The oddyseey

Lotus Eaters

A storm sent by Zeus sweeps them along for nine days before bringing them to the land of the Lotus-eaters, where the natives give some of Odysseus's men the intoxicating fruit of the lotus. As soon as they eat this fruit, they lose all thoughts of home and long for nothing more than to stay there eating more fruit. Only by dragging his men back to the ship and locking them up can Odysseus get them off the island.

Epithets

Lord of Olympos (I:81) = Zeus The gre-eyed goddess (I:221) = Athena The red-haired king at Sparta (I:330-331) = Menelaos The nymph with pretty braids (I:111) = Kalypso

What did the Lotus Eaters offer to the men?

Lotus Flower

What are Cyclopes?

One eyed, giants that eat people

What does Odysseus learn about his mother in the Underworld?

She's dead; she committed suicide.

What does Athena reveal to Odysseus about his situation at home?

Suitors are destroying his land and trying to win the hand of Penelope.

Who is Homer addressing at the beginning of the Odyssey?

The Muse, goddess of epic poetry

What Happens to Odysseus and his shipmates after feasting for six days?

The storm stops and it lures the Odysseus and his men back out to sea. Zeus sends a storm and lightning strikes down Odysseus' ship and kills his men.

What makes the Sirens dangerous?

Their beautiful song

While in the land of Ismarus, what mistakes did Odysseus and his men make?

They get drunk and mutinous, and the Cicones army sneaks up on Odysseus and his men. He ends up loosing all of his ships except one.

What does Odysseus' shipmates do while Odysseus is sleeping?

They sacrifice the cattle of Lord Helios

What does Lord Helios ask of Zeus?

To kill Odysseus' men

What does Odysseus tell his shipmates to do to him for when they pass through the Sirens?

To tie him to the ship's mast

What happened to Odysseus' men on the island of Circe?

Turned them into pigs

What does Odysseus give the Cyclops to drink?

Wine from the land of Ismarus

What does Odysseus bring along when he goes to inspect the cyclops' cave?

Wine from the land of Ismarus and 12 of his best men

Personification Examples

"Dawn mounted her golden throne" and "Dawn with fingertips of rose"

Muse

daughter of Zeus; known for divine inspiration

Hermes

messenger of the gods, also known for his cleverness and trickery; sent by Zeus to tell Calypso to release Odysseus.

O is able to rescue his men from Circe and restore them to the original forms with a magical herb called____ and provided by _____

moly____hermes

How did Trojan War start?

• Eris, goddess of discord, was not invited to a wedding banquet on Mt. Olympus. • Into the banquet hall, Eris tossed a golden apple inscribed "For the Fairest." • Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite asked Zeus to decide who deserved the apple. • Zeus would not choose. (He's no fool!) • Zeus said that Paris is an excellent judge of beauty, and refers the goddesses to him.

Who is Odysseus' father?

Laeretes

What does the Cyclops tell Odysseus as Odysseus is leaving the land?

"Come back and I will treat you well, and I will get Poseidon to befriend you."

How many years total has Odysseus been gone from Ithaca?

20 years

What is Scylla? Why is she dangerous?

6 headed sea serpent; she eats people

How long after the Trojan War does Odysseus depart from Calypso's island?

7 years

How long does Odysseus drift in the open sea?

9 days

What reason does Odysseus and his men construct while in the Cyclops' cave?

A large wooden stake

Whom does Odysseus encounter in the Underworld, besides his mother?

Blind prophet Tiresias

Whose island does Odysseus make shore at?

Calypso's Island

What did Odysseus and his men find inside the cave?

Cheese, whey, goats, and pottery

When they arrive in the sea cave on Lord Helios' island, what warning does Odysseus give to his men?

Do not eat the cattle of Lord Helios

What did Odysseus do to his men on the island of the Lotus Eaters?

Dragged them back to the ship and tied them to the rowing benches

What does the Cyclops do to Odysseus' men?

Eats them

Epic similes

Example: V:381, V:411, V:451, V:513 Later Examples: X: 456, XII:324, XIII:39, XIII:100, XV: 214, XVI: 23, XVI: 253

What is Charybdis? Why is she dangerous?

Giant whirlpool; she devours ships

How does Odysseus avoid Charybdis and Scylla a second time?

He clings to a fig tree on an off shore island of Scylla's mountain.

What difficulties does Tiresias predict for the journey to come?

He must pass through Scylla and Charybdis, and he warns him not to eat the cattle of Lord Helios, god of the sun.

What reason does Odysseus give for not killing the cyclops?

He needs the cyclops to open up the stone slab door.

What did Odysseus do to his men to keep them from being tempted by the Sirens?

He put beeswax in their ears.

Why did Odysseus beach on this land if he knew the cyclopes dwelled there?

His curiosity

Where do the Cyclopes dwell?

In caves

What does Eurylochus say to persuade Odysseus' men to slaughter the cattle?

It is better to die being stuck down by the gods and drowning than to die of starvation.

Where is Odysseus' home?

Ithaca

What does Circe say Odysseus must do in order to reach home?

Journey to the Land of the dead; underworld

Epic Simile Examples

"What of my sailing, then from Troy? What of those years of rough adventure, weathered under Zeus..." "...rolling from side to side, as a cook turns to sausage" O is being compared to a sausage

The Bloody Battle of Trojan War

- Hand to hand combat - Periods of temporary truce to bury the dead - No fighting after sunset - Gods took sides

Nestor

- King of Pylos and a former warrior in the Trojan War. Like Odysseus, Nestor is known as a clever speaker. Telemachus visits him in Book 3 to ask about his father, but Nestor knows little of Odysseus's whereabouts.

