Books 21-24

(Books 21-24)

            -Book 21

1. Athena made Penelopia think of having an archery contest. Whoever strung and shot Odysseus’s bow through twelve axeheads was the victor and would marry Penelopia. None of the suitors can even pull the bow back. One rather unwilling suitor tries the bow and tells the others it isn’t right to decide winners this way.

2. Odysseus takes the swineherd and the cowherd outside and asks them if their master came back would they fight for him. They emphatically say they would and be happy to do it. Odysseus reveals his true self after making sure of their loyalty, but swears them to secrecy.

3. None of the suitors can string the bow, so they make excuses about a feast for Apollo and say they will try again later. They are shamed that none of them even remotely match Odysseus’s strength. The beggar asks the suitors to let him try and string the bow, Telemachos (really Penelope) commands them to let him and tells his mother to go do woman stuff. Odysseus shows them all up with his bow prowess.

4. While Odysseus is feeling the bow once again, Telemachos goes to Eurycleia and tells her to keep herself, her mistress, and the maids shut up in their rooms for safety.

5. Meanwhile Odysseus strings the bow and easily shoots through the axe heads. Telemachos grabs his weapons and stands next to the beggar and the beggar magically becomes his handsome Odysseus self again.

            -List of Themes

                        -Loyalty; swine & cowherd to Ody

           

- Important/New Characters By Familial Relations:

                        -None

           

-Book 22

1. Odysseus kills Alcinoos with the first arrow. He announces they are all going to be dead soon and then the suitors panic when they realize that the weapons on the walls are gone.

2. Eurymachos begs for his and the fellow suitors’ lives. He then tries to rally the others, but Odysseus kills him swiftly. Odysseus orders Telemachos to go retrieve more weapons from the store room. The cowherd sees Telemachos and follows him. Telemachos comes back with weapons, but Melanthios also arms the suitors.

3. Odysseus isn’t happy to see that and Telemachos tells him that he left the door open. They were now outnumbered and out-weaponed. However, Athena as Mentor comes and hangs around, waiting for the right time.

4. She picks off any suitors who get too close to harming the loyal group. Finally, Athena shows the suitors a sign that shows a god is on Odysseus’s side. They are very worried/angry/scared at this revelation.

5. Odysseus proceeds to kill everyone but Phemios and Medon. Then he calls for Eurycleia to bring all the unfaithful maids down. He makes them clean the entire hall. Then they hang all of the whorish maids. They all torture and kill Melanthios, the bad goatherd.

6. Then he purifies the hall to get rid of the remnants of the wicked suitors.

           

-List of Themes

                        -Loyalty; Eury to Ody                       

                        -Worship/Power of Gods;                         

- Important/New Characters By Familial Relations:

                        -None

-Book 23

1. Eurycleia goes to tell Penelope that her husband is back, but she doesn’t believe her and calls Eurycleia mean, wretched, a liar, and all that sort of stuff. Eurycleia tells her the suitors are dead and she believes some other hero came and did it, not her Odysseus. Eventually, after swearing on her life, Eurycleia convinced Penelope to come down.

2. Penelope does not believe it is Odysseus when she sees him because her eyes are playing tricks on her or some such. She mentions secrets they have. He doesn’t have time to deal with it because he has to make plans to deal with the suitors family.

3. To pretend the slaughter noise was a wedding last night, they make the maids and male servants dance and music is played. The townspeople see and hear the revelry.

4. That night when Odysseus comes to bed Penelope is still not convinced. He  tells her the secret about the olive tree that is their bed and she is convinced. They love each other and talk about their trouble at home and Odysseus’s journey. Athena makes the night long so they can continue talking and catching.

5. In the morning Odysseus says he will go visit his father. He takes Telemachos and the two loyal herdsmen with him. Athena shields them and makes them invisible till they arrive at Laertes farm.

-List of Themes:
            -Wit; Pen & Ody, Ody

            -Loyalty; Pen to Ody w/ reservations/careful

-Important/New Characters By Familial Relations:

-None

-Book 24

1. Meanwhile Hermes lead the suitors into the Hades. Agememnon and Achilles talk about their war stories. They then inquire about the suitors reason for being there. Agememnon is happy that Odysseus has such a faithful wife. However, he does add a couple of bad words for women kind in general.

