The Fate of Odysseus’s Land & Family (Books 1-4)

The Fate of Odysseus’s Land & Family (Books 1-4)

Summary of Important Events:

            -Book 1

1. Introduced to the gods and their fondness (esp Athena) for Odysseus.

2. Athena goes to Telemachos in disguise and gives him instructions to call a meeting of the men of Ithaca, then go in search of his father, Odysseus. First to Pylos, next to Sparta, then gather a plan to get rid of all of Penelope’s unwanted suitors, of which there are plenty.

3. Telemachos is encouraged by Athena’s words and starts to act like a man. He counsels his mother and tells the suitors his plan to call a meeting, at which they are dismayed.

            -Book 2

1. Telemachos calls a meeting by way of criers and everyone (prominent men) gathers. He announces that he has two troubles that concern him. The loss of his father and the unwanted suitors that crowd his house. He explain how the men have killed his flocks, crowd his house, and are both a disgrace and a drain on his houses resources and riches.

2. Antinoos tells the story of how clever Penelope said she had to create a burial shroud for Laertes, who is not yet dead, before she could do anything else. But at night, she secretly unravels the work so the men must continue to wait.

3. Zeus sends down a pair of eagles as omens. Halitherses tells the men he predicted Odysseus’s long trip, but supports Telemachos.

4.Telemachos swears Eurycleia to silence and has her collect items for a journey to find his father.            Meanwhile Athena found a crew and then they came and helped load the supplies into the chosen ship.

5. Telemachos leaves Ithaca for Pylos.

            -Book 3

                        1. Telemachos arrive in Sandy Pylos and is greeted and welcomed by Nestor.

2.Nestor tells Telemachos how Odysseus and him were great friends. He also tells the story of how/why Odysseus was still missing. Odysseus, and Nestor, had pride and did not sacrifice properly to the gods after the victory, instead choosing to try and go directly home. Zeus and Athena were particularly displeased and sent them off-course.

3.Nestor then tells the story of Agamemnon’s death by the hand of Aigisthos, then Aigisthos’s death by Agamemnon’s son, Orestes.

4.Nestor then tells Telemachos and “Mentor” they have to spend the night. However “Mentor” says he cannot as there are thing he has to attend to. Finally, “Mentor” turns into a sea-osprey and flies away, much to the awe of Nestor.

5. The next day Nestor, his household, and his guests gathered and sacrificed a cow to Athena. This was after they covered the bull’s horns with gold.

                        6. Telemachos and Peisistratos (Nestor’s son) leave for Lacedaimon.

            -Book 4

1. The pair arrive in Lacedaimon/Sparta and King Menelaos welcomes them into his home and invites them to join in the feast he was throwing for his daughter and son.

2. Menelaos tells the pair how much he came to be so rich, by traveling, yet so poor, with the loss of his dear brother, Agamemnon. Helen arrives and comments that Telemachos must be related to Odysseus because of the physical resemblance, Menelaos agrees. Nestor’s son reveals that it is indeed Telemachos.

3. Menelaos tells Telemachos how he knew everything, by capturing the Old Man of the Sea and making him prophesize.

4. Meanwhile, back on Ithaca, Antinoos found out that Telemachos had taken the best men and borrowed a boat and then planned to kill Odysseus’s son. Penelope heard this story and plan and wept. Athena came to her in the night to tell her that the gods were not against her family as she thought.

5. The evil men, Antinoos, Eurymachos, the suitors left to lye in wait for Telemachos to kill him.

List of Important Characters: By Familial Relations

            -Gods

                        -Athena

                                    -Goddess of Crafts and wisdom

                                    -Odysseus’s sort-of patron

                        -Zeus

                        -Poseidon

            -Odysseus Family

                        -Odysseus

                                    -Protagonist

                                    -King of Ithaca

                                    -Considered one of the finest men to ever live

                                    -Liked by all gods except for Poseidon

                        -Penelope

                                    -Daughter of Icarius

                                    -Wife of Odysseus and Mother of Telemachos

                                    -Clever & Beautiful

                                    -Ideal wife, mother, and woman

                        -Telemachos

                                    -Son of Odysseus & Penelopia

-At age 20 sets out to look for lost father/ manhood rite of exploring world           

                        -Laretes

                                    -Father of Odyseeus           

                                    -Hermit in the Ithaca country side

                        -Icarius

-Nestor Family

                        -Nestor

                        -Eurydice

                        -Peisestratos

            -Menelaos/Helen Family

                        -Meneleaos

                        -Helen

                        -Agamemnon

            -Orestes

                        -Klytaimestra

                        -Hermoine

                        -Megapenthes

                       

            -Demi-Gods, Supernatural Characters

                        -Calypso

            -Ithaca people

                        -Halitherses

-Mentor

-Antinoos

                        -Leocritos

                        -Eurymachos

            -Other humans

                        -Achilles

                        -Aigisthos

Important themes:

            -Honor/Upholding social duties

            -Hospitality

            -Loyalty

            -Family Unity

            -Wisdom of elders

            -Worship of gods