The Odyssey

1
The Odyssey

• Book Summaries
• (based on Robert Fitzgeralds translation)

2
Book ONEAthena Advises Telemachus

• Homers invocation to the Muses
• The reader learns
• Poseidon has stranded Odysseus with Calypso, the
  nymph
• Poseidon is upset with Odysseus for poking the
  Cyclops eye out
• Athena begs Zeus to let Odysseus return to Ithaca

3
Book ONE

• Athena comes to give advice to Telemachus and is
  disguised as Mentor, a family friend.
• Suitors have overrun Telemachus home and want to
  marry his mom, Penelope.
• Athena tells him to find a boat and to sail to
  different places asking about his dad
• She tells Telemachus that he should warn off the
  suitors or kill them upon his return.

4
Book TWOTelemachus Confronts the Suitors

• Telemachus calls all of the Greek men together to
  discuss his problem with the suitors.
• Antinous, the most arrogant suitor, blames
  Penelope because she hasnt chosen one.
• Penelope has been tricking the suitors.

5
Book TWO

• Penelope has been weaving a shroud for Laertes
  during the day but unraveling it at night.
• She will not marry a suitor until the shroud is
  done.
• Telemachus plans to sail away looking for
  Odysseus.
• Athena, disguised as Mentor, comforts him

6
Book TWO

• Eurycleia, Telemachuss old nurse, helps him get
  ready for the trip.
• Telemachus begs the nurse not to tell his mom
  that he has left until some time has passed
• Athena finds a crew for Telemachus and they all
  sail away together.

7
Book THREEThe Visit to Nestor

• Telemachus ship arrives at Pylos, the land of
  King Nestor.
• They arrive during a festival in honor of
  Poseidon (who is Odysseuss enemy)
• Nestor doesnt know who Telemachus is and invites
  him to feast with them
• Nestor then asks Telemachus who he is
• Telemachus asks Nestor where his dad is

8
Book THREE

• Nestor praises Telemachus.
• Nestor says that he and Odysseus were friends
• Nestor says that Athena likely helped Odysseus
• Telemachus doubts Athenas power
• Mentor, disguised as Athena, assures Telemachus
  that a god can save a mortal

9
Book FOURThe Visit to Menelaus and Helen

• Nestor sends Telemachus to Sparta.
• In Sparta, King Menelaus and wife Helen, are back
  together and happy.
• Telemachus doesnt tell them his identity.
• Menelaus reminisces about Odysseus and tells war
  stories
• He says no soldier worked harder than Odysseus
  and that he doesnt know if he is alive or dead.

10
Book FOUR

• Telemachus cries for his dad
• Menelaus figures out Telemachus identity
• Helen says aloud that Telemachus must be the son
  of Odysseus
• They tell Telemachus that they heard that
  Odysseus is alive and living with the nymph
  Calypso
• The suitors have planned to kill Telemachus when
  he returns home

11
Book FIVECalypso, the Sweet Nymph

• Hermes the wayfinder messenger god Zeus sends
  him to secure Odysseuss release
• Calypso lives on island of Ogygia holds
  Odysseus captive for seven years an immortal
  nymph and seductress promises Odysseus
  immortality

12
Book FIVE

• Calypso is found singing and weaving and many
  birds and plants surround her
• Hermes tells Calypso she must relinquish Odysseus
• This is the first time the reader meets him!
• He is found crying he misses his home
• Calypso helps Odysseus go (doesnt have a choice
  - Zeus makes her)

13
Book FIVE

• Calypso warns Odysseus of the trouble he faces at
  sea
• Calypso asks Odysseus if she is less interesting
  and desirable than Penelope
• He remarks that Calypso is more beautiful but he
  still misses his wife
• Odysseus builds a raft and sets sail

14
Book FIVE

• Poseidon creates a storm, since he is mad at
  Odysseus, and destroys the raft
• Athena and another nymph help Odysseus arrive on
  the island of Sheria, home of the Phaecians.
• He is dirty and tired and falls asleep under a
  pile of leaves

15
Interlude Fun with Homer
16
Book SIXThe Princess Nausicaa

• Athena goes to the island of
• the Phaeacians and talks to
• Princess Nausicaa while
• she is sleeping.
• Athena tells Nausicaa to wash her linens to
  prepare for marriage (nobody wants a dirty bride)
• She also tells her to get a mule cart from her
  dad so she can go to the water.