2. Back in the world of the living, Odysseus sends the others to prepare dinner and goes to see his father, who is plowing the land like a servant. Odysseus checks to make sure he is still loyal and then reveals who he is to Laertes.

3. However, Laertes doesn’t believe him and Odysseus has to convince him by the scars and naming the fruit trees he was gifted. Laertes is overjoyed to hear Odysseus got rid of the suitors and is impressed with his grandson’s bravery. He also wishes he could have joined them in the fight.

4. In town, the people are angry at Odysseus for killing the suitors, as the wedding ruse didn’t work. Eupithes, Antinoos’s father, calls for them to kill Odysseus and the household, which the council approves.

5. In Olympos, Athena and Zeus agree there should be no more bloodshed. As the people march to Laertes’s lands, Athena comes down from heaven, Only Eupithes is killed by Telemachos before Athena announces to everyone that there will be peace between the two parties.

6. The END.

-Important Themes:

            -Gods power; Athen to Ody/Townies

            -Coming of Age; Tele

            -Wit; Lae about Ody

-Important/New Characters By Familial Relations:

-Eupithes – Antinoos’s Father

Odysseus Enters his House(Books 17-20)

Odysseus Enters his House (Books 17-20)          

            -Book 17

1. Telemachos goes into town to show and tell Penelopia he is home safe. Before he leaves, he tells the swineherd to bring the beggar into town for “food”. Odysseus says he will be into town in a while because the morning is sol cold and he has little in the way of warming clothing.

2. Telemachos can think of little but the coming fight as he travels to town. Eurycleia sees him first and drops what she is doing to run to him and hug and kiss him in joy. Penelopia comes down and is overjoyed to see her son safe, alive, and at home. She asks what news he has found, after gently scolding him. He tells her they will speak about it later.

3. He tells her to go bathe and make a sacrifice to Zeus so that a great reckoning may come for the suitors. Telemachos says he himself must go see about a companion who came with him to Ithaca. The suitors crowd around him saying nice things, but have jealousy, hatred, and evil plots in their hearts. He ignores them and goes to Mentor, Antiphos, and Halitherses in town. These are true and loyal friends of Odysseus.

4. Periaos tells Telemachos to send a servant to get the gifts from his home. Telemachos says that he will once the suitors are gone otherwise they might kill him to get the gifts and he would rather Periaos have the goods if he dies. He does take Theoclymenos home though and makes him feel welcome.

5. Penelopia demands to know what Telemachos has learned in his travels, and so he tells her he learned nothing from the other Kings because they knew nothing. The only glimmer of knowledge he divined from the Kings was from Menelaos, who knew he had last been seen as prisoner on Calypso’s Island.

6. Theoclymenos tells her about the omen he interpreted which said Odysseus is already home and plotting revenge. Penelopia says she hopes his words are true, but doesn’t take too much stock in them. Medon, a servant, comes and gets the men and they kill some animals for supper.

7. Odysseus and the swineherd make their way into town and Odysseus ask Eumaios for a walking stick to lean on. They came across an extremely rude shepherd who criticized the swineherd and beggar. Odysseus almost killed him, but restrained himself. Eumaios asks the gods to take vengeance on him. Melanthios then goes back to Odysseus’s home and consorts with the suitors.

8. The two arrive at Odysseus’s home and he sees Argos, an old, dirty dog who wags his tail at the sound of Odysseus’s voice. He sheds a tear for the now neglected dog who was once his favorite. The dog dies, happy for having seen his master once more.

9. Telemachos invites both Eumaios and the beggar in and tells the beggar, Odysseus, to feel free to beg from everyone. Odysseus does this and whoever gives him food is found to be good, and whoever scorns him is bad. Telemachos scolds the men who don’t want to, won’t, or are angry with the beggar. Antinoos and Odysseus get into a bit of a fight.

10. Penelopia sees this and instructs Eumaios to fetch him for her. Odysseus says he wants to wait until the evil suitors are resting because they might get angry with him. So Eumaios delivers the message then takes his leaves after eating supper at Telemachos’s insisttance.

            -Important/New Characters By Familial Relations:

                        Servants

                                    Argos

                                    Medon

                                    Melanthios; a wicked servant on the side of the suitors

            -List of Themes:

                        -Jealousy Spawns Evil

            

            -Book 18

1. Arnaios, or Iros, was a beggar in the town of Odysseus. He tells Odysseus to get lost because he’s already begging here and the suitors won’t give him any. Odysseus tells him to not be so rude, but then Antinoos calls for them to fight for their amusement and the prize of a fat animal to eat. Odysseus agrees and tucks up his rags and trembling, Iros does the same. Antinoos threatens to have him seerly beaten if the old man should win against Iros.

