Short-Answer Quizzes: Book 2
Study Questions
1. How does Zeus convey his message to Agamemnon?
2. What is Zeus’ message, and can it be trusted?
3. How does Agamemnon test the warriors?
4. Do the warriors pass the test?
5. Which goddesses help to turn the army back to the fight?
6. What is the sign that Odysseus takes as proof of impending victory?
7. Who is the one warrior who refuses to listen to Odysseus, and what is his argument?
8. How does Odysseus react to Thersites?
9. Why does the narrator include a list of the armies with their leaders and ships?
10. How do the Trojans find out about the Achaian attack?
Answers
1. Zeus sends Dream in the form of Nestor to convey his message to
Agamemnon.
2. Zeus tells Agamemnon that the Achaians will be victorious against the Trojans. His advice cannot be trusted, because Zeus is helping Achilleus get revenge against Agamemnon.
3. Agamemnon tests the warriors by telling them to give up and go back home.
4. The warriors fail the test, jumping immediately at the opportunity to go home.
5. Hera sends Athene down among the troops to encourage them to fight.
6. The sign Odysseus uses to convince the armies is that of a snake devouring eight baby sparrows and their mother, and then being turned to stone. He tells them this indicates nine years of fighting and then victory.
7. The warrior who dissents is Thersites, and he argues that Agamemnon is fighting only for selfish reasons of personal glory.
8. Odysseus rebukes Thersites verbally, and then beats him with Agamemnon’s scepter.
9. The catalog of armies is given to impress the listener with the size of the forces, and also to give some background information on the leaders.
10. Zeus sends the goddess Iris to the Trojans to warn them of the Achaian attack.
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