Jose Patrick Lavilla
Lavilla 1
Mrs. Wilson
Sch English 9-7
1 February 2016
The Odyssey: Book 5-8 Summary
Book 5:
Athena begs the gods and Zeus at Mount Olympus, Odysseus and Telemachus was in
danger of being ambushed. Zeus tells her to protect Telemachus, and Hermes to release
her prisoner. Odysseus sails alone on a raft to Skhyria, he received gifts from the
Phaeacians before he returns home in a ship. When Odysseus was traversing the seas,
Poseidon sees him, Poseidon then creates a mighty storm. Ino rescues him with her veil,
Odysseus takes it and swims. Athena Calms the storm, Odysseus swims for a couple of
days before he was near the shore. Sharp rocks surrounding it, Athena helps Odysseus,
and Odysseus makes in land.
Book 6:
At Night, Athena visits Nausicaa. When she wakes up, she takes her maids and wash her
clothing in the river. They wash themselves and play a game naked. Odysseus wakes up
and hears them. He approaches them naked as well, only he’s dirty. He scared them
away but not Nausicaa, he asks if she’s a mortal or a goddess. He asks her for help, she
directs him to the town and gave him some clothing. He cleans himself, and the maids
give him food and drink. Nausicaa walks him to the town with her maids but warns him
that the people will see him with her. She told him to hide behind the trees then later
ask for directions to the palace of Alcinous, where he will find her mother. They head to
the town and pass Athena’s grove, Odysseus the prays for the hospitality from the
Phaeacians.
Jose Patrick Lavilla
Lavilla 2
Mrs. Wilson
Sch English 9-7
1 February 2016
Book 7:
After he waits for Nausicaa to go to her father’s place, Odysseus then makes his way to
Athena in a form of a little girl. He asks her for directions to the palace, she leads him,
hiding in mist so no one could see him. He enters the lush, and finds the king and
queen. He embraces Arete’s knees and asks for passage to take him home. Alcinous then
leads Odysseus to the table. Alcinous says they will make a sacrifice in the morning, and
think of how to send Odysseus back home. He also wonders if Odysseus is a god,
Odysseus told him that he is not and he suffered pain. Later at night, Arete recognized
Odysseus’ clothes as one of her own creation, and asks him who gave him his clothing.
Alcinous says that Nausicaa should’ve taken Odysseus home directly, Alcinous promises
to help him get home.
Book 8:
In the morning, Athena in the form of a crier calls the people in the town to assemble to
meet a stranger. The crowd gathers and sees Odysseus in a godly light cast by Athena.
Alcinous asks them to provide ship and crew to Odysseus, then they prepare for a
festival celebrating Odysseus. His instruction are followed, at least for Odysseus. The
bind bard Demodokos sing a song about the battle between Odysseus and Achillies at
Troy. Odysseus then starts to cry from the memories he remembered, Alcinous notices
and stops the music and starts up the pentathlon trials. Many games were played, Prince
Laodamas asks Odysseus to join. He was hesitant to join and one of the athletes accuse
him of having no athletic talent. He took up the challenge and threw the discus farther
than everyone. Odysseus continues to dare the athletes to compete with him in any
athletic contest, especially archery. The crowd was silenced, Alcinous praised his power
and suggests a dance performance. Demodokos sings about a tryst between Ares and
Aphrodite, which ended in cuckolded Heohaetus forged chains and snared them when
they went to bed together. He then invited the other gods to witness the adulterers
caught in the act. Odysseus enjoyed the story, and he was impressed by the dance that
Alcinous' sons perform. Alcinous gives Odysseus a great bounty of clothing and gold; for
apology, he gives him fine silver and ivory broadsword. Alcinous' orders the maid to
bathe Odysseus. When he return to the main hall, Nausicaa asks Odysseus to remember
her, Odysseus told her that he owes her his life. During the feast, Odysseus praised
Domodoko's song about the Akhaians, and asked him to song about the wooden horse
that Odysseus used to invade Troy. He does, and Odysseus burst into tears again and
only Acinous notice him and stopped the music, and questions why Odysseuus was
crying despite the gifts he received, and asks him for his name and his full story.