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The Odyssey

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Homers invocation to the Muses (9 daughters of Zeus worshipped for Inspiration to art and music) The reader learns: Odysseus has already had a rather lengthy journey home

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Odysseus reveals himself to King Alcinous as Laertes son Odysseus tells of his misadventures with his crew This story is in flashback Odysseus tells it After 9 days of drifting, they stop on the Land of the Lotus Eaters

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The lotus plant causes feelings of laziness and dreaminess Odysseus sends 3 of his men to check out the land; they never return because they eat the lotus with the Lotus Eaters Odysseus finds the 3 men and ties them under their boat benches. He tells the others not to eat the Lotus or they wont want to go home Odysseus makes his men leave the Lotus Eaters

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Odysseus and his men sail away They land on the Cyclops island Odysseus curiosity leads him to the Cyclops cave (the result of the encounter explains Poseidons anger toward Odysseus) Odysseus and his men are sitting inside the Cyclopss cave around the fire when he comes inside. The Cyclops has one eye in the center of his head

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The Cyclops leads his rams and ewes outside and covers the cave opening with a huge rock. He milks his ewes. He asks for the strangers identities The Cyclops name is Polyphemus Odysseus explains who they are and that they were blown off course Odysseus tells him that he should be hospitable or suffer the wrath of Zeus

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The Cyclops says he is not afraid of Zeus and has more power than he does. Odysseus says Poseidon broke up their ship (a lie) The Cyclops picks up two of the men, bashes their brains in, and eats them! Odysseus decides not to try and kill the Cyclops because they wont be able to leave the cave

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In the morning, the Cyclops eats 2 more men for breakfast! He leaves his cave with his sheep and places the slab over the opening The men make a 6 foot pointed stake while he is gone. 4 men & Odysseus decide to poke the Cyclops in the eye

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When the Cyclops returns at night and closes the cave opening, he eats 2 more men. Odysseus gives him a bowl of strong wine Cyclops asks his name & Odysseus replies Nohbdy Cyclops falls asleep & the men put the stake in his eye

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Cyclops begins to wail & call for nearby Cyclopes He calls out: Nohbdy tricked me, Nohbdys ruined me! Of course, nobody helps the Cyclops. Odysseus ties his men under the rams so they can leave the cave when the rams do Cyclops pats each ram as it leaves but doesnt feel the men

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Odysseus yells out to Cyclops once he is on his boat. The Cyclops throws a boulder in front of the boat. Odysseus calls out his real name to Cyclops. Cyclops throws another boulder which hits their boat and slows them down. Cyclops asks Odysseus to come back so they can be friends.

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Odysseus goes too far when he tells the Cyclops that he would hurl him to hell (hubris) The Cyclops calls out to his father Poseidon and asks him to prevent Odysseus from ever seeing his family and wishes that all of his men are killed on the journey.

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The Polyphemus episode is important; we learn much about Odysseus as a leader - both his strengths and his flaws. Odysseus is prone to rash decisions. First, he makes the mistake of wanting to meet Polyphemus even as his men warn him against it. But he makes another error when he taunts Polyphemus not once but twice. This second mistake is what creates his problem with Poseidon, as he foolishly reveals his name and invites the wrath of the Poseidon, god of earthquake - and subsequently dooms his shipmates.

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Odysseus & men land on island of Aeolia Aeolus, the wind king, puts all the winds in a bag so that the men wont be harmed on the voyage Odysseus sailors open the bag of wind on the boat & hurricanes ensue They are blown back to Aeolia with no sympathy from Aeolus

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Next, they sail to the land of the giant Laestrygonians (lees-trih-GOH-nee-unz) & some of the Laestrygonians, cannibals, eat some of Odysseus men. Then, with one ship left, they land on Aeaea, home to the witch Circe. Eurylochus, leads a party of 22 men to explore the island. They find Circe surrounded by many wild animals.

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Circe looks harmless since she is singing and weaving & the men think she might be a goddess. Eurylochus did not go in to meet her since he sensed something evil within Circe. Circe feeds the men and gives them laced wine which turns them into pigs. Hermes gives Odysseus an antidote to eat to work against Circes power & he rushes to her home.

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As Hermes predicted, Circe asks Odysseus to sleep with her; he first makes her promise not to use any more enchantments. After they retire to Circes bedchamber, she turns them back into men, now looking better than ever. Circe tells Odysseus to have his men bring their ships and gear ashore and come back with everyone. They all return but the still suspicious Eurylochos.

