Classics A-Level: The Odyssey

Odysseus

- The central figure in the epic.

- Employs guile as well as courage to return to Ithaca, defeat the suitors, and resume his proper place as king.

Penelope

- Wife of Odysseus and mother of Telemachus.

- Shrewd and faithful in fending off the suitors.

Telemachus

- Son of Odysseus and Penelope.

- The prince struggles to gain his own maturity while attempting to deal with the problems of the palace.

Theoclymenus

- Prophet in exile for murder.

- Book 17, predicts that Odysseus will kill the suitors and odysseus is already back in Ithaca and he will kill the suitors

Anticlea

- Odysseus' mother.

-Dies grieving her son's long absence and sees him only during his visit to the Land of the Dead.

Laertes

- Odysseus's aging father, who resides on a farm in Ithaca.

- In despair and physical decline, Laertes regains his spirit when Odysseus returns and eventually kills Antinous's father.

Athena

- Sometimes called "Pallas Athena" or "Pallas".

- She frequently intervenes on Odysseus' or Telemachus' behalf, often in disguise and sometimes as Mentor, the prince's adviser.

- She is the patron goddess of heroic endeavour.

Mentes

Taphian captain; disguise Athena undertakes while visiting in Book 1.

Mentor

- Son of Alcimus, Ithacan friend of Odysseus.

- Often impersonated by Athena.

Circe

- Lives on Aeaea.

- A goddess-enchantress who turns some of Odysseus' crew into swine, she reverses the spell and becomes Odysseus' lover for a year, advising him well when he departs.

Calypso

- Lives on Ogygia.

- A goddess-nymph, she holds Odysseus captive for 7 years, sleeping with him, hoping to marry him, and releasing him only at Zeus' order.

Euricleia

- Aged and loyal servant who nursed Odysseus and Telemachus when they were babies.

- Well informed about palace intrigues and serves as confidante to her masters.

- Keeps Telemachus's journey secret from Penelope, and later keeps Odysseus's identity a secret after she recognizes a scar on his leg.

Melanthius

- Brother of Melantho.

- A treacherous and opportunistic goatherd who supports the suitors, especially Eurymachus.

- Abuses the beggar in the palace, not knowing that the man is Odysseus.

Melantho

- Sister of Melanthius

- Maidservant in Odysseus's palace.

- Abuses the beggar in the palace, not knowing that the man is Odysseus.

- Having an affair with Eurymachus.

Eumaeus

- Swineherd.

- An old and loyal servant to Odysseus.

Philoteus

- Cowherd.

- Loyal to Odysseus.

Antinuous

- Most arrogant of Penelope's suitors.

- Leads the campaign to kill Telemachus.

- Unlike the other suitors, he is never portrayed sympathetically.

- First to die when Odysseus returns.

Eurymachus

- A manipulative, deceitful suitor.

- His charisma and duplicity allow him to exert some influence over the other suitors.

- Sleeps with Melantho.

Amphinomous

- The only decent suitor.

- Sometimes speaks up for Odysseus and Telemachus.

- Killed with the rest of the suitors.

Tiresias

- A Theban prophet who inhabits the underworld.

- Meets Odysseus when he journeys to the underworld in Book 11.

- Shows Odysseus how to get back to Ithaca and allows him to communicate with the other souls in Hades.

Nausicaa

- Daughter of Alcinous and Queen Arete.

- Finds Odysseus when he washes ashore on Phaeacia and expresses an attraction toward him.

Alcinous

- King of the Phaeacians.

- Offers Odysseus hospitality in his island kingdom of Scheria.

- Hears the story of Odysseus's wanderings and provides him with safe passage back to Ithaca.

Arete

- Queen of the Phaeacians, wife of Alcinous, and mother of Nausicaa.

- Is intelligent and influential.

- Nausicaa tells Odysseus to make his appeal for assistance to Arete.

Demodicus

- A Phaeacian bard that sings stories of the Trojan war and the great Odysseus.

- Odysseus, in disguise, cries from the memories which reveals his identity.

Scheria/Phaeacia

- Home of the Phaeacians.

- The King is Alcinous, the Queen is Arete.

- They insist on Odysseus telling them his story.

Aelous

- Master of the winds.

- Helps Odysseus get within viewing distance of Ithaca but later abandons the voyager, concluding that anyone so unlucky must be cursed.

