INTRO TO GREEK MYTHOLOGY

THE ODYSSEY

EPICS

• An epic is a long narrative poem that tells the adventures of heroes who embody the values of their civilizations. • Often, epics would be

used in schools to teach values

THE GREAT WAR• The Odyssey is the counter part to the Iliad, an epic

written about a ten year war (Trojan War) fought in the Mediterranean over 200 years prior to the epics

• Both epics were written by Homer, who took all of the orally recited tales and collected them into two volumes

BACKGROUND

• The war started when Helen, the wife of the Greek king Menelaus, ran away with Paris, a prince of Troy• Agamemnon, Menelaus’ brother, banded all the

Greeks together to attack Troy• This story would have been common knowledge for

the readers of the epics

HOMER• No one really knows who

Homer was, though he is believed to be a blind minstrel (singer) from Chios.• Epics were often told orally, by

traveling singers, but they were also performed as plays in amphitheaters

ODYSSEUS• He is the main character of The

Odyssey• Traditional Greek heroes were

flawless and mighty, but Odysseus is more down to earth and faces difficulties• Married to Penelope, a beautiful

and faithful wife• They have one son, Telemachus

• Odysseus was not interested in fighting in the war, so when the generals came to get him, he pretended to be insane• The generals saw through

this and tossed his then-infant son in front of a plow, and Odysseus was forced to save his boy, proving he was not insane

• Once in the army, he was a competent general. He is said to be the one who thought of the Trojan horse trick (hiding soldiers inside a giant wooden horse, presented to the enemy as a gift so they would bring it inside their gates)

GREEK GODS• Apollo – god of poetry, music,

prophecy, medicine, and archery• Athena – goddess of wisdom,

war, and peace. Favorite daughter of Zeus, she favored the Greeks in the Trojan war. Often called Pallas Athena

• Cronus – (Kronos) Titan god who ruled the universe until his son Zeus overthrew him• Hades – god of the underworld• Helios – god of sun• Hephaestus (Ha-fest-us) – god of metalworking. Notoriously

ugly, married to the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite• Hermes – messenger god• Poseidon – god of the sea, brother to Zeus. Believed to

cause earthquakes; enemy to Odysseus• Zeus – most powerful god. Lives on Mt. Olympus

PEOPLE TO KNOW IN ITHACA (ODYSSEUS’ HOME)

• Antinous (Ant-i-nus) – One of Penelope’s main suitors; an arrogant and mean young noble from Ithaca• Eumaeus (you-may-us) – swineherd (pig farmer), one

of Odysseus’ loyal servants• Eurycleia (you-rick-lee-uh) – Odysseus’ old nurse• Eurymachus (you-rim-uh-cuss) – suitor of Penelope

• Penelope – Odysseus’ wife. While Odysseus is away, everyone assumes he is dead and men try to win her over. She remains faithful.• Philoetus (fil-i-shus) – Cowherd (Cow farmer) One of

Odysseus’ loyal servants• Telemachus (tel-eh-

meh-cus) – Odysseus’ son

OTHER PEOPLE AND PLACES

• Aeaea (Ay-ee-uh) – home of Circe, the enchantress and goddess• Alcinous (al-sin-us) – king of Phaeacia

(fay-shuh). Odysseus tells the story of his adventures to Alcinous’s court• Calypso (cal-ip-so) – beautiful nymph

goddess who keeps Odysseus on her island for 7 years

• Charybdis (Ka-rib-dis) – female monster who sucks in water three times a day to form a deadly whirlpool• Cicones (si-ko-neez) – people living on the

southwestern coast of Thrace who battled Odysseus and his men on their journey• Circe (sir-see) – enchtantress and goddess who

turns Odysseus’s men into swine

• Erebus (air-eh-bus) – dark area of the underworld where the dead reside• Eurylochus (You-ril-uh-cuss) – a member of

Odysseus’ loyal crew• Lotus eaters – people who feed Odysseus’ men

lotus flowers to make them forget Ithaca• Phaeacia (Fay-shuh) – island kingdom ruled by

Alcinous

• Polyphemus (polly-fee-mus) – son of Poseidon; blinded by Odysseus. Polyphemus is a Cyclops

• Scylla (sill-uh) – female monster with 6 serpent heads, each head having a triple row of fangs• Sirens – sea nymphs whose

beautiful and mysterious music lures sailors to steer their ships towards rocks

• Teiresias (tee-ray-see-us) – famous blind prophet from the city of Thebes• Thrinakia (thrin-ah-kee-uh) – island where helios

keeps his cattle• Greeks are often referred to in the story as Acheans

or Argives