Odyssey Book 9: Christopher G. Brown - Analyzing Odysseus' Encounter with Polyphemus

Cyclops' Cave: Revenge and Justice in Odyssey 9

Christopher G. Brown analyzes Odysseus' encounter with Polyphemus in Book 9 of The Odyssey, particularly focusing on the themes of revenge, justice, and divine intervention.

Sacrifice to Zeus and Divine Rejection

• After escaping Polyphemus' cave, Odysseus sacrifices the Cyclops' ram to Zeus as a thank-offering but Zeus rejects it.

• This raises questions about divine justice, as Odysseus believed his actions against Polyphemus were divinely sanctioned

• Zeus' rejection appears to honor Polyphemus' prayer to Poseidon, leading to Odysseus' suffering.

Zeus and Divine Justice

• There's an apparent contradiction between Zeus' rejection of Odysseus' sacrifice and his espoused principle of justice (δίκη) in Book 1.

• Some scholars attribute such discrepancies to the nature of oral composition, where diverse traditional elements are combined without critical assimilation.

• Others argue for a more integrated reading, suggesting that the inconsistency reveals a failure of interpretation rather than Homeric error.

The Role of Oral Composition

• Oral composition brings together various traditional elements without uniform consistency.

• Conflicts within the text may be irreconcilable due to the conflation of divergent traditional material.

• Folktale material and disparate mythic traditions further complicate the narrative.

Alternative Interpretation: Odysseus' Hybris

• Karl Reinhardt suggests Zeus sides with Poseidon due to Odysseus' hubris (βpts), where Odysseus wrongly assumes the role of divine punisher.

• Friedrich expands on this, arguing that Odysseus' speeches to Polyphemus contain further evidence of βpts.

Problems with the Hybris Interpretation

• The term βpts is often misapplied, carrying connotations of arrogance leading to a fall, which doesn't fully align with Greek usage or Homeric contexts.

• The text lacks explicit indications of Zeus' anger in lines 550-555; it's a neutral statement about the sacrifice's rejection and fulfillment of the Cyclops' curse.

Zeus' Programmatic Speech and Human Responsibility

• Zeus' speech in Book 1 is not a theodicy justifying divine actions but rather an affirmation of mortals' responsibility for their suffering.

• Mortals claim that all evils come from the gods, but they also experience suffering beyond their portion due to their own folly (ατασθαλίησιν).

• Υπὲρ μόρον signifies suffering beyond what is fated or allotted by the gods due to one's actions.

Relevance to Odysseus

• Zeus' speech is more directly relevant to the companions and suitors, who suffer due to their ατασθαλία.

• Odysseus is contrasted with Aegisthus, suggesting the companions and suitors serve as foils.

• Athena calls Odysseus δύσμορος (unhappy portion), emphasizing his suffering as his lot rather than earned through βpts.

Divine Justice and Imprecise Punishment

• Zeus imposed λυγρός νόστος on the Greeks because not all were wise or just.

• Divine punishment can be imprecise, affecting the innocent along with the guilty (e.g., plagues).

• Odysseus' sufferings result from being blown off course and Polyphemus' curse affecting his homecoming (νόστος).

• The Nature of the Cyclopes

• The Cyclopes have a different dispensation than ordinary humans, living outside typical human society.

• They trust in the gods but don't engage in agriculture or have social structures like assemblies or laws.

• This idyllic existence contrasts with their lawlessness and arrogance, challenging interpretations attributing it to virtue.

Mythic Geography and the Periphery of the World

• The Greeks saw their familiar world as situated centrally, with the Cyclopes existing outside this human society.

• Races on the periphery of the earth exist under different dispensations from the gods, with varying rules of conduct and life circumstances.

• The Odyssey defines human society by exploring what it's not through these fringe-dwellers.

Odysseus' Error of Judgment

• Odysseus acts on the assumption that human social rules are valid when dealing with Polyphemus, failing to recognize the differences between the Cyclopes and fellow humans.

• Polyphemus suggests Odysseus' attitude indicates he's either a fool or comes from far away.

• Instead of ὕβρις, Odysseus failing due to error in judgment.

Hospitality and Heroic Motivation

• Odysseus' motives for entering Polyphemus' cave include inquisitiveness and acquisitiveness (forging links of hospitality).

• He presses for a hospitable reception, emphasizing divine enforcement of social customs.

• The encounter becomes a grim travesty of hospitality, with the guest-gift becoming the monster's last course.

Irrelevance of Hospitality to the Cyclopes

• The rules of hospitality don't apply to the Cyclopes, who lack the social structure on which hospitality depends.

• Odysseus tries to claim hospitality in a land where it's irrelevant.

• Zeus has no obligation to support him and sides with Poseidon, as Odysseus' persecution won't affect μοῖρα.

Odysseus' Iliadic Warrior Traits

• Odysseus displays traits of an Iliadic warrior in the encounter, particularly in his introductory speech, emphasizing his role in sacking Troy.

• The Cyclopeia emphasizes the motif of hospitality and reminds us of Odysseus' Iliadic past.

• The speeches delivered by Odysseus after his escape mirrors the Εὔχος of the hero in battle.

Odysseus Development and Mῆτις

• Odysseus and Achilles represent antithetical types of heroes.

• Odysseus is the survivor, using wits and might with Μῆτις.

• Odysseus' first impulse is violence, his Μέγαλήτωρ θυμός or Iliadic temper.

• But his Quuóc capacity to check his impulse & respond & use cunning, his Μῆτις.

• This is in sharp contrast to Achilles, where he would have needed Athena to check his anger.

• Odysseus is very much on his own.

• Odysseus' experience with Polyphemus serves him well later as he executes his plans for revenge against the suitors.

Turning Point in Character Development

• Odysseus' victory over Polyphemus marks a turning point in his character development.

• His Iliadic conduct brings him to the cave and incurs Poseidon's wrath, teaching him a lesson in caution.

• He uses the same cunning he used in the Cyclops' cave to deal with the suitors on Ithaca.