The Odyssey, Concluded

1
The Odyssey, Concluded

• Art/CNE 430
• 9/16/04

2
Antikleia

• Odysseus asks his mother how she died, about his
  father and son, and about Penelope.
• She responds to his questions in reverse order,
  knowing perhaps he is most worried re what
  Penelope is up to the tale of her death, placed
  last, is more powerful. She died of grief for him.

3
Odysseus Learns What it is Like to be Dead

• In a scene that greatly influenced later Western
  literature, Odysseus tries to hug the shade of
  his mother
• Three times I started toward her, and my heart
  was urgent to hold her, and three times she
  fluttered out of my hands like a shadow or a
  dream, and the sorrow sharpened at the heart
  within me (205-208).

4
Parade of Famous Women

• Persephone sends the shades of the wives and
  daughters of princes for Odysseus to question (a
  mini-catalogue).
• We get a break, here the Phaiakians are
  astounded at Odysseus ability to tell a tale -
  he is a great aoidos. Although he says hed like
  to rest, they beg him to continue. They want to
  know if he met Trojan War heroes.

5
Trojan War Heroes

• Odysseus meets the psyche of Agamemnon, who,
  weeping and wailing, tries to embrace him.
• Agamemnon himself tells the tale of his own
  nostos. He tells Odysseus that a bad nostos will
  not happen to him, because of Penelopes virtue
  yet warns him to watch out, nevertheless.

6
The Shade of Achilles

• Achilles, together with his friends Patroklos,
  Antilochus and Aias, stops to speak with
  Odysseus.
• Odysseus tells him No man before has been more
  blessed than you, nor ever will be.
• Achilles responds shockingly.

7
Achilles Take on Death

• Never try to console me for dying. I would
  rather follow the plow as thrall to another man,
  one with no land allotted to him and not much to
  live on, than be a king over all the perished
  dead.

8
Achilles Worries

• Achilles expresses worry about his father and
  son.
• Odysseus tells Achilles that his son fought
  bravely and was alive when he left Troy. About
  Peleus, he knows nothing.
• Odysseus tries to make up with Aias, blaming
  their fight on Zeus, but Aias refuses to speak
  with him.

9
Tour of Famous Sinners

• Odysseus sees the punishments of men who offended
  against the gods.
• He also sees the image of Herakles (his mortal
  bits), who actually resides with the gods on
  Olympus.

10
Book 12 Female Monsters

• Odysseus returns to Circe, who tells him about
  the dangers that lie ahead and how to survive
  them.
• The Sirens represent the power of song and the
  danger/price of knowledge.

11
Odysseus Craves Knowledge

• Wanting to hear the Sirens song, Odysseus
  instructs his men to tie him to the mast, while
  they themselves have wax in their ears.
• To hear the Sirens usually means death.

12
Skylla Kharybdis

• These monsters have become part of our own
  cultural vocabulary, used to express the
  situation of being between a rock and a hard
  place.

13
Circes Warning

• Circe tells Odysseus that Kharybdis is death for
  all, but that Skylla will kill only six as the
  boat passes.
• Skylla and Kharybdis seem to be the mythological
  representation of the perilous straits of Messina
  between Italys boot Sicily.

14
Cattle of Helios

• Folktale motif of the violated prohibition.
  Helios hardly ever appears in myth, except as a
  witness to oaths. Perhaps Homer got this tale
  type from the Egyptians.
• Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor survives from
  the second millenium BC, in which a sailor lands
  on the island of Ra, the sun god.
• 350 cattle may stand for the roughly 350 days of
  the year.

15
Central Motifs

• Odysseus falls asleep in the hills as his men eat
  the cattle, just as he fell asleep on board the
  ship while his men opened the bag of winds.
• His men fear death by hunger when they are
  stranded on the island they kill and cook the
  cattle.
• Horrible omens the skins crawled, the meat
  bellowed. The men feast. When the wind stops,
  they set sail, only to be shipwrecked by a storm.

16
Odysseus Alone

• Surviving by clinging to the keel, Odysseus lands
  on Kalypsos island, where he is held for 7
  years.
• Odysseus finishes his tale, leaving his audience
  stricken with silence, held in thrall by the
  story.

17
Book 13

• The Phaiakians give Odysseus a wealth of gifts,
  making up for the lost Trojan booty.
• They give Odysseus magical transportation back to
  Ithaka he falls asleep onboard.
• They leave him asleep near a cave of the nymphs
  with his gifts, at dawn by an olive tree.
• As punishment, Poseidon turns the ship to stone
  just as it reenters the Phaiakian harbor. He
  forbids them from having any further interaction
  with the outside world.

18
Ithakan Geography

• Homer shows a good grasp of the lay of land in
  Ithaka
• He describes the harbor bounded by 2 steep
  headlands, and just off it a cave of the nymphs -
  this matches well the modern harbor of Vathy on
  eastern Ithaka.
• In another cave near the harbor, pieces of 13
  bronze tripods were found, which seem to have
  been set up on the late 9th c. BCE. In the 3rd c.
  we know the cave was a shrine to Odysseus.

