Wacky Wordsmith

Name: Alvaro Arcilla

Text: Odyssey of Homer
Date: 08/1/10
Books: Odyssey of Homer

Wacky Wordsmith: As the author of the two most famous epics in ancient Greek
literature, Homer helped define the Western World's vocabulary landscape. Your
task is to look for at least TEN WONDER WORDS, important words or phrases in
the text which you deem crucial to the text. If you find words that are puzzling or
unfamiliar, list them down in the second table, “NEW TO MY VOCABULARY”.
Record the meaning that you came up with and indicate its significance. Include
words that you consider significant or crucial to the text. When your circle meets,
discuss the words, the reason(s) why you think they are Wonder Words, and how
you came up with their meaning. Ask them to suggest additional Wonder Words
to your list.

“WONDER WORDS” Book # Definition and

Significance
Stratagem Book 3 Line 119
a plan or scheme,
used to outwit an
opponent; used
showing that even
though people
would try to form a
stratagem,
Odysseus can't be
beaten

Book 3 Line 218

Deign do something that
one considers to be
beneath one's
dignity; wishing
Athena would care
for Telemachos

Book 3 Line 144 a great public

Hecatombs sacrifice; try to
 please the gods
before going out to
sea most especially
the Gray-eyed one

Ruinous Book 3 Line 135

disastrous or
destructive; used
showing Athena as
an angry and hot-
tempered goddess

Book 3 Line 341

Libation
a drink poured out
as on offering to a
deity; paying
homage to Athena
as she departed
from Nestors' place

“NEW TO MY Book # Definition and

VOCABULARY” Significance
Portico Book 3 Line 399 A side building with
 columns for support

Book 4 Line 124 wary or unwilling to

circumspect take risks

Book 4 Line 321

rapacity aggressively or
grasping

Book 2 Line 76
recompense make amends for a
loss of something;

Book 3 Line 346

forfend keep away or avert