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Characters
Zeus:
-he’s like a typical parent
-tells Poseidon to do whatever his heart desires with the Phaeacians after they escort Odysseus, but if
he were in his shoes, he would crash the Phaeacians’s ship right in front of them
-tells Athena to do whatever her heart desires to the attacking fathers of the suitors and Odysseus, but
he thinks that reconciliation is the key
Poseidon: angry at the Phaeacians for helping Odysseus and presenting him with so many gifts
-he tells Zeus that he wants to crush the Phaeacian ship returning home and then pile a huge
mountain around their port
Athena:
-disguised as a little shepherd boy when she sees Odysseus at Ithaca
-then she appears to him in her full splendor, which was a big deal. Gods never appeared to any mortals,
apart from the Phaeacians, in their full splendor, they were always in disguise.
-she warns Odysseus and gives him direction to go to the pig stables.
-She tells Odysseus that he will have to endure the abuse of men in silence once he gets to the
palace—he’s going to have to put up with the suffering and will have to practice self-control. (His
lack of self control with Polyphemus is the reason for his long suffering journey)
-She appears to Telemachus (in Sparta) and inspires him to go home
-she tells him that Penelope will soon marry Eurymachus
-if she marries him and has a son, he’ll lose his patrimony, his fortune
-she wants him to get up and decide to leave on his own, so she just gives him motives
-she warns him about the suitor’s ambush
-she tells him to go to the swineherd and send news to your mom to tell her you made it back safely
-he believes everything she says
-She appears to Odysseus at Eumaeus’s and tells him to reveal his true identity to his son
-She continually builds up his anger so he’ll flare up at the right moment
-She reassures Odysseus that it’s easy work for a god to pull this plan off during his dark night of doubts,
and then showers sleep on his eyes
-During the battle, she appears as Mentor
-Odysseus knows it’s her
-shows that he’s pious
-She rouses, manipulates, bullies, and prods Odysseus for him to unleash his fury on the suitors
-she also terrifies the suitors
-she protects and defends Odysseus
-watches over him after she turns into a bird and flies off, settling on a perch in the great hall
-deflects arrows
-the suitors think she left though
-She asks Zeus on how to deal with the retaliation of the fathers of the suitors
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-She encourages and spurs Laertes to kill Antinous’s father
-At the very end of the story, she lays down peace and is going to continue to watch them
Phaeacians: Odysseus has given them the gift of imagination with his story, and they reciprocate with
gifts and treasures. This is important- wealth=property, and the suitors are eating his  he needs to
bring back gifts and treasures to add to his wealth
-might not have existed: no trace of them because they were conveniently cut off from society after
Odysseus visited them
Alcinous: realizes that the prophecy is coming true (about Poseidon being vexed because they escort
everyone so one day he’ll crush one of their ships and pile a mountain around their port)
-has everyone make sacrifices to the gods
Theoclymenus: the fugitive
-when he needs shelter, Telemachus sends him to his friend Piraeus’s house where he’ll be safe,
because he can’t give him shelter in his own house due to the suitors
-makes a prophecy to Telemachus= hawk flew by with a dove and he ripped its feathers out
-says it means he’ll rule forever
-Telemachus doesn’t really believe him
-he makes another prophecy = Odysseus is on native soil here and now, sowing seeds of ruin for the
suitors
-makes it to Penelope
-she doesn’t believe him
-He has an apocalyptic vision of the suitors’ fate—he sees them shrouded in darkness, their ghosts, and
the battle-aftermath
-tells it to the suitors
-They’re completely disrespectful.
-They don’t realize that he’s having a vision and is talking metaphorically. They call him crazy
because they think he’s seeing darkness during the light of day.
-Then, he translates his vision directly to them. He clearly states that your end is here, there’s no
escaping it. They continue to heckle and mock him.
-Then he leaves the palace to get out of there before the battle starts.
Antinous: suitor #1- the leader of the suitors
-ruthless, greedy, cruel, bully
-he states that the gods must have been on Telemachus’s side to help him survive  he’s totally blind
and oblivious because he doesn’t even recognize that they should stop “suitoring”
-he wants to kill Telemachus before he can call an assembly
-he reveals that the suitors are losing public favor
-he hypocritically says that the beggar (Odysseus) will consume the patrimony when that’s what he’s
doing himself
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-he insults Eumaeus and beggar-Odysseus. When beggar-Odysseus insults him right back by telling him
he has no brain to match his handsome looks, Antinous gets angry and throws a stool at him
-He thinks the argument between Irus and beggar-Odysseus is amusing and he wants them to fight.
-he pits them against each other for his own amusement and uses a sausage
-When the bow is brought out, he is temporizing and stalling
-He’s a coward
-He insults, harasses, heckles, and taunts others  classic bully profile
-He postpones the contest and says let’s eat
-He’s the first one killed, which makes sense from a military standpoint because he was the leader
-he was killed with an arrow from the bow
Eurymachus: suitor #2
-he sweet-talks Penelope to try to calm her down
-he’s duplicitous and two-faced
-his over the top language shows that he doesn’t believe what he’s saying
-when he can tell that the suitors are upsetting her, he distinguishes himself from them by trying to
praise her and comfort her
-he double-talks though  duplicitous
-tells beggar-Odysseus that he would have given him a job at his estate if he actually wanted to work
-ironic: Eurymachus doesn’t work himself
- beggar-Odysseus insults him and he throws a stool at him. beggar-Odysseus ducks and it knocks
over a cup.