Charybdis

A dangerous whirlpool personified as a female sea monster.

Scylla

A six-headed monster who, when ships pass, swallows one sailor for each head.

Elpanor

- A crewman who broke his neck falling from Circe's roof.

- Odysseus sees him in the underworld.

Tiresias

The blind, Theban prophet who advised Odysseus.

Sisyphus

Legendary figure doomed in the underworld to roll a boulder up an incline and forever failing to surmount its crest.

Tantalus

Legendary figure doomed to eternal thirst and hunger in the underworld.

Ajax

Killed himself after losing a contest with Odysseus over Achilles' arms.

Laestragonians

- A clan of giant cannibals.

- Ate eleven of Odysseus's ships.

Polyphemus

Cyclops, son of Poseidon.

Cicones

- Citizens of Thrace, allies of Troy.

- Odysseus and his men raid Thrace after they leave Troy.

Ismarus

- Home of the Cicones.

- Odysseus and his men take over this place and kill many of its citizens.

Ino

Offers divine aid in the form of a veil, its immortal properties save Odysseus from drowning.

Irus

- Younger beggar who comes in and challenges Odysseus to a boxing match.

- He is beaten with one punch.

- He is a portly buffoon who is a comic favorite of the suitors.

Book 1 Summary

- At Mount Olympus, Athena pleads with Zeus, to take pity on Odysseus and allow him to return home.

- She suggests that Zeus dispatch Hermes to liberate Odysseus from Calypso while Athena visits Ithaca to advise Telemachus.

- Odysseus is the only Greek survivor of the Trojan War who has not yet returned home or died trying.

- Held captive by Calypso who wants him to be her husband.

- Odysseus has incurred the wrath of Poseidon, by blinding his son Polyphemus.

- Penelope, is besieged by suitors at his home in Ithaca.

- Disguised as Mentes, Athena counsels Telemachus.

- She predicts that his father will return and insists that the prince must stand up to the suitors and seek more information about Odysseus.

Book 5 Summary

- Gods gather again on Olympus and Athena once more advocates Odysseus' case.

- Zeus agrees to send Hermes to Ogygia to liberate Odysseus from Calypso.

- Zeus advises Athena to help Telemachus return home unharmed, escaping the suitors' ambush.

- On Ogygia, Calypso begrudgingly agrees to follow Hermes' directions. She provides a raft and supplies for Odysseus but no escort.

- First skeptical of Calypso's offer of freedom, Odysseus soon joins preparations for his departure.

- Poseidon, returning from a visit to Ethiopia, spots Odysseus on the open sea, raises his trident, and sends a storm that nearly drowns him.

- With Athena's help and a sea nymph named Leucothea, Odysseus makes it ashore on the island of Scheria, home of the Phaeacians.

Books 6-8 Summary

- The morning after Odysseus' landing in Scheria, Athena (disguised as a friend) sends Nausicaa, and some of her handmaidens to wash clothes near the spot where the hero has collapsed.

- Nausicaa is a classic nubile beauty and seems somewhat attracted to the wayfaring stranger. She tells him how to find the palace and endear himself to the queen, thus insuring his safe passage home.

- Odysseus follows her instructions and is received hospitably at the royal household. He eventually reveals his identity and welcomes the Phaeacians' offer to return him to Ithaca.

- First, however, he will tell them of his wanderings. These stories take up the next 4 books (9-12).

Book 9 Summary

- Odysseus and his men sail to Ismarus right after the Trojan War.

- They sack the city, kill the men, enslave the women, and enjoy a rich haul of plunder.

- Odysseus advises his men to leave immediately with their riches, but they ignore his warnings.

- The Cicones counterattack and defeat the Greeks, Odysseus and his men retreat by sea.

- Storms blow the ships off course and they arrive at the land of the Lotus-eaters.

- The inhabitants are not hostile; however, eating the lotus plant causes Odysseus' men to lose memory and desire to return home.

- The next stop is the land of the Cyclops. Polyphemus, traps Odysseus and a scouting party in his cave.

- They escape using Odysseus' ‘Nobody’ plan.

Odysseus’ Nobody Plan 101

- Get Polyphemus drunk on wine.

- State that your name is 'Nobody'.

- Stab the Cyclops' eye out with a stake as he sleeps.