2. Odysseus, being strangly merciful, only strikes him once in the jaw. Unfortunatley for Iros, this breaks his jaw. Odysseus warns a good suitor Amphinomos, to leave for Odysseus will soon return to fall the suitors. He takes heed, but Athena makes him stay in the house.

3. Penelopia had a notion, courtesy o’ Athena, to go among the suitors and show herself. First, Athena puts her to sleep and makes her fairer than ever with a shower of ambrosia. She goes down with the excuse of scolding Telemachos for letting the beggars be treated so poorly. Then tells the men, in a rather coy way, that none of them have offered her gifts or the like, as is proper. They all scramble to find her gifts after she says this. Then quickly, she went back to her quarters.

4. As she is leaving Odysseus talks to the maids, to root out the loyal and non-loyal ones. They are putting out torches and he approaches them. Melantho, a maid, tells him to get lost because he is hanging around people far above his servant. Odysseus threatens them and they all scurry away.

5. Eurymachos calls to the beggar (Odysseus) he will make a place for him working, but then says he can’t because the beggar knows nothing but vice and has no proper skills. Odysseus answers rather insubordinately and it angers Eurymachos, who calls him out as putting on airs, then tries to hit him with a stool, but misses and hits Amphinomos. Telemachos walks in and tells them all to get lost for the night. They comply.

-Important/New Characters By Familial Relations:

                        Servants

                                    Melantho; bad servant

            -List of Themes

                        -Wit over Strength; Ody to Ant, Ody to Eurymachos

            -Book 19

1. Odysseus and Telemachos endeavor to move all of the weapons into the store-room, as Athena instructed him to do. Telemachos tells his nanny, the loyal Eurycleia, to shut allthe woman up in their rooms. The excuse to be given to anyone if they notice the missing weapons is that the smoke has spoiled them, and if pressed, that bare steel is very tempting. She tells him to take command of his house, in a nice way.

2. Athena lit a bright light for them to see while working. Once this was done, Odysseus told Telemachos to go lie down, for he was going to go to the maids and Penelopia to test them.

3. Melantho once again spoke rudely to Odysseus and he replied that she would get what’s coming to her because she knew he was supposed to be there to speak with her mistress. Then Penelopia herself scolded the girl, then sends her away, and called for a chair for the beggar to be brought. Queen Penelopia asks him about his past and his home, but her gives an excuse and asks her about herself.

4. She tells him how much she misses and longs for her husband and how they all must wait until she finishes a death shroud for Laertes because he is old. Penelopia tells him how she unravels it at night and works by day, but then the maids let the secret be known so soon she must marry. Odysseus, at her insistence, tells her his made up story and name, Aithon. She cried with sadness at his unfortunate tale.

5. Penelopia questions him to make sure he is truthful, then cries when she finds out he is. She declares him an honored guest and friend. Odysseus tells her to stop crying, for he is sad for her but conceals it. He tells her her husband will be home soon. She has him bathed and tucked into a fleecy bed, then in the morning he is to sit with Telemachos, regardless of what the suitors may say.

6. The nurse then sets out to bathe the suitor, but recognizes an old scar from hunting on Odysseus and names him out loud. Athena detracts Penelopia while Odysseus shushes Eurcleia. She agrees to not say a word, especially to Penelopia.

7. Penelopia snaps out of it and tells him of a dream she had where she is watching geese then an eagle swoops down and kills them all. The beggar tells her it means that Odysseus will kill the suitors, echoing previous interpretations. She still isn’t really buying it. Penelopia told Odysseus (still fully disguised) that she was going to end her unhappiness by telling the suitors whoever can shoot an arrow through twelve axeheads will win her hand. The beggar promises Odysseus will be present for the contest. She still doesn’t buy it and retires for the night.

-Important/New Characters By Familial Relations:

                        -Servants

                                    -Melantho

  -List of Themes

                        -Loyalty; Pen ot Ody

                        -Gods Power; Ath to Ody/Pen

                        -Hospitality; Pen to Beggar

            

-Book 20

1. Odysseus tries to go to sleep, but has got a lot on their mind. Namely, he is very excited to kill the pretenders. He spies some of the maids sneaking out to go “consort” with the suitors. He is furious at their betrayal of their mistress. Athena goes to him and tells him she is behind him so not to worry because she is an immortal god and none of the suitors or even fifty battalions of men could defeat them.