-wine spilling = blood spilling
-When he can’t string the bow, he overcompensates and undermines and belittles the whole act
-he makes excuses
-he says that it’s not about Penelope, there are lots of other women left (ironic- it’s all about her)
-He says it’s more of a blow that they won’t earn any kleos- they’re not as much of a man as
Odysseus
-When beggar-Odysseus wants to string the bow, he tries to convince Penelope not to let him
-He and the other suitors are concerned with public opinion and are afraid that the public will think
even less of them
-they’re obsessed with status, self love, and public opinion
-When the suitors realize Odysseus is home, he tries to sweet-talk his way out of his fate
1. We’re not responsible
-takes no accountability
2. He blames Antinous, the leader
3. He makes excuses
4. We’ll just tax the people to pay you back your wealth
-typical arrogant nobleman attitudes towards commoners
-Odysseus shoots him with an arrow and it lodges in his liver
-the liver was the seat of passion and desire
-he was sleeping with Melantho in addition to courting Penelope
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-slow, painful death
Amphinomus: suitor #3
-when he sees Telemachus home safely, he starts laughing and says that some god must have been on
his side
-he’s the one that Penelope trusts the most because he makes the most sense
-he’s only concerned with the suitors’ well-being and interests and he’s still siding with them
-he’s worried for their safety so he wants to check to see if the gods are on their side first and foremost
-After the maiming of Irus, he gives beggar-Odysseus 2 loaves of bread
-he is warned by beggar-Odysseus that Odysseus will come home soon, so he should get out while
he can before he and his son kill everyone
-he’s worried and full of anguish, but there’s no escaping his fate, Athena has bound him to die
-He tries to charge Odysseus during the battle, but Telemachus stabs him in the back
-his real loyalty is to the suitors
Irus or Arnaeus= the tramp, beggar
-he’s fat, soft, dirty, and like the suitor’s pet
-he verbally attacks beggar-Odysseus even though they are of the same status
-he wants to fight beggar-Odysseus
-when beggar-Odysseus reveals his muscles, he is terrified and doesn’t want to fight him
-Then Antinous threatens to send him to an awful king if he loses
- beggar-Odysseus beats him and tells him to stop playing the role of the “beggar king”
-his 2 main wrongdoings:
1. He’s breaking codes of Xenia
2. He’s assuming roles that he isn’t – he is elevating himself
-in reality, he’s the same rank as Odysseus – he’s overstepping the hierarchy that he was born
into
Leodes:
-he was the priest and prophet for the suitors
-he begs Odysseus for mercy and says he was loyal (which is a lie)
-Odysseus basically says that he was a false prophet and then beheads him
Melantho
-Melanthius’s sister
-Eurymachus’s lover
-she’s a servant of Penelope
-Penelope took care of her as a young kid and she was like a daughter to her
-she owed Penelope her loyalty
-However, she does the opposite:
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-taunts beggar-Odysseus
-literally sleeps with the enemy
-in book 2, someone told the suitors about Penelope’s loom and it was probably her who told 
ultimate betrayal
Melanthius= the goat herder
-FOIL to Eumaeus
-their one point of similarity= they’re both herders and are of the same social rank
-he’s trying to elevate himself above his predetermined rank
-he comes down on Eumaeus even though they’re in the same social rank
-he sits with the suitors and thinks he’s as good as them
-he suffers from the sin of pride
-he acts as if he owns the place
-he’s not pious
-he’s not loyal and not doing his master’s job
-he’s breaking laws of hospitality and Xenia by mocking beggar-Odysseus and Eumaeus
-he was supposed to grease the bow for the suitors, which is cheating in a sense
-During the battle, he climbs through the vent system and gets weapons for the suitors
-this worries Odysseus
Eumaeus = the pig herder
-symbolizes undying, unwavering loyalty of servant to master
-he’s improved his master’s property and built up his wealth- he didn’t have to do this, nobody is
watching or monitoring him and he’s not getting rewarded  ultimate in loyalty
-represents unmatched Xenia, hospitality, and piety
-he’s concerned about the dogs attacking beggar-Odysseus— not many people stop by and visit him
-when beggar-Odysseus tries to make a deal with him saying if Odysseus doesn’t come back,
Eumaeus can kill him—Eumaeus is horrified and says there’s no way he’d harm his guest
-he sleeps with Odysseus’s pigs to protect them
-he gives from nothing
-gives beggar-Odysseus the best cut of meat and best blanket
-his hospitality is warm and genuine
-talks constantly about his master—he’s totally consumed with the thought of him
-goes beyond the normal master-servant relationship
-he sees the beggar (who is actually Odysseus) and is reminded of him
-When Odysseus first talks to him, his function is to inform Odysseus about Ithaca – he talks openly with
the stranger, so Odysseus gets to hear everything that has happened
-finds out Eumaeus hates the suitors
-notices how Eumaeus speaks loyally and favorably about the royal family
-he has to give the suitors the best pigs because of hospitality, but he resents it
-he passes all of Odysseus’s tests:
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-gives him a blanket
-extends his hospitality and lets him stay as long as he wants
-his life story:
-he is of royal blood
-he was sold into slavery
-bought by Odysseus’s family, so he’s very attached to them
-he is incredibly pious and noble  the Greeks wanted to show that he has some royal blood in him
to explain why he is so noble and pious
-he and Philoetius cry when they see Odysseus’s bow
-Odysseus asks him to fight with him  enormous honor
-Telemachus orders him to bring the bow to beggar-Odysseus
-as he carries it up, the suitors start heckling him and he freezes
-he’s still intimidated by the suitors
-Telemachus urges him on
Philoetius = cowherd
-he notices beggar-Odysseus’s body is like a king
-he remembers Odysseus because:
1. Beggar-Odysseus reminds him of him
2. He is equivalent to him- Odysseus would have probably been a beggar of about his age,
wandering through foreign lands
3. Odysseus is always on his mind
-he’s very loyal, like Eumaeus
-he and Eumaeus cry when they see Odysseus’s bow
-Odysseus asks him to fight with him  enormous honor
Eurycleia:
-she recognizes Odysseus when she first sees him because she says that beggar-Odysseus looks exactly
like the real Odysseus
-she sees his scar and she knows it’s him!!