- When other Cyclopes come and ask who's killing Polyphemus, he'll reply 'Nobody!'

- Hide on the bottom of his sheep after the stupid Cyclops opens the boulder door.

- Shout out your real name like a knob as you sail away, which will allow Polyphemus to curse you to his god daddy, Poseidon.

Book 10 Summary

- Odysseus arrives at Aeolus’ home, where they are greeted warmly and hosted for a month.

- Eager to move on, Odysseus receives an ox-skin pouch from Aeolus. In it are captured all the winds that might drive the ships off course.

- Only the West Wind is left free to blow them toward Ithaca.

- After ten days of sailing, the Greeks are so close to home that they can actually see men tending fires on their island.

- Odysseus falls asleep. Curious and suspicious, his men open the ox skin expecting to find treasure and release heavy squalls that blow them right back to Aeolus' island.

- The wind god refuses to help them further.

- The Greeks must row to the Laestrygonians, who suddenly attack and devour the crew, hurling boulders at the ships and spearing the men like fish.

- Only Odysseus' vessel escapes. It sails to the island of Aeaea, home of Circe, whom Odysseus can overcome through the intervention of Hermes. Even so, he chooses to stay on the island for a full year.

- Hermes tells Odysseus he needs a plant ‘Molly’ to counteract the potion that turned all the crew into pigs and to make Circe swear an oath to not hurt him or his men anymore.

- Elpanor gets piss drunk and falls off a roof during the festivities before leaving.

Book 11 Summary

- Odysseus travels to the Land of the Dead.

- He pours libations and performs sacrifices as Circe earlier instructs him to do to attract the souls of the dead.

Odysseus meets:

- Elpenor: He begs Odysseus to return to Circe's island and give his body a proper burial.

- Tiresias: Reveals Poseidon is punishing the Achaeans for blinding Polyphemus and foretells Odysseus's fate—that he will return home, reclaim his wife and palace from the wretched suitors, and then make another trip to a distant land to appease Poseidon.

- He warns Odysseus not to eat the cattle of Helios when he reaches the land of Thrinacia; otherwise, he won't return home without losing all of his crew.

- Anticleia: Updates him on the affairs of Ithaca and relates how she died of grief waiting for his return.

- Agamemnon: Tells him of his murder at the hands of his wife, Clytemnestra, states this betrayal o will apply to all women and he should be sceptical of Penelope.

- Achilles: Asks about his son, Neoptolemus.

- Ajax: Refuses to speak and slips away.

- Witnesses the punishment of Sisyphus and Tantalus.

Book 12 Summary

- Odysseus returns to Aeaea for Elpenor's funeral rites.

- Circe provides supplies and warnings about the journey to begin the next dawn. First the Greeks must get past the Sirens and then the Clashing Rocks which only the ship of the Argonauts ever escaped.

- Odysseus instructs his men to tie him to the mast and put wax in their own ears so they do not hear the Sirens’ song.

- Choosing to go around the Clashing Rocks, Odysseus then must confront either Scylla or Charybdis.

- The first is a six-headed monster lurking in an overhanging, fog-concealed cavern. She cannot be defeated, and she devours at least six of the Greeks, one for each of her hideous heads.

- An arrow shot away is Charybdis, a monster whirlpool that swallows everything near it.

- They next arrive at the Island of the sun god Helios.

- Though Odysseus warns his men not do, they eat Helios’ cattle anyway whilst he falls asleep.

- Helios demands punishment for the men from Zeus, and so a storm crushes Odysseus’ ship, killing everyone aside form Odysseus who clings to a board of a raft.

Book 13 Summary

- Odysseus' account of his wanderings is complete. The Phaeacians know the rest.

- Alcinous assures Odysseus that he will be returned safely to his home and insists on even more gifts.

- Odysseus will arrive in Ithaca with treasure surpassing his fair share from Troy, which has long since been lost.

- Consistent with their custom, the Phaeacians provide the wanderer safe passage home.

- This annoys Poseidon who complains to Zeus. The gods agree on Poseidon's vengeance against the Phaeacians.

- Athena meets Odysseus on Ithaca and disguises him as an old beggar so that he can gain information without being recognized.

- He meets Eumaeus, and is pleased with the man's hospitality as well as his devotion to the master, he does not recognize.