2. Penelopia was, once again, crying in her bedroom. She called and prayed to Artemis for deliverance with an arrow aka death. She then has another dream about Odysseus coming home and avenging the wreckage the suitors have created.

3. Odysseus, gets a small case of cold feet and asks Zeus for a sign. Zeus sends a thunderclap down and Odysseus knows his prayer has been heard. An old miller woman hears this and hopes it is an omen for the death of the suitors for they have worked her to the bone.

4. Telemachos rose and inquired after his mother’s treatment of the beggar. He commands the maids to sweep, clean, and tidy up the great hall.

5. Eumaios approaches Odysseus and asks after his care. The reply is not favorable for the suitors. A cowherd, Philoitios, comes and greets Odysseus favorably, politely, and nicely. He also expresses his disgust at the suitors behavior. The beggar asks them both if they would fight on behalf of their master if he were to return home. They both eagerly say yes and praise him. Thus Odysseus knows to spare him (the swineherd too) and that he is a good servant and man.

6. Meanwhile, the suitors drop what they are doing for breakfast. Telemachos seats the beggar next to him and serves him like a fellow prince, much to the consternation of the pretenders, especially Antinoos. Then Athena makes the suitors tease Odysseus to work him into a rage. One of the men throws something at Odysseus, but he ducks, and Telemachos comes to his defense. After that scuffle is over, they go back to talking about who will marry Penelope. Telemachos refuses their request to reason with her and they laugh. A lot. Slightly prodded by Athena to laugh more than decent.

7. Theoclymenos has a vision of the hall dripping red with blood and announces it. The suitors dismiss it and laugh in his face. Telemachos attempts to ignore their stupidity by the knowledge that soon they will all die.

-Important/New Characters By Familial Relations:

                        -Servants

                                    -Philoitios

            -List of Themes

                        -Loyalty; Phil to Ody

                        -Worship of Gods (lack of); Theo’s vision’s reception by the suitors

            

Odysseus Prepares to Reclaim his Estate (Books 13-16)

Odysseus Prepares to Reclaim his Estate (Book 13-16)

Summary of Important Events:

-Book 13

1. He finishes his tale and everyone at the Phaiacian Feast is well pleased by his words. The King and Queen especially praise him and tell him they will bestow even more gifts upon him before he leaves. They all sit down for a feast, sacrificing part of an ox. Odysseus was glad to see the sun set and asked his hosts to let him and his men be off. They left the island and Odysseus lays down a blanket on the poop deck to rest while the crew rows.

2. Early in the next morning they arrived at the harbor of Phorcys, on the island of Ithaca. While Odysseus was still asleep the crew took him off shore, off the beaten roads and layed him there with his goods and gifts close by. Then the crew rowed away homeward bound.

3. Poseidon is angry that Odysseus got home so safely and with such large amounts of wealth that he asks Zeus to allow him to punish the Phaiacians. Zeus agrees and the Earthshaker freezes the crew and boat into stone as a warning. This comes to pass and Alcinoos recogonizes the stone ship as what an ancient Oracle said would happen eventually. So to appease Poseidon in hopes he won’t raise mountains around the city, he declares they would never convoy strangers who came to their lands and sacrifice twelve bulls.

4. Athena decided to make it so Odysseus doesn’t recognize his homeland, which is covered in mist, when he awakes so that she would have the opportunity to speak with and disguise him. Athena comes to him as a rather noble Sheperd and explains that the land he is in is Ithaca. He is delighted, but thinking he is keeping his identity from her, makes up a story of who he is and how he got back. She transforms back and they speak in honest. Pallas Athena councils him to conceal his identity from everyone. He kisses the land from joy and happily prays to the Naiads. Athena and him store his booty in a sacred cave so that robbers don’t loot it.

5. They sit down and talk. Athena tells him that Penelopia is being besieged by unwanted tutors. Odysseus would have been killed like Agamemnon had he simply returned home as planned. She gives him instructions. She will: turn him into an old beggar man, he must visit the loyal servant pig caretaker Eumaios while Athena brings Telemachos back from Lacedaimon, then they can have revenge.

