Spelling & word Definition Use in context (how you can use the word)

class
WEEK 1
deities (n) Gods or goddess There are many deities in Greek mythology. Zeus
(deity) is the most important deity.
attributed (v) To credit a work (book etc.) to a person The writing of The Iliad and The Odyssey are
attributed to Homer.
accomplished Highly trained or skilled in something The poems are written by an accomplished bard.
(adj)
bard (n) A poet, usually one who recited their work. Bards performed their own work to an audience.
scholar (n) A specialist who studies a particular subject Many scholars have studied Homer.
oral poetry Poetry that is usually spoken and not written The poem probably comes from the tradition of
down oral poetry.
tradition (n) Beliefs and ways of doing things, passed on
down the generations.
credited (v) To agree that someone/something has had a Homer is credited with having written both epic
role in something. poems.
speculation (n) To think something may be true but without There is some speculation about whether or not
having evidence for it. Shakespeare wrote all of his plays.
the Homeric Whether it was actually Homer who wrote The Homeric question is the question of whether
question The Odyssey. or not Homer wrote the poems.
WEEK 2
derives (v) To obtain (get) something from a source The word mentor derives from the Greek name
(person or thing) Mentes.
rhapsode (n) A person who recites Greek epic poems A rhapsode performs songs for Odysseus and
Nestor.
verbally (adv) Through words (speaking) Stories were often shared verbally.
orally (adv) Through words (speaking) Stories were often shared orally.
accompany (v) To go with someone/something The reading of the poems was often
accompanied by music.
lyre (n) Stringed instrument (like a harp) The musical instrument was usually a lyre or a
harp.
recount (v) To tell someone a story of what has Rhapsodes recounted their stories to an
happened. audience.
epithet (n) A phrase used to describe something about a Odysseus is often called by the epithet ‘wise’ or
character ‘cunning’
motif (n) An image or idea that appears throughout a Disguise is a motif that is used throughout The
text Odyssey.
narrative (n & A spoken or written account of events: a The narrative is told from the first and the third
adj) story person.
WEEK 3
heroic (adj) Being brave or determined Defeating the cyclops is one of Odysseus’ heroic
deeds.
conventions (n) The things we expect from a genre (type) of A hero and his journey are both conventions of
literature epic poetry.
unity of plot One of Aristotle’s unities. A play/poem Both of Homer’s poems have unity of plot.
should have one action that it follows with
few other sub-plots
heroic meter The meter of epic poetry (dactylic In the original Greek, The Iliad and The Odyssey
hexameter) are written in heroic meter: dactylic hexameter.

YEAR 7 THE ODYSSEY: SPELLINGS AND DEFINITIONS

dactylic Lines of poetry made up of six dactyls. In the original Greek, both The Iliad and The
hexameter Odyssey are written in heroic meter: dactylic
hexameter.
fortitude (n) Courage in times of hardship or pain Odysseus shows great fortitude when he
journeys to the underworld.
thwart (v) To prevent someone from doing something Despite Poseidon’s attempts to thwart him,
Odysseus finally reaches home.
analepsis (n) A flash back in a story/narrative The poet uses analepsis to tell Odysseus’s story
of what happened to him before he arrives at
Scheira.
metrical feet Units of measurement in a line of poetry Hexameter means that the line of poetry is made
up of six metrical feet.
syllable (n) Units that make up the pronunciation A dactyl contains three syllables.
(saying) of a word (e -liz – a – beth has four E -liz – a – beth has four syllables.
syllables)
WEEK 4
prophet (n) A person who proclaims the will of God or a The Achaean army ask a prophet to tell them the
person who predicts what will happen in the cause of the plague.
future.
papyrus (n) Thin paper made from the stem of a plant Ancient poems were written on papyrus or
parchment (n) Thin paper made from animal skin parchment.
compensation Something, typically money, awarded to Agamemnon asked for one of their people to be
(n) someone in recognition of loss, suffering, or returned as compensation for giving back the
injury. priest’s daughter.
reluctantly (av) In an unwilling and hesitant way. He reluctantly agreed to the terms of the
agreement.
wrath (n) Extreme anger Poseidon is always angry and Odysseus
frequently tries to escape his wrath.
ravages (n) Destructive effects of something The ravages of the storm leave Odysseus and his
men exhausted.
enrage (v) To make someone very angry Polyphemus is enraged when he finds out that
the men who blinded him have escaped.
concluded (v) To finish When he concluded his story, Odysseus was
exhausted.
plunge (v) To push, thrust, jump or dive energetically The soldiers plunged bravely into battle.
WEEK 5
intervention (n) To get involved in something to solve it Athena’s intervention often saves Odysseus from
peril.
plea (n) Beg Odysseus listens to the pleas of his men and lets
them rest.
ultimately (adv) Finally Ultimately, Odysseus returns home, as Zeus said
he would.
prolong (v) To draw something out for longer than The voyage is prolonged by seven years on
needed. Calypso’s island.
slaughter Murder Polyphemus slaughters number of Odysseus’s
(n & v) men.
reconcile (v) To make up (after an argument) Odysseus’s never reconciles himself to the fact
that he may never reach home.
plains (n) Large area of flat land Huge fields of land: plains, stretch before the
men.