Book 16 Summary

- Athena guides Telemachus safely past the suitors' ambush.

- Eumaeus is sent to tell Penelope of her son's safe return.

- Athena alters Odysseus' appearance again, turning him into a strapping image of his former self; he looks like a god to the shocked and skeptical Telemachus.

- Odysseus reveals his true identity to his son, and they work out a plan to defeat the suitors.

- Athena turns Odysseus back into the old beggar. Only Telemachus knows who he really is.

- Antinous also has a plan and tells the other suitors how they must assassinate the prince.

- Amphinomus calls for patience in order to learn the will of the gods before striking. His argument wins as the suitors agree to postpone the murder of Telemachus.

- Penelope confronts the intruders but is cut off by Eurymachus.

Book 17 Summary

- Odysseus walks to town the next morning, joined by Eumaeus, who still thinks he is accompanying an old beggar. Telemachus precedes them, cheering his mother with his presence and the stories of his trip.

- Theoclymenus tells Penelope that Odysseus is on Ithaca now, gathering information. The queen wishes that she could believe him, but she cannot.

- During the trip to town, Odysseus and his swineherd cross paths with Melanthius, but avoid a fight.

- Odysseus and his dying old dog, Argos, quietly recognize each other, Odysseus cries.

- In the banquet hall, Antinous bullies the ragged beggar/Odysseus and throws a footstool at him.

- Odysseus analyses which of the suitors should be spared.

Book 18 Summary

- As late afternoon turns to evening, a beggar named Irus arrives.

- At the urging of Antinous, Irus picks a fight with beggar/Odysseus, which he soon regrets.

- As tensions increase, Odysseus tries to warn Amphinomus that trouble is coming and he should leave the group.

- In preparation for the meeting with Odysseus, Athena makes Penelope look even more beautiful. The queen chastises her son for permitting a fight and putting their guest at risk.

- Odysseus reprimands Melantho for her neglect of the queen, she’s been indulging in an affair with Eurymachus.

- Odysseus and Eurymachus have a confrontation.

Book 19 Summary

- The suitors go home for the night.

- Odysseus instructs Telemachus to gather the weapons and hide them where they will not be available to the suitors the next day.

- Melantho confronts the beggar/Odysseus once more.

- Alone with Penelope, Odysseus offers convincing evidence that he knew her husband.

- Penelope seems suspicious about his identity.

- Eurycleia, is assigned the duty of bathing the guest. She identifies a scar, over his knee, left by a boar's tusk, and realises that she is bathing her master.

- Odysseus immediately and sternly swears her to silence, forbidding her even to tell Penelope his identity.

- Penelope rejoins the beggar/Odysseus and reveals that she will conduct a contest the following day to select a husband and satisfy the suitors.

- The challenge involves a feat that only Odysseus has performed before: stringing his great bow and shooting an arrow through a straight row of twelve axes.

Book 21 Summary

- Penelope announces the contest and retrieves Odysseus' great backsprung bow from a secret storeroom.

- Telemachus attempts to string the bow and fails three times.

- He is about to succeed on his fourth try when Odysseus privately signals him to back off. The suitors then take their turns, failing dismally.

- As the suitors contend, Odysseus meets outside with Eumaeus and Philoetius and reveals to them his true identity, enlisting their support in his plan.

- Antinous suggests that the contest be postponed, but Odysseus asks if he might give the bow a try, an idea that Penelope strongly supports.

- Odysseus easily strings the weapon and fires an arrow straight through the axes; then he and Telemachus face the suitors.

Book 22 Summary

- Tearing off his beggar rags, Odysseus utters a brief prayer to Apollo, and fires an arrow through Antinous' throat.

- He then announces his intentions to the suitors in no uncertain terms. Suddenly realizing the danger, Eurymachus tries to talk his way out of the situation, offering repayment for all that has been taken from Odysseus.

- Odysseus declines the offer, and Eurymachus calls his cohorts to arms, which consist of only the swords they wear. They have no armor.

- Odysseus rips through Eurymachus' chest and liver with an arrow. Amphinomus attacks and is killed by Telemachus.

- Melanthius manages to bring the suitors armor and spears from the storeroom but is caught by Eumaeus and Philoetius on a second attempt and strung up, alive.

- With Athena's intervention and encouragement, Odysseus wins.