Philoetius

- One of Odyssues' loyal servants; the primary cowherd of Odysseus. On the protagonist's return to Ithaca, he stands with Odysseus against the suitors of his wife Penelope. - After the 10 year long Trojan War, Odysseus doesn't return. It takes him 10 more years before he arrive back to his home, Ithica. During his absence, a total of 108 suitors from Dulichium, Same, and other cities come to try to court Penelope, Odysseus's wife. When Odysseus returned home, Athena turned him into a beggar, so that he could plot his revenge against the suitors in hiding. Philoetius, a cowherd and loyal servent to Odysseus, helped him out in his plot to slaughter the suitors. Philoetius locked all the suitors in Odysseus's home and took all of their weapons. Leaving them for dead, at the hands of Odysseus, Telemachus (Odysseus's son), Philoetius, and Eumaeus.

Eurylochus

- Second-in-command of Odysseus' ship during the return to Ithaca after the Trojan War. He was also a relative of Odysseus through marriage. He is portrayed as an unpleasant cowardly individual who undermines Odysseus and stirs up trouble. - One of Odysseus men. He is the man who does not drink from Circe's cup and warns Odysseus. He is also the one who convinces the Odysseus' men to stop at the Island of the cattle of the sun and is also the man who convinces them to eat the cattle. When the ship stopped on Aeaea, home of Circe the sorcress, Eurylochus and Odysseus draw lots to lead a group of twenty two men to explore the island. Eurylochus is chosen. After the crew spots a column of smoke, Eurylochus leads his expedition towards the source. They soon near a palace surrounded with wild but magically benign animals. Inside the palace is Circe singing, and (led by Polites) all of Eurylochus' party except for himself rush inside to greet her. Eurylochus suspects her treachery, and when she turns the rest of the expedition into pigs, Eurylochus escapes and warns Odysseus and the portion of the crew who stayed on the ship, thus enabling Odysseus to attempt a rescue. When Odysseus goes to save his men, Eurylochus refuses to guide him and urges him to escape and leave the men to their fate. When Odysseus returns from Circe having rescued the men, Eurylochus insults Odysseus. Odysseus considers killing him but the crewmen drag them apart. After making a truce with Odysseus, Circe advises him to see the prophet Tiresias for more advices to safely go back home. Tiresias later instructed Odysseus not to touch the cattle on the island of the sun god Helios, but Eurylochus convinced the hungry and mutinous crew to kill and eat some of them. As a punishment Odysseus' ship was destroyed and all of his crew, including Eurylochus, were killed in a storm sent by Zeus. Only Odysseus survives.

Circe

- The beautiful witch-goddess who transforms Odysseus's crew into swine when he lands on her island, she reverses the spell; With Hermes' help, Odysseus resists Circe's powers and then becomes her lover, living in luxury at her side for a year. She advises him well when he departs. - From Land of Laestrygones, Odysseus and his men travel to Aeaea, home of the beautiful witch-goddess Circe. Circe drugs a band of Odysseus's men and turns them into pigs. When Odysseus goes to rescue them, Hermes approaches him in the form of a young man. He tells Odysseus to eat an herb called moly to protect himself from Circe's drug and then lunge at her when she tries to strike him with her sword. Odysseus follows Hermes' instructions, overpowering Circe and forcing her to change his men back to their human forms. Odysseus soon becomes Circe's lover, and he and his men live with her in luxury for a year. When his men finally persuade him to continue the voyage homeward, Odysseus asks Circe for the way back to Ithaca. She replies he must sail to Hades, the realm of the dead, to speak with the spirit of Tiresias, a blind prophet who will tell him how to get home. Odysseus travels to the River of Ocean in the land of the Cimmerians. There he pours libations and performs sacrifices as Circe earlier instructs him to do to attract the souls of the dead. - Odysseus returns to Aeaea, where he buries Elpenor and spends one last night with Circe. She describes the obstacles that he will face on his voyage home and tells him how to negotiate them. As he sets sail, Odysseus passes Circe's counsel on to his men. They approach the island of the lovely Sirens, and Odysseus, as instructed by Circe, plugs his men's ears with beeswax and has them bind him to the mast of the ship. He alone hears their song flowing forth from the island, promising to reveal the future. The Sirens' song is so seductive that Odysseus begs to be released from his fetters, but his faithful men only bind him tighter.

static character

A character that does NOT change in a story.

Antinous

- The most arrogant of Penelope's suitors. Antinous leads the campaign to have Telemachus killed. Unlike the other suitors, he is never portrayed sympathetically, and he is the first to die when Odysseus returns. - Antinous and Eurymachus The two leading suitors, they differ in that Antinous is more physically aggressive while Eurymachus is a smooth talker. ---As a beggar, Odysseus receives a similar welcome at the palace. The suitors give him food with great reluctance, and Antinous goes out of his way to insult him. When Odysseus answers insult with insult, Antinous gives him a blow with a stool that disgusts even the other suitors.

Sirens

- These are the dangerous ladies who lure men to their deaths with their voices. Odysseus becomes the first mortal to live to tell the tale, because he has his men tie him to the mast while they plug their ears and sail on by - They approach the island of the lovely Sirens, and Odysseus, as instructed by Circe, plugs his men's ears with beeswax and has them bind him to the mast of the ship. He alone hears their song flowing forth from the island, promising to reveal the future. The Sirens' song is so seductive that Odysseus begs to be released from his fetters, but his faithful men only bind him tighter. - Once they have passed the Sirens' island, Odysseus and his men must navigate the straits between Scylla and Charybdis.

