. Describe the role of Apollo as he appears throughout Greek mythology, but especially as he is portrayed in Homer’s Iliad. What does he usually represent in Greek mythology? How is he benevolent? How is he malevolent? What distinguishes Apollo from the other gods in the Greek pantheon?
2. What is the Greek attitude toward fate? How do Homer and Sophocles understand and depict fate? Which of their characters have a mature attitude toward fate? Which characters have an immature attitude? How do characters learn to properly interact with fate?
3. How do the Greeks and Romans understand death and the Underworld, according to the Homeric depiction in the Odyssey, and the other myths we’ve studied? What does the afterlife look like? Is it enjoyable?
4. How do mortals and immortals interact in the Homeric epics, and throughout Greek mythology? Are the gods trustworthy? Can they be manipulated, and, if so, how? How does this contrast with the Israelites’ relationship to their God?
5. How do the Greeks understand their own mythic tradition? Why do they write myths? What is the role of the myth in their culture? How is that apparent in the epics of Homer? How does this relate to the theme of Memory in The Odyssey?
6. How are Penelope and Athena positive exemplars for female behavior in The Odyssey? How do they compare to the women and goddesses of The Iliad? Should these examples be held up today for contemporary women? Why or why not?
