The Odyssey Book 9 Study Questions

1. As Odysseus opens his tale of his adventures, who does he identify as the cause of his current wanderings?
2. How does the behavior of Odysseus’s men at Ismarus hinder their progress and cause the deaths of many?
3. Describe the role Odysseus’s men played in their fate with respect to the Lotus Eaters? 
4. How does the behavior of Odysseus’s men compare to Zeus’s description of men from Book 1?
5. What is the significance of the goatskin of wine given to Odysseus by Maron?
6. How does Odysseus describe the Cyclops’s society? 
7. What do you think the Cyclops represents as a mythical character? Consider that he has only one eye. What do you think this represents? 
8. Describe the wisdom and cunning of Odysseus in his escape from the Cyclops. 
9. Odysseus’s boastful pride in his escape results in a change in the course of his journey home. Describe his actions and how they doomed Odysseus and his men to years of hardship.