• THE CYCLOPS ➢ Problem Solving:

1) how to impair the giant without diminishing his strength / find raw materials for the spear (olive tree) 2) thinking of a way to dull the giant's senses and make him sleep soundly (wine from Maron) 3) tell the Cyclops his name is "nobody" also spelled "nohbdy" 4) ram spear into the eye of the Cyclops 5) ties men to the rams (underneath) in order to escape the Cyclops cave

Conventions of an Epic

1. Invocation 2. in media res 3. archetypes 4. allusion 5. epithet 6. epic simile

Epithets Describe who? 1. Blue girdler of the islands 2. Cronus' Son 3. The Wind King 4. The Messenger God 5. Raider of Cities 6. Overlord of High Noon 7. Monster of the Gray Rock 8. Sovereign Death 9. Dire gorge of the salt sea 10. Prince of Thebes

1. Poseidon 2. Zeus 3. Aeolus 4. Hermes 5. Odysseus 6. Helios 7. Scylla 8. Hades 9. Chaybdis 10. Teresias

Characteristics of an Epic

1. The main character is a hero, who often possesses superhuman qualities and courage. 2. The setting is vast in scope, covering nations, the world, or the universe. 3. The hero is charged with a quest. 4. The hero is tested, often to prove the worthiness of himself and his quest. 5. The presence of supernatural forces: gods, angels, demons, animals, mythical beings. 6. The hero's travels take him to a supernatural world. often one that normal human beings are barred from entering. 7. The hero reaches a low point and nearly gives up his quest or appears defeated. 8. Restitution. The hero regains his rightful place on the throne.

Epic Contains most or all of the following

1. a hero who is child of a god; had a remarkable birth or childhood; possesses unusual strength or powers; has traits that are valued by his/her society; conceals or does not know his/her identity; charged with a QUEST. 2. a quest, or journey, that is taken in search of something of value 3. challenges faced by the hero during the quest, which symbolizes challenges each of us must face in life 4. assistance to the hero in the form of friends or companions; animals;gods;magical objects

• Characteristics of the Cyclops:

1. one-eyed giants 2. louts = stupid beings 3. no respect for the gods 4. no laws to govern them 5. live in mountain caves

Epic Hero

1. possesses superhuman strength, craftiness, and confidence. 2. is helped and harmed by interfering Gods 3. embodies ideals and values that a culture considers admirable 4. emerges victorious from perilous situations 5. valiant, faithful, dedicated, intelligent

Invocation

3 purposes - give a summary, honor the gods, and ask for divine inspiration. The poet begins by stating the theme and invoking a Muse to inspire the poem. Grans the listener's attention or reader.

Tiresias

A Theban blind prophet who inhabits the underworld. Tiresias meets Odysseus when Odysseus journeys to the underworld in Book 11. He shows Odysseus how to get back to Ithaca and allows Odysseus to communicate with the other souls in Hades. Tiresias The blind seer of Thebes, he meets Odysseus in the Land of the Dead, warns him of impending dangers, offers advice, and foretells a later quest and a long life. - He foretells Odysseus's fate—that he will return home, reclaim his wife and palace from the wretched suitors, and then make another trip to a distant land to appease Poseidon. He warns Odysseus not to touch the flocks of the Sun when he reaches the land of Thrinacia; otherwise, he won't return home without suffering much more hardship and losing all of his crew

personification

A figurative of speech, which gives qualities of a person to an animal, an object, or an idea. It is a comparison, which the author uses to show something in an entirely new light, to communicate a certain feeling or attitude towards it and to control the way a reader perceives it. Ex. Bad weather will rear its ugly head. The dog was speaking to me.

simile

A figure of speech, which involves a direct comparison between 2 unlike things, usually with words like or as. Example: Her eyes twinkle like the stars in the sky.

metaphor

A figure of speech, which involves an implied comparison between 2 relatively unlike things using a form of be. The comparison is not announced by like or as. Example: The road was a ribbon of moonlight.

flashback

A literary device in which an earlier episode, conversation, or event is inserted into the sequence of events.

archetype

A pattern in literature that is recognizable in a variety of works from many cultures. All epics include archetypes - characters, situations, and images that are recognizable in many times and cultures. Examples sea monster, loyal servant, epic hero, wicked temptress, suitor's contest, buried treasure, the warrior, the villain, the trickster

Thetis NOT LISTED

Achilles' mother, was a sea nymph who knew he was fated to die in Troy. He was kept back by him Mom from trojan war. When he was born, she dipped him in the River Styx to try and give him immortality. (She held him by the heel.)

Agamemnon NOT LISTED

Agamemnon - Former king of Mycenae, brother of Menelaus, and commander of the Achaean forces at Troy. Odysseus encounters Agamemnon's spirit in Hades. Agamemnon was murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover, Aegisthus, upon his return from the war. He was later avenged by his son Orestes. Their story is constantly repeated in the Odyssey to offer an inverted image of the fortunes of Odysseus and Telemachus. • Leader of all Greek forces during Trojan War • Sacrificed his daughter (Iphegenia) to Artemis in order to get favorable winds for the ships to sail to Troy • Offended Achilles by taking his "prize" (a girl named Briseis) after one battle

Cicones

Book 9 - Reluctantly, Odysseus tells the Phaeacians the sorry tale of his wanderings. From Troy, the winds sweep him and his men to Ismarus, city of the Cicones. The men plunder the land and, carried away by greed, stay until the reinforced ranks of the Cicones turn on them and attack. Odysseus and his crew finally escape, having lost six men per ship.