-she was loyal like Eumaeus
-she was his wet nurse and breastfed him
-she still sees him as her “boy”
-she’s not scared by Odysseus’s threats and says that there’s no way she’ll tell, she can keep a secret
-says she’ll even help him scout out the loyal women
-she orders the servants around the house to make the house perfect for the feast
-However, she really just wants to dress up the palace for her master
Medon = the herald
-Telemachus saves his life by telling Odysseus not to kill him because he’s been loyal and is innocent
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-When the suitors’ fathers want to get revenge, he tells them the Odysseus had the help of the gods and
they are on his side, so they better watch out if they decide to choose this dangerous course
Phemius = the palace bard
-Telemachus saves his life by telling Odysseus not to kill him because he’s been loyal and is innocent
Dolius
-father of Melanthius and Melantho
-he’s been a servant of the family for a long time
-when he sees Odysseus, he wants to know if he should send a messenger to the house
-Odysseus picks up on this:
-either:
1. Dolius wants to warn his children
2. What would Dolius do if he found out his kids are dead?
The disloyal women
-they have to clean up the palace themselves
-they have to carry the dead bodies of their lovers
-then Odysseus hangs them – they’re compared to birds (see below)
-they die by hanging which was considered the most pitiful and pathetic death to die
-the noblest way was in battle
Eupithes: Antinous’s father
-He rouses the angers of the suitors’ fathers and wants to retaliate against Odysseus for the honor of his
son
-Homer makes clear that he and the suitors who follow him are foolish and stupid and he won’t make it
back alive
-the parents are just like the suitors:
-they don’t think about consequences
-they aren’t pious and don’t care that the gods are on Odysseus’s side, not theirs
-they’re very fickle and change opinions
Halitherses: the old prophet
-In book 2, the suitors, particularly Eurymachus, make fun of him for interpreting the signs of the birds
and saying that Odysseus is coming home soon
-At the end of the story, he tells the suitors’ fathers to let things rest and not fight Odysseus because the
fathers brought this on themselves. He says it was their fault for not stopping their sons.
Penelope:
-she’s desperate and feels powerless
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-she faces the suitors and calls Antinous out- says that Odysseus helped his father once and this is
how you thank him
-She doesn’t believe Theoclymenus’s prophecy that states Odysseus is here and now
-she’s just as cautious, wary, and suspicious as Odysseus
-She gets really mad when Antinous throws a stool at beggar-Odysseus
-she tells them off
-she’s becoming more vocal as she becomes more and more frustrated, desperate, and upset
-Athena makes her pretty and she comes down to the suitors
-she’s never alone-always flanked by her women, her support system
-veil across her cheeks as a barrier
-she scolds Telemachus and says that she thought he had better sense, like when he was a boy. He
responds by taking the reigns and saying that he’s not a boy anymore. She’s impressed by this.