YEAR 7 THE ODYSSEY: SPELLINGS AND DEFINITIONS

elaborate (adj) Detailed/decorated The men are treated to an elaborate feast.
entreaty (n) A plea/request Calypso’s entreaty does not work as Odysseus
still wants to return home.
ransom A sum of money demanded or paid for the Priam is sent to ransom Hector’s body so that it
release of a captive can receive a proper burial.
WEEK 6
truce (n) An agreement to stop fighting/arguing After years of fighting, a truce was finally
declared.
profound (adj) Something intense or very great His experiences had a profound experience on
him.
nostalgia (n) Feeling of longing for a time in the past Seeing pictures of her old home, filled the girl
with nostalgia.
ubiquitous (adj) Everywhere/very common The internet is now ubiquitous; it is in nearly
every home.
perpetrators (n) Those responsible for carrying something out The perpetrators of the crime were caught and
(often a crime) punished.
victims (n) A person harmed as the result of a crime Odysseus’ men became the victims of Scylla.
accurate (adj) Correct We don’t know how much of The Iliad is accurate
or how much is fiction.
minority (n) A smaller number of people/things (less than In the land of the cyclopes, small men are in the
the whole minority.
archaeological Study of history through digging up ancient Archaeological digs have found evidence of
(adj) sites Greek culture.
plausible (adj) Believable He believed because her story seemed plausible.
WEEK 7
conflict (n) Argument, war The abduction of Helen was the cause of the
conflict.

Muses (pn) Goddesses of the arts and sciences Bards call to the Muses for the inspiration for
their poems.
inspiration (n) Feeling encouraged to do something

divine (adj) Of, or like a god Athena’s divine intervention often helps
Odysseus out of trouble.
invocation (n) An appeal to someone/something for The Odyssey begins with an invocation to the
help/inspiration goddess of memory.
recitation (n) Something read aloud (usually from Bards’ recitations would have been from
memory) memory.
engaged (v) To capture someone’s interest/entertain The audience would have been engaged by the
them. adventurous stories.
foreshadow (v) A warning or indicator of something that will The lion he sees a picture of in a book
happen later on foreshadows the lion which kills him at the end
of the story.
discerning (adj) Having or showing good judgement He was a discerning king.
odious (adj) Extremely unpleasant; repulsive. Some gods thought Odysseus was odious.
WEEK 8
burnished (adj) Highly polished/bright He is the colour of burnished gold.
rebuke (v) To tell off Odysseus rebukes his men for disobeying his
orders.
courtesy (n) Politeness/manners Courtesy was very important in Greek society.

YEAR 7 THE ODYSSEY: SPELLINGS AND DEFINITIONS

mortal (n) Something that will eventually die The gods sometimes assist the mortals.
confide (v) To tell someone a secret and trust them not Telemachus confides in Athena by telling her his
to tell anyone else feelings about his father.
melancholy (n Sadness Telemachus’ mood is melancholy as he thinks
& adj) about his absent father
Descend (v) To go down into a place. Odysseus and his crew descend into the
underworld.
chide (v) To tell off The teacher chided the child for being late to
lesson
tribulation (n) A cause of great trouble or suffering Odysseus suffered many tribulations during his
journey.
perish (v) To suffer complete ruin; to die suddenly Many men perished at Troy.
WEEK 9
glean (v) To gather something Odysseus tries to find out as much as he can by
gleaning information from Tiresias.
ambush (v & n) A surprise attack by people hiding The suitors plan to hide and ambush Telemachus.
trait (n) A particular characteristic (thing) about a One of Odysseus’ traits is his determination to
person carry on, whatever life throws his way.
italicise (v) To put section of text in italics. The poet italicises section of the poem that are
very descriptive.
allude (v) To call attention to something He always liked to allude to his past.
numerous (adj) Many/ a lot of The crew have numerous dangerous adventures.
disembark (v) To get down from (ship and train) The men disembark the ship and explore the
island.
envelop (v) To cover/surround something The ship is enveloped by fog

reconnaissance Military word for looking for an Odysseus sends his men on a reconnaissance
(n) enemy/finding out what is in an area mission to see what is on the island.
Inconsolable Unable to be comforted in grief Penelope is inconsolable when she thinks she
(adj) might lose her son too.
WEEK 10
lavish (adj &v) To give a lot of something (v) They lavished praise on him.

Something rich/luxurious The crew thing that there are lavish presents in
the bag.
devour (v) To eat (greedily and quickly) Polyphemus devours several of Odysseus’ crew.
convey (v) To show/describe something about The poet conveys Telemachus’ grief through the
someone/something description of him crying.
evince (v) To reveal/show something Odysseus’ story evinces sympathy from the king.
portray (v) To show/describe Achilles is portrayed as an unhappy hero.
deceitful (adj) Deceiving others Circe is deceitful when she tries to trick
Odysseus.
encounter To experience something (difficult or The crew encounter many strange creatures.
(v & n) unpleasant)
traumatic (adj) Deeply disturbing or distressing The terrible encounter with Scylla is traumatic for
the crew.
recuperate (v) To recover Odysseus and his men are exhausted and
recuperate on the island.
peril (n) Great danger Odysseus’ life is frequently in peril.

YEAR 7 THE ODYSSEY: SPELLINGS AND DEFINITIONS