Elpenor

Book 9 - The next morning, Odysseus rouses his men for the imminent departure from land of Circe. He discovers, however, that the youngest man in his crew, Elpenor, had gotten drunk the previous night, slept on the roof, and, when he heard the men shouting and marching in the morning, fell from the roof and broke his neck. Odysseus explains to his men the course that they must take, which they are displeased to learn is rather meandering. The first to appear in land of dead is that of Elpenor, the crewman who broke his neck falling from Circe's roof. He begs Odysseus to return to Circe's island and give his body a proper burial.

Calypso

Calypso - The beautiful sweet nymph who falls in love with Odysseus when he lands on her island-home of Ogygia. Calypso holds him prisoner there for seven years, sleeping with him until Hermes, the messenger god, persuades her to let him go; hoping to marry him, and releasing him only at Zeus' order. - Calypso delivers an impassioned indictment of the male gods and their double standards. She complains that they are allowed to take mortal lovers while the affairs of the female gods must always be frustrated. In the end, she submits to the supreme will of Zeus.

Homeric simile example

Compares Scylla's eating of Odysseus' men to a fisherman doing what

Epic Plot

involves a long journey, full of complications, such as strange creatures, divine intervention, large-scale events, treacherous weather.

Eumaeus

Eumaeus - The loyal shepherd who, along with the cowherd Philoetius, helps Odysseus reclaim his throne after his return to Ithaca. Even though he does not know that the vagabond who appears at his hut is Odysseus, Eumaeus gives the man food and shelter. - When Telemachus reaches Eumaeus's hut, he finds the swineherd talking with a stranger (Odysseus in disguise). Eumaeus recounts Odysseus's story and suggests that the stranger stay with Telemachus at the palace. But Telemachus is afraid of what the suitors might do to them. Eumaeus thus goes to the palace alone to tell Penelope that her son has returned.

Eurymachus

Eurymachus - A manipulative, deceitful suitor. Eurymachus's charisma and duplicity allow him to exert some influence over the other suitors. Antinous and Eurymachus The two leading suitors, they differ in that Antinous is more physically aggressive while Eurymachus is a smooth talker.

Eurynome

Eurynome: One of Penelope's hand-maidens.

first-person

First-person narrative is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the writing. The narrators explicitly refer to themselves using words and phrases involving "I" (referred to as the first-person singular) and/or "we" (the first-person plural). This allows the reader or audience to see the point of view (including opinions, thoughts, and feelings) only of the narrator, and no other characters. In some stories, first-person narrators may refer to information they have heard from the other characters, in order to try to deliver a larger point of view.

Hades NOT LISTED

God of Underworld

Aphrodite NOT LISTED

God of love; sided with Paris and fellow Trojans

Helen

Helen - daughter of Zeus, Wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta (Greek)and queen of Sparta. Helen's abduction from Sparta by the Trojans sparked the Trojan War. Her beauty is without parallel, but she is criticized for giving in to her Trojan captors and thereby costing many Greek men their lives. She offers Telemachus assistance in his quest to find his father.

Helen is Abducted!

Helen- beautiful daughter of King of Sparta (in Greece) • Helen had many suitors- all of them swore an oath to protect Helen • Her father chooses Menelaus to marry his daughter & makes him King of Sparta • Paris visits Sparta, meets Helen & abducts her • Menelaus is outraged and asks his brother, Agamemnon, to help him get her back. • 1000 ships, including Odysseus' & Achilles' leave for Troy to retrieve Helen.

Anticlea

In Land of the Dead, Odysseus speaks with his mother, Anticleia, who updates him on the affairs of Ithaca and relates how she died of grief waiting for his return. In Greek mythology, Anticlea (Ἀντίκλεια, "Without-Fame") was the daughter of Autolycus and Amphithea and mother of Odysseus by Laërtes (though some say by Sisyphus). She was also the granddaughter of the trickster god Hermes (who was the father of her father, Autolycus) Tiresias. In the underworld, Odysseus encounters many spirits, including that of his mother, Anticlea. Initially, he rebuffs her since he is waiting for the prophet to approach. After speaking with Tiresias, however, Odysseus allows his mother to come near and lets her speak. She asks him why he is in the underworld while alive, and he tells her about his various troubles and futile attempts to get home. Then he asks her how she died and inquires about his family at home. She tells him that she died of grief, longing for him while he was at war. Anticlea also says that Laërtes (Odysseus' father) "grieves continually" for Odysseus and lives in a hovel in the countryside, clad in rags and sleeping on the floor. Anticlea further describes the condition of Odysseus' wife Penelope and son Telemachus. Penelope has not yet remarried but is overwhelmed with sadness and longing for her husband while Telemachus acts as magistrate for Odysseus' properties. Odysseus attempts to embrace his mother three times but discovers that she is incorporeal, and his arms simply pass through her. She explains that this is how all ghosts are, and he expresses great sorrow.

third-person limited

In third person limited, the narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character. All characters are described using pronouns such as 'they', 'he', and 'she.' But, one character is closely followed throughout the story, and it is typically a main character. The author tells the story using the third person but is limited to a complete knowledge of one character in the story and tells us only what that one character thinks, feels, sees, or hears. Example: "To be embraced and sustained by the light green water was less a pleasure, it seemed, than the resumption of a natural condition, and he would have liked to swim without trunks." -- "The Swimmer"

King Alcinous

King of the Phaeacians, who offers Odysseus hospitality in his island kingdom of Scheria. Alcinous hears the story of Odysseus's wanderings and provides him with safe passage back to Ithaca.

