BOOK 5 - ODYSSEUS - NYMPH AND SHIPWRECK
SCENE: Ogygia
IMPORTANT CHARACTERS:
Odysseus, Calypso, Athena, Zeus, Poseidon, A sea
nymph. Ino/Leucothoe: A goddess of the sea who
saves Odysseus.
When we first meet Odysseus he is longing for home.
Hermes arrives and after admiring the glorious
gardens, he informs Calypso that Zeus has
commanded her to release her captive. She
complains about the double standard of male gods
but knows she has no choice. Odysseus can hardly
believe his change of fortune, but he is careful not to
offend his companions. She in turn help him equip for
his sea journey. The voyage is fought with hardship
thanks to Poseidon. Odysseus is careful to be
appreciative of anything a god can do to help him.
PAY ATTENTION TO:
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Odysseus weeping, his longing for home.
The council of the Gods. (Note that it seems to introduce this
section in a similar way to how the assembly in the Book 1
introduces the “Telemachy.”)
The lushness of the island, the beauty of Calypso.
Hermes' appreciation of the lushness, his tact, his businesslike
manner.
Calypso reluctant acceptance of the ruling of Zeus.
Her agreeing to help Odysseus with tools and other gifts.
Odysseus' tact when he explains to Calypso why he so wants to go
home.
The sexual nature of their relationship.
Odysseus' purposefulness in building the raft.
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The wrath of Poseidon.
Ino's gift and Odysseus' mistrust of it.
Athena's aid and Odysseus' survival skills.
Odysseus' prayer to the unnamed river god.
What Odysseus does to make sure he survives his first night back
on land.
EPITHETS: Who is . . .
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"lustrous goddess, queenly nymph?"
"the guide and giant killer?"
"long enduring?"
"god of the earthquake?"
QUESTIONS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
How long does Odysseus stay on Calypso's island?
What is the source of Calypso's power over Odysseus?
What do we learn of Calypso's feelings for Odysseus?
What will Calypso give Odysseus if he stays with her?
Calypso asks Odysseus to compare her with Penelope; does
Odysseus respond satisfactorily?
6. How would you characterize the making of the raft, and the
departure of Odysseus?
7. For how many days does Odysseus swim?
8. Why does Zeus, despite his liking of Odysseus, allow Poseidon to
make this journey such an ordeal?
9. Ino-Leucothea, in the guise of a seabird, gives him her veil. Why
veil?
10. Why does Odysseus return Ino's veil to the sea?
11. After two days of swimming, note several phases of decisionmaking. Does Odysseus accomplish his rescue on his own?
BOOK 6 - THE PRINCESS AND THE STRANGER
SCENE: The island of Scheria, land of the Phaeacians.
IMPORTANT CHARACTERS: Odysseus, Athena, Nausicaa,
Alcinous.
Athena come to Nausicaa, the daughter of the King of the
Phaeacians, in a dream which leads her to ask her father to let her
go with her friends to wash clothes by the river. There the games
they play awaken Odysseus who greets the brave young princess
with great diplomacy. She can tell he is a worthy strange and greets
him with great hospitality. When he is bathed, Odysseus emerges
thanks to Athena "taller . . . his build more massive . . . his curls like
hyacinth clusters full of bloom." At the end of the book, Nausicaa
leads Odysseus toward town and gives him directions to the
palace.
PAY ATTENTION TO:
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How the Phaeacians are protected by the gods.
The idealized household of the Royal Family.
How Athena visits Nausicaa in her dreams.
How the king cannot say no to his daughter.
How beautiful, wise, and young Nausicaa is.
The references to her being "marriageable."
The innocent scene of washing the clothes.
How the playful girls awake Odysseus.
The differing reaction of the girls and Nausicaa to Odysseus'
appearance.
Odysseus' tact and Nausicaa's hospitality.
The importance of bathing and anointing with oil.
Odysseus' changed appearance.
Nausicaa's hospitality and her caution at leading Odysseus to the
palace.
The presence of Athena.
EPITHET: Who is "the white armed princess?"
QUESTIONS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why does Nausicaa go to the river to wash clothes?
What is the explanation she offers her father?
What does Odysseus choose not to do when he sees Nausicaa?
What does he choose to do instead?
What do you think Odysseus' speech to Nausicaa tells us about
him?
