Question

Read the passage from The Odyssey - Elpenor.

By night
our ship ran onward toward the Ocean's bourne,
the realm and region of the Men of Winter,
hidden in mist and cloud. Never the flaming
eye of Helios lights on those men
at morning, when he climbs the sky of stars,
nor in descending earthward out of heaven;
ruinous night being rove over those wretches.

For Odysseus and his men, the loss of Helios, the sun, symbolizes a loss of

death.
fear.
hope.
power.

Answer 1

The correct answer should be Hope

Without the sun, their world becomes darkness both physically and spiritually.

Answer 2

For Odysseus and his men, the loss of Helios, the sun, symbolizes a loss of hope.

Tiresias had warned Odysseus about the cattle of Helios, the sun-god. He has warned Odysseus and his men not to disturb or harm the cattle as Harming them will lead to the death of each and everyone. Though Odysseus would remain alive and return home, but alone. He would lose all his men. On the other hand, Odysseus’ men killed the cattle and ate all of them. This instance led Odysseus and his men to think about the loss of hope of returning home.