-she tricks them into giving her gifts to rebuild Odysseus’s wealth
-she seduces them with her words  idea that language can seduce
-She’s always next to a column
-she’s the one who’s holding the house together with her loyalty
-she also needs the support
-When she interviews beggar-Odysseus, she first asks him about his background info
-he totally avoids it because he knows he can’t lie to her
-he flatters her and praises her to try and avoid it
-her side of the loom story = she’s the victim
-she’s desperate
-she was betrayed by one of her own maids, and now she can’t trust anyone
-she’s alone, trying to hold the palace together by herself
-she tests beggar-Odysseus by asking him to describe what clothes Odysseus wore
-he goes through every single detail:
1. it’s vivid in his mind- he remembers everything – love
-he describes the clothes that she gave him
2. He’s putting her to the test to see her reaction
3. She breaks down, which puts him to the test to see if his self-control is strong enough
-Her last question for beggar-Odysseus= asks him to interpret her dream
-it’s about a majestic eagle that killed her little fat geese, then the eagle took the voice of Odysseus
and told her that he will kill the suitors
-either:
1. She’s desperate and knows she has to choose
2. She knows what’s going on and has figured out that he’s Odysseus and tests him
-she plans to host the feast of Apollo and the archery contest
- beggar-Odysseus urges her on to do it
-She prays to Artemis to kill her
-Artemis is a virgin god – which makes sense because Penelope doesn’t want to betray her husband,
she would rather die
-She wants to die with the image of Odysseus in her head
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-She wants beggar-Odysseus to have a shot at it—it’s a win-win situation for her
-if he strings it, she won’t have to marry him even though he’s the winner because he specifically
said he only wants a cloak and a shirt, nothing more
-if he doesn’t, there’s no loss or gain
-When Eurycleia comes and tells her that Odysseus is home and has killed the suitors, she first thinks
that she’s mocking her
-then she gets excited and joyful and asks Eurycleia for the full story
-but when Eurycleia says that she wasn’t there to witness the fight, she clams up again and doesn’t
believe her
-She thinks that Odysseus must be an imposter, a god (just like Telemachus)
-She tries to convince herself that it’s not Odysseus because she doesn’t want to be disappointed
-despite Eurycleia’s desperate efforts to convince her, she still doesn’t believe her
-When she leaves her room to see who Eurycleia’s talking about, she’s conflicted
-she’s guarded- she sits in a corner and watches him
-Telemachus scolds her for not rushing up to him and welcoming him
-She wants to test Odysseus and tells Telemachus that they have their own secret signs
-Odysseus gets rid of Telemachus by telling him to get a wedding feast ready to fool everyone
-Odysseus himself is the one true suitor who won her heart in the first place
-Odysseus says to Penelope: Strange woman, why are you so hard-hearted? Nurse, make me a bed and
I’ll sleep alone.
-She tells Odysseus that she’s still not convinced it’s him. She says she’s not as hard-hearted as he
thinks, but she needs to make sure it’s him first.
-she calls him strange man in response
-She tests him and plays him back- she tells Eurycleia to go ahead and take the bed out for him
-Odysseus gets angry
(see below)
-She finally believes him due to 2 signs:
1. He remembers every single detail about the bed, something that only the 2 of them knew about
2. He’s personally insulted and flares
-a god wouldn’t have cared so much or been so personally involved
Telemachus:
-He’s so willing to leave Sparta to go home that:
-He wants to leave in the middle of the night
-He asks Pisastraus if he’ll go to Nestor along and let him continue on because Nestor talks so much
-Odysseus puts him to the test to see what kind of a man he is
-He responds by answering his questions
-He is sure of his legacy now and is confident enough to say he’s Odysseus’s son- he’s been changed
by his journey
-proves that he has it in him to fight with Odysseus  he passes the test
-When Odysseus reveals himself, he doesn’t believe him and thinks he must be some kind of god
-he resists the advantages of his own father
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-he treats Odysseus with the same skepticism that Odysseus treats everyone else with
-homophrosity with Odysseus
-He puts himself at equal level with Odysseus when he asks Odysseus to reconsider his plan
-it illustrates that he isn’t idolizing Odysseus anymore
-he stands up for his beliefs and holds his own
-he’s becoming more and more like Odysseus
-When he comes home, his mom asks him all about his journey because she wants to know if he heard
any news about Odysseus. He says he’ll tell her later and makes excuses.
-He doesn’t want to have to lie to her or give himself away. He knows his mom could tell he’s lying.
-He tells Piraeus not to get the gifts until after their fight
-he’s worried about them pulling of their slaughter of the suitors, so he’s safeguarding the gifts
-When he tells him mom about his journey, he never mentions Eumaeus. He said that he left Menelaus’s
palace and came straight home, leaving out the pig farm.
-He gets very testy when he and his father return to the palace
-he knows his father is watching
-tensions are building
-goes off on Antinous very sarcastically and also scolds him for being mean to the beggar. He said he
would never disobey Xenia.
-he feels the presence of Athena  he’s pious and knows the gods are behind him
-When he stands up against the suitors, he doesn’t cry, unlike book 2
-he’s confident and stands by what he’s saying
-shows how much he has matured, grown, and developed
-He wants to get the contest started and get the ball rolling because all the suitors are stalling
-He’s eager to get things started so he tries to string the bow 3 times
-On the 4th time he would have gotten it, but his father signaled him to stop
1. He wants them to underestimate Telemachus
2. He would have shown the suitors how to string it and would have been giving away information
-So he says that he must be a weakling and then to the suitors says come on “my betters, so much
stronger than I am” start the contest and try the bow.
-he’s egging them on because he wants them to start
-this is completely inconsistent with what he’s been saying the entire book- he would never have
called them his “betters”
-they’re too oblivious and ignorant to pick up on this inconsistency
-He sends his mom away right before Odysseus strings the bow
-He’s protecting her – he sends her away because of the upcoming fight
-When his father strings the bow, he goes and stands next to him
-they’re equals now
1. Odysseus wants him by his side
2. He’s all grown up
-He takes full accountability for leaving the door to the weapon room open
-he’s accepting responsibility and blame for a serious mistake
-he’s very respectable
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-After his mom descends the stairs and sits facing Odysseus, he scolds her for not rushing up to him and
welcoming him. He can’t believe that she doesn’t believe it’s him.
-Odysseus proudly tells him that he’s going to be his father’s son. He proudly responds that he will be
the son that he expects him to be.