6. Why does Nausicaa not want to escort Odysseus to the palace?
BOOK 7 - PHAEACIA HALLS AND GARDENS
SCENE: The island of Scheria, land of the Phaeacians.
IMPORTANT CHARACTERS: Odysseus, Athena, Alcinous, Arête
A mist enshrouded Odysseus is escorted to the palace by Athena
disguised as a young girl. After admiring the beautiful gardens
Odysseus enters the palace. He greets the Queen humbly and is
soon made to feel welcome. Once again, hospitality is emphasized
and although Odysseus (whose keeps his identity to himself)
indicates his desire to return home, the Phaeacian king Alcinous,
see him as a potential husband for his daughter.
PAY ATTENTION TO:
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How the Book begins with Odysseus praying.
The way Odysseus enters the palace.
Note parallels to the way Hermes acts when he reaches Ogygia and
greets Calypso.
The description of the palace and its gardens and the god-favoued
status of the Phaeacians.
How Odysseus greets Arête (as recommended by Nausicaa).
How the nobleman (Echeneus) chides Alcinous for not being more
hospitable.
How the Phaeacians are familiar with visits from the Gods.
How Odysseus avoids identifying himself.
How Alcinous suggest Nausicaa should have brought him directly
to the Palace?
EPITHETS: Who is the "man of craft?"
QUESTIONS:
1. How does the palace and the way it is run compare to other palaces
we have seen?
2. How might the impression Odysseus and we receive of Phaeacia
be significant for
3. Odysseus' subsequent return to Ithaca?
4. What is the difference between the way Odysseus greets Nausicaa
and the way he greets Arête?
5. What does this tell us about Odysseus’ perception of the two
women?
6. Why does Odysseus sit in the ashes?
7. What does Odysseus say when asked asks to identify who he is?
8. What is Arête’s role in helping Odysseus on his journey?
9. How does Odysseus explain why Nausicaa did not bring him
directly to the palace?
BOOK 8 - A DAY FOR SONGS AND CONTESTS
SCENE: The island of Scheria, land of the Phaeacians.
IMPORTANT CHARACTERS: Athena, Alcinous, Demodocus,
Odysseus, Laodamon, and Broadsea and the gods of Demodocus'
tale, especially Hephestus, Aphrodite, Ares, Apollo, Hermes.
Alcinous responds quickly to Odysseus' desire for passage home
and then invites the stranger to a dual entertainment: songs by the
bard demodocus and a kind of Phaecian mini-Olympics. Odysseus
is distraught whenever he hears of Troy. He and we are distracted
from his grief by the games where Odysseus is challenged to show
his mettle and goaded, he responds with a moment of prowess.
Later, Demodocus distracts us with story of gods misbehaving but
eventually he returns to another story of Troy. This time King
Alcinous, who has noticed Odysseus reactions, as his guest to tell
his story.
NOTE: this is a summary of the "story" that Demodocus sings after
the games:
The bard sings of Aphrodite's infidelity with Ares. It's a
somewhat "bawdy" story, a kind of comic relied from
the stories of Troy that make Odysseus cry, and from
the intensity of the "games." Aphrodite's husband, the
crippled blacksmith god Hephestus, creates a net that
catches Aphrodite and Ares in the act of making love.
Hephestus has the other gods come to witness and to
laugh.
PAY ATTENTION TO:
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Alcinous' response to Odysseus' request for help on the way home.
The speed with which the black ship is prepared.
The different elements of the gathering: the song/storytelling of the
bard; the athletic games; feasting; dance.
The arrival of and respect paid to the bard Demodocus.
The effect the song sung by the Demodocus has upon Odysseus.
The games.
The challenge of Broadsea
Odysseus' response to the challenge.
The dancing (420).
The gifts presented Odysseus by the Lords of Phaeacia after the
dancing.
EPITHETS: Who is . . .
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"the faithful bard the Muse adored, the famous harper?"
"the long suffering hero?"
"Crowned with Flowers?"
"the Master Craftsman, the famous crippled smith?"
"the Archer?"
QUESTIONS:
1. Why might Demodocus' blindness be significant?
2. With whom is Odysseus quarreling in the first song by
Demoducus?
3. What does Alcinous do when he sees how Odysseus reacts?
4. What does Odysseus do to win the respect of the young
Phaeacians? Why ?
5. What does Alcinous ask Odysseus at the end of Bk. 8?