7. She turns him into an old man and roughens his appearance with poor clothing and smell.

            -List of Important/New Characters By Familial Relations:

                        -Servants

                                    -Eumaios

            -List of Themes

                        -Worship/Obiediance to the Gods; trusting Athena

                        -Wit; Athen & Odysseus coming up with a plan

                        -Loyalty; Odysseus to Athena and the opposite

               

             -Book 14

1. Odysseus journeys to the swineherd’s home and pig pen. He is almost attacked by the man’s guard dogs, but Eumaios tells them off. He offers the raggedy beggar/traveler man hospitality and a warm meal. Eumaios tells Odysseus how torn up he is over the supposed loss of his master. He explains how the wannabe suitors are killing are the animals for indulgent feasting and wasting his good master’s fortune. Travelers often come through with false news of Odysseus and they make Penelopia very distraught. Odysseus promises that Odysseus will come back take his estate back and restore the kingdom properly.

2. Eumaios tells of how Telemachos grew into a fine boy then man, but has foolishly gone to Pylos.

3. Odysseus weaves a story of his origin, to satisfy the curious swineherd. Claiming he was from Crete, rich, and a brave warrior, he essentially told his own tale with a different ending. He told Eumaios he acquired the wealth from Egyptians for seven years, then went on to Thesprotia, where the King was kind and generous. However, the crew that was supposed to take him home betrayed him and tried to enslave him, but Odysseus got away with the help of the Gods.

4.Eumaios tells him to cut the crap because his lies are obvious. Odysseus tries to make a bargain, but Eumaios will have none of it, not wanting to be a bad host. Other swineherds come in and they all have a feast then lie down to sleep.

5. Odysseus had a plan and tells a story to nudge the swineherd into letting him borrow a cloak. The swineherd acquiesces and lays upon Odysseus a very warm special cloak.

6. The swineherd goes outside to sleep, for he does not like being away from the pigs who are not truly his property. Odysseus is please with this because it shows how devoted and careful the man is to his master.

            -List of Important/New Characters By Familial Relations:

                        -No new characters

           

            -List of Themes:

                        -Loyalty; Eumaios to Ody and his property

                        -Hosplitality; Eumaios to Ody

                        -Subtlety; Odysseus telling story to get cloak

            -Book 15

1. Athena travels to Lacedaimon to inform Telemachos that it was time to return to Ithaca. She tells him that Eurymachos is close to forcing Penelopia to marry him. Her brothers and father all encourage her marriage to Eurymachos. Athena also says that she might take things which belong to Telemachos or that he might want, as a dowery. She also tells him of the men who are lying in wait to kill Telemachos between Ithaca and Samos. Once he arrives in Ithaca, he should go immeadiately, by himself, to the swineherd and have him deliver the message that Telemachos is home to Penelopia.

2. He roses Pesistratos, his companion, and then goes to tell Menelaos of his desire to leave at once. Menelaos agrees, but asks that they have breakfast and give parting gifts first. He also asks that Telemachos allow him to accompany him on his adventures. Telemachos replies that although he is honored that Menelaos would want to come, and he will definitely accept breakfast and gifts, he is actually going home.

3. Menelaos and Helen gift him with a fine two-handled chalice, a silver mixing bowl, and a precious robe Helen made herself. She told him to give it to his future wife, bot for now let Penelope take care of it. They had breakfast then were about to depart for Nestor’s home, then Ithaca, when suddenly an eagle flew over head clutching a goose in its claws. Helen interprets this omen as saying Odysseus will be home or is home and is preparing to extract revenge on the suitors.

4. Then Telemachos traveled through the day and rested for the night at Pherai in the house of Diocles. The next day the pair arrived in Pylos, where Telemachos pleaded with Pesistratos to help him make hast and leave and not visit the kind, generous, and talkative Nestor. Pesistratos was torn between being a good host and helping his friend, but decided to agree to Telemachos’s wishes.

5. They are praying, sacrificing, and getting ready for the journey when a man approached Telemachos. Theoclymenos was running away from Argos, where he killed a family member and asks for passage aboard Telemachos’s ship. He agrees and they set off.

6. Odysseus tells the swineherd and company that he is going into town to beg and tell Penelopia of his news. He might also seek employment and/or hospiltaily from the wretched suitors. Eumaios responds that is not a good idea because the men’s servants aren’t like him at all. Eumaios also says Telemachos will help Odysseus on his way when he returns.

