Memory Game Odyssey TermsOnline version This contains the literary terms from the Odyssey PowerPoint. by Brittany Bryant Hamartia More involved than a typical simile; authors use this technique to communicate a new concept to the audience. A long narrative poem, told in an elevated style, that chronicles heroic deeds A characterizing word or phrase occurring in place of the name of a person or thing. Hubris The central figure in a long narrative poem who possesses larger than life qualities, such as bravery, loyalty, and heroism. Epic Hero Reversal Epic Simile Xenia Epithet A character, action, or situation that is a pattern of human life, occurring over and over again. Invocation The Greek term for the Laws of Hospitality. The tragic flaw that leads to the tragic hero’s downfall. Arrogance or pride before the gods. A prayer or address made to the muses in which the poet asks for inspiration, skill, knowledge, or the appropriate mood to create a poem. Archetype Epic Occurs when the opposite of what the hero intends is what happens.