Important Quotes
Ships and Men, The Ciconians, and The Lotus Eaters (Chapters 1-3)
"Ulysses' problem was made worse by victory. When This quote shows the readers how the Spartans' greed is literally
Troy was sacked... could carry food and water for weighing them down.
a very few days." (pg. 2)
"But while the looting festival was going on, the men It surprised our entire team that the Ciconians would even stand up to
of the city had withdrawn... and began preparing for great Persian crew.
battle." (pg. 6)
"Here it is Morpheus. Black and purple like sleep, This names and describes the famous flower that will give Ulysses and
with one petal fire-red for dreams. We call it Lotus." his men so much trouble.
-Persephone (pg. 11)
"Ulysses' problem was made worse by victory. When This quote shows the readers how the Spartans' greed is literally
Troy was sacked... could carry food and water for weighing them down.
a very few days." (pg. 2)
"But while the looting festival was going on, the men It surprised our entire team that the Ciconians would even stand up to
of the city had withdrawn... and began preparing for great Persian crew.
battle." (pg. 6)
"Here it is Morpheus. Black and purple like sleep, This names and describes the famous flower that will give Ulysses and
with one petal fire-red for dreams. We call it Lotus." his men so much trouble.
-Persephone (pg. 11)
The Cyclops' Cave (Chapter 4)
"For here lived the cyclopes, huge savage creatures, This sentence describes how fearsome and brutal the cyclopes are
tall as trees, each one with an eye in the middle of its while introducing Ulysses' enemy for the chapter.
forehead." (pg. 17)
"It's [wine] very good" -Polyphemus (pg. 21) Our team found this quote quite interesting. One member of our team
thought it was odd that Polyphemus started out feasting on the crew
and is now complimenting their wine. On the other hand, another
member team found it interesting that Polyphemus would trust
Ulysses and even taste the wine at all.
"Nobody. Nobody did it. Nobody blinded me." -Polyphemus All the members of our team found this quote very humorous. What
(pg. 25) makes this quote important is the fact that Ulysses did not only blind
Polyphemus but he also embarrassed him. This later comes back to hurt
Ulysses.
"For here lived the cyclopes, huge savage creatures, This sentence describes how fearsome and brutal the cyclopes are
tall as trees, each one with an eye in the middle of its while introducing Ulysses' enemy for the chapter.
forehead." (pg. 17)
"It's [wine] very good" -Polyphemus (pg. 21) Our team found this quote quite interesting. One member of our team
thought it was odd that Polyphemus started out feasting on the crew
and is now complimenting their wine. On the other hand, another
member team found it interesting that Polyphemus would trust
Ulysses and even taste the wine at all.
"Nobody. Nobody did it. Nobody blinded me." -Polyphemus All the members of our team found this quote very humorous. What
(pg. 25) makes this quote important is the fact that Ulysses did not only blind
Polyphemus but he also embarrassed him. This later comes back to hurt
Ulysses.
Keeper of the Winds and Cannibal Beach (Chapters 5-6)
"At the end of the third night, just as the first light This description left our whole team wondering what the wall could be.
was staining the sky... a wall of bronze. Tall and
wide, floating on the sea and blocking their way."
(pg. 28)
"... mighty heroes, and in modesty, I was not the least This is an example of Ulysses' legacy but also shows off his boldness.
among them." -Ulysses (pg. 31)
"Inspired by the sight of him [Ulysses] fencing with This is similar to many things in life where when one person does
the... around and made a hedge of steel." (pg. 46) something well, it inspires others.
"It was a giant's leg that he had been climbing, and the We had always had a funny feeling about the cloth-like bark. One
clothlike bark was cloth indeed, the stuff of its garment." member of our team even suggested that it wasn't a tree at all.
(pg. 44)
"At the end of the third night, just as the first light This description left our whole team wondering what the wall could be.
was staining the sky... a wall of bronze. Tall and
wide, floating on the sea and blocking their way."