7. Odysseus asks about his father and mother. Eumaios tells him his mother died of grieving Odysseus and his father, Laertes, wants to die from the sorrow of loosing wife and son, but is still alive. Eumaios tells his life story to Odysseus: born rich (son of King of Syrie), a lady and Phoincians came to his town and kidnapped him while his mother was distracted by a beautiful necklace, the tricky lady died, they traveled to Ithaca, and finally Laertes bought him.

8. Telemachos arrives in Ithaca and tells the men to meet him in the city while he goes on foot. He tells Theoclymenos to go to Eurymachos for shelter, who Telemachos considers the best of the wretched suitors.

9. Telemachos goes to the swineherd’s abode.

            -List of Important/New Characters By Familial Relations:

                        -Theoclymenos

            -List of Themes:

                        -Hospitality: Tel. to Theo

                        -Loyalty:Eum. To Pigs/Ody

            -Book 16

1. Odysseus hears the dogs not barking put feet pattering and the swineherd goes to see who it is. When he discovers it is none other than Telemachos, Eumaios rejoices and praises his return. He asks after his mother and his home.

2. After they feast, Eumaios explains that Odysseus came to seek a place to stay with Telemachos (the master of the house) but the swineherd didn’t want to send him into the house full of violent, rude, and dipcable suitors. Telemachos says he’ll do what he can for the stranger, but is worried about bringing him to the house where the wretched pretenders stay. Odysseus answers that he is sorry for Telemachos, but he himself would stand and fight the fools, no matter the cost. Telemachos sends Eumaios to inform his mother and secretly tell his grandfather of his home-coming.

3. Odysseus reveals himself in his true form to his son and they plot how they are going to kill the suitors. Odysseus will come to his house in disguise and when the time is right, they will kill the men.

4. Meanwhile in Ithaca true, Telemachos’s ship and crew had arrived. A crier was sent to Penelopia to announce her son back. He told everyone present, servants, suitors, and mistress alike. The swineherd arrived at the same time, but took Penelopia aside to tell her in private what Telemachos’s message said.

5. This caused much consternation among the suitors. They decide to try and kill him when he is coming from the country to the town and his home. Then Amphinomos suggests consulting the gods on this matter, which they all agreed to.

6. Penelopia finally becomes so angry with hearing the newest plot, that she confronts the ragamuffins. She especially corners Antinoos, calling him unwise and a pretender. Eurymachos says to Penelopia that he would never harm Odysseus, that includes harming Telemachos. Yet all the while he plans murder for Odysseus’s son.

7.Eumaios reported back to Teleachos.

           

            -List of Important/New Characters By Familial Relations:

                        -No new ones

           

-List of Themes:

            -Loyalty; Eu to Udy, Pen to Ody

            -Wit; Athena turning Odysseus

            -Jealousy Spawns Evil; Eurymachos to Pen

Odysseus's Travels (Books 9-12)

Odysseus’s Adventures (Books 9-12)

Summary of Important Events:

-Book 9

1. Tells everyone who he truly is, Odysseus Laertiades, and where he is from, Ithaca.

2. Odysseus tells them after they left Troy, wind blew them to Ismaros of the Ciconians, where they were victorious. This is the start of his troubles. He argues for a quick leave of the place with spoils in tow, but they rest dilly-dally and soon word gets out to other Ciconians on the island and they attack Odysseus and his army.

3. They escape, but a storm sent by Zeus sweeps them into the sea and for nine days they are helpless. Finally, on the tenth day, they got to land. Unfortunatley, they land of the island of Lotus-eaters. Two men tasted the fruit of the lotus and it made them want to stay there forever. Odysseus forcibly got them back to the boat and set sail.

4. Beaten down, they sailed onwards and arrived in the land of Cyclopians. They are a wild, lawless, and savage tribe, not cohesive or cultured in the least. They live in caves in the mountains. However, on part of their island goats roam free and the land is low and excellent. The harbor perfect and sheltered. There Odysseus and his men sailed into and rested peacefully, although covered with fog.

5. The next day, nymphs helped the men hunt goats to eat and Odysseus had a feast. They next day, Odysseus announced to his men he was going to see who lived here and if they were hospitable or horrible and to wait for him.

