Question

Read this passage from The Odyssey:

From there we sailed on, glad to escape our death
yet sick at heart for the comrades we had lost.
But I would not let our rolling ships set sail until the crews
had raised the triple cry, saluting each poor comrade
cut down by the fierce Cicones on that plain.
What cultural value can be inferred from this passage?
A. The need to destroy enemies
B. The importance of honoring the dead
C. The power of a ship's captain
D. The value of survival

Answer 1

The answer would be B

Answer 2

Answer: B. The importance of honoring the dead.

In this passage, the importance of honoring the dead in Greek culture is clear. The narrator tells us that although they had escaped death, the sailors felt sad because of the people they had lost. Moreover, they believed it to be vital to honor them before setting sail. Therefore, the captain does not set sail "until the crews had raised the triple cry, saluting each poor comrade."