Penelope went upstairs to her bedroom, and to a closet where she kept some of Odysseus’s treasures. She unlocked it with a key of ivory and gold, and tearfully drew from within a mighty bow, a gift from Iphitus, and still in its case. She carried it down to the hall, and after reproving the suitors for living so handsomely off her for so long, issued a challenge.
“I will set before you the great bow of Odysseus,” she declared, “and whosoever shall most easily string the bow in his hands and shoot a single arrow through a row of twelve axes,* with him will I go.“
Eagerly, each of the lordly wooers in turn attempted the feat, but none could so much as string the mighty bow, even after Antinous worked it with hot wool-fat to try to make the unyielding wood more supple. At last, Antinous diagnosed the problem. That day was a feast-day of Apollo, the god of archery; no wonder mortals could not perform feats of archery on such a day! They must lay the bow aside, make their humble offerings, and try again tomorrow.
But the travel-worn stranger was not willing to let it go at this.
* Apparently, when a young man Odysseus had amused himself by digging a trench like that dug when constructing a ship, and then arranging twelve axe-heads much as the blocks that support the keel. This allowed him to line himself up in front of the holes in which the axe-handles were normally fitted into the heads. He would then stand back and shoot an arrow through the whole line of them all at once, as through a tube.
Précis
Thinking her husband Odysseus dead, Penelope agreed to marry whoever could string Odysseus’s bow, and shoot an arrow through the handle-holes in twelve axe-heads. After stumbling at the first challenge, Ithaca’s noblemen had just decided that it was impious to attempt feats of archery on a feast of Apollo when the stranger in their midst asked to take his turn. (60 / 60 words)
Thinking her husband Odysseus dead, Penelope agreed to marry whoever could string Odysseus’s bow, and shoot an arrow through the handle-holes in twelve axe-heads. After stumbling at the first challenge, Ithaca’s noblemen had just decided that it was impious to attempt feats of archery on a feast of Apollo when the stranger in their midst asked to take his turn.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: besides, may, must, or, otherwise, since, whereas, whether.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
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