Odysseus:
-When he first wakes up after the Phaeacians dropped him off in Ithaca, he thinks they’ve tricked him
and have dropped him off in a foreign land  always suspicious
-when Athena (disguised as the shepherd boy) tells him that he’s in Ithaca, he is still way and reserved
and has lots of self control
-Instead of asking for a cloak from Eumaeus, he uses a story to hint at him.
-He goes through the whole long story about how he managed to get a cloak back in Troy. Eumaeus
sees his point and rewards him with his best blanket.
-When he firsts sees Telemachus at Eumaeus’s, he puts him to the test to see what kind of man he is
-verbatim of what Nestor asked him about why he lets the suitors run all over his palace
-However, he mentions Telemachus’s “brothers” which Nestor didn’t mention – he wants to find out
if Penelope has gotten married or had other kids
-he passes the test
-He convinces Telemachus that he’s Odysseus by:
1. his tone- he talks like a parent
-corrects and scolds him
-does what a father does
2. gives him evidence
-says it was Athena who helped him
-He guides Telemachus and gives him specific instructions
-he tells him to go home and mix with the suitors
-he will have to endure his father’s suffering
-strip the enemy of any way to retaliate by taking away all their weapons and putting them in the
store room. Save 2 for us.
-tell them a story to put them off: you don’t want the weapons to get all sooty and dirty, and it’s
dangerous to have all those sharp objects around you when you’re drinking
-Do NOT tell anyone, not even the people closest to you
-When Melanthius kicks him, he is ready to take action and he weighs 2 options of how to attack him.
However, he keeps his temper in check and uses self-control
-When he gets to the palace, he watches and observes the Great Hall
-atmosphere = tense; the palace is violent, messy
-He tests the suitors by begging for scraps. They need to be hospitable and provide him with food
-He wants to meet Penelope at night when she asks. She wants to interview beggar-Odysseus, like she
interviews all her guests
-he doesn’t want her to recognize him
-he wants to make clear that he wants a private conversation
-Odysseus knows what Penelope is up to when she tricks the suitors into giving her gifts
-Homophrosity- likeness of mind between the whole family
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-the Greeks valued reason, logic, argumentation
-As beggar-Odysseus, when he stokes the fire, he is also stoking his anger
-He tries to give Penelope hope by telling her that Odysseus is coming home, although she doesn’t
believe him
-He slips while in disguise:
-talks about Amphinomus’ father, then covers by saying “or so I’ve heard…”
-he doesn’t pick up on it
-calls Penelope “my lady”
-He requests for an old, loyal maid instead of young maids  he forgets that and older maid would
know him
-When Eurycleia recognizes him, he grabs her throat and says he’ll kill her if she says anything
-just like in the Trojan horse when he stopped his comrade
-he’s not afraid to be brutal in a tough situation and he’s quick
-He’s a tactician  As he lays in bed, he worries about the tactics they’ll have to pull off.
1. How will only 2 men kill all the suitors?
2. After they kill them, what about the noble fathers’ retaliation?
-Athena reassures him and he falls asleep
-As Penelope dreams of Odysseus lying next to her, he daydreams of her lying next to him
-their two parallels are separated by a wall
-Odysseus is heartsick and he’s suffering because he can’t go to Penelope
-He prays to Zeus, asking for a sign to assure him that everything will go okay
-Zeus sent a bolt of thunder
-a woman that was grinding grain reports the sign- she’s the objective party
-She said that Zeus must be sending someone a sign, so please grant my prayer that today will be
the suitors’ last day
-she’s grinding the grain  he’s grinding his anger  he will grind out the suitors lives in revenge
-He asks Eumaeus and Philoetius to fight with him—an enormous honor for herders
-fighting with nobility, with their king
-he’s rewarding them for their loyalty, which they never expected to be rewarded for
-he uses his scar as evidence to convince them
-they’re strategically important too which is a huge deal for them because they’re just commoners
-When beggar Odysseus asks to try the bow, the suitors get angry
-their worried that an old commoner will beat them  make them look bad
-After he kills Antinous with his bow, he never gives his name, but makes clear that it’s him
-He gets worried when he sees the suitors with armor and weapons and realizes that someone must
have been working from the inside
-Telemachus takes full responsibility for leaving the door open, and also is sure that Melanthius is
their guy
-he orders the cow and swine herder not to kill him yet, but to hang him from the rafters to torture
him
-After the battle, he calls Eurycleia in and asks for quick report of the loyal and disloyal women
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-he also tells her to hold back to happiness and not to triumph and glory of the bodies of the dead,
implying that this was not only an act of revenge for him, it was also a holy enterprise to be taken
very seriously
-He burned sulfur and lit a fire to purge the house (see below)
-He goes to see his father, Laertes
-he weighs 2 courses: test his father or hug him?
