Introduction
Odysseus, King of the island of Ithaca in the Ionian Sea, is on his way home after many years away fighting in the Siege of Troy. He has had a little trouble with one-eyed Polyphemus, the Cyclops, and a few weeks rest with the odd but hospitable family of Aeolus is just what he needs.
AFTER his encounter with the Cyclops, Odysseus landed on the Aeolian Islands near Sicily. There, he was warmly welcomed by Aeolus himself, who enquired keenly about Odysseus’s experiences in the Siege of Troy. But after enjoying a month’s rest, it was time for Odysseus to think about going home to Ithaca.
Aeolus was most helpful. He took Odysseus aside and gave him a sack, sewn together from pieces of ox-hide, in which he had trapped the north, south and east winds (as he was entitled to do, for Zeus had made him Keeper of the winds).* That left a gentle west wind free to carry Odysseus’s ship back to Greece.
Ten days’ sailing later, Ithaca’s home fires were in sight when Odysseus, who had not taken his hand from the tiller in all that time, fell asleep. As soon as they saw him nod, his crew huddled together and began a whispered conference about the captain’s mysterious ox-hide sack, bound at the neck with silver thread.
Aeolus kept the Four Winds, it was said, in a cave on what is now the island of Stromboli, one of the eight Aeolian Islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea west of Italy, and let them out from time to time to blow freely over the earth.
Précis
In his ‘Odyssey’, Homer tells us how his hero came to the Aeolian Islands and was welcomed by Aeolus, keeper of the winds. When Odysseus left for Ithaca, his host gave him a sack in which all contrary winds were imprisoned, but Odysseus’s crew did not know what it contained, and when Odysseus fell asleep they decided to peep inside. (60 / 60 words)
In his ‘Odyssey’, Homer tells us how his hero came to the Aeolian Islands and was welcomed by Aeolus, keeper of the winds. When Odysseus left for Ithaca, his host gave him a sack in which all contrary winds were imprisoned, but Odysseus’s crew did not know what it contained, and when Odysseus fell asleep they decided to peep inside.
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, despite, must, or, otherwise, since, unless, 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.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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