- All suitors are killed. The king then dispenses justice to a few remaining individuals and a dozen servant girls.

Book 23 Summary

- The house is cleaned after the battle, Eurycleia scurries up to Penelope's quarters to tell her all that has happened.

- Penelope is cautious and goes to the great hall. When she expresses ambivalence, Telemachus chides his mother for her skepticism.

- Odysseus asks Telemachus to gather the servants and stage a fake wedding feast so that any passersby do not suspect the slaughter that has taken place.

- To assure herself of Odysseus' identity, Penelope tests him.

- She asks Eurycleia to move the bedstead out of the couple's chamber.

- The king himself had carved the bed as a young man, shaping it out of a living olive tree that grew in the courtyard of the palace.

- He built the bedroom around the tree and would know that the bed cannot be moved.

- Penelope accepts him as her long-absent husband.

- For the first time in 20 years, they spend a blissful night together, Athena delays the dawn to grant the couple more time.

Honour and reputation (timē and kleos)

1. Blinding Polyphemus: Book 9

- Odysseus blinds the Cyclops Polyphemus in order to avenge the deaths of six crew members: the violence is an act of honor because vengeance is customary and just.

2. The Phaeacian games: Book 8

- Odysseus is asked to participate, however he declines.

- A young athlete, Broadsea, then insults him, which goads his pride to action.

- Odysseus easily wins the discus toss and then challenges the Phaeacian athletes to any other form of competition they choose.

3. Killing of the suitors: Book 22

- Odysseus murders all the suitors in the great hall when he returns to Ithaca to uphold his reputation as king.

- In Book 17 he and Telemachus analyses if any should be spared.

4. Odysseus honours Nausicaa: Book 7

- King Alcinous is impressed with how Odysseus treated Nausicaa on the beach at the first meeting, he showed her honour and respect.

- He wishes Odysseus would marry Nausicaa.

5. Odysseus honours Elpenor: Book 12

- Odysseus and his crew return to Circe’s island to bury Elpanor who we see at the land of the dead.

- They are therefore honouring his life.

Portrayal of different societies

1. Cyclops society: Book 9

- The land is extremely fruitful, controlled by the gods, so that the Cyclops have no need to farm their land.

- The environment is depicted as hostile, with the Cyclops all living separately without the need of communicating with their neighbours.

- Cyclops take to their own activities, such as Polyphemus who cares for his Goats that are provided by the Gods.

- The island is also isolated so that the inhabitants are rarely disturbed by outsiders.

2. Phaeacians: Books 7-13

- A juxtaposition to the Cyclopean way of life, it's structured, sophisticated, and harmonious; in a word, civilized.

- Society works together as a structured whole. Thus, their society is lawful and cultured.

- Furthermore, their society has many technai [arts], which is something that the Cyclopes as a whole lack.

3. Laestrygonians: Book 10

- A race of cannibalistic giants whose king, Antiphates, and unnamed queen, turn Odysseus's scouts into dinner.

- Odysseus and his remaining men flee toward their ships, but the Laestrygonians pelt the ships with boulders and sink them as they sit in the harbor. Only Odysseus's ship escapes.

4. Ithaca: Books 13-23

- Ithaca is continuously hailed as the ideal community, one which Odysseus desperately seeks to return to from the savage and uncivilised lands he journeys through.

- Homer uses this representation of Ithaca as the ideal Greek community to both emphasise the differences and lack of civilisation in other communities - and draw comparisons between more civilised communities encountered by Odysseus, in particular that of the Phaecians.

- This allows Homer to create some communities which would appear even more alien and magical to his audience, and some which would have an air of familiarity, perhaps contributing to how enrapturing they would have found his tales.

5. Lotus

Homecoming (nostos)

1. Poseidon prevents homecoming.

2. Lotus flower fruit makes people forget about home.

3. Calypso keeps Odysseus on her island for 7 years.

Disguise and recognition

1. Odysseus often disguises his identity.

- Claims to be called Nobody in the cave of Polyphemus.

- Assumes the appearance of a beggar upon his return to Ithaca (he also disguises himself as a beggar as part of a military manoeuvre in Troy: both disguises ultimately bring him glory).

- Athena covers Odysseus in a shroud of mist so he can sneak into the palace and beg for Queen Arete’s help.