(pg. 28)
"... mighty heroes, and in modesty, I was not the least This is an example of Ulysses' legacy but also shows off his boldness.
among them." -Ulysses (pg. 31)
"Inspired by the sight of him [Ulysses] fencing with This is similar to many things in life where when one person does
the... around and made a hedge of steel." (pg. 46) something well, it inspires others.
"It was a giant's leg that he had been climbing, and the We had always had a funny feeling about the cloth-like bark. One
clothlike bark was cloth indeed, the stuff of its garment." member of our team even suggested that it wasn't a tree at all.
(pg. 44)
Circe (Chapter 7)
"I shall go ashore myself alone to see... whether to This quote shows how willing Ulysses is to risk his own life for his men.
seek food here or to sail onward. Farewell." -Ulysses
(pg. 48)
"He [tall white deer] was a huge animal, so large that This shows that Ulysses does not work for himself, but for those
Ulysses feared he could not carry him back to the ship who depend on him.
unaided. But then he remembered how hungry his men
were and decided to try." (pg. 49)
"O Ulysses. I am sick of the sight of the sea... Pray This plea shows us how incomprehensible the sea conditions
gentle Ulysses, let me and my men try the castle." were throughout the journey.
-Eurylochus (pg. 53)
"I shall go ashore myself alone to see... whether to This quote shows how willing Ulysses is to risk his own life for his men.
seek food here or to sail onward. Farewell." -Ulysses
(pg. 48)
"He [tall white deer] was a huge animal, so large that This shows that Ulysses does not work for himself, but for those
Ulysses feared he could not carry him back to the ship who depend on him.
unaided. But then he remembered how hungry his men
were and decided to try." (pg. 49)
"O Ulysses. I am sick of the sight of the sea... Pray This plea shows us how incomprehensible the sea conditions
gentle Ulysses, let me and my men try the castle." were throughout the journey.
-Eurylochus (pg. 53)
Land of the Dead and Wandering Rocks (Chapters 8-9)
"He [Teiresias] drank until the trench was empty and the How can the ghosts have bladders if they are made of mist?
misty bladder of his body was faintly pink." (pg. 80)
"He has murdered our shipmate. For he will murder us This represents the constant unrest among the crew.
all to gain his ends." -Crew Members (pg.74)
"Ajax and Achilles were always better at fighting. Why Ulysses is starting to have doubts.
should they be wiser now that they are dead?"
-Ulysses (pg. 83)
"He [Teiresias] drank until the trench was empty and the How can the ghosts have bladders if they are made of mist?
misty bladder of his body was faintly pink." (pg. 80)
"He has murdered our shipmate. For he will murder us This represents the constant unrest among the crew.
all to gain his ends." -Crew Members (pg.74)
"Ajax and Achilles were always better at fighting. Why Ulysses is starting to have doubts.
should they be wiser now that they are dead?"
-Ulysses (pg. 83)
The Sirens, and Scylla and Charybdis (Chapters 10-11)
"Thereupon, Ulysses took a large lump of the beeswax that Our entire team agreed that this was an incredibly clever idea.
was used by... tightly that they could hear nothing but the
pulsing of their own blood." (pg. 87)
"I will make her [Scylla] the most hideous female that This shows that gods can get just as jealous as humans.
man or god ever fled from!" -Amphitrite (pg. 93)
"For, there is no contending with the whirlpool... it must be This is a good example of a "bad vs. worst" situation.
toward the other monster. I can fight an enemy I can see.
-Ulysses (pg. 94)
"Thereupon, Ulysses took a large lump of the beeswax that Our entire team agreed that this was an incredibly clever idea.
was used by... tightly that they could hear nothing but the
pulsing of their own blood." (pg. 87)
"I will make her [Scylla] the most hideous female that This shows that gods can get just as jealous as humans.
man or god ever fled from!" -Amphitrite (pg. 93)
"For, there is no contending with the whirlpool... it must be This is a good example of a "bad vs. worst" situation.
toward the other monster. I can fight an enemy I can see.
-Ulysses (pg. 94)
The Cattle of the Sun and Calypso (Chapters 12-13)
"For thirty days, the strong south wind blew. Keeping them Our team was wondering if this was Poseidon's doing, or just nature.