Laestrygones

Lacking wind because O's men opened bag of wind, the Achaeans row to the land of the Laestrygonians, a race of powerful giants whose king, Antiphates, and unnamed queen turn Odysseus's scouts into dinner. Odysseus and his remaining men flee toward their ships, but the Laestrygonians pelt the ships with boulders and sink them as they sit in the harbor. Only Odysseus's ship escapes.

imagery

Language that appeals to the senses. Used in settings like northwind dropped, and night became black and wintry.

in media res

Latin and means "in the middle of things"; Odyssey begins with Odysseus telling his story from court of King. He has been gone for 20 years leaving wife and son to battle suitors.

onomatopoeia

The use of words that mimic sounds. They appeal to our sense of hearing and they help bring a description to life. A string of syllables the author has made up to represent the way a sound really sounds. Example: Caarackle!

Aeolus

Master of the winds, he helps Odysseus get within viewing distance of Ithaca but later abandons the voyager, concluding that anyone so unlucky must be cursed. The Achaeans sail from the land of the Cyclopes to the home of Aeolus, ruler of the winds. Aeolus presents Odysseus with a bag containing all of the winds, and he stirs up a westerly wind to guide Odysseus and his crew home. Within ten days, they are in sight of Ithaca, but Odysseus's shipmates, who think that Aeolus has secretly given Odysseus a fortune in gold and silver, tear the bag open. The winds escape and stir up a storm that brings Odysseus and his men back to Aeolia. This time, however, Aeolus refuses to help them, certain that the gods hate Odysseus and wish to do him harm.

Menelaus

Menelaus - King of Sparta, brother of Agamemnon, King of Mycenae (Greek), and husband of Helen, he helped lead the Greeks in the Trojan War. He offers Telemachus assistance in his quest to find Odysseus when Telemachus visits him in Book 4.

Men are able to open bag of unfavorable winds and kill the Sun god's cattle because?

O is sleeping

Odysseus

Odysseus - The protagonist of the Odyssey. Odysseus fought among the other Greek heroes at Troy and now struggles to return to his kingdom in Ithaca. Odysseus is the husband of Queen Penelope and the father of Prince Telemachus. Though a strong and courageous warrior, he is most renowned for his cunning. He is a favorite of the goddess Athena, who often sends him divine aid, but a bitter enemy of Poseidon, who frustrates his journey at every turn.

Cyclopes

Odysseus and his men then sail through the murky night to the land of the Cyclopes, a rough and uncivilized race of one-eyed giants. After making a meal of wild goats captured on an island offshore, they cross to the mainland. There they immediately come upon a cave full of sheep and crates of milk and cheese. The men advise Odysseus to snatch some of the food and hurry off, but, to his and his crew's detriment, he decides to linger. The cave's inhabitant soon returns—it is the Cyclops Polyphemus, the son of Poseidon. Polyphemus makes a show of hospitality at first, but he soon turns hostile. He devours two of Odysseus's men on the spot and imprisons Odysseus and the rest in his cave for future meals. Odysseus wants to take his sword to Polyphemus right then, but he knows that only Polyphemus is strong enough to move the rock that he has placed across the door of his cave. Odysseus thus devises and executes a plan. The next day, while Polyphemus is outside pasturing his sheep, Odysseus finds a wooden staff in the cave and hardens it in the fire. When Polyphemus returns, Odysseus gets him drunk on wine that he brought along from the ship. Feeling jovial, Polyphemus asks Odysseus his name. Odysseus replies that his name is "Nobody" (9.410). As soon as Polyphemus collapses with intoxication, Odysseus and a select group of his men drive the red-hot staff into his eye. Polyphemus wakes with a shriek, and his neighbors come to see what is wrong, but they leave as soon as he calls out, "Nobody's killing me" (9.455). When morning comes, Odysseus and his men escape from the cave, unseen by the blind Polyphemus, by clinging to the bellies of the monster's sheep as they go out to graze. Safe on board their ships and with Polyphemus's flock on board as well, Odysseus calls to land and reveals his true identity. With his former prisoners now out of reach, the blind giant lifts up a prayer to his father, Poseidon, calling for vengeance on Odysseus.

Laertes

Odysseus's aging father, who resides on a farm in Ithaca. In despair and physical decline, Laertes regains his spirit when Odysseus returns and eventually kills Antinous's father. Odysseus' father, the old king lives humbly and in solitude on a small farm where he mourns the absence of his son; once reunited with Odysseus, he is restored to dignity.

Charybdis

Once they have passed the Sirens' island, Odysseus and his men must navigate the straits between Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla is a six-headed monster who, when ships pass, swallows one sailor for each head. Charybdis is an enormous whirlpool that threatens to swallow the entire ship. As instructed by Circe, Odysseus holds his course tight against the cliffs of Scylla's lair. As he and his men stare at Charybdis on the other side of the strait, the heads of Scylla swoop down and gobble up six of the sailors.

Scylla

Once they have passed the Sirens' island, Odysseus and his men must navigate the straits between Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla is a six-headed monster who, when ships pass, swallows one sailor for each head. Charybdis is an enormous whirlpool that threatens to swallow the entire ship. As instructed by Circe, Odysseus holds his course tight against the cliffs of Scylla's lair. As he and his men stare at Charybdis on the other side of the strait, the heads of Scylla swoop down and gobble up six of the sailors.

Penelope

Penelope - Wife of Odysseus and mother of Telemachus. Penelope spends her days in the palace pining for the husband who left for Troy twenty years earlier and never returned. Homer portrays her as sometimes flighty and excitable but also clever and steadfastly true to her husband.