17
Book SIX

• Nausicaa and the maids take the linens in the
  cart to the river.
• Odysseus hears the girls playing and covers
  himself with an olive branch
• Odysseus scares them because he is covered with
  sea brine and is swollen from the sea
• The maids ran away but Nausicaa stayed

18
Book SIX

• Odysseus doesnt know how to approach the
  beautiful Nausicaa and doesnt want to anger her.
• He asks her if she is mortal or a goddess and
  praises her beauty
• Odysseus explains that it took him 20 days to
  arrive on Sheria (Nausicaas island)
• He asks her for a cloth to wear into town

19
Book SIX

• Nausicaa offers to help Odysseus because she
  knows Zeus requests that strangers be welcomed
• Nausicaa is the daughter of Prince Alcinous
• The maids give Odysseus a tunic, cloak, and oil
• Odysseus bathes himself away from the maids
• Athena makes him look even better
• by making him taller and curling his
• golden-red hair

20
Book SIX

• Nausicaa hopes her husband will look as fine as
  Odysseus.
• Nausicaa asks Odysseus to stay with the maids
  behind the cart so nobody will think they are
  together (her parents would be upset)
• Odysseus is to come to her palace a little later
  and her mother, thinking he is a stranger, will
  invite him into their home.

21
Book EIGHTThe Song of the Minstrel

• (In Book 7, Odysseus is taken in by Nausicaas
  dad, King Alcinous. Odysseus was believed to be
  god-sent and Alcinous ordered a banquet for him.)
• Demodocus, the blind minstrel, is called.
• Odysseus asks him to sing a song about the Trojan
  horse (a song about himself)
• Remember nobody knows who he is

22
Book EIGHT

• Demodocus sings about the fighting during the
  Trojan War
• Odysseus is overcome with emotion and cries
• Alcinous demands to know Odysseuss identity
• Homer ends the book in suspense.

23
Book NINEThe Lotus Eaters and the Cyclops

• Odysseus reveals himself to Alcinous as Laertes
  son
• Odysseus tells of his misadventures with his crew
• After 9 days of drifting, they stop on the Land
  of the Lotus Eaters

24
Book NINE

• The lotus plant causes feelings of laziness and
  dreaminess
• Odysseus sends 3 of his men to check out the
  land they never return because they stay with
  the Lotus Eaters
• Odysseus finds the 3 men and ties them under
  their boat benches.
• He tells the others not to eat the Lotus or they
  wont want to go home

25
Interlude Odysseus Ship
26
Book NINE

• Odysseus and his men sail away
• They land on the Cyclops island
• Odysseus curiosity leads him to the Cyclops
  cave (the result of the encounter explains
  Poseidons anger toward Odysseus)
• Odysseus and his men are sitting inside the
  Cyclops cave around the fire when he comes
  inside.
• The Cyclops has one eye in the center of his head

27
Book NINE

• The Cyclops (Polyphemus) leads his rams and ewes
  outside and covers the cave opening with a huge
  rock.
• He milks his ewes.
• He asks for the strangers identities
• Odysseus explains who they are and that they were
  blown off course
• Odysseus tells him that he should be hospitable
  or suffer the wrath of Zeus

28
Book NINE

• Polyphemus says he is not afraid of Zeus and has
  more power than he does.
• Odysseus says Poseidon broke up their ship (a lie
  to protect his escape plan)
• Polyphemus picks up two of the men, bashes their
  brains in, and eats them!
• Odysseus decides not to try and kill Polyphemus
  because they wont be able to leave the cave

29
Book NINE

• In the morning, Polyphemus eats 2 more men for
  breakfast!
• He leaves his cave with his sheep and places the
  slab over the opening
• The men make a 6-foot pointed stake while he is
  gone
• Odysseus decides to poke Polyphemus in the eye

