Read the excerpt from The Odyssey about Odysseus and his son in battle.
Telemachus swerved around him, leaving the long dark spear planted in Amphinomus. If he paused to yank it out someone might jump him from behind or cut him down with
a sword
at the moment he bent over. So he ran—ran from the tables to his father's side and halted, panting, saying:
"Father let me bring you a shield and spear,
a pair of spears, a helmet.
I can arm on the run myself; I'll give
outfits to Eumaeus and this cowherd.
Better to have equipment."
How do Telemachus’s actions in battle compare to his father’s?
Telemachus is more impulsive than Odysseus in battle.
Telemachus is more hesitant than Odysseus in battle.
Both Telemachus and Odysseus are quick-thinking in battle.
Both Telemachus and Odysseus are arrogant in battle.
Telemachus is more hesitant than Odysseus in battle.
Telemachus’s actions in battle compared to his father’s show that Telemachus is more impulsive than Odysseus. Unlike his father, who strategically plans his actions, Telemachus swerves around his opponent, leaving his spear in him and runs to his father's side without retrieving it. This impulsive action shows that Telemachus acts on instinct and does not think through the consequences of his actions, unlike Odysseus who carefully plans his moves. Therefore, the correct answer is: Telemachus is more impulsive than Odysseus in battle.
To determine how Telemachus's actions in battle compare to his father Odysseus, let's analyze the given excerpt from The Odyssey.
In the excerpt, Telemachus demonstrates quick thinking and decisive action in battle. When he throws his spear at Amphinomus and it becomes stuck, instead of wasting time trying to retrieve it, he immediately recognizes the danger of being vulnerable and chooses to leave it behind. He makes a swift decision to run to his father's side, realizing that assisting his father is more important at that moment.
On the other hand, Odysseus's actions are not described in this specific excerpt, so we cannot directly compare them. However, based on what we know about Odysseus from other parts of the story, he is typically portrayed as a strategic and cunning warrior. Odysseus often devises clever plans and demonstrates patience and caution in his actions.
Therefore, from the information provided, we can conclude that Telemachus's actions in battle, as depicted in this excerpt, show him to be more impulsive than Odysseus. While Odysseus would likely have considered all his options and planned his moves carefully, Telemachus acts quickly without thinking about the potential consequences.