19
Athene

• Odysseus meets Athene, disguised as a youth.
• Odysseus begins his lying tales, set in a
  post-heroic world, featuring everyday acts of
  treachery, murder, piracy, and commerce.
• Narrative patterns in the rest of the Odyssey
  disguises, recognitions, revelations, reunions.

20
Why does Athene love Odysseus?

• 13.287-310 330-344.
• Athene helps him hide the Phaiakian gifts and
  together they sit down to plot the suitors
  destruction.
• Athene uses her divine powers to make Odysseus
  look like a beggar before she leaves to fetch
  Telemachos from Sparta.

21
Book 14 Odysseus Eumaios

• In Book 13, we saw the reunion of Odysseus and
  Athene, and the disguise of Odysseus.
• Book 14 is all about the start of Odysseus
  testing of the Ithakans. Eumaios the swineherd is
  first.
• Is Eumaios a good host? What does Odysseus learn
  from him? What does Odysseus tell Eumaios, and
  how does Eumaios react to it?
• What object is Odysseus trying to get from
  Eumaios?

22
Book 15 The Return of Telemachos

• In Sparta, Athena tells Telemachos to go home. He
  receives gifts from Menelaos Helen.
• Telemachos co. encounter Theoklymenos the
  prophet who interprets a bloody bird omen
  favorably for Odysseus family (signs and
  portents). This episode draws attention to Ts
  growing maturity.

23
The Story of Eumaios the Slave

• Eumaios tells his story
• like Odysseus, he is a prince, son of the king
  of the island north of Circes island.
• A treacherous Phoenician woman, seduced by a
  Phoenician trader, stole Eumaios and some cups,
  sold him into slavery.
• Eumaios is like O. in being a noble reduced in
  social status, but the story is also reminiscent
  of Helen and Paris.

24
Book 16 Odysseus Telemachos

• Telemachos returns to Ithaka, but goes first to
  Eumaios to find out what has been happening at
  the palace with the suitors.
• Eumaios greets T. as a father would.
• Eumaios tells him Penelope has been faithful, but
  Telemachos remains doubtful.
• First revelation Odysseus reveals himself to
  Telemachos. How does T. react?

25
Odysseus Telemachos Plan

• Telemachos tells Odysseus about the suitors
  Odysseus tells Telemachos his plan for revenge.
• The plan
• Telemachos will return to the palace.
• Odysseus will follow as a beggar, will give T.
  the signal to take the suitors weapons when the
  time is right.

26
The Suitors Plan

• The suitors debate killing Telemachos upon his
  return to Ithaka Penelope comes down and
  reproaches them for it.

27
Book 17 Odysseus as Beggar

• The disguised Odysseus sets out for his palace,
  meets Melantheus (a household retainer who has
  betrayed him).
• Piece by piece Odysseus reassumes his former
  identity.

28
Recognition 1

• As Odysseus approaches the palace, he is in great
  danger, lest anyone recognize him.
• Old Argus (swifty), on the dungheap, recognizes
  the disguised Odysseus. Just when he is about to
  react, he dies. Odysseus is moved sheds a tear
  for his old hunting dog.

29
Argos Odysseus
30
Inside the Palace

• Welcomed, as is proper, Odysseus takes a place,
  crouching at the back of the main room against a
  pillar.
• The suitors spy him, and object. Antinous hits
  Odysseus with a footstool, an outrageous act.
  Odysseus tells the tale that he was once great,
  but now has fallen into ruin (like the suitors
  soon will!).

31
Penelope Reacts

• Upon hearing of the suitors new outrageous
  against xenia, she announces that she wishes to
  speak with this beggar.
• Whether or not, or when, Penelope recognizes her
  disguised husband is a matter of much debate.

32
Book 18 Battle of the Beggars

• A real beggar suddenly shows up to challnege
  Odysseus right to share the threshold a scene
  of mock-heroic warfare ensues.
• Odysseus nearly reveals himself as a hero (look
  at the description of his thighs) is careful not
  to be too powerful. Holds himself back knocks
  Iros out with one blow.
• Odysseus foretells his own return.

33
Book 18 Tempting of the Suitors

• At Athenes urging, Penelope appears (veiled) on
  the palace stairs, showing herself to the
  suitors.
• Suitor reaction Right away the knees of the
  suitors were loosened their hearts inflamed
  with sexual desire, they all prayed, each that
  he might lie beside her (212-213)

34
Penelopes Beauty
35
Odysseus Reaction

• Since Penelope uses the suitors desire to extort
  gifts on behalf of her beleaguered oikos,
  Odysseus approves this use of her sexuality.
• The suitors again mistreat the disguised
  Odysseus, spurred on by Athene.