-he decides to test him
-He breaks down when he sees his dad cry
-Laertes wants proof
1. His scar
2. The trees that his dad gave him as a child
Epithets
Alcinous = ardent, hallowed
Demodocus = prized by all the people
Zeus = of the Suppliants, who collects the clouds
Athena = Queen of Tactics
Odysseus =great raider of cities, the patient man, wry, the crafty king, foxy veteran, man of exploits,
quick, the wily one, the cool tactician
Telemachus = tactful, clear-headed, inspired
Penelope= wise, the cautious queen, cautious, wary, reserved, discreet, seasoned
Eumaeus = loyal swineherd
Philoetius = good cowherd
Important Things
1. Cretan Stories:
-Greeks thought Cretans were all lies
-Odysseus’s stories are shadows of what he really went through
-made up variation of what he’s gone through
*conveys that Odysseus is quick on his feet
a. Cretan story 1:
-tells it to Athena who was disguised as the little boy
b. Cretan story 2:
-he tells it to Eumaeus when he first goes to his farm
-he tries to convey he’s suffered
-his story includes slavery, betrayal, duplicity, treachery, kidnapping
-when he tells the story, he was telling shadows of Eumaeus’s life—he he knows
everything about Eumaeus, but Eumaeus doesn’t know anything about this supposed
“stranger”
-Eumaeus believes his entire story except the part about Odysseus coming backironically, it’s the other way around
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
-he repeatedly calls it a “tale” and a “yarn” which suggests that he recognizes it’s a lie
c. Cretan story 3:
-he tells it to Penelope when she interviews him
-he says that he saw Odysseus before Troy
-he included some truth in it
When Odysseus gets to Eumaeus’s house, the dogs don’t recognize him. He has to get down
on his knees to stop them from protecting him
a. He has to get lower than the dogs- act of sublimation
b. Symbolic of amount of humility he’ll have to put up with to keep his identity secret
“You” is only reserved for Eumaeus
a. 2 possible reasons why:
i. Metrical convenience- to fulfill dactylic hexameter and keep the rhythm
ii. Practice of old stories
b. He’s of the lowest status, yet he still gives and gives (from nothing)
c. Reveals affection and respect for such a loyal, pious, hospitable man
Argos, Odysseus’s dog
a. He represents great potential gone to waste in the absence of his master
i. He was a good breed-he was a hunting dog, not domestic dog
ii. Nobody takes care of him now that Odysseus is gone
b. He’s symbolic of state of Ithaca
i. Neglected
c. He also represents the suitors
i. The suitors were nobility- they had great potential
ii. Instead, they’re wasting away
The suitors = people with power
a. They abuse it for their own entertainment
b. They exploit the people of Ithaca, especially the weaker, the powerless, and the
desperate which is what makes them so horrible
i. The beggars for example need food and are at the suitors’ mercy
Imagery of birds
a. Pun: women compared to birds
i. “fluttering off” , “foul talk”
ii. The women are compared to birds when they’re hanged
iii. Odysseus and co. are compared to eagles as they attack the suitors
Catching in a net
a. The suitors will be “caught in our net” according to Eumaeus
i. Like the story of Ares and Aphrodite
b. They’re like fish caught in a net (see Homeric similes above)
Odysseus’s scar = his name = his fate
a. The nature of a scar
i. Permanent, indelible
ii. As a result of pain or suffering
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iii. Unique
iv. Story associated with it
v. This is just like his name and his fate
b. His scar is a metaphor for his name
i. A hero’s name is like a deep wound
ii. He cannot escape his name (or his fate)
iii. His name comes with a story: when Odysseus was born, Laertes father had to
travel from afar so he named him Odysseus, “Son of Pain.” The question is will
Odysseus receive or inflict pain?
c. A hero’s name defines his fate
i. Odium = hate and suffering
1. Odysseus is the agent and the victim of hate and suffering
ii. Odussomai = rage, hate, or anger directed at someone
1. Odysseus is the agent of victim and anger directed at him
iii. Odino = pain that produces life (childbirth for example)
1. As a hero, Odysseus suffers to bring his identity to life
iv. Odysseus = child of woe; one who is hated
1. He receives and inflicts pain on others
d. For Odysseus’s coming of age, he goes on a hunt to catch a boor to distinguish himself
as a man
i. On the hunt, he gets the scar- while a boar stabbed him, he stabbed the boar
ii. ***HE BECOMES BOTH THE AGENT AND VICTIM OF PAIN!!!!
iii. This determines his fate! (scar=name=fate)
9. Odysseus’s bow
a. It was a gift from a friend and was too special for him to take with him to Troy
b. It was a hunting bow, not a fighting bow
c. The shooting of the suitors will be done with this special bow
i. It’s a hunting bow—they’re like animals, they’re not even worthy to be killed
with a bow that usually kills humans
d. Stringing the bow requires:
i. Strength
ii. Finesse
iii. The ability to twist and turn your body (like Odysseus’s epithet)
iv. Just the right tact
10. Odysseus burns sulfur and lights a fire to purge the house
a. Sulfuri. The Greeks associated it with heaven
ii. They associated it with Zeus—they always smelt it after a thunderbolt (Zeus)
iii. It was often used to cleanse and purge
iv. It was used to cleanse the smell of dead bodies
b. Sulfur was used to get rid of the plague
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11.
12.
13.
14.
i. This connects with the original metaphor of the suitors plaguing the house
c. He’s offering a sacrifice to Athena for bringing him home
i. It’s almost like the killing of the suitors was a sacrificial slaughtering to Athena
The marriage bed = symbol of Odysseus and Penelope’s marriage
a. The bed was unshakable = so was the marriage
i. If the bed had been moved, it meant the marriage had been violated
b. He built it himself
c. Built from an olive tree
i. Central to Greeks
ii. Associated with Athena
iii. He built it from the trunk which was sturdy, solid, rooted and the olive tree itself
was fruitful, productive, alive
1. JUST LIKE THEIR MARRIAGE!
d. The bedroom and the palace were built around the bed- the bed was the center
i. Their life was built around their marriage
ii. Everything depends on their marriage
iii. The palace symbolizes the kingdom
1. THE MARRIAGE HOLDS THE WHOLE KINGDOM TOGETHER!!!
iv. This is why her loyalty was so important—she held the whole family together by
being loyal
e. He recognizes that this is their secret sign
i. He’s basically asking her: is the marriage still holding? Are you still loyal to me?
ii. He’s now at her mercy.
