Read the excerpt from Part 2 of The Odyssey. We cried aloud, lifting our hands to Zeus, powerless, looking on at this, appalled; but Cyclops went on filling up his belly with manflesh and great gulps of whey, then lay down like a mast among his sheep. Which statement best explains the simile in this excerpt? The Cyclops is compared to Zeus because of his size. The Cyclops is compared to Zeus because of his power. The Cyclops is compared to a mast, or flagpole, because of his surrender. The Cyclops is compared to a mast, or flagpole, because of his size.
The statement "The Cyclops is compared to a mast, or flagpole, because of his size" best explains the simile in this excerpt.
The statement that best explains the simile in this excerpt is: The Cyclops is compared to a mast, or flagpole, because of his size.
In order to determine the best explanation for the simile in this excerpt, let's first understand what a simile is. A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using "like" or "as."
In this case, the simile is "then lay down like a mast among his sheep." The comparison implies that the Cyclops' action of laying down resembled a mast among his sheep. To interpret the significance of this simile, we need to consider the characteristics of a mast.
A mast is a large upright pole on a ship that holds the sails. It is not related to surrender, but rather, it symbolizes stability, strength, and size. Therefore, it is more reasonable to conclude that the Cyclops is compared to a mast because of his size, indicating his massive and imposing presence.
Hence, the correct statement that best explains the simile in this excerpt would be: The Cyclops is compared to a mast, or flagpole, because of his size.