Of whose fate does Menelaus NOT learn from Proteus (the old man in the sea)?

Question

Of whose fate does Menelaus NOT learn from Proteus (the old man in the sea)?

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

First, let’s restate the question and the given options to set the stage for evaluation.
Question: Of whose fate does Menelaus NOT learn from Proteus (the old man in the sea)?
Options: Agamemnon, Achilles, Odysseus, Lesser Ajax, His own
Now, examine each option in turn and explain why it is or isn’t what Proteus reveals to Menelaus.
Option 1: Agamemnon. In the Proteus episode, Menelaus learns about several fates, including Agamemnon’s, whose death and afterlife tribulations are recounted as part of the wider feedback Proteus gives about heroes’ fates. Therefore, this option aligns with what Proteus conveys and is not the correct counterexample.
Option 2: Achilles. While Achilles’s fate looms large in Greek myth, the Proteus episode in the Odyssey focuses on the fates of heroes present or recently passed in the broader mythic tapestry—Agamemnon, Ajax, Odysseus—and the fate of Menelaus himself. Achilles’s fate is not explicitly narrated by Proteus to Menelaus in this scene, making this a plausible candidate for the correct answer.
Option 3: Odysseus. Odysseus’s fate is indeed discussed within Proteus’s revelations to Menelaus, as part of the chain of heroic destinies recounted by the old shapeshifter. Hence, this option is not the correct choice for the thing Menelaus does not learn.
Option 4: Lesser Ajax. The lesser Ajax’s fate is touched upon in this mythic circuit of prophecies and recountings; Proteus relays the destinies of various heroes, including Ajax, to Menelaus. This makes this option also inconsistent with the idea of a missing fate.
Option 5: His own. Proteus also explains future and past fortunes to Menelaus about his own status and fate, so this option cannot be the correct one for a fate that Menelaus does not learn.
In summary, the only option that plausibly represents a fate not conveyed by Proteus to Menelaus in this sequence is Achilles, given that his specific fate isn’t narrated by Proteus in the scene described, whereas the others are covered in some form or tied to the broader mythic conversations. The reasoning hinges on distinguishing which heroic fates Proteus communicates in this encounter, and recognizing that Achilles’s fate is not the focus of Proteus’s revelations to Menelaus in this particular passage.

CLA 010Y 001 SQ 2025 Odyssey (Underworld) Quiz

Of whose fate does Menelaus NOT learn from Proteus (the old man in the sea)?

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

Penelope employs a clever trick to deceive the suitors who are trying to marry her. What is it?

How does Circe say Odysseus and his men should replenish their thumos?

Who solves the final problem at the end of the Odyssey?

Who is Argus?

What do the Sirens specifically claim to be able to sing about?

What is the primary focus of Book 24?

What do Medon and Phemius testify during the relatives’ assembly?

Who assists Odysseus in cleansing himself and enhancing his appearance before he meets Penelope?

More Practical Tools for International Students

Exam Browser Assistant

Stylized Writing Assistant

Plagiarism Checker Assistant

Citation Assistant

In-Class Translation Assistant

Class Notes Assistant

Quiz Search Assistant

Past Exam Questions by School

Smart Practice Assistant

Adaptive Practice

Making Your Study Simpler