Three Trials at Sea: the
Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis
Your
Turn...
- Now that you've experienced ALL of the
trials faced by Odysseus and his crew, which one do you
think would be the worst and why? Write
your response.
- Evaluate Eurylochos's arguments, both for
staying on the island and for eating the forbidden meat.
Does he raise any good points? Is the crew's
"rebellion" justified? Or do you hold them
solely accountable for their actions, and not, as
Eurylochos might suggest, the inept leadership skills of
Odysseus? Write your response.
- Odysseus leaves his men to pray for the
gods to help him, but they don't apparently listen, since
his starving men fall to the temptation of those nice,
plump cattle and sheep. And then, Zeus actually listens
to Helios, who wants to exact a severe punishment against
the starving men. What do you think about the gods at
this point in the story? Take on the persona of Zeus or
Helios. How would you justify punishing Odysseus and his
men for this mistake -- which, in my opinion, is
understandable. We all know that our growling bellies
demand attention, after all... Write
your response.
We end where we began...
Sirens | Contents | Alcinoos