30
Book NINE

• When Polyphemus returns at night and closes the
  cave opening, he eats 2 more men.
• Odysseus gives him a bowl of strong wine
• Polyphemus asks his name and Odysseus replies
  Nohbdy the cyclops believes it
• Cyclops falls asleep and the men put the stake in
  his eye

31
Book NINE

• Cyclops begins to wail and call for nearby
  Cyclopes
• He calls out Nohbdy tricked me, Nohbdys ruined
  me!
• Of course, nobody helps Polyphemus.
• Odysseus ties his men under the rams so they can
  leave the cave when the rams do
• Cyclops pats each ram as it leaves but doesnt
  feel the men

32
Book NINE

• Odysseus yells out to Polyphemus once he is on
  his boat and taunts him
• The cyclops throws a boulder in front of the
  boat.
• Odysseus calls out his real name to Cyclops.
• Cyclops throws another boulder which hits their
  boat and slows them down.

33
Book NINE

• Odysseus arrogance earns him trouble
• Polyphemus calls out to his father Poseidon and
  asks him to prevent Odysseus from ever seeing his
  family and wishes that all of his men are killed
  on the journey.

34
Book TENThe Bag of Winds and the Witch Circe

• Odysseus and men land on island of Aeolia
• Aeolus, the wind king, puts all the winds in a
  bag so that the men wont be harmed on the voyage
• Odysseus' sailors open the bag of wind on the
  boat and hurricanes ensue
• They are blown back to Aeolia with no sympathy
  from Aeolus

35
Book TENThe Bag of Winds and the Witch Circe

• Next, they sail to the land of the Laestrygonians
  (lees-trih-GOH-nee-unz), who are cannibals, and
  the Laestrygonians eat some of Odysseus' men.
• Then, with one ship left, they land on Aeaea,
  home to the witch Circe.
• Eurylochus, leads a party of 22 men to explore
  the island.
• They find Circe surrounded by many wild animals.

36
Book TENThe Bag of Winds and the Witch Circe

• Circe looks harmless since she is singing and
  weaving and the men think she might be a goddess.
• Eurylochus did not go in to meet her since he
  sensed something evil within Circe.
• Circe feeds the men and gives them laced wine
  which turns them into pigs.
• Hermes gives Odysseus an antidote to work against
  Circes power and he rushes to her home.

37
Book TENThe Bag of Winds and the Witch Circe
38
Book TENThe Bag of Winds and the Witch Circe

• She releases all of Odysseus' men, and since she
  is the most beautiful immortal, he agrees to her
  request to have Odysseus and his men stay with
  her for a year.
• Eventually though, they beg Circe to help them
  get home.
• She warns them that they will have to confront
  Hades, King of the Underworld, and his wife
  Persephone, Queen of the Underworld.
• In the Underworld, the men will have to consult
  with Teiresias, the blind prophet.

39
Book ELEVENThe Land of the Dead

• Odysseus' voyage to the Land of the Dead
  symbolizes the darkest depths of our souls that
  we must all confront on lifes journey.
• Tiresiass blindness suggests his true insight or
  prophecy.
• In the Underworld, Odysseus sacrifices sheep to
  the gods and the dead watch him
• Teiresias tells Odysseus that Poseidon will make
  his journey home difficult

40
Book ELEVENThe Land of the Dead

• Tiresias tells Odysseus not to eat the sun gods
  cattle (Helios) and to make sacrifices to
  Poseidon
• He says Odysseus will come home alone to find the
  suitors at his house which he will kill
• Odysseus sees the spirit of his mother Anticleia,
  who died of a broken heart when Odysseus didnt
  return home from Troy

41
Book ELEVENThe Land of the Dead

• Anticleia assures Odysseus of his wifes loyalty
  and he tries to hug her but cant (shes only a
  spirit no flesh)
• Odysseus sees many heroes in the Underworld he
  once knew, such as Achilles and Agamemnon

