One More Strange Island

Homeward, men!
Odysseus sleeps for the entire journey (79-81) The Phaiakians do not want to wake him so they take him and all of his stuff and leave him to sleep on Ithaka
Smooth waters, an olive tree, and a shadowy cavern sacred to the Naiades (140-150)

The Phaiakians sail toward home.

Poseidons gonna get you! Poseidon was outraged that the gods had allowed
Odysseus to return home so easily Zeus allows Poseidon to turn the Phaiakian ship into stone once they are in viewing distance of Skheria. This fulfills a prophecy. Wise Alkinoos knows about the prophecy and prepares a large sacrifice to Poseidon in hopes that he will change his mind about the mountains.

Odysseus Wakes Up
And doesnt recognize where he is because Athene spread mist everywhere
She does this so that no one recognizes himthis gives her time to give him the plan

Odysseus thinks that the Phaiakians have dropped him off somewhere
He is angry with them and hopes that Zeus punishes them for their lack of hospitality

Athene? Is that you?

Athene comes to Odysseus dressed as a shepherd boy & Odysseus begs to know where he has landed Athene explains to Odysseus that he is in Ithaka. Athene describes Ithaka:
Poor for horses, producers of food and wine, good for goats and cows, rainy, lots of forest

 Cunning Odysseus decides to lie to the Shepherd He tells a story of how he had to flee because he killed the son of Idomeneus, Orsilokos who was a strong, swift man who wanted Odysseus gold from the war. He says that after other journeys, he and his men landed on Ithaka and that his men left him grieving in his heart

Odysseus tale

Athene is Pleased

Athene, a clever immortal, is pleased with her cunning mortal. She praises Odysseus for his wit! She then reveals herself and tells Odysseus of the suitors inhabiting his home

The Plan
They hide Odysseus gifts from the Phaiakians and cover them. They both sat down at the base of the holy olive tree and talked about destruction for the presumptuous suitors. Athene tells of Penelopes loyalty

 Odysseus realizes that with Athene he will be able to conquer the suitors. Some the suitors who devour your livelihood shall Athene instructs Odysseus to go to his swine shepherd and ask him of all things.

The Plan

splatter the immense ground with their blood and brains.

Meanwhile, Athene plans to go to Sparta to tell Telemachos to come home She tells Odysseus that his son went to find him and Odysseus wonders why Athene does not tell him that his father is alive. Athene explains that it is to help Telemachos gain glory (oh, the pains of growing up!)

Transformation

Athene assures Odysseus of his sons safety Turns Odysseus into an ugly old man She shriveled his flesh, ruined his blond hair, marred his eyes, and dressed him as a vagabond

Paths
When they had made this plan, the two of them parted. And she went to godly Lakedemon after the child of Odysseus.

Themes

Nostos
Lines 7-8 (On the way) Clear sailing shall you have now, homeward now, however painful all the past. . -Alkinoos

Nostos
Lines 107-110 (Home) Dawn, the ship made landfall and came up islandward in the dim of night. Phorkys, the old sea baron, has a cove here in the realm of Ithaka

Nostos
Lines 107-110 (Sons homecoming) I am off to the great beautys land of Sparta, to call your son Telmakhos home again -Athene

Odysseus Wit
Lines 342-349 (Praises)
Whoever gets around you must be sharp and guileful as a snake; even a god might bow to you in ways of dissimulation. You! You chameleon! Bottomless bag of tricks! Here in your own country would you not give your stratagems a rest or stop spellbinding for an instant? You play a part as if it were your own tough skin. -Athene

Odysseus Wit
Lines 351-355 (Praises) Of all men now alive you are the best in plots and story telling. My own fame is for wisdom among the gods deceptions, too. -Athena

Odysseus Wit
Lines 500-507 (Disguise) Speaking no more, she touched him with her wand, 500 shriveled the clear skin of his arms and legs, made all his hair fall out, cast over him the wrinkled hide of an old man, and bleared both his eyes, that were so bright. Then she clapped an old tunic, a foul cloak, upon him, tattered, filthy, stained by greasy smoke, and over that a mangy big buck skin.

Testing of Xeinos
Lines 75-79 Royal Odysseus turned and crossed the door sill, a herald at his right hand, sent by Alknos to lead him to the sea beach and the ship. Art, too, sent maids in waiting after him, one with a laundered great cloak and a tunic, a second balancing the crammed sea chest, a third one bearing loaves and good red wine.

Testing of Xeinos
Lines 268-270 (Sheperd boy) Do not feel alarmed or hostile, coming across me; only receive me into safety with my stores. 270 Touching your knees I ask it, as I might ask grace of a god. -Odysseus

Forgetting
Lines 90-92 Slumber, soft and deep like the still sleep of death, weighed on his eyes as the ship hove seaward.

Forgetting
Lines 220-223 Meanwhile, on his island, his fathers shore, that kingly man, Odysseus, awoke, but could not tell what land it was after so many years away

Hospitality in the Forest

Themes

Testing of Xeinos
Lines 50-52 Come to the cabin. Youre a wanderer too. You must eat something, drink some wine, and tell me where you are from and the hard times youve seen. -Eumaios

Testing of Xeinos
Lines 104-108

Not a day goes by, and not a night comes under Zeus, but they make butchery of our beeves and swine not one or two beasts at a time, either. As for swilling down wine, they drink us dry. -Eumaios

Testing of Xeinos
Lines 490-492

Odysseus he honoured with long slices from the chine warming the masters heart. -Odysseus

