Invocation

• Homer asks Caliope (muse) for inspiration

• We learn Odysseus is lost at sea– His men will die b/c they are reckless– Telemachus is looking for his dad

Sailing from Troy (in medias res)

• Odysseus asks Alcinous for a ship

• Alcinous trades a ship for a story

• Odysseus tells of his travels (flashback!)

Lotus-Eaters

• Storm blows Ody. to island

• Ody. orders 3 men to discover about the people of the island

• Men became addicted to lotus flower– THEY DON’T WANT TO LEAVE!

• Ody. orders them all to leave

Cyclops (Polyphemus)

• Ody. is curious about who lives in the cave• Takes 12 men of his best men to explore• Cyclops traps them in his cave• Cyclops eats 6 men• Ody. Gets him drunk• Ody. Tells him “I am Nohbdy”• Ody. stabs him in the eye• Ody. Sneaks out under sheep• Ody. Mocks Cyclops, tells his name, and where

he lives

Land of the Dead• Circe tells Ody to find Tiresias (blind dude

sees the future!) in Hades

• Ody makes sacrifices to the dead

• Ody meets his soldier Elpenor– Elpenor died but wasn’t buried so he wanders– Elp asks Ody for a funeral (Ody is depressed)

• Ody sees mom, but can’t speak to her

Land of the Dead (cont)

• Ody finds Tiresias who tells him the future:– Posiedon is after you– Tells Ody to do 3 things

• Pass through a narrow, dangerous strait• Show self-control• Control your men

– DO NOT EAT HELIOS’ (sun god) COWS!– You will live but your men will all die– When you return to Ithaca, the suitors will be in your

home -> They will all be killed– Make sacrifices to the gods, and live a peaceful life

Sirens

• Ody. Tells his men, many will die

• Ody tells men to tie him up and don’t untie me no matter what he says

• Ody puts wax in the men’s ears so they can’t hear the Sirens

• Sirens (body of giant bird, head of woman, BEAUTIFUL voice) try to seduce the men

• EVERYBODY survives

Scylla (6 headed monster)and Charybdis (whirlpool)

• The men hear a LOUD noise in the ocean and become afraid

• Ody calmly encourages them “We’ve survived worse than this, men.”

• Ody chooses to stay close to Scylla to avoid Charybdis

• Scylla eats six men who cry out to Ody in pain

• “We rowed on.” (980 ln 826)

Cattle of the Sun God

• Ody’s men make it to the island of Helios• Ody’s men eat the cows! (even though he tells

them not to)• Helios asks Zeus to punish the men• Zeus destroys the ships and the men• Ody floats ALONE back to Charybdis• Ody survives Charybdis by holding to a tree (he

FINALLY gives thanks to Zeus)• Zeus allows Ody to float to Calypso

Ody Returns to Ithaca!• Athena disguises Ody so he can get the

scoop about what’s happened for the last 20 years!

• Eumeus welcomes the stranger (Ody) and tells him everything

• Ody meets with Telemachus (his son)• Telem mistakes Ody for a god• Ody and Telem come up with a plan to

boot the suitors (with Zeus and Athena’s help)

Argus

• Ody walks to his castle• He sees Argus, who is broken and tired• Argus is 20 years old and the servants mistreat

him• Argus was strong and waited for Ody• Argus recognizes Ody in disguise• Ody sheds a tear• Argus lets himself die• ARGUS SYMBOLIZES LOYALTY!

Penelope• Penelope asks the beggar’s (Ody’s) life story• Ody. Dodges the question and flatters Pen. For her beauty

and her leadership• Ody tells her “I’ve had it rough, but I’m not one to complain”• Ody is testing Penelope to see if she is still loyal• Ody asks “How did you keep the suitors away for so long?”• Pen. Tells of her guile “I wove a shroud every day for 4

years and unwove it at night.”• Ody falls in love with her all over again• Pen. Tells that her servants betrayed her and told the

suitors of her trick “I can’t wait any longer – I have no choice”

• Ody tells her to keep hope, her husband is alive and WILL return

The Challenge

• Penelope tells the suitors that which ever suitor can string and shoot the bow, firing an arrow through 12 axehandles will become her husband

• IT IS IMPOSSIBLE B/C IT IS ODY’S BOW!• The suitors fail• Ody strings the bow, fires and wins in a single

try• The suitors are shocked• Ody and Telemachus trade looks, “strap up for

battle,” and get ready for “amusement later in the evening.”

Odysseus’ Revenge

• Ody shoots Antinous (leader of the suitors)

• The other suitors turn on Antinous, but try to defend themselves

• Then Ody kills EVERYONE

• Telemachus fights like a hero (makes Ody proud)

• Eameus and another shepherd help Ody and Telem (not to mention the gods!)

Penelope’s Test

• Penelope is unsure of Ody’s identity• Ody shows patience “I understand you have had a long

20 years”• Penelope thinks the man might even be a god• Penelope tells a servant to move Ody’s bed to the hall• Ody is outraged that Penelope moved his bed and

suspects that she has been unloyal• BECAUSE Ody knows that no man could move his bed

carved into a tree trunk• Penelope weeps from joy b/c she knows that only Ody

knows about the bed

• Odysseus is home.

Guile

• Ody lies to Cyclops about Posiedon destroying his ship (959 ln 226-227)

• Ody gets Cyclops drunk, lies about his name, hides his men under sheep (961 ln 313-315)

Strength – physical/emotional

• “We climbed briskly to the cave” (957 ln 157)

• Ody lifts the huge spear made of a tree trunk and stabs Cyclops in the eye (960 ln 265 – 270)

• Ody decides to sacrifice 6 men instead of losing the whole boat (980 ln 826)

• The stool that Antinuous threw bounced off of Odysseus’ shoulder

Patience – self-control

• Ody. Resists killing Cyclops so the men could get away (big door!) (960 ln 247-250)

• Ody knows he won’t be able to resist the Sirens so he has his men tie him up (975 ln 694-698)

Wisdom – street smarts, book smarts

• Ody discovers the Lotus eaters and tells his men to get on the boat before they get stuck (955 ln 103-105)

• Ody comes up with a plan to defeat Cyclops and rescue his men from the cave (960 ln 270-280)

• Ody puts wax in his men’s ears to protect against the Sirens’ song (977 ln 712-713)

Leadership

• Ody stands up to Cyclops even though he is scared and asks for hospitality (958 ln 201-203)

• Ody tells his men that “we will die” after he talks to Tiresias (975 ln 686-687)

Odysseus’ Character Flaws

• Boastful – calls Cyclops a fool after Ody defeated him (965 431-435)

• Curiosity – Ody. Risks his men to meet Cyclops instead of just stealing some food (958 ln 171-173)

• Temper – Ody. kills not just Antinuos, but all of the suitors. He is unable to forgive. He also gets really angry at Penelope when he thinks she’s been untrue!

Greek cultureRespect the dead

• The men mourn their shipmates’ deaths after Cicones (954, ln 60-70)

• Ody. talks to Elpnor who asks for a funral (fire, monument) and Ody weeps (972, ln 609-10)

Greek CultureHospitality

• Eumeus welcomes Ody even though Ody is dressed as a beggar (p994)

Greek culturePraise the gods

• Ody is punished for not giving thanks to the gods (Invocation)