36
Book 19 Odysseus Penelope

• Plot point Odysseus, at home, plots with Athene,
  gets help from Telemachos Eurykleia.
• Odysseus tells Telemachos to remove all the armor
  from the walls for cleaning.
• Penelope sits before the fire, Odysseus joins
  her. He tells her a lying tale, giving in it an
  account prophecy of Odysseus.

37
Penelopes Reaction

• How does Penelope react to the beggars tale?
• Odysseus agrees to a bath, asking for Eurykleia.

38
Odysseus Eurykleia

• Washing Odysseus leg, Eurykleia recognizes him
  by a scar.
• What does she try to do? How does he respond?

39
Penelopes Dream

• Penelope relates her dream to Odysseus. What was
  it about? How does he interpret it? (19.535-43)
• What does Penelope decide to do?

40
Book 20 Signs Portents

• Odysseus fumes at the behavior of the maids with
  the suitors, ponders murder.
• Athene appears, assures him of her support.
• Penelopes dream that Odysseus is beside her.
  She wishes for death so she could reunite with
  him.
• At dawn, Odysseus prays for portents.

41
Tension Builds

• Odysseus asks Zeus for an omen Zeus thunders
  (20.100).
• A mill woman wishes for the suitors death
  (110-119).
• The suitors plot to kill Telemachos, but a
  portent appears eagle from the left, carrying a
  pigeon. Amphinomos interprets it - their plan
  will fail.
• Theoklymenos interprets the miasma hanging over
  the suitors, and their behavior (345 ff).

42
Another Household Test

• At 20.186-225, Odysseus tests the cowherd
  Philoitios, who passes with flying colors.
  Odysseus swears to him that his master will
  return kill the suitors.
• Tally so far Telemachos, Eurykleia, Philoitios
  Athene.

43
Book 21 The Contest of the Bow

• Athene prompts Penelope to set the bow before the
  suitors - the contest will initiate Odysseus
  revenge.
• Telemachos tries to string it, almost succeeding.

44
The Failure of the Suitors

• The suitors try but fail to string the bow.
  Eurymachos mourns that they are lesser men than
  Odysseus.
• Revelation Scene Eumaios, Philoitios, Odysseus
  meet outside, O. reveals himself, showing his
  scar.

45
First Steps

• Odysseus asks to try to bow the suitors object.
• Penelope urges him on (stepping out of her gender
  role) Telemachos rebukes her Penelope leaves.
• Eumaios tells Eurykleia to bar the doors.
• Odysseus strings the bow suitors blanch Zeus
  thunders in approval.

46
Book 22 Slaughter of the Suitors

• Odysseus reveals himself to the suitors after
  killing Antinoos.
• How does Telemachos almost cause disaster in this
  episode?
• Telemachos shows his new maturity by asking
  Odysseus to spare Phemios the bard Medon the
  herald.

47
Slaughter of the Suitors
48
Slaughter of the Suitors
49
Revenge on Betrayers

• Melanthios and the treacherous maids are
  punished.
• Aftermath similes
• The suitors (383-388) are like dead fish on a
  beach in the hot sun.
• Odysseus (401) is blood and gore-spattered like
  a lion who had fed on an ox.

50
Aftermath

• Odysseus cleanses the palace (to clean up gore
  to banish ghosts).
• Reunion Odysseus the faithful maids.

51
Book 23 Recognition of Odysseus and Penelope

• Penelope is awakened by Eurykleia with the news.
  She is doubtful, even when told of his scar.
• What does Telemachos say about Penelopes
  reaction?

52
Penelopes Metis

• How does Penelope test Odysseus?
• Satisfied, the two retire to their bedroom.
  Odysseus summarizes his adventures.
• So, Odysseus has reclaimed his oikos and achieved
  his vengeance - but his nostos isnt yet
  complete.
• He needs to reunite with his father weather the
  fallout from the slaughter.

53
Book 24 The Suitors in Hades

• Hermes guides the shades of the suitors to the
  underworld, where we find Homeric heroes
  conversing.
• Achilles and Agamemnon talk - Achilles
  sympathizes with his bad nostos, wishes he could
  have died a glorious death at Troy instead.
• Agamemnon tells of his death burial (36ff)
  Achilles has kleos but Agamemnon does not.
• From the suitors they learn of Odysseus nostos
  Agamemnon envies him his faithful wife.

54
Reunion With Laertes

• This completes Odysseus nostos.
• How does Odysseus greet his father?
• Do you think what he does is necessary? Why do
  you think he does it?

55
Settling with the Families

• The families of the dead suitors, led by
  Antinous father, seek vengeance.
• Laertes, inspired and reinvigorated by his sons
  return, spears As father Eupeithes in the head
  (520).
• Another war is about to begin how does Homer
  stop it?
• Why do you think Homer ends the epic in this way?