Odyssey
Bks. VII-IX
WHERE WE LEFT OFF
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Odysseus has left Kalypso, and been
shipwrecked by Poseidon on the island of
Phaiakia – Nausikaa
Telemakhos is happily staying with Menelaos
and Helen in Sparta
Penelope is still holding off the suitors, but
barely
Poseidon is still angry, Athena is still helping
The Phaiakians
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a race where “the only things they trust are the
racing ships Poseidon gave”
1st thing Odysseus hears: “they do not care for
strangers in this neighborhood”
1st thing Odysseus sees: “high rooms…bronzepaneled walls…lapis lazuli…doors were
golden…bronze plated…silver upon
silver…golden handles…boys of gold…”
Phaiakian Palace vs Greek Palace
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Menelaos’ Palace = “a-glitter everywhere, as
though with fiery points of sunlight, lusters of
the moon”
Nestor’s Palace = a “great house”, a “famous
hall”
Phaiakian wealth in material things, Greek
wealth in animals, land, the oikos
“We don’t take too kindly to
strangers around here.”
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Odysseus supplicates Arete
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NOBODY MOVES
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this is very strange
this is very strange
Where is the love?
no one seems aware of the law of xenia
 it takes an elder to move Alkinoos to action
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Why no Xenia?
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To offer solace would require an understanding
of misery
Phaiakia is a utopian society, with no war,
hunger, pain, or suffering
The Phaiakians cannot relate to Odysseus’
suffering, thus they don’t know that he IS
suffering
This is why Odysseus can’t stay (as we shall
see)
Arete, Queen of Phaiakia
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Seemingly the most
important person in Phaiakia
“no lady in the world, no
other mistress of a man’s
household, is honored as our
mistress is, and loved…no
grace or wisdom fails in
her…supposing, then, she
looks upon you kindly, the
chances are that you shall
see your friends under your
own roof, in your father’s
country.” (pg. 113)
Arete, Queen of Phaiakia
After xenia finally occurs,
Arete takes the lead,
questioning Odysseus about
his identity
 She ends the evening’s
conversation by sending
maids to make up Odysseus’
bed
 Why does Odysseus go to
her first?
 Nausikaa and Athena tell
him to: “as soon as you
are safe inside, cross
over and go straight
through into the megaron
to find my mother.”
The Blind Bard
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Bk. VIII opens with a bard
singing of “the clash
between Odysseus and
Akhilleus”
The bard’s name is
Demodokos
Could this be Homer?
Notice the power of the
song
 “Odysseus with massive
hand drew his rich
mantle down over his
brow, cloaking his face
with it, to… miss the
secret tears that started to
his eyes.” (pg. 127)
The Games
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THE PENTATHLON
Running
 Wrestling
 Broadjump
 Discus
 Boxing
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Panhellenism
Lack of epic distance – the Olympics
Demodokos Redux
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The third song is of the Trojan Horse
Odysseus unconsolable
Only after revealing his pain over Troy does he
reveal his name
Then we get to the trials and tribulations
Adventure 1: The Kikones
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Odysseus and his men sack Ismaros
For the first time, greed proves their undoing
Odysseus and his men get thumped pretty good (lost
six men per ship)
LESSON #1
The point is, ladies and
gentleman, is that greed -- for
lack of a better word -- is
bad.
Greed is wrong.
Greed doesn’t work.
Adventure 2: The Lotus-Eaters
Adventure 2: The Lotus-Eaters
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“Those who ate this
honeyed plant, the
Lotos, never cared to
report, nor to return:
they longed to stay
forever, browsing on
that native bloom,
forgetful of their
homeland.” (pg. 148)
LESSON #2
(Keep this in mind when we meet Kirke)
Adventure #3: The Kyklopes
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Completely uncultured
“They neither plow, nor sow by hand, nor till
the ground, though grain…grows untended,
and wine-grapes, in clusters, ripen in heaven’s
rain.”
Greed is, again, bad.
The whole episode can be summed up in the
following clip:
AFTERMATH
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Once he blinds him:
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Odysseus lies to Polyphemos, but can’t leave well
enough alone
“My name is ούτις” = nobody
By taunting Polyphemos, Odysseus makes
Poseidon mad at him
This is why Poseidon wants to destroy him
Not even a great offering to Zeus can keep
Odysseus out of trouble
What Have We Learned
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Women rule the roost on Phaiakia (and Ogygia
and Aiaia and Ithaka).
Greed is bad.
Drugs are bad (or are they?).
Blinding Kyklopes is bad.
Xenia is the highest law of the land, and
seperates men from beasts (or Kyklopes).
Even the gods cannot overcome fate.