42
Book TWELVEThe Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis

• Odysseus has returned to Circes island and she
  warns him of the dangers of his journey
• Circe warns the men of the Sirens, whose music
  enchants men so that they may kill them
• She tells Odysseus to plug the mens ears with
  wax so they cant hear the Sirens
• Odysseus can be tied to the mast of the boat so
  he can hear them

43
Book TWELVEThe Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis
44
Book TWELVEThe Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis

• The 2nd danger to avoid is the den of Scylla, a
  monster who has 12 legs and 6 serpents necks and
  heads. She has 3 rows of sharp teeth. She will
  eat 6 men at once.
• The 3rd danger is the whirlpool Charybdis
• Circe tells the men that they should hug the
  cliffs of Scylla because it is better to lose 6
  men than an entire boat of men
• The 4th danger are Helios cattle. If the men
  eat them, the ship and crew will be destroyed.

45
Book TWELVEThe Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis
46
Book TWELVEThe Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis

• Odysseus never tells the men of the last prophecy
  (oops?)
• (Odysseus is still telling his story to King
  Alcinous - this is still a flashback)
• The men survive the Sirens.
• Scylla eats 6 of the men.
• They barely avoid Charybdis.

47
Book TWELVEThe Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis

• The men eat Helios cattle and are punished at
  sea by a thunderbolt from Zeus
• Odysseus is the only one who survived and ends up
  on Calypsos island.
• Odysseus is finished telling his story and we
  are back in present tense (at book 5)
• Chronologically, Odysseus voyage is as follows
  Book 9-12, 5-8, 13-24

48
Books 13-15 Summary

• Odysseus is returned in secret on a Phaecian ship
  (under strange sail - remember prophecy!)
• Athena disguises him as a beggar
• Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, visits Eumaeus,
  his old swineherd. Eumaeus tells him that
  Odysseus will be home soon.
• Telemachus is still with Menelaus and Helen and
  Athena advises him to go home now
• She warns Telemachus that the suitors plan to
  kill him

49
Book SIXTEENThe Meeting of Father and Son

• Telemachus arrives at Eumaeus hut. Odysseus is
  still there, disguised as a beggar.
• Eumaeus is thrilled to see Telemachus.
• Telemachus asks him if his mom has remarried and
  Eumaeus says no.
• Telemachus tells the stranger he will protect
  him as best he can

50
Book SIXTEENThe Meeting of Father and Son

• Eumaeus tells Penelope of Telemachuss return
• Athena makes Odysseus look like a better version
  of himself and Telemachus is happy to see his dad
• Odysseus asks Telemachus to
• keeps his arrival a secret, even
• to Penelope

51
Book SEVENTEENThe Beggar and the Faithful Dog

• Telemachus returns home and Penelope and
  Eurycleia, his nurse, greet him.
• Telemachus tells Penelope of Menelaus prophecy
  that Odysseus is back in Ithaca
• Odysseus returns home, disguised as a beggar,
  with Eumaeus
• Argos, Odysseus' old dog who he hasnt seen in 20
  years, remembers him

52
Book SEVENTEENThe Beggar and the Faithful Dog

• Argos dies after seeing Odysseus
• Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, goes to the hall
  and asks each suitor for food. They all give him
  food, except for Antinous, who throws a stool at
  him
• Penelope has heard that he has news of her
  husband and protects him

53
Book NINETEENPenelope, the Beggar, and the Nurse

• Odysseus and Telemachus discuss their strategy
• Odysseus wants to test Penelope and her maids
• Odysseus and Penelope sit and talk, and she tells
  him of her problems how she misses her husband
  and how she doesnt want to remarry
• Odysseus tells a story about his identity and how
  he met Odysseus and he praises him

54
Book NINETEENPenelope, the Beggar, and the Nurse

• Penelope cries upon hearing about her husband
  (she passes the test)
• Odysseus tells her that Odysseus is sailing home
• Though he has lied to her, he is kind-hearted to
  her
• Penelope asks Eurycleia to wash his feet

55
Book NINETEENPenelope, the Beggar, and the Nurse

• Eurycleia tells Odysseus that he is a lot like
  Odysseus and then sees the scar on his leg from a
  boars tusk on Parnassus. She recognizes him.
• Odysseus swears Eurycleia to secrecy
• Penelope doesnt notice this because Athena casts
  a spell to prevent it