Odysseus Wit
Line 221-398 My native land is the wide seaboard of Krete where I grew up. I had a wealthy father, and many other sons were born to him of his true lady. My mother was a slave, his concubine; but Kastor Hylkids, my father, treated me as a true born son. High honor came to him in that part of Krete for wealth and ease, and sons born for renown, before the death-bearing Krs 6 drew him down to the underworld. His avid sons thereafter 230 dividing up the property by lot gave me a wretched portion, a poor house. But my ability won me a wife of rich family. -Odysseus

Odysseus Wit
Line 519-567 Listen, he said, Eumaios, and you others, heres a wishful 520 tale that I shall tell. The wines behind it, vaporing wine, that makes a serious man break down and sing, kick up his heels and clown, or tell some story that were best untold. But now Im launched, I cant stop now. -Odysseus

How they came to Ithaka

Athene talking to Telemachos


Helen wove a wedding dress

Themes

Weaving
Lines 139-146 She held the gown and murmured: I, too, Bring you a gift, dear child, and here it is; Remember Helens hands by this; keep it For your own bride, your joyful wedding day; Let your dear mother guard it in her chamber. My blessing: may you come soon to your island, Home to your timbered hall.

Potential for handcrafted objects to immortalize those who made them. Helen crafting her kleos or glory

Source: Project Muse

 Line 226-229
Prince, do not take me roundabout,

Nostos

But leave me at the ship, else the old king Your father will detain me overnight For love of guests, when I should

be at sea

Testing of Xenios
Lines 349-352 Odysseus, while he talked, observed the Swineherd to see if he were hospitable still-if yet again the man would make him stay under his roof, or send him to town. Lines 384-386 Stay with us here. No one is burdened by you, Neither myself nor any of my hands. Wait here until Odysseus son returns.

Testing of Xenios

Test whether or not Eumaios is still hospitable. Can be related to disguise which allows insight into Eumaios true nature based on his reaction to Odysseus guise.

Odysseus Wit
Lines 398-411

But, now, come, tell me: What of Odysseus mother, and his father whom he took leave of on the sill of age? Are they under the suns rays, living still, or gone down long ago to lodge with Death? To this the rugged herdsman answered: Aye, that I can tell you, it is briefly told. Laertes lives, but daily in his hall prays for the end of life and souls delivery, heartbroken as he is for a song long gone and for his lady. Sorrow, when she died, aged and enfeebled him like a green tree stricken; but pining for her son, brillian son, wore out her life.

Used to Gather Information

Father and Son

 Arrival of Telemakhos
Father and Son Report of Eumaios

Synopsis

Suitors Negative Reaction Penelope Confronting Antinoos Arrival of Eumaios at the Hut

Arrival of Telemakhos

Breakfast for Odysseus (beggar) and Eumaios

Arrival of Telemakhos
Angry at the Suitors


Telemakhos instructing Eumaios to tell his mom of his safe arrival

Telemakhos seeing his dad for the first time, in his heroic and majestic appearance.

Father and Son


Odysseus narrating his plan to kill the suitors to his son, Telemakhos

Report of Eumaios
The runner and Eumaios, both telling Penelope about Telemakhos arrival

Suitors Negative Reaction

The suitors forming an assembly and conspiring to kill Telemakhos


Antinoos: kill Telemakhos fast Amphinomos: pray, consult with the gods and wait for a signal

Fury of Penelope
Penelope rebuking Antinoos for planning to murder her son, after being informed by Medon (towncrier)

Arrival of Eumaios
Eumaios updating Telemakhos about the news:
Secrecy broken by runner

Failed attempt of suitors (saw a ship with the ambushing suitors on it)

Themes

Nostos

Lines 236-239: Dear father! Tell me what kind of vessel put you here ashore on Ithaka? Your sailors, who were they? I doubt you made it, walking on the sea! -Telemakhos

Testing of Xenos (hospitality)

Lines 240-247

Then said Odysseus, who had borne the barren sea: Only plain truth shall I tell you, child. Great seafarers, the Phaikians, gave me passage as they give other wanderers. By night over the open ocean, while I slept, they brought me in their cutter, set me down on Ithaka, with gifts of bronze and gold and stores of woven things. -Odysseus

Odysseus Wit
Lines 322-324 The swineherd later on will take me down the port-side traila beggar, by my looks, hangdog and old. -Odysseus

Odysseus Wit
Lines 558-560 And Athena coming near with one rap of her wand made of Odysseus an old old man again, with rags about him for if the swineherd knew his lord were there he could not hold the news; Penlop would hear it from him.

Father and Son

Lines 213-218; 228-235 (Thunderstruck Telemakhos)
i.

Mistaken Odysseus as a god Stranger, you are no longer what you were just now! Your cloak is new; even your skin! You are one of the gods who rule the sweep of heaven! Be kind to us, well make you fair oblation and gifts of hammered gold. Have mercy on us! -Telemakhos

Father and Son

ii. Trick of the Spirits

Only Telmakhos, uncomprehending, wild with incredulity, cried out: You cannot be my father Odysseus! Meddling spirits conceived this trick to twist the knife in me! No man of woman born could work these wonders by his own craft, unless a god came into it with ease to turn him young or old at will. I swear you were in rags and old, and here you stand like one of the immortals!

Father and Son

Lines 253-261 (Emotional Moment)
Then, throwing his arms around this marvel of a father Telmakhos began to weep. Salt tears rose from the wells of longing in both men, and cries burst from both as keen and fluttering as those of the great taloned hawk, whose nestlings farmers take before they f ly. So helplessly they cried, pouring out tears, and might have gone on weeping so till sundown

Father and Son

Lines 336-339 (plot to kill suitors) Athena, counseling me, will give me word, and I shall signal to you, nodding: at that point round up all armor, lances, gear of war left in our hall, and stow the lot away back in the vaulted store room. -Odysseus

Critical Question

How do the two omens favorably impact the life of Telemakhos?