When Odysseus tells his story to Penelope:
a. The events are lined up chronologically
i. One of the things the Odyssey was criticized for was that it wasn’t chronologicalit flashed back when Odysseus told his stories to the Phaeacians
ii. Reveals that Homer was confused- he knew which event happened when, he
purposely did flashback earlier
b. He mentions Circe and Calypso to her and she just listens and isn’t upset of shocked
i. Even though it was implied that he slept with them, he says that he was never
truly unfaithful, they never won his heart
ii. Reveals that infidelity was an acceptable practice for men
New way of earning kleos
a. Odysseus -he’ll end his life peacefully with his family.
b. He doesn’t earn his kleos by dying in a ridiculous battle. He is remembered by his words
and his life.
c. He’s rewriting a new order of kleos.
Non-men vs. real men, real heroes
a. The suitors come face to face with Agamemnon and Achilles
i. Achilles – earned kleos from dying in battle
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ii. Agamemnon is mad about the kind of death he had- Aegisthus and his wife
killed him
iii. IRONIC- the suitors are like Aegisthus
b. When Amphinomus tells Agamemnon what happened to them, he tries to make the
suitors sound like the victims and that Penelope’s the mean one
i. They’re appealing to the wrong man
c. Agamemnon is happy and excited for Odysseus and impressed with Penelope’s loyalty.
He thinks the suitors got what they deserve
i. He has a wonderful moment
d. The suitors are the antithesis of Agamemnon and Achilles
i. They don’t receive a proper burial or any glory
ii. They fade away—akleos, oblivion
15. Reconciliation vs. Retaliation
a. Zeus tells Athena that reconciliation is the key
i. It’s a heavenly inspired act
ii. Just like the Achaean assembly was inspired by and based off of the gods’
assembly
b. Reconciliation is a new way for peace and accord
i. It’s a new order of resolving problems
ii. Forgetting about stuff and putting the past in the past
c. End of the old system of retaliation and revenge, like Orestes
Homeric Similes
(The ones in bold are the most important ones that we really talked about in class)
1. Eagle clutching a fattened goose in its talons (325)
a. Prophecy made by Helen
b. Eagle = Odysseus
c. Fattened geese = suitors
d. Odysseus will swoop down and kill the suitors
2. Eumaeus’s reunion with Telemachus = father-son reunion (339)
a. Eumaeus had become a surrogate father for Telemachus. Telemachus didn’t have
anyone to come and talk to as a child, so he came to him.
b. Accentuates both relationships between Telemachus and Eumaeus and is very moving
c. An example of good self-control with Odysseus- he has to watch the reunion he should
have had with his son
d. Only focuses on Eumaeus’s feelings – it’s a one-way street
3. Odysseus’s reunion with Telemachus = 2 eagles, birds of prey (345)
a. Regal and manly birds
b. It’s a 2 way street of emotions- you get both Telemachus and Odysseus’s feelings
c. Expressing
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4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Penelope’s crying = heavy snow melting
a. He’s the brand – he melts her down, she’s dissolving
b. She’s been so on guard and uptight and she breaks down
c. Even though she doesn’t even knows it’s Odysseus himself, she is drawn to him and
affected by him
d. It demonstrates Odysseus’s great self control because he wants to comfort his wife, but
he can’t
Odysseus’s anger = female dog defending her weak puppies (411)
a. Ties in with the theme of animals
b. He’s “growling” with rage
Odysseus = a sausage going back and forth (411)
a. When he is having trouble sleep, he’s tossing and turning
Odysseus’s bow = lyre (437)
Suitors = stampeding herds (448)
a. They’re like animals
Odysseus, Telemachus, Eumaeus, and Philoetius = eagles (as they attack the suitors) (448)
a. Eagles are regal, predatory birds
b. The language shows how they are quick and intense fighters
The suitors = fish (451)
a. Physically, they’re like fish and are flip-flopping around, gasping for breath as they die
i. Odysseus and co. don’t have time to make sure they’re all dead
b. Figuratively, this is the image of getting caught in nets again
c. They are insignificant- they’re all piled together and don’t have a burial
i. Akleos – oblivion, no fame
Odysseus = a lion (451)
a. Right after the battle
b. He literally looks like one because his long care is standing out like a mane
c. Figuratively, he is like a predatory animal and has just butchered the suitors
d. He is also the king, just like the lion (king of the jungle)
The women = birds (453)
a. He gathers up all of the disloyal women and hangs them
b. Hanging was the most pathetic and pitiful was to die
c. He doesn’t give them forgiveness or mercy
d. They’re worthless and insignificant
e. Goes along with the bird metaphor
Athena makes Odysseus beautiful like a mast craftsmen washes gold over beaten silver
a. Repetition from when he emerged from the woods with the Phaeacians
Penelope’s joy at seeing Odysseus = the joy of sailors seeing land for the first time
a. She has been cast adrift
i. She is now landing on solid ground = safety of Odysseus
b. Her and Odysseus’s troubles were the same
i. She was also on a journey and even at home, she had to deal with trials
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ii. She endured her struggles without support or help from Athena or anyone at all
iii. While Odysseus was at battle at Troy, she was at battle with the suitors
15. Suitors’ ghosts = bats
a. They are creatures of the night
b. Shrilling, high thin cries
Themes and Motifs
1.