56
Book Twenty-ONEThe Test of the Great Bow

• Penelope tells the suitors that she will marry
  the one who can bend, string, and shoot Odysseus'
  hunting bow through 12 ax handles.
• Nobody can even string his bow.
• Odysseus reveals his identity to the cowherd
  Philoetius and the swineherd Eumaeus, asking them
  to help him
• Odysseus tells them that they were the only men
  who missed him

57
Book Twenty-ONEThe Test of the Great Bow

• Odysseus will give the cowherd and swineherd
  wives, cattle, and homes if they help him kill
  the suitors
• He shows them his scar to prove himself
• Odysseus tells them to lock himself and all the
  suitors in the room when he picks up the bow
• Penelope allows Odysseus (still disguised) to
  test the bow

58
Book Twenty-ONEThe Test of the Great Bow

• Telemachus has removed the suitors weapons from
  the hall, and the women are asked to leave and
  lock themselves in their chambers
• Odysseus, the beggar,
• strings the bow and shoots it
• through the axe holes
• Telemachus straps on
• his armor and gets ready

59
Book TWENTY-TWODeath at the Palace

• This is the climax
• Odysseus must fight
• more than 100 suitors
• He attacks Antinous, the meanest, first, and
  shoots an arrow into his neck while he is
  drinking wine

60
Book TWENTY-TWODeath at the Palace

• The suitors run around, looking for weapons and
  cursing Odysseus
• Odysseus accuses the suitors of such things as
  using his maids and trying to marry his wife
• Eurymachus blames the suitors actions on
  Antinous commands

61
Book TWENTY-TWODeath at the Palace

• Eurymachus tells Odysseus that he and the suitors
  will repay what they consumed and give him gifts
  if he lets them go
• Odysseus replies, There will be killing until
  the score is paid.
• Telemachus, Eumaeus, and Philoetius help Odysseus
  kill the suitors
• Athenas shield comes to life, and she helps kill
  the suitors

62
Book TWENTY-TWODeath at the Palace

• Odysseus rounds up the disloyal maids (the ones
  who willfully helped the suitors), forces them to
  clean up the mess of dead bodies, and then hangs
  them in the courtyard
• One suitor is even killed and fed to the dogs!

63
Book TWENTY-THREEOdysseus and Penelope

• Eurycleia announces Odysseus' return to Penelope.
• Penelope suspects a trick from the gods and
  decides to test Odysseus
• Telemachus chides her for doubting Odysseus'
  identity
• She tells Telemachus that she and Odysseus share
  secret signs
• Odysseus is made beautiful by Athena

64
Book TWENTY-THREEOdysseus and Penelope

• Odysseus tells Eurycleia to prepare a couch for
  him to sleep upon
• Penelope tells the nurse to carry their marriage
  bed out for him to sleep onwords meant to test
  her husband
• Odysseus becomes upset because the bed was built
  around an olive tree that serves as a bedpost it
  cant be moved unless another man had sawed the
  post from the trunk, and is still too heavy for
  mere mortals to move

65
Book TWENTY-THREEOdysseus and Penelope

• Odysseus passes the test and he and Penelope
  embrace.
• Odysseus plans to travel to his dads house and
  to seek revenge upon the suitors families.

66
Book TWENTY-FOUROdysseus and His Father

• The ghosts of the suitors drift to the Underworld
• Odysseus goes to see his dad Laertes, but
  pretends to be a traveler who entertained
  Odysseus 5 years ago.
• When Laertes begins to cry, Odysseus reveals
  himself.
• He proves his identity by showing his leg scar
  and discussing childhood memories.

67
Book TWENTY-FOUROdysseus and His Father

• Odysseus, Telemachus, Laertes, and other loyal
  men eat together.
• Athena makes Laertes look younger.
• However, a battle erupts between the
• suitors families and the Ithacans
• the families want revenge!
• Athena makes Odysseus call off the battle,
  arranges peace among the Ithacans, and everyone
  lives happily ever after.

68
The End