Locked Lessons

Home › Epics

Escape rooms on the Iliad, the Odyssey and the Aeneid

Self-checking escape rooms on the great epics, read in English translation: six on Homer's Iliad and six on the Odyssey, four books at a time, and six on Virgil's Aeneid, two books at a time. Every answer comes from the books, so each room checks reading as well as recall. They suit classical homeschoolers, literature and Classical Civilisation classes from about grade 7.

No logins and nothing to install: students open a link on any Chromebook, laptop or tablet. Try the first two locks of any room free.

The Iliad escape rooms

Six rooms, four books each.

The Quarrel: escape room on The Iliad, Books 1–4The Iliad · Books 1–4The QuarrelFree tasterThe Farewell: escape room on The Iliad, Books 5–8The Iliad · Books 5–8The FarewellFree tasterThe Embassy: escape room on The Iliad, Books 9–12The Iliad · Books 9–12The EmbassyFree tasterFire at the Ships: escape room on The Iliad, Books 13–16The Iliad · Books 13–16Fire at the ShipsFree tasterThe Fallen Friend: escape room on The Iliad, Books 17–20The Iliad · Books 17–20The Fallen FriendFree tasterThe Ransom: escape room on The Iliad, Books 21–24The Iliad · Books 21–24The RansomFree taster

The Odyssey escape rooms

Six rooms, four books each.

The Absent King: escape room on The Odyssey, Books 1–4The Odyssey · Books 1–4The Absent KingFree tasterWashed Ashore: escape room on The Odyssey, Books 5–8The Odyssey · Books 5–8Washed AshoreFree tasterTales of Wandering: escape room on The Odyssey, Books 9–12The Odyssey · Books 9–12Tales of WanderingFree tasterHome in Disguise: escape room on The Odyssey, Books 13–16The Odyssey · Books 13–16Home in DisguiseFree tasterThe Beggar at the Door: escape room on The Odyssey, Books 17–20The Odyssey · Books 17–20The Beggar at the DoorFree tasterThe Last Contest: escape room on The Odyssey, Books 21–24The Odyssey · Books 21–24The Last ContestFree taster

The Aeneid escape rooms

Six rooms, two books each.

The Burning City: escape room on The Aeneid, Books 1–2The Aeneid · Books 1–2The Burning CityFree tasterLove and Exile: escape room on The Aeneid, Books 3–4The Aeneid · Books 3–4Love and ExileFree tasterGames and Ghosts: escape room on The Aeneid, Books 5–6The Aeneid · Books 5–6Games and GhostsFree tasterThe Fury Wakes: escape room on The Aeneid, Books 7–8The Aeneid · Books 7–8The Fury WakesFree tasterThe Camp Besieged: escape room on The Aeneid, Books 9–10The Aeneid · Books 9–10The Camp BesiegedFree tasterThe Last Duel: escape room on The Aeneid, Books 11–12The Aeneid · Books 11–12The Last DuelFree taster

For teachers

Each room covers four (or, for the Aeneid, two) books, and every answer comes from them, so it checks reading as well as recall. The seven locks:

  1. Crossword — ten names, places and things from the books, with clues from the story.
  2. Scrambled names — unscramble seven names, with a clue for each.
  3. Secret message — decode a shift-three cipher and answer the riddle it asks.
  4. Who's who — match eight characters to what they do in these books.
  5. Make the pairs — complete four pairs (father and son, host and guest…) from a set of cards.
  6. Odd one out — six rows on people, gods and events: find the one that does not belong.
  7. The last lock — choose two of the words earned in locks 1–6 to answer the final clue.

Most students take 30 to 45 minutes. They can work alone or in pairs on any device with a browser, or you can project the room and solve it together. Every answer checks itself, and progress is saved in the browser, so a room can be split across two sessions. The rooms work with any English translation, and suit classical homeschoolers, literature and Classical Civilisation classes from about grade 7.

Questions

Which translation do the rooms use?

Any. The rooms ask about people, places and events rather than a translator's wording, so they work with Lattimore, Fagles, Fitzgerald, Lombardo, Wilson, Ruden, Bartsch or any other English translation.

How much of the poem does each room cover?

Each Iliad and Odyssey room covers four books (Books 1–4, 5–8 and so on), and each Aeneid room covers two books, so there are six rooms for each poem.

Who are the epic escape rooms for?

Students reading the poems in English from about grade 7 up: classical homeschoolers, high school literature classes and Classical Civilisation courses. They make a good check after each section, or review before an exam or essay.

Do students need accounts?

No. Students open a link on any Chromebook, laptop or tablet. There is nothing to install, and progress is saved in the browser so a room can be finished another day.