[Spartans] beached." (pg. 99)
"Time, you [Ulysses] see, is a little arrangement man has This was an interesting statement that really got our team thinking.
made for himself to try to measure the immeasurable
mystery of life." -Calypso (pg. 109)
"O great gods of Olympus, thunder-wielding Zeus and wise Ulysses is finally acknowledging the gods and their power.
Athene... do not wish to live. Allow me to go home or kill me
on the spot." -Ulysses (pg. 120)
"For thirty days, the strong south wind blew. Keeping them Our team was wondering if this was Poseidon's doing, or just nature.
[Spartans] beached." (pg. 99)
"Time, you [Ulysses] see, is a little arrangement man has This was an interesting statement that really got our team thinking.
made for himself to try to measure the immeasurable
mystery of life." -Calypso (pg. 109)
"O great gods of Olympus, thunder-wielding Zeus and wise Ulysses is finally acknowledging the gods and their power.
Athene... do not wish to live. Allow me to go home or kill me
on the spot." -Ulysses (pg. 120)
Ino's Veil, and Nausicaa (Chapters 14-15)
""Who are you?" said Nausicaa. "An unlucky Ulysses has gone through so much trouble, that he has become
man." -Ulysses (pg. 134) who knows themselves as unlucky.
"It is said that Athene drugged Poseidon's cup at This shows that the gods do not always get along. Much like humans.
the feast of the gods." (pg. 145)
"Others say that she [Nausicaa] fell in love with a The blind poet sounds a lot like the Greek poet, Homer.
blind poet who... tapestry of song." (pg. 146)
""Who are you?" said Nausicaa. "An unlucky Ulysses has gone through so much trouble, that he has become
man." -Ulysses (pg. 134) who knows themselves as unlucky.
"It is said that Athene drugged Poseidon's cup at This shows that the gods do not always get along. Much like humans.
the feast of the gods." (pg. 145)
"Others say that she [Nausicaa] fell in love with a The blind poet sounds a lot like the Greek poet, Homer.
blind poet who... tapestry of song." (pg. 146)
The Return (Chapter 16)
"But at the word, "father", Ulysses could not endure This quote demonstrates the power of family.
any longer. The voice of the young man [Telemachus]
saying the word destroyed all his strategies. (pg. 153)
"Tomorrow? Two against a hundred? These are heavy This shows how near-impossible the battle against the suitors will be.
odds, even for Ulysses." -Telemachus (pg. 154)
"And Ulysses, seeing the blood of his son, lost the This quote makes Ulysses look almost inhuman.
battle coldness for which he was famous... like
some Titan in the War Gods, holding an enormous
slab of rock over his head." (pg. 172)
"But at the word, "father", Ulysses could not endure This quote demonstrates the power of family.
any longer. The voice of the young man [Telemachus]
saying the word destroyed all his strategies. (pg. 153)
"Tomorrow? Two against a hundred? These are heavy This shows how near-impossible the battle against the suitors will be.
odds, even for Ulysses." -Telemachus (pg. 154)
"And Ulysses, seeing the blood of his son, lost the This quote makes Ulysses look almost inhuman.
battle coldness for which he was famous... like
some Titan in the War Gods, holding an enormous
slab of rock over his head." (pg. 172)
Literary Devices
Ships and Men, The Ciconians, and The Lotus Eaters (Chapters 1-3)
"The sky cleared, the sea calmed, and a hot sun Sensory Detail
beat down." (pg. 12)
"The honey smell was invading him [Ulysses], Figurative Language (Personification)
making him drop with sleep." (pg. 15)
"He [Ulysses] hailed the other ships and gave Figurative Language (Simile)
orders... swooping down upon the city like
wolves upon a sheepfold." (pg. 5)
"The sky cleared, the sea calmed, and a hot sun Sensory Detail
beat down." (pg. 12)
"The honey smell was invading him [Ulysses], Figurative Language (Personification)
making him drop with sleep." (pg. 15)
"He [Ulysses] hailed the other ships and gave Figurative Language (Simile)
orders... swooping down upon the city like
wolves upon a sheepfold." (pg. 5)
Keeper of the Winds (Chapter 5)
"A hot orange moon rode low in the sky, and Figurative Language (Personification)
they [Spartans] could see without torches."
