Quiz 4 Study Guide CLVC 205

Odysseus

(main character) Son of Laertes and Anticleia, husband of Penelope and father of Telemachus. A cunning, shrewd and eloquent hero. Came up with the idea of the Trojan horse which led the Greeks to victory against Troy. "Man of many wiles". King of Ithaca who has trouble making it home

Penelope

Wife of Odysseus and mother of Telemachus. Penelope spends her days in the palace pining for the husband who left for Troy twenty years earlier and never returned. Homer portrays her as sometimes flighty and excitable but also clever and steadfastly true to her husband. Sews a shroud but unthreads it every night

Eumaeus

A swineherd, an old and loyal servant to Odysseus

Eurycleia

the old nurse of Odysseus and Telemachus, attendant of Penelope

Mentor

An old friend of Odysseus who Athena is disguised as

Nestor

King of Pylos and a former warrior in the Trojan War. Like Odysseus, Nestor is known as a clever speaker. Telemachus visits him in Book 3 to ask about his father, but Nestor knows little of Odysseus's whereabouts.

Menelaus

King of Sparta, brother of Agamemnon, and husband of Helen, he helped lead the Greeks in the Trojan War. He offers Telemachus assistance in his quest to find Odysseus when Telemachus visits him in Book 4.

Calypso

The beautiful goddess who falls in love with Odysseus when he lands on her island-home of Ogygia. Calypso holds him prisoner there for seven years until Hermes, the messenger god, persuades her to let him go.

Circe

The beautiful witch-goddess who transforms Odysseus's crew into swine when he lands on her island. With Hermes' help, Odysseus resists Circe's powers and then becomes her lover, living in luxury at her side for a year.

Polyphemus (Cyclops)

Son of Poseidon. The one-eyed Cyclops who holds Odysseus and his men captive in his cave. Gets blinded by Odysseus

Tiresias

blind prophet who advised Odysseus

Phemius

a bard that was saved by telemachus when odysseus was killing the suitors

What is nostos?

Greek word for homecoming

What is xenia?

Greek concept of hospitality

How are xenia and nostos important in the Odyssey?

They both serve as the core pillars that drive the plot and measure the character of every person Odysseus encounters.

What are some of the main events of the Nostoi?

Homecoming of other Greek heroes after the Trojan War. Athena gets mad for how the Greeks destoryed city and groups split between Menelaus who leaves immideatly while Agamemnon stayed to worship the goddess more

What is the Telemachy, and how does it stand in relation to the rest of the poem?

Telemacy: Books 1-4 of the Odyssey, that focus on Telemachus in Ithaca not on Odysseus. Has a coming of age archetype which we don't see in Greek myth often

How many books are in The Odyssey?

24 books

How is the Odyssey's world different from that of the Iliad?

The Iliad is tragic, concentrated, forceful with relatively few adapatations.

Odyssey is comic, extended, wide-ranging with tons of adapatations

What role did Odysseus play in the Iliad?

He is a diplomat between Achilles and Agememnon. He also came up with the Trojan Horse

From whom is Odysseus descended, and why does it matter for his character?

On father side: descended from nobility. On mother's side: grandfather Autolycus "wolf-man" who is famous trickster. It is important because it shows how Odysseus is a trickster and smart

How does Odysseus come to join the Greek army?

Odysseus tries to act insane to avoid joining the army. His disguise was discovered.

Which god is angry at Odysseus, and why? Which god supports him?

Posiedon is mad Odysseus for blinding Polyphemus his son. Athena supports him.

Where is Odysseus at the beginning of the poem?

Odysseus is stranded on the island of Ogygia where is he held captive by Calypso

What does Penelope do during his absence?

She weaves a shroud and unthreads all the work to buy Odysseus time. She also raises Telemachus. She also tricks the suitors

How is the opening of the Odyssey different from the of the Iliad?

The Odyssey is more human and does not start with wrath like the Iliad. There is also belatedness and it is complicated (poultropos)

What is Zeus worried about at the beginning of Odyssey 1?

Zeus is worried about human foolishness and hubris, specifically how mortals blame gods for their own problems.

What role does Athena play in Book 1?

Athena begs Zeus to let Odysseus off Calypso's island. She disguises herself as mortal Mentor. Athena demands Telemachus to visit Nestor, Menelaus, and Helen.

Where does Telemachus go?

Pylos-Nestor

Sparta- Menelaus and Helen

What is Menelaus' nostos?

Takes him eight years to get home because he departs Troy immideatly which pisses Athena off. Menelaus loses most of his fleet. He then gets trapped in Egypt for eight years before returning to Sparta. Encounters Proteus (Old Man of the sea) who is a shapeshifter

What is the nekuia?

Odysseus' visit to the underworld.

How does Odysseus make contact with the dead?

Sent by Circe to visit prophet Tiresias. Goes to land of Cimmerians in the distant wood. Sails to edge of the world and performing necromantic ritual (nekyia)

Where does the nekuia take place?

Edge of the world, on the shores of the River Oceanus in land of Cimmerians.

What happens while encountering Elpenor?

Elpenor: his dead soldier

Elpenor did not recieve proper burial and begs for proper burial. Elpenor is trapped on outskirts of Underworld. Asks Odysseus to burn his body in his full armor, build a burial mound by the sea, and plant his rowing oar.

What happens when encountering Tiresias?

Tiresias: the prophet

Tiresias tells him how to get home

Anticlea Encounter

Mother of Odysseus, who encounters her in the Underworld unexpectedly.

Tries to hug her three times but can't

Agamemnon Encounter

Murdered by his wife Clymnestra. Tells Odysseus not to trust his wife. Question is what waits for Odysseus when he comes back

Achilles Encounter

Speaks about how he would prefer to be anything in life even miserable over being dead. Death reverses social hiearchy. Asks about his son

Ajax Encounter

Ajax refuses to talk to him or acknowledge him

Heracles Encounter

Shows dual exsitence of Heracles with one part of him on Olympus and the other part of him in the Underworld. Odysseus is terrified. This shows death is unavoidable even for the strongest heroes.

How is Book 22 distinct from other parts of the Odyssey?

Shifts to direct and graphic violence. There is also absolute moral judjement

Who helps Odysseus in Book 22 and who stand against him?

Helps: Athena, Telemachus, Philoetius, Eurycleia , Eumaues

Stands Against: The suitors, Melanthius, Disloyal servants.

Whose life does Odysseus spare?

Phemius

Does Penelope test whether Odysseus is really who he says he is?

Yes, tries to get Odysseus to move the wedding bed which he can't move because it is rooted to an olive tree.