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Even Odysseus quailed a little at this; but Athene rebuked him, and moments later the hall was filled with groaning, and all the floor swam with blood. Watching from the rafters in the guise of a swallow, the goddess amused herself by intervening occasionally in Odysseus’s behalf, deflecting a spear-thrust or a sword-blow. Panic settled in the wooers. One by one they fell before the bitter spears of Telemachus and Odysseus, and at last there was quiet. Odysseus looked about, and marked how all around the hall the bodies of the suitors lay heaped in their blood.
Satisfied, he summoned Penelope’s old nurse Eurycleia, stopping her cries of joy when she saw her master — “An unholy thing is it to boast over slain men” — and bade her clean the blood-soaked hall, and light a fire there. Then all in his household who had remained loyal to him came bearing torches, and he welcomed them kindly. All save one: for Penelope was in her bedchamber, and still did not know that her King had returned.
Précis
The suitors, well-armed and desperate, launch a frantic assault on Odysseus and Telemachus. With a little help from Athene, father and son take them down one-by-one, and silence falls in the gruesome hall. Odysseus then reveals himself to all his faithful household; but as yet his queen, Penelope, knows nothing of his return from Troy. (55 / 60 words)
The suitors, well-armed and desperate, launch a frantic assault on Odysseus and Telemachus. With a little help from Athene, father and son take them down one-by-one, and silence falls in the gruesome hall. Odysseus then reveals himself to all his faithful household; but as yet his queen, Penelope, knows nothing of his return from Troy.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: besides, if, just, must, or, since, unless, who.
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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