Question

In the epic poem "Odysseus Tale," Tiresias tells Odysseus he can only return home when he shows "denial of yourself, restraint of your shipmates." What kinds of behaviors does Odysseus have to eliminate if he wants to get back to Ithaca?

a) Greed and excessive curiosity
b) Lack of leadership and discipline
c) Cowardice and laziness
d) Disloyalty and dishonesty

Odysseus is still obsessed with knowing more about the world. He needs to hear the siren song just like he needed to explore the cyclops' cave. What is different about how he approaches each encounter that shows he might be showing some personal growth as a hero?

a) In the cyclops' cave, he was impulsive, but with the sirens, he exercises self-control.
b) In both encounters, he acts recklessly and without consideration for his crew.
c) He is consistent in his approach to both encounters, showing no personal growth.
d) He relies on the gods to save him from the consequences of his actions in both situations.

Answer 1

Odysseus needs to eliminate greed and excessive curiosity to get back to Ithaca. He shows personal growth as a hero by exercising self-control with the sirens.

Step-by-step explanation:

In order for Odysseus to return home to Ithaca, he needs to eliminate the behaviors of greed and excessive curiosity. Tiresias advises him to show denial of himself and restraint of his shipmates. These behaviors are exemplified by Odysseus' previous actions, such as his impulsive desire to explore the cyclops' cave and his obsession with hearing the siren song.

However, there is evidence of personal growth as a hero in how Odysseus approaches each encounter. In the cyclops' cave, he acts impulsively and without self-control. However, when faced with the sirens, Odysseus exercises self-control and resists their alluring song. This demonstrates that he is learning to resist temptation and exercise restraint.