2. Odyssey' dog recognises him.

- Argos recognizes Odysseus at once and he has just enough strength to drop his ears and wag his tail but cannot get up to greet his master.

- Unable to greet his beloved dog, as this would betray who he really was, Odysseus passes by (but not without shedding a tear) and enters his hall, and Argos dies.

3. Family recognising Odysseus

- He appears to Telemachus, as a beggar who is visiting the family's pig farm.

- When they can be alone, Athena alters Odysseus' appearance to something so impressive that the prince wonders if he might not be a god.

- Eurycleia privately identifies Odysseus when she recognizes a scar on his leg as she bathes him; however, she vows to keep the news to herself.

4. Athena disguises'.

- She first appears to Telemachus as Mentes.

- This allows her to encourage the prince and lead him into an expository discussion of the problems in the palace.

- She most famously appears to Telemachus as Mentor, an Ithacan adviser who helps to protect the prince from the murderous suitors and to guide him through his coming of age.

Fantasy and the supernatural

1. Hermes’ Molly: Book 10

2. The Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis: Book 12

3. Ino and the magic veil: Book

Gives Odysseus a veil which protects him after Poseidon wrecks his ship.

4. Aeolus’ wind bag: Book 10

5. Phaeacians’ magic crops: Book 7

Power of Fate

1. The gods control Odysseus’ fate: Throughout

The Fates do not appear in the epic but instead use the will of the gods to act this out upon Odysseus.

- The opposition to Odysseus’ safe journey home comes in the form of the god Poseidon who is angered with him for blinding his son.

- While his patron goddess Athena does everything in her power to help him reach his native land.

- In Book 23 Athena stops the relatives of the suitors from killing Odysseus and brings peace, she prevents an endless cycle of violence.

2. Odysseus is fated to return home: Book 11

- Tiresias foretells Odysseus' fate which is that he will return home, reclaim his wife and palace from the wretched suitors and then make another trip to. distant land to appease Poseidon.

- He also warns Odysseus to not touch Helios' cattle.

3.

Relationships between Mortals and Immortals

1. Athena is best buds with Odysseus: Throughout

- Athena is the patron goddess of heroes.

- She especially likes Odysseus as he represents much of what she is, he’s wise and cunning.

- She assists his family by mentoring Telemachus and helping him become a man.

- In Book 16, Athena allows Telemachus and Odysseus to meet so they can take down the suitors together.

2. Poseidon does not like Odysseus: Throughout

- Poseidon enacts revenge on Odysseus and his men for blinding Polyphemus.

3. Hermes giving him molly: Book 10

- Hermes first assists Odysseus in Book 5 when he tells Calypso to let him go.

- He then advises Odysseus how to revert back his men from pigs and how to stay safe from Circe.

4. Aeulos gives him wind: Book 10

5. Helios' cattle: Book 12

- Despite being warned against it, the seamen eat Helios’ cattle.

- Helios threatens to prevent the sun from shining if Zeus does not take revenge on Odysseus’ crew.

- They are all killed in a storm.

Justice and Revenge

1. Poseidon: Throughout

In order to escape from the cave of Polyphemus, Odysseus blinds the one-eyed giant (Book 9). Unfortunately, the Cyclops is the sea god Poseidon's son. Poseidon can't kill Odysseus because the Fates have determined that he will make it home. However, the sea god can help to fulfill his son's wish that Odysseus should arrive in Ithaca late, broken, and alone, his shipmates lost, and his household in turmoil (9.590-95).

2. Suitors deaths: Book 22

Odysseus is avenging the suitors' lack of respect for and the servants' lack of loyalty to his office, his property, and his family. Odysseus' vengeance is formidable when it is directed toward the suitors and his disloyal servants. He demonstrates impressive tolerance as he endures, in disguise, the insults and assaults of the suitor Antinous, the goatherd Melanthius, and the maidservant Melantho, for example.

3. Helios' cattle: Book 12

- Despite being warned against it, the seamen eat Helios’ cattle.

- Helios threatens to prevent the sun from shining if Zeus does not take revenge on Odysseus’ crew.

- They are all killed in a storm.

4. Odysseus and Poseidon: Book 24

- To appease Poseidon, Odysseus had to place an oar far inland.

- This symbolises that Odysseus will stay far away from the water.