(pg. 33)
"He [Ulysses] was immediately lifted off his Figurative Language (Simile)
feet and blown like a leaf off the reads and
into the sea." (pg. 38)
"The winds screamed and jeered and laughed, Figurative Language (Personification)
growing... screeching around and around the
ship."
"A hot orange moon rode low in the sky, and Figurative Language (Personification)
they [Spartans] could see without torches."
(pg. 33)
"He [Ulysses] was immediately lifted off his Figurative Language (Simile)
feet and blown like a leaf off the reads and
into the sea." (pg. 38)
"The winds screamed and jeered and laughed, Figurative Language (Personification)
growing... screeching around and around the
ship."
Cannibal Beach (Chapter 6)
"For night followed day upon this island like Figurative Language (Simile)
a hound hunting a deer." (pg. 42)
"The sun chased the moon across the bowl Figurative Language (Personification)
of the sky..." (pg. 42)
"The sky shed its gold; shadows yawned Figurative Language (Personification)
and swallowed the light" (pg. 43)
"For night followed day upon this island like Figurative Language (Simile)
a hound hunting a deer." (pg. 42)
"The sun chased the moon across the bowl Figurative Language (Personification)
of the sky..." (pg. 42)
"The sky shed its gold; shadows yawned Figurative Language (Personification)
and swallowed the light" (pg. 43)
The Sirens (Chapter 10)
"Tie me tightly as though I were a dangerous Figurative Language (Simile)
captive." -Ulysses (pg. 87)
"Again, he [Ulysses] was aflame with fury Figurative Language (Hyperbole)
and desire." (pg. 89)
"The Sirens' voices sounded fainter and Figurative Language (Personification)
fainter and finally died away." (pg. 90)
"Tie me tightly as though I were a dangerous Figurative Language (Simile)
captive." -Ulysses (pg. 87)
"Again, he [Ulysses] was aflame with fury Figurative Language (Hyperbole)
and desire." (pg. 89)
"The Sirens' voices sounded fainter and Figurative Language (Personification)
fainter and finally died away." (pg. 90)
Scylla and Charybdis (Chapter 11)
"He [Ulysses] saw tentacles arching over him; Sensory Detail
they were like the arms of an octopus, but
ending in enormous human hands." (pg. 95)
"Thereupon she [Amphitrite] changed Scylla Sensory Detail
something that looked like a huge, fleshy spider
with twelve legs and six heads." (pg. 93)
"... a huge bladder of a creature [Charybdis] Sensory Detail
whose face was all mouth and whose hands
were flippers." (pg. 92)
"He [Ulysses] saw tentacles arching over him; Sensory Detail
they were like the arms of an octopus, but
ending in enormous human hands." (pg. 95)
"Thereupon she [Amphitrite] changed Scylla Sensory Detail
something that looked like a huge, fleshy spider
with twelve legs and six heads." (pg. 93)
"... a huge bladder of a creature [Charybdis] Sensory Detail
whose face was all mouth and whose hands
were flippers." (pg. 92)
The Return (Chapter 16)
"You do not Know them [suitors]. They are Figurative Language (Simile)
like wild beasts." -Eumaeus (pg. 151)
Ulysses, dozing by the fire, heard a wild clamor Sensory Detail
of hounds outside, then a ringing young voice
calling to them. He listened while the snarls turned
to yaps of pleasure. (pg. 152)
"Look at that. The old souse [Ulysses] has a Figurative Language (Simile)
head like a goat. -Eurymachus (pg. 158)
"You do not Know them [suitors]. They are Figurative Language (Simile)
like wild beasts." -Eumaeus (pg. 151)
Ulysses, dozing by the fire, heard a wild clamor Sensory Detail
of hounds outside, then a ringing young voice
calling to them. He listened while the snarls turned
to yaps of pleasure. (pg. 152)
"Look at that. The old souse [Ulysses] has a Figurative Language (Simile)
head like a goat. -Eurymachus (pg. 158)