Famous Men of Greece · Ch. IX, part 2 · Unit 3: The Trojan War and Ulysses
13. The Adventures of Ulysses (II): the bag of winds, Circe and the Sirens
Goal: Your child can retell the adventures of the bag of winds, Circe's palace and the Sirens.
You'll need
- A notebook or paper and colored pencils
- The voyage map from last time
What's in the book
Section II: Aeolus ties up the winds in a bag, but the crew opens it. Giants smash all but one ship. Circe turns the men into hogs; Mercury gives Ulysses the plant moly, and he makes Circe change them back. Following her advice, the men stop their ears with wax and tie Ulysses to the mast to pass the Sirens.
The lesson, step by step
Warm up
Ask your child to tell the Cyclops story in one minute.
Read the chapter together
Read pages 97–102 aloud, or let your child read and help with the hard names. Read section II, from the island of Aeolus to the Sirens.
Narration
Close the book. Ask your child to tell the story back in their own words, from the beginning. Don't correct as they go; just listen. If they get stuck, use a prompt:
- What was in the leather bag, and why did the crew open it?
- Why was Eurylochus careful at Circe's palace?
- How did the moly protect Ulysses?
- How did Ulysses hear the Sirens and still stay safe?
Talk it over
Ask:
1. What went wrong when the crew opened the wind bag? What were they hoping to find?
2. Why did Eurylochus refuse to eat?
3. Ulysses wanted to hear the Sirens but knew he would not be able to resist. What did he do about it? Can you think of a time you made a plan to stop yourself doing something foolish?
Remember it
"To sail by the Sirens' Isle safely," said Circe, "let the men fill their ears with wax and lash you to the mast when the ship draws near to the Isle."
"Loose me!" Ulysses cried to his sailors. "Loose me. I must go nearer that music!"
Add to the map
Add the island of Aeolus, the giants, Circe's island and the Sirens' Isle to the voyage map, each with a tiny drawing.
Afterwards
Your child narrates the Sirens story at dinner, with someone playing Ulysses tied to a chair (gently!).
Answers to the book's problems
1. The winds escaped and blew the ships back to Aeolus. They hoped to find money. 2. The fierce animals acted like playful puppies, so he guessed the palace belonged to a wizard or witch. 3. He had his men tie him to the mast and stop their own ears with wax. (Your child's own example.)
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.