Xenia

1. Respect, Telemachus to Athena disguised as Mentes: Book 1

- Athena comes to Ithaca in disguise as the hero Mentes to convince Telemachus to go in search of news of Odysseus.

- As is proper for hosts, Telemachus welcomes his guest and provides food and drink before even asking the guest's identity.

- Telemachus's behavior is especially notable because of the lack of attention paid by the rest of the household.

2. Respect, Phaeacians: Books 7-13

- Nausicaa meets a naked Odysseus on the beach and after he pleads her for help, advises him to see her mother Arête and beg for her help.

- Alcinous agrees to help Odysseus without knowing his true identity.

- Provides him with a ship and many gifts.

3. Respect & Disrespect, Aeolus: Book 9

- Aeolus refused to help him and turned him away, saying that Odysseus must be hated by the gods.

- However, he did welcome Odysseus and show him good xenia during his first visit, providing for Odysseus and his crew for a month and finally providing him with the gift of a bag of winds and a westerly wind to help him get home to Ithaca.

4. Respect & Disrespect, Circe: Book 10

- Circe showed Odysseus very poor xenia as she first attempted to turn him into a pig, and then attacked him with her wand. The only reason why she relented was because Odysseus had overpowered her using the advice and help from Hermes.

- However, her showing him great hospitality and care for a year, during which Odysseus and his men were content, overshadows this initial poor welcoming of Odysseus.

- She is also a good host when she provides Odysseus with instructions about how to get to the Underworld and seek the advice of Tiresias.

- She gives clear advice about what to do when encountering the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis.

5. Disrespect, Polyphemus: Book 9

- The cyclops makes no pretense toward hospitality.

Family and Friendships

1. Fathers and sons: Throughout

- Telemachus is sent on a quest to find out about his father’s whereabouts.

- When Odysseus visits the underworld, Achilles asks about his son, Neoptolemus.

- Poseidon prevents Odysseus’ homecoming as revenge for blinding Polyphemus.

- Book 24 ends with Odysseus going to see his father and having lunch with him.

2. Slaves: Last chapters

- Both Eumaus and Philoteus remain loyal to Odysseus and help him take down the suitors.

- Euriclea helps raise Odysseus and Telemachus and is close to the family, she is their childhood nurse.

3. Odysseus and Penelope: Throughout

- Penelope remains chaste for 20 years waiting for Odysseus’ return.

- They are often depicted as the perfect example of a married couple as they have homophrosne.

- When we first meet Odysseus in Book 5 he is crying as he is homesick and misses his family.

4. Laertes and funeral shroud that Penelope makes: Book 1

5. Nausicaa convinces parents to let Odysseus stay: Book 7

6. Agamemnon returning home: Book 11

- In the underworld Agamemnon warns Odysseus about Penelope, just in case she kills him as Clytemnestra and her lover did to him.

- He advices Odysseus to return in disguise.

7. Mother’s and sons: Book 11

- In the underworld, Odysseus’ mother Anticlea reveals that she died from grief when Odysseus did not return home, this shows a close familial bond.

- Telemachus wants to help with mother rid the suitors, however when he becomes a man he commands her around, however this is typical for a contemporary audience.

Relationships between men and women

1. Odysseus and Penelope: Book 23

- Penelope remains chaste for 20 years waiting for Odysseus’ return.

- They are often depicted as the perfect example of a married couple as they have homophrosne.

2. Odysseus and his mother: Book 11

3. Calypso has a feminist rant about male gods taking lovers: Book 5

4. Athena and Odysseus: Throughout

5. Nausicaa and Odysseus: Book 7

- Odysseus uses sex to get his way.

6. Telemachus and his mum: Throughout

7. . Agamemnon returning home: Book 11

- In the underworld Agamemnon warns Odysseus about Penelope, just in case she kills him as Clytemnestra and her lover did to him.

- He advices Odysseus to return in disguise.

Role of slaves

1. Eurycleia

- Maid servant to Odysseus and Telemachus; aids them in locking of women away from the violent slaughter of the suitors.

2. Eumaeus (the swine herd)

3. Philoetius (the loyal cow herd)

4. Melantho and Melanthius

- Melantho was a bad maid and raised like daughter to Penelope.

- She was ungrateful and slept with the suitors and became Eurymachus’ mistress.

- Both treated disguised Odyssey harshly.

5. Slave girls forced to clean the hall

Then hung by Telemachus.