Polyphemus

Polyphemus - One of the Cyclopes (uncivilized one-eyed giants) whose island Odysseus comes to soon after leaving Troy. Polyphemus imprisons Odysseus and his crew and tries to eat them, but Odysseus blinds him through a clever ruse and manages to escape. In doing so, however, Odysseus angers Polyphemus's father, Poseidon.SON OF POSEIDON

Poseidon

Poseidon - God of the sea. As the suitors are Odysseus's mortal antagonists, Poseidon is his divine antagonist. He despises Odysseus for blinding his son, the Cyclops Polyphemus, and constantly hampers his journey home; stirs up nasty weather to create problems for Odysseus. Ironically, Poseidon is the patron of the seafaring Phaeacians, who ultimately help to return Odysseus to Ithaca. - Book 5 After eighteen days at sea, Odysseus spots Scheria, the island of the Phaeacians, his next destination appointed by the gods. Just then, Poseidon, returning from a trip to the land of the Ethiopians, spots him and realizes what the other gods have done in his absence. Poseidon stirs up a storm, which nearly drags Odysseus under the sea, but the goddess Ino comes to his rescue.

allusion

Reference to a statement, person, a place, event, or thing that is known from literature, history, religion, mythology, politics, sports, science, or popular culture. Device used to provide audience with necessary background information. "This is the way the court of Zeus must be" - every Greek would know this allusion is to ruler of Gods. It does not describe in detail the person or thing to which it refers. It is just a passing comment and the writer expects the reader to possess enough knowledge to spot the allusion and grasp its importance in a text. "I thought the software would be useful, but it was a Trojan Horse." This refers to the horse that the Greeks built that contained all the soldiers. It was given as a gift to the enemy during the Trojan War and, once inside the enemy's walls, the soldiers broke out. By using trickery, the Greeks won the war

Epic Themes

Reflect such universal concerns as courage, a homecoming, loyalty, the fate of the nation, beauty, life and death

Helois

SUN GOD; God of the sun and master of some really awesome cattle that no one was allowed to touch, much less kill and eat. When Odysseus's men do just that, Helios demands revenge, basically by holding his breath until Zeus agrees - Odysseus next comes to Thrinacia, the island of the Sun. He wants to avoid it entirely, but the outspoken Eurylochus persuades him to let his beleaguered crew rest there. A storm keeps them beached for a month, and at first the crew is content to survive on its provisions in the ship. When these run out, however, Eurylochus persuades the other crew members to disobey Odysseus and slaughter the cattle of the Sun. They do so one afternoon as Odysseus sleeps; when the Sun finds out, he asks Zeus to punish Odysseus and his men. Shortly after the Achaeans set sail from Thrinacia, Zeus kicks up another storm, which destroys the ship and sends the entire crew to its death beneath the waves.

verbal irony

Saying something but meaning the complete opposite. Clean like dirt

nostos*

journey home

Gods take sides in Trojan War

TROJANS (Paris, Hector) • Aphrodite • Ares, God of War • Apollo • Artemis • Zeus (favored, but stayed neutral to please Hera) GREEKS (Achilles, Odysseus) • Hera • Athena • Poseidon, God of the Sea

Telemachus

Telemachus - Odysseus's son. An infant when Odysseus left for Troy, Telemachus is about twenty at the beginning of the story. He is a natural obstacle to the suitors desperately courting his mother, but despite his courage and good heart, he initially lacks the poise and confidence to oppose them. His maturation, especially during his trip to Pylos and Sparta in Books 3 and 4, provides a subplot to the epic. Athena often assists him.

Eurycleia

The aged and loyal servant who nursed Odysseus and Telemachus when they were babies. Eurycleia is well informed about palace intrigues and serves as confidante to her masters. She keeps Telemachus's journey secret from Penelope, and she later keeps Odysseus's identity a secret after she recognizes a scar on his leg.

suspense

The growing interest and excitement readers experience while awaiting a climax or resolution in a story.

foreshadowing

The use of hints or clues to suggest events that will occur later in a narrative.

climax

The point of greatest emotional intensity, interest, or suspense in the story. Frequently, the turning point in a story or drama is the moment when the resolution of the conflict becomes clear.

setting

The time and place in which an event occurs.

Argos

Trained by Odysseus some twenty years before, the discarded old dog, dying on a dung heap, recognizes his master as Odysseus and Eumaeus approach the palace.

Homeric simile

Type of simile that does not just state the comparison, but explains the similarities in great detail, often running several lines. Elaborate comparison. EPIC SIMILE other name.

dynamic character

Undergo a permanent change in some aspect of their character, personality, or outlook.

Zeus

Zeus - King of gods and men, who mediates the disputes of the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus is occasionally depicted as weighing men's fates in his scales. He sometimes helps Odysseus or permits Athena to do the same. He is somewhat unpredictable but usually supports wayfaring suppliants, hospitality, and his daughter Athena in her concern for Odysseus.

epic

a long narrative poem that incorporates myth, legend, folk tale, and history, and usually reflects the values of the society from which they originate. It recounts the adventures of an epic hero, larger than life figure who undertakes great journeys and performs deeds requiring remarkable strength and cunning; embodies the values of a particular society.

Myth

an ancient story made up to explain things that people could not understand. Ex. a sun god was responsible for the rising and setting of the sun

Pieria

an area next to Mount Olympus, home of the gods

Hubris

an overbearing pride that often leads to a character's downfall; O's human weakness = PRIDE (notice how often excessive pride - HUBRIS - occurs in literature) - tells the Cyclops his real name

Athena

goddess of war and practical wisdom; supported Greek cause in Trojan War and championed Odysseus. pleads with Zeus to help O escape Calypso's island Athena - Daughter of Zeus and goddess of wisdom, purposeful battle, and the womanly arts. Athena assists Odysseus and Telemachus with divine powers throughout the epic, and she speaks up for them in the councils of the gods on Mount Olympus. She often appears in disguise as Mentor, an old friend of Odysseus. - With the consent of Zeus, Athena travels to Ithaca to speak with Telemachus. Assuming the form of Odysseus's old friend Mentes, Athena predicts that Odysseus is still alive and that he will soon return to Ithaca. She advises Telemachus to call together the suitors and announce their banishment from his father's estate. She then tells him that he must make a journey to Pylos and Sparta to ask for any news of his father. - As Telemachus is preparing for his trip to Pylos and Sparta, Athena visits him again, this time disguised as Mentor, another old friend of Odysseus. She encourages him and predicts that his journey will be fruitful. She then sets out to town and, assuming the disguise of Telemachus himself, collects a loyal crew to man his ship.