6. They saw a large cave and wandered into it, unknowingly entering the home of Polyphemus, a Cyclops and son of Poseidon. They saw him tending his flock and returning for the night. He rolled a large stone in front of the entrance in preparation for night. .At first he appeared okay, but rather rude. He was beastly in voice and appearance and knew not manners or cared to know. He snatched up two of Odysseus’s and killed them and ate ‘em for supper.

7. In the morning he ate another two of Odysseus’s men for breakfast and went out to tend to his flock, carefully sliding the large stone back into place.

8. To free himself and his men, Odysseus came up with a plan. He sharpened a large stick and hid it. The giant came back, ate two more men, and Odysseus tried to butter him up.He asked for Odysseus’s name, Odysseus said Noman. The giant announced Noman would be eaten last of all, as a strangers gift! Then went to bed.

9. They hottened the sharp stick and plunged it into the Cyclops eye until he was blind. The load bellow of Polyphemus attracted the attention of the rest of the Cyclops on the island. He tried to explain the situation and who poked him, but he kept saying Noman, as in No man so he was misunderstood.

10. Odysseus and his men attached themselves to the belly of Polyphemus’s huge sheep and waited until the next day when he let the flock out. Then he and his men hurried, sheep in tow, to the boat that awaited him. Being Odysseus, he had to boast as he was in the water going towards his ship. He called out to the Cyclops that he had gotten what he deserved and his name. The Cyclops threw a stone and the waves sent them back to shore. This happens a couple of times before Odysseus and his men could escape. The Cyclops prays to Poseidon to curse Odysseus and that is the start of Poseidon’s anger towards Odysseus. Then they went back to the other men waiting on the small island, make a grateful sacrifice, feast, divide the sheep between them men, sleep, then leave.

           

-List of Important/New Characters By: Familial Relations

-Cyclopians

-Polyphemus

-List of Themes

                                    -Hospitality; Polyphemus’s lack of it

                                    -Pride/Arrogance; Odysseus taunting Polyphemus

                                    -Wit over Strength; beating Polyphemus

-Book 10

1. They set sail from the home of the Cyclops and end up in Aiolia. Aiolos Hippotades was the ruler of this floating island and friends with the gods. He hosted Odysseus and gave him proper guestly rites. As a gift he gives Odysseus a bag full of winds. However, his crew doesn’t know and suspects he might be holding out on them.

2. They leave and the crew is suspicious of the bag. While he is sleeping, they open the bag of winds and it blows them back to Aiolos’s island. Odysseus asks for help, but Aiolos refuses.

3. The crew rowed until they reached the land of the Laestrygonians, Lamos where the night and day aren’t very separate. They entered the harbor and Odysseus sent some men to explore and find the inhabitants. They came across King Antiphates’s daughter and she pointed out the ruler of the kingdom’s home.

4. They arrived in the house and his giant wife called Antiphates back from a meeting. He then snatched one of the three men up for dinner. Two escaped and rushed back to the ship to tell Odysseus.

5. The giant Laestrygonians gave chase and crushed all ships, but Odysseus’s and killed all men but his personal crew. As they escaped, doingdouble time on the oars.

6. The men next arrived in Aiaia, the home of Circe. They kill a stag and have a fest. The next morning, Odysseus sends out another patrol of men to find the inhabitants of the island. They split into two groups and Eurylochos lead one. They discovered Circe’s house and all around it were mountain lions and wolves. They were friendly and not dangerous appearing. They were actually men who had been transformed. Eurylochos’s men heard Circe singing and were invited in and had a feast. Everyone but Eurylochos went in and ate food (unknowingly filled with drugs) because he suspected a trap. The drugs allowed Circe to change them all into pigs. Eurylochos ran back to Odysseus to tell of what happened.

7. Odysseus starts back to free his men and is intercepted by Hermes. Hermes tells him to take a charm and how to make Circe under his power. He goes to the house, is unaffected by her charms, uses wits to control her, then sleeps with her.

8. He then convinces her to transform his men back and they collect their seashore companions and live merrily in the house of Circe for one year. She tells him she will assist him, but he has to go to Hades first to get directions home.

9. Elepenor, a man drunk with wine, falls off the house and dies, but Odysseus doesn’t have time to properly bury him. He then goes and tells the men of the journey ahead.

