The Adventures of Ulysses

Introduction

The story we are going to study is based on Homer’s Odyssey, which, together with the Iliad, are two brilliant epics well-known all over the world.

The original Odyssey was divided into 24 books (or chapters). It is the story of the return of Odysseus (Ulysses) from the siege of Troy to his home in Ithaca, and of the vengeance he took on the suitors of his wife Penelope.

Various indications in the original text suggest that the Odyssey is a later work than the Iliad.

Some scholars don’t think that the two epics were written by the same author, because there are some contradictions between them. For example, Athena (Minerva) in the Iliad stands on the side of the Trojans, but in the Odyssey she becomes a protector of Odysseus.

The plot of the Odyssey

When the story opens, ten years have elapsed since the fall of Troy. All the Greek leaders have returned to their homes ( or are dead ) except Odysseus ( Ulysses ), who is detained for seven years in an island by the goddess Calypso. Odysseus’ wife Penelope has had no news of him, but, hoping that he is still alive, refuses to choose one among many suitors to be her second husband.

The suitors are staying at Odysseus’ palace, lavishly eating and drinking at the expense of Odysseus. They try to murder Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, because he is seen by them as an obstacle.

Calypso is ordered by Zeus to release Odysseus. However, Odysseus’ raft is destroyed by Poseidon when he sets out for Ithaca.

After two days drifting in the sea, he is washed up on the shore of another island, where he is found by Nausicaa, daughter of the king of that island.

It is here, being hospitably treated by the king and his daughter, he tells all the adventures he has had since he left Troy.

All the adventures are told by Odysseus to the king and his daughter Nausicca: how he visited the land of lotus-eaters; how he escaped from the cave of Cyclops; how he was entertained by Aeolus, the god of wind, and how the bag containing the adverse winds was unlashed by his ignorant companions; and how the enchantress Circe turned his companions into swine and how he himself was protected by the magic herb moly, given to him by Hermes ( Mercury).

And then, says Odysseus, he remained on Circe’s island for a year. After that, Circe directed him to visit the underworld, where he saw the ghosts of many dead heroes, their wives and daughters, and conversed with some of them. ( The description is omitted in your textbook. )

He also tells the story of his sailing past the Sirens by having his sailors’ ears filled with wax and he himself lashed to the mast.

After finishing his long tale, Odysseus is carried in a ship to Ithaca. Athena (Minerva) disguises Odysseus as an old beggar so that he cannot be discovered.

When knowing all that has happened in his palace, Odysseus reveals his true identity to his son Telemachus, who has just escaped his death from the suitors’ conspiracy.

They then have all those suitors killed. From then on, Odysseus lives a happy life with his faithful wife and son.

Ulysses and the Cyclops

Ulysses gave the wine to the Cyclops

With the help of her magic wine, Circe turned men to animals

Ulysses and Calypso

Ulysses and the Sirens

Nausicca

Penelope and her suitors

Penelope and her suitors

Ulysses disguised himself as a beggar

Ulysses shot his enemies

Some questions

In the land of lotus-eaters, what would happen if one ate the lotus?

Why Ulysses and his men did not kill the Cyclops just after he went to sleep?

When Ulysses gave the wine to the Cyclops, the Cyclops gave what promise to Ulysses?

How did Ulysses and his men make the Giant blind?

How did the god of winds treat Ulysses and his men? Why they were driven back to the island again?

How did Circe turn the Greeks into swine (or pigs)?

Why Ulysses did not become a pig after drinking the enchanted wine?

Who were Sirens, and what their beautiful songs would do to Ulysses and his men?

Why Ulysses and his men had not been destroyed by Sirens’ song?

Answers to the questions

In the land of lotus-eaters, what would happen if one ate the lotus?

He would forget his home and friends forever.

The lotus was a plant that would make those who ate it forget their homes and friends forever. So, if one ate the plant, he would forget all that had happened in the past of his life, and would be very glad to live in the island all the rest of his life.

Why Ulysses and his men did not kill the Cyclops just after he went to sleep?

Because they could not remove the stone and go out of the cave.

Because the Cyclops closed the entrance of the cave with a huge stone, and all the Greeks together could not move it, so they had to wait for the removing of the stone by the giant.

When Ulysses gave the wine to the Cyclops, the Cyclops gave what promise to Ulysses?

He said : “Well, you shall be the last one whom I will eat.”

He said he would allow Ulysses to be the last one eaten by him.

He promised Ulysses to be the last one to be eaten.

How did Ulysses and his men make the Giant blind?

They sharpened a big trunk of tree, and put the sharp end into the fire until it glowed, and then rammed (struck) the red-hot point into the giant’s only eye.

How did the god of winds treat Ulysses and his men? Why they were driven back to the island again?

The god of winds treated them very kindly. He had all the bad winds tied up in a leather bag, and left free only the west wind to send them to their homeland.

However, Ulysses’ companions untied the bag in the hope of finding some money in it. As soon as the bad winds were set free, they blew the ships back to the island again.

How did Circe turn the Greeks into swine (or pigs)?

She gave the enchanted food and wine to them and then changed them into swine.

It was her delight to turn people into animals. Anyone after drinking her enchanted wine would soon become an animal.

Why Ulysses did not become a pig after drinking the enchanted wine?

Because the god Mercury gave him a magic plant named as moly. Ulysses smelled its flower while drinking Circe’s enchanted wine. It had the power to prevent Ulysses from being turned into an animal.

Who were Sirens, and what their beautiful songs would do to Ulysses and his men?

Sirens were beautiful maidens living in their island, they always sat on dangerous rocks and sang beautiful enchanting songs when ships came near their island. Every sailor who heard their songs would desperately go nearer and nearer to the rocks and the ship would be wrecked and the sailors would die.

Why Ulysses and his men did not be destroyed by Sirens’ song?

Because all of them had their ears filled with wax and could not hear the song. Only Ulysses could hear the song but he was tied (lashed) on the mast. So, although he cried “loose me, loose me. I will go nearer the music.” His cry could not be heard by his sailors.

Homer the Great

Storyteller

Homer and His Guide, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905).

The scene portrays Homer on Mount Ida, beset by dogs and guided by the goatherder, Glaucus. (The tale is told in Pseudo-Herodotus).

Idealized portrayal of Homer dating to the Hellenistic period. British Museum.

Statue of Homer outside the Bavarian State Library in Munich

Heroes of Trojan War

Achilles and Agamemnon quarreled

Achilles and Agamemnon quarreled

Odysseus ( Ulysses ) killed his enemies

Liberal English