The Odyssey Book 1 Revision

The Prooimion ‘Before the Song’ Homer calls on muse (Calliope) Introduces themes: Odysseus as “that resourceful man” (anthropos polytropos) Prevented from going home by wrath of Poseidon/ being kept by Calypso on Ogygia Odysseus’ men die because they eat Hyperion’s cattle

Council of the Gods on Mt Olympus Zeus introduces broad concept of relationship between gods and men: Homer already acknowledged that gods sometimes punish men unfairly: “Poseidon, who pursued the heroic Odysseus with relentless malice…” BUT Zeus says that mortals’ suffering is often their own fault because they ignore the gods’ warnings (hubris) Consider through the whole Odyssey - how do the gods treat mortals? To what extent is their treatment of mortals justified? To what extent are mortals indeed responsible for their own suffering?

Athene as the Patron Goddess of Heroes Athene was known in myth as the key patron of heroes including Herakles, Perseus and Odysseus She usually favoured the clever and victorious in battle Athene cunningly waits till Poseidon is absent and then complains in the council about Odysseus being trapped on Calypso’s island Zeus agrees to send Hermes to tell her to release him because: It is Odysseus’ fate to return to Ithaca Odysseus is generous in his offerings/ has pleased all the gods but Poseidon Athene heads off to Ithaca to visit Telemachus - hidden motives - Telemachus will need to be ready for battle when his father returns to drive out the Suitors

Athene puts Telemachus on the path to manhood Athene says to Zeus she will “instil more spirit into Odysseus’ son…” and send him to Sparta and Pylos to “win the praise of men” - FAME (kleos) is a key quality of an Homeric leader/ hero Athene does not help the undeserving - she first tests Telemachus’ hospitality by appearing as the old chieftain, Mentes Telemachus welcomes her promptly “ashamed that a stranger should be kept standing at the gates”, feasts her, then asks questions - the model of a good host (xenia - Greek concept of hospitality) Telemachus makes a complaint to ‘Mentes’ about the Suitors eating away his inheritance - why hasn’t he done anything? She tells him Odysseus will be home soon and advises him to: Call an Assembly and tell Suitors to leave Send his mother home to her father’s house so he can arrange a new marriage Go looking for news “be as brave as Orestes. Then future generations will sing your praises” At the end of their talk she disappears so he will know she was a god

The change in Telemachus Telemachus’ path to manhood is almost immediate: “He felt the change and was overcome with awe…” Asserts himself to Penelope Penelope tells bard to stop singing tales of Troy Telemachus tells her to “go to your quarters now and attend to your own work, the loom and the spindle..making decisions is men’s work, and mine in particular, for I am master in this house.” - Telemachus is becoming the agathos (male head of a large estate) Penelope is taken aback but does as he asks Asserts himself to Suitors - tells them off for insolence (praying to sleep with his mother!!!), tells them of his plans to call an Assembly and order them to leave Shows cunning - tells the Suitors his guest was Mentes “but in his heart he knew her for an immortal goddess”

The Suitors earn their fate Suitors ignore Mentes (Athene) at the gate The goddess is horrified at their self-indulgence: “these banqueters in your house strike me as domineering and insolent. Any decent man would be disgusted at the sight of such disgusting behaviour.” Hospitality (xenia) was so important to the Homeric Greeks that Zeus was the god in charge of it!! Telemachus says the Suitors are “eating me out of house and home” Dramatic irony - when Penelope appears, the Suitors are listening in rapture to a story of Athene’s wrath destroying all the ships of the Greeks that offended her at Troy... why is this ironic? Antinous, worst of the Suitors, says to Telemachus’ face in Telemachus’ own house “Heaven grant that you never be...king [of Ithaca]” - why is this a terrible prayer to make? SUITORS VIOLATE XENIA - overstay welcome, rude...

MAIN THEMES Fate vs human responsibility Hubris (Odysseus’ men, Aegisthus, Suitors) What makes a leader? Fame, courage, protecting his household, arete (excellence) in an area - e.g. hospitality, wisdom Roles of women Coming of age Xenia/ hospitality