. Poseidon is the King of the Sea. Once the horse was
taken inside the gated walls, the Greeks jumped out of the huge horse and slaughtered all the
Trojans.
MAIN POINTS
The day after Telemachus arrives, Menelaus starts telling how he got home, he said that he had
to capture Proteus, the divine Old Man of the Sea.
Proteus, the divine Old Man of the Sea, was a god who could tell Menelaus the fates of people.
Proteus told the fates of Ajax and Agamemnon, who had both survived the war to be killed in
Greece. He also told Menelaus of Odysseus’ fate….
MAIN POINTS
Proteus told Menelaus that Odysseus was alive and was being held captive by Calypso.
This is a very important tuning point in the story, because now Telemachus knows his dad is
alive and can go look for him, not pointlessly.
MAIN POINTS
Once Telemachus and Pisistratus start sailing back to Ithaca after learning Odysseus is still alive,
back in Ithaca Penelope is informed that the suitors are going to ambush and kill Telemachus as
soon as he arrives back in Ithaca.
This means that once Telemachus is killed, Penelope must marry one of the suitors, until
Odysseus returns.
MAIN POINTS
While Penelope is very distraught about Telemachus leaving, and the suitors plan to kill him,
Athena sends her a phantom vision in the form of Iphthime, Penelope’s sister. The phantom of
Iphthime says that the goddess Athena will help and protect Telemachus.
This shows that Athena is very caring for Telemachus, Penelope, and Odysseus. Throughout this
time of 20 years she has been protecting the family, and this has been extremely helpful to the
family.
QUESTIONS
1) Why is Menelaus and Helen so happy when Telemachus arrived?
2) What was so important about the Trojan Horse?
3) Infer why the Trojan War ended.
4) Who is the person that Menelaus captured to get home and what’s his importance?
5) Why is it important that Odysseus dressed as a beggar to get inside the walls of Troy?
6)
Why is Menelaus so welcoming and his hospitality so great?
7) Who sends the phantom vision to Penelope and what does it do/ say?
8) Who is worried about Telemachus’ return and why?
9) Who do the suitors plan to kill and explain why they want to kill this person.
10) Who does the phantom take form as and why is it important?
ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS
1)
Menelaus and Helen are celebrating the wedding of their son and daughter.
2)
The Trojan Horse showed the cunningness of Odysseus and it ended the Trojan War
3)
The reason the Trojan War ended was ,because Odysseus plan to make a horse, or the Trojan Horse, where the
Greeks hid inside the fake “peace offering” horse. Then, as soon as the horse was pushed into the walls of Troy, the
Greeks jumped out and slaughtered all the Trojans
4)
Menelaus captured a man named Proteus, the divine Old Man of the Sea, and he told the fates of some other Greek
soldiers, including Odysseus. Proteus told Menelaus that Odysseus was captured by Calypso on a deserted island.
5)
It is important because that is the way he scouted the area or city of Troy and could get the idea of the Trojan
Horse.
6)
Menelaus is very kind to the boys and very hospitable because during the war the people he me were very
hospitable and Menelaus wants it to be spread. Also, he can see the resemblance to Telemachus
7)
Athena sends the phantom to Penelope and assures her Telemachus is going to be protected.
8)
Penelope is worried about Telemachus’ return because the suitors planned to kill Telemachus.
9)
The suitors plan to kill Telemachus, so there is no one in there way to marry Penelope.
10) The phantom takes form as Iphthime, Penelope’s sister. It is important, because she is reassured by her “sister” that
Telemachus is going to be protected by Athena.