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Circe releases all of Odysseus men, and since she is the most beautiful immortal, he agrees to her request to have Odysseus and his men stay with her for a year. They beg Circe to help them get home. She warns them that they will have to confront Hades, King of the Underworld, and his wife Persephone, Queen of the Underworld.

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Circe gives Odysseus very specific instructions regarding how to reach the Underworld because one cannot simply take a boat there Odysseus must go to Persephones land, find the place where two rivers meet and drain into the river Styx, and then dig a trench. In the Underworld, the men will have to consult with Teiresias, the blind prophet, make sacrifices of animals, & confront ghosts.

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Odysseus has returned to Circes island & she warns him of the dangers of his journey Circe warns the men of the Sirens, beautiful, bird-like women whose music enchants men so that they may kill them No sailor has ever survived the lure of the sirens.

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Circe tells Odysseus to plug the mens ears with wax so they cant hear the Sirens The men will continue to steer the boat past the Sirens. Odysseus can be tied to the mast of the boat so he can hear them

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Circe tells the men that the 2nd danger to avoid is the den of Scylla, a monster who has 12 legs and 6 serpents necks and heads. She has 3 rows of sharp teeth. She will eat 6 men at once.

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The 3rd danger is the whirlpool Charybdis Circe tells the men that they should hug the cliffs of Scylla because it is better to lose 6 men than an entire boat of men. The 4th danger are Helios cattle. If the men eat them, the ship & crew will be destroyed but not Odysseus.

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Odysseus never tells the men of the last prophecy (Helioss cattle) (Remember: Odysseus is still telling his story to King Alcinous) The men survive the Sirens. The men drop their oars out of fear when they see Scylla & Charybdis. Scylla eats 6 of the men. They avoid Charybdis.

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Odysseus tells the men not to eat Helios cattle when they arrive on Thrinakia for a rest After a month of storms, the men are hungry and kill a cow. The men eat Helios cattle & are punished at sea by a thunderbolt from Zeus. Odysseus is the only one who survived & is rescued on Calypsos island.

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*Odysseus is finished telling his story to King Alcinous

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Penelope tells the suitors that she will marry the one who can bend, string, and shoot Odysseuss special hunting bow through 12 ax handles. This contest takes place on a festival day for Apollo, the god of archery

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Nobody can work Odysseuss bow. Odysseus asks the cowherd Philoetius and the swineherd Eumaeus to help him Odysseus tells them that they were the only men who missed him

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Odysseus will give the cowherd and swineherd wives, cattle, and homes if they help him kill the suitors Odysseus shows them his scar to prove himself Odysseus tells them to lock himself and all the suitors in the room when he picks up the bow Penelope allows Odysseus, the beggar, to test the bow

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Telemachus has removed the suitors weapons from the hall Odysseus, the beggar, strings the bow and shoots it through the axe holes Telemachus straps on his armor The fighting with the suitors begins in the next book.

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*This is the climax. Odysseus takes off his beggar rags. Odysseus must fight more than 100 suitors He attacks Antinous, the meanest, first, and shoots an arrow into his neck.

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The suitors run around, looking for their weapons and cursing Odysseus. Odysseus accuses the suitors of such things as: using his maids and trying to marry his wife The suitors, of course, dont believe he is Odysseus Eurymachus blames the suitors actions on Antinous commands

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Eurymachus tells Odysseus that he and the suitors will give him gifts if he lets them go Odysseus replies, There will be killing till the score is paid. Telemachus, Eumaeus, and Philoetius help Odysseus kill the suitors Athenas shield comes to life, and she, disguised as Mentor, helps kill the suitors All suitors are killed by the end of the battle.

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Eurycleia announces Odysseuss return to Penelope. Penelope suspects a trick from the gods and decides to test Odysseus Telemachus chides her for doubting Odysseuss identity She tells Telemachus that she and Odysseus share secret signs

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Odysseus is made handsome by Athena Odysseus tells Eurycleia to prepare a couch for him to sleep upon Penelope tells the nurse to carry their marriage bed out for him to sleep onwords meant to test her husband Odysseus becomes upset because the bed was built around an olive tree that serves as a bedpost it cant be moved unless another man had sawed the post from the trunk

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Odysseus passes Penelopes test and they embrace. Athena delays the sunrise so the couple can spend more time together Odysseus plans to travel to his father Laertes house and to seek revenge upon the suitors families.