-List of Important/New Characters By: Familial Relations

                        -God/esses

                                    -Circe

                                    -Hermes

                        -Ithaca

                                    -Eurylochos

                        -Laestrygonians

                                    -Antiphates

-Themes

                        -Hospitality; Circe’s (bad), Aiolos (good)

                        -Loyalty; Eurylochos

-Wit over Strength; Odysseus & Hermes conquer what 20 men couldn’t

            -Book 11

1. Odysseus crosses the sea like Circe told him. He then prays and sacrifices sheep to the skulls of the dead and Teiresias. He doesn’t let the dead touch the sacrifice until Teiresias answers his questions. Elpenor, a soul now, approaches Odysseus guarding the sacrifice and asks him to bury his body properly when he rests in Aiaia again. Odysseus’s dead mother, Anticleia, approaches him, but he would not let her pass as well.

2. Finally Teiresias comes and drinks the blood and tells Odysseus his prophecy. Odysseus would come to an island with Helios’s sacred cattle. If he hurts them, trouble will come in the form of the destruction of crew, ships, and trouble back in Ithaca. However he will take care of the suitors. After all is said and done, he must make a magnificent sacrifice to Poseidon to make amends, then a smaller one to the rest of the gods.

3. He talks with his mother, Anticlea, for a while and finds out she died from missing and mourning Odysseus. She also tells him how his house and people fair while he is away. He then interviews many dead ghosts under the blood influence.

4. He talks to Alcinoos and Arete in real life and decides to stay for another day to tell more tales at the invitation of the royalty. He then continues to tell the tales.

5. He speaks to Agememnon and he advises Odysseus to never fully trust a woman, who are men’s curse throughout the ages. Many other important men he speaks with. Odysseus then sees Minos, son of Zeus dispersing sentences for the dead.

6. Then a huge crowd of the dead appear and heros such as Hercules and Achillies make their appearance. After, a huge crown of thousands of ghosts came and it made Odysseus nervous and he took his crew and sailed away.

-List of Important/New Characters By: Familial Relations

                        -Ghosts

                                    -Hercules

                                    -Agememnon

                                    -Achillies

                                    -Anticlea

            -List of Themes

                        -Fate/Obediance according to the Gods’ will

                        -Wit; keeping the blood from ghosts until the proper one came

           

            -Book 12

1. Odysseus and company sail back to Aiaia and Circe. They rest on the beach, then give Elepenor a proper burial. Circe realizes they are back from Hades and fixes them all a feast and tells them to spend the night and leave in the morning. She then proceeds to tell Odysseus about the challenges he will face: the Sirens, either Syclla or Charybdis, and the island of Helios’s cattle.

2. They set sail the next morning and Odysseus decides to tell the men of what is to come minus the Scylla part because he knows some will die. They pass through the waters of the Sirens, the crew with stopped up ears, Odysseus tied to the mast.

3.Next, they entered the straits and hug the rock as told to by Circe. They view the great whirlpool created by Charbydis. Six of his best men get chomped up by Scylla.

4. After that ordeal, they came upon the island of Helios. Odysseus warns the crew against going upon the land due to the great misfortune that he knew would come upon them. However the men overruled him, by he made them all promise not to disrupt or kill any of the cattle at any cost.

5. They get stuck on the island for a month due to bad winds and food is running out. Phaethusa and Lampetie are the guardians of Helios’s cattle. Finally, Odysseus goes farther inland to pray by himself. Meanwhile Eurylachos has been telling the men that quick death is better than starvation and they should just kill a few cattle, later they can build a monument to Helios when they get back to Ithaca in thanks. So the starving men kill cattle and roast it.

6. Odysseus smells the meat and races back. Lampetie report to Helios that the men have killed some of his sacred cattle. He in turn asks permission from Zeus for vengence. Zeus agrees with Helios that vengence is needed and strikes Odysseus’s boat and crew with a bolt of lightening after six days when they set sail again.

7. Odysseus escapes and clings to a fig tree in the middle of the Straits of Monsters until he sees a peace of the boat well-enough to make a raft out of. For nine days he drifts, then he comes upon the island of Calypso.

-List of Important/New Characters By: Familial Relations

            -Phaethusa and Lampetie

            -Helios

            -Eurylachos

            -Sirens

            -Scylla and Charybdis

-List of themes

            -Obedience; to Circe’s and ghosts words

            -Loyalty; or lack (Eurylochos)

            -Wit; not telling the men of Scylla