Recognizing and not recognizing
a. When he arrives at Ithaca, he will have to infiltrate enemy territory and find out who his
friends and foes are (293)
b. The suitors are oblivious and don’t recognize anything (see below)
2.
Obliviousness leads to one’s downfall
a. Physical clues that the beggar is Odysseus
i. Melanthius kicks him and he doesn’t knock him off the path
1. He’s not a regular beggar- he’s made of steel, but nobody recognizes
him
ii. When he gets ready to fight Irus, he has lots of muscle
iii. He’s able to beat up Irus
b. Signs that state Odysseus is home and will get revenge
i. Theoclymenus’s prophecy- Odysseus is on native soil, here and now
1. While he makes this prophecy, the suitors weren’t listening, focusing, or
paying attention. They continued to play games and were “full of
swagger” as usual.
ii. Apocalyptic vision of the suitors’ fate—he sees them shrouded in darkness, their
ghosts, and the battle-aftermath
1. Made by Theoclymenus
2. To the suitors
3. They’re completely disrespectful. They don’t realize that he’s having a
vision and is talking metaphorically. They call him crazy because they
think he’s seeing darkness during the light of day.
4. Then, he translates his vision directly to them. He clearly states that
your end is here, there’s no escaping it. They continue to heckle and
mock him and laugh at him.
5. Then he leaves the palace to get out of there before the battle starts.
c. Signs that the god’s aren’t on the suitors side
i. After Telemachus returns safely, Antinous says that a god must have been on his
side to help him survive.
1. They’re totally blind and oblivious and continue on anyways
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ii. After Penelope says that she wished Odysseus would come home and avenge
the suitors with his son, Telemachus sneezed
1. A sneeze was a sign of approval from the gods
2. She laughs because she knows the gods are on her side
3. The suitors still don’t notice anything and continue to ignore the signs
d. The suitor’s laughter
i. They’re at their worst- ruckus enjoyment, chaos
ii. Nobody cared at all (about the beggar fight)
iii. They continue to dance and sing into the night, until their dead basically
iv. They start hysterically laughing  sense of evil
v. They hysterically laugh at Theoclymenus’s vision
3.
Omens and signs
a. Eagle clutching a fattened goose in its talons  (also a Homeric simile) (325)
i. Eagle = Odysseus
ii. Fattened geese = suitors
iii. Seen in Sparta by Telemachus
iv. Helen makes the prophecy
v. She says that Odysseus will be coming home if he’s not already there
b. Hawk flying by holding a struggling dove tight in its claws and ripping out it’s feathers
(336)
i. It’s a sign that Telemachus will rule forever
ii. Seen by Telemachus
iii. Made by Theoclymenus
c. Prophecy- Odysseus is on native soil, here and now
i. Made by Theoclymenus
ii. To Penelope- but she doesn’t believe him
iii. While he makes this prophecy, the suitors weren’t listening, focusing, or paying
attention. They continued to play games and were “full of swagger” as usual.
d. Apocalyptic vision of the suitors’ fate—he sees them shrouded in darkness, their ghosts,
and the battle-aftermath
i. Made by Theoclymenus
ii. To the suitors
iii. They’re completely disrespectful. They don’t realize that he’s having a vision and
is talking metaphorically. They call him crazy because they think he’s seeing
darkness during the light of day.
iv. Then, he translates his vision directly to them. He clearly states that your end is
here, there’s no escaping it. They continue to heckle and mock him. Then he
leaves the palace to get out of there before the battle starts.
4.
Animal metaphor
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a. Suitors = fat geese, ripe for the killing
i. Penelope’s dream and Helen’s prophecy
ii. They’re wasting away and consuming everything
iii. Soft, uncallused hands that have never worked a day in their lives before
iv. They’re hysterically and maniacally laughing like animals – braying, heckling
v. Odysseus uses a hunting bow to kill them, not a fighting bow—like he’s hunting
animals (they’re not worthy enough to be killed like humans)
vi. Suitors = stampeding herds (Homeric simile)
1. They’re like animals
b. Odysseus = lion
c. Odysseus, Telemachus, Eumaeus, and Philoetius = eagles (as they attack the suitors)
i. Eagles are regal, predatory birds
ii. The language shows how they are quick and intense fighters
iii. This also goes along with the metaphor of birds throughout the book
5. Battle and conquering language
a. Penelope “surrenders” her heart to Odysseus and says that he’s “conquered” her heart
b. Parallels the Agamemnon story- Aegisthus was battling for Clytemnestra’s heart
c. The suitors were seen as an invading enemy army, trying to conquer Penelope’s heart.
However, she surrenders to Odysseus, the real suitor, the true man.
d. Odysseus has the victory of winning Penelope’s heart.
e. Implies that she was in battle at home against the suitors, while Odysseus was in battle
at Troy
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