O avoids being sucked into Charybdis' funnel by doing what?

going toward Scylla instead

Epic setting

includes fantastic or exotic lands; vast in scope covering nations, the world, or the universe.

Legend

old stories about famous people - the character(s) in many legends actually lived, but the plots are almost always fictionalized

Homeric epithet

short expressions that are often repeated and are used to characterize a person or thing; added with right meter and syllables. Ex. wise Odysseus, prudent Penelope, son of Laertes, Lord of Olympus (Zeus)

situational irony

something occurring that would not normally happen (example firehouse on fire)

Illiad

takes place during 10th year of Trojan War. Tells story of Greek Warrior, Achilles, and his quarrel with Menelaus' brother Agememnon, ending with death of Paris' brother Hector. First written record of Greece; describes events of 51 days during last year of war when Achilles kills Hector. EPIC by Homer

theme

the main idea or underlying meaning of a literary work.

dramatic irony

the readers know something that the characters do not

alliteration

the repetition of the same sound at the beginning of words which are written near one another. used to create melody, establish mood, call attention to important words, and point out similarities and contrasts. wild and woolly;

• The Death of Achilles

• Achilles was unconquerable by mortal men, but Apollo stepped in. • Apollo guided Paris's arrow into the only weak spot Achilles had: his heel. • Achilles dies from the wound. • The remaining Greeks decide his divine armor should go to the bravest remaining warrior. • Odysseus Wins • Odysseus makes a speech explaining why he deserves it, and he is awarded the armor of Achilles. • He then devises the final plan to end the Trojan War.

Achilles Relents

• After Hector is killed, King Priam sneaks into the Greek camp and begs Achilles to give him Hector's body so that his son may have proper funeral rites. • Achilles allows Priam to take the body. • After Hector's death, Achilles does not have long to live.

The siege of Troy

• After the Trojans refused to restore Helen to Menelaus, the Greek warriors assembled at the Bay of Aulis and proceeded to Troy in 1000 ships • Agamemnon was selected as the leader of the force since he gave the most troops to the effort • The siege lasted ten years, the first nine of which were uneventful; the Iliad is the story that describes the 10th year of the Trojan War.

Achilles Pouts

• Because Agamemnon offended him, Achilles refused to fight. • Then things went badly for the Greeks, and they begged him to return. • He allowed his friend, Patroclus, to fight in his place, wearing his armor. • Patroclus is killed by Hector (who thought Patroclus was Achilles).

• The cyclops III

• Cyclops' attitude is disrespectful - he feels he is more powerful than Zeus • O realizes that the Cyclops has no problems mistreating his guests or their property, so he lies to protect his ship = he is good at tricking people (guile) • Cyclops responds by eating 2 of O's men • O knows only the Cyclops is strong enough to move the slab of rock which blocks the cave

The Odyssey

• Describes the 10-year journey of Odysseus as he tries to go home to Ithaca after the Trojan War • He and his men face monsters, giants, cannibals, temptation, and death

Paris

• Eris, goddess of discord, was not invited to a wedding banquet on Mt. Olympus. • Into the banquet hall, Eris tossed a golden apple inscribed "For the Fairest." • Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite asked Zeus to decide who deserved the apple. • Zeus would not choose. (He's no fool!) • Zeus said that Paris is an excellent judge of beauty, and refers the goddesses to him. • Paris was the son of King Priam of Troy (Trojan). • He was rather weak and cowardly. • Priam had sent him away from Troy because an oracle prophesied that he would be the ruin of the city. • When the goddesses appeared to him, they each offered him a bribe: - Athena would make him a great warrior. - Hera would make him ruler of Europe and Asia. - Aphrodite would give him the most beautiful woman in the world. • Paris gave the apple to Aphrodite. • She then took Paris (Trojan) to Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world. • Hera and Athena, however, vowed revenge. Helen- beautiful daughter of King of Sparta (in Greece) • Helen had many suitors- all of them swore an oath to protect Helen • Her father chooses Menelaus to marry his daughter & makes him King of Sparta • Paris visits Sparta, meets Helen & abducts her • Menelaus is outraged and asks his brother, Agamemnon, to help him get her back. • 1000 ships, including Odysseus' & Achilles' leave for Troy to retrieve Helen.

The Illiad

• First written record of Greece • describes the events of 51 days during the last year of the war when Achilles kills Hector

Trojan War Who were the Greeks?

• Greeks (Achaeans) - Achilles - Greatest Greek Warrior - King Agamemnon - Nestor - Odysseus - Patroclus - Menelaus - Helen's Husband

"I AM LAERTES' SON"

• King Alcinous welcomes O with a banquet • O tells the king of his adventures à flashback - retelling of his story • O's identity: 1) son of Laertes 2) skilled warrior - "formidable for guile" (trickery) 3) famous - "fame gone abroad" • remembers Ithaca with longing - home and family more valuable than gold • Cicones à allies of the Trojans / O's men become drunk and Cicones kill 72 of O's men and drive the rest out to sea

Odysseus and Achilles Join Trojan War Late

• Odysseus didn't want to fight for Helen. - He thought her a faithless woman. - He did not want to leave his home (Ithaca). • Achilles was kept back by his mother. - Thetis, his mother, was a sea nymph who knew he was fated to die in Troy. - When he was born, she dipped him in the River Styx to try and give him immortality. (She held him by the heel.) • However, both of these great Greek warriors were later called (forced) into battle where they played important roles in many battles.

Odysseus and the wooden horse

• Odysseus was the son of Laertes and was the ruler of the island kingdom of Ithaca • However reluctant he may have been to join the expedition, Odysseus fought heroically in the Trojan War • He was the originator of the Trojan horse, the stratagem by which the Greeks were finally able to take the city of Troy itself

Whom did he choose?

• Paris gave the apple to Aphrodite. • She then took Paris (Trojan) to Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world. • Hera and Athena, however, vowed revenge.

The Judgment of Paris

• Paris was the son of King Priam of Troy (Trojan). • He was rather weak and cowardly. • Priam had sent him away from Troy because an oracle prophesied that he would be the ruin of the city. • When the goddesses appeared to him, they each offered him a bribe: - Athena would make him a great warrior. - Hera would make him ruler of Europe and Asia. - Aphrodite would give him the most beautiful woman in the world.

Trojan War

• Part I. Origin of the war • a. Helen and Paris • b. The siege of Troy • Part II. The destruction of Troy • a. Achilles versus Hector • b. Odysseus and the wooden horse

Trojans defeated by Greeks

• The Greeks defeated the Trojans by an act of trickery. Led by Odysseus, they constructed a giant wooden horse and left it outside the walls of Troy. The Trojans pulled the horse into the city, not knowing that Greek soldiers were hiding inside the horse. That night, the Greeks crept out of the horse and took the city by surprise

Conclusion of Trojan War

• The city of Troy was captured at last by treachery • The Greeks sacked and burned the city • Only a few Trojans escaped. • The return of the Greek warriors to Greece inspired epic poems, the most celebrated being that of Odysseus, whose 10-year wanderings and arrival in Ithaca are told in Homer's Odyssey

The destruction of Troy - Gods take sides

• The mythological gods gather to debate the fate of the humans—whether they will allow them to settle their dispute in a civil manner, or whether they will put the forces in motion that will ensure total destruction for both sides and for an entire civilization • The Gods Take Sides

Achilles versus Hector

• To avenge the death of his friend, Patroclus, Achilles returned to battle and killed Hector, the principal Trojan warrior. Hector was the eldest son of King Priam.

Trojan War Who were the Trojans

• Trojans - Hector - Greatest Trojan Warrior - King Priam - Father of Hector & Paris - Aeneas - Paris - Helen's Abductor/Lover

Odysseus, King of Ithaca, angers the Gods

• Trojans were slaughtered and city sacked and burned • Greeks violated Trojan temples • Greeks did not offer sacrifices to the gods to thank them for their victory • Odysseus, creator of Horse, will suffer the most

Where's Troy?

• Troy is across the Aegean Sea from Greece. • Troy was also called Ilium, Ilion, and Ilios. • A well-walled city with broad streets and beautiful palaces...until the Trojan War.

• The cyclops I

• curiosity gets the best of O - in hindsight he knows he should have immediately left • O and his men see a partially hidden cave while rams and goats roam about the land • Odysseus' metaphor: "but he seemed rather a shaggy mountain reared in solitude" = Cyclops is as large as a mountain • personification: "When the young Dawn with finger tips of rose" - dawn personified as young - why did Homer use this image? • O takes his 12 best fighters with him (other crew members stay on the ship) • Maron: priest of Apollo who gave O his best liquor (brandy) • O takes wineskin (bag for carrying wine) and food (victuals) with him into Cyclops' cave

• The cyclops II

• ship and brings O pre-plans for potential conflict with the Cyclops - he leaves guards with his wine as a possible weapon to use against the giants • Cyclops tends to sheep • O's men want to take the Cyclops' cheeses and sheep and leave • O refuses his crew's request because curiosity gets the best of him • The cyclops • Cyclops keeps a slab of solid rock in front of the entrance to the cave • Lines 163-175: -O is looking for the Cyclops' hospitality (food and gifts) -Odysseus warns the Cyclops that he must cooperate, otherwise Zeus will punish anyone who mistreats a guest

"THE LOTUS EATERS"

• they showed no harm, but offered men lotus (honey plant) • effects of lotus = forget their homeland and never want to return • O drives men back to ship and ties them down • O's character doesn't give into temptation / stronger individual than men / feels responsible for crew • lotus is similar to a date (type of fruit)

THE CYCLOPS ➢ Epic Simile

➢ Epic Simile- boring the spike into the Cyclops' eye is like drilling into a plank (lines 291-295) ➢ Epic Simile - hissing eyeball like the sound of hot metal plunged into a tub of cold water (lines 300-303)

THE CYCLOPS ➢ Epithet

➢ Epithet -Odysseus: "raider of cities" (line 418) ➢ Epithet -Poseidon: "blue girdler of the islands" (line 443)

• THE CYCLOPS ➢ Personification

➢ Personification - "young dawn with fingertips of rose" (line 211) ➢ Personification - "death sat there huge" (line 331)

THE CYCLOPS ➢ The Escape:

➢ The Escape: -uses mental strength (intelligence) -O boasting about his escape, so Cyclops hurls a hilltop at them -O's human weakness = PRIDE (notice how often excessive pride - HUBRIS - occurs in literature) - tells the Cyclops his real name -Cyclops calls on his father, Poseidon, to doom O's voyage home