The Odyssey

Epic Epic – long narrative poems that tell the adventures of heroes who in some way embody the values of their civilizations The Odyssey is the model for the epic of a long journey. Myth – stories that use fantasy to express ideas about life that cannot be easily expressed in realistic terms

Background Odysseus – primary character The Odyssey is a sequel to the Illiad – which shows events from the Trojan War. In The Odyssey, Odysseus and his man are trying to return home after fighting for ten years in Troy.

Background Primary character – Odysseus He is known for being clever and resourceful. For example, he has the idea for the “Trojan horse” which allows the Greeks to defeat the Trojans. Sometimes his curiousity and his pride get him into trouble.

Calypso’s Island Odysseus has been a prisoner of the goddess Calypso for seven years. The goddess Athena asks her father, the god Zeus, to help Odysseus return home. Zeus sends the messenger god Hermes to tell Calypso that she must release Odysseus.

Phaecia Odysseus leaves Calypso’s island on a raft, but is washed ashore on another island. He is taken in by the king of the island, and begins to tell the king the story of his journey.

Land of the Lotus Eater A flashback to the beginning of Odysseus journey when Odysseus by ship with men under his command. They stop in the Land of the Lotus Eaters for supplies.

Land of the Lotus Eater Some of Odysseus’ men eat the “sweet Lotus”. It causes them to forget all about home.= Odysseus forces them back on the ships.

The Cyclops Odysseus and his men land on the island of the Cyclops. They find the Cyclops in his cave. Out of curiosity, Odysseus and some of his men wait in the cave for the Cyclops to awake. The cyclops kills and eats some of Odysseus’ men.

The Cyclops There is a heavy rock blocking the entrance to the cave so that Odysseus and his men cannot escape. Odysseus blinds the cyclops, by driving a spike into his eye. He and his men tie themselves to the belly of the cyclop’s rams. The cyclops lets the rams out of the cave to eat grass and Odysseus and his men escape.

The Cyclops At first, Odysseus tell the cyclops his name is Nohbdy (ie. nobody). In the end, he is to proud of himself, and tells the cyclops his real name. The cyclops is the son of Poseidon, the god of the ocean. In revenge, Poseidon causes storms and problems at sea for Odyseus’ ships.

Circe Many of Odysseus’ men are eaten when they land on an island of gigantic cannibals. Odysseus’ ship escapes and it lands on an island inhabited by the goddess Circe. Odysseus sends out a party to search the island. All but one of the men is tricked by Circe and turned into pigs.

Circe Hermes give Odysseus a special plant that will protect him from Circe’s magic. Circe, realizing she cannot use magic against Odysseus, restores the men. She persuades Odysseus to stay with her.

Circe After many seasons of feasting, Odysseus and his man beg Circe to help them get home. She agrees if Odysseus will descend to the Land of Dead and seek the wisdom of a blind prophet.

The Land of the Dead The prophet tells Odysseus that the god Poseidon will cause him more trouble on his journey. Odysseus’ men will die; however, Odysseus will make it home.

The Land of Dead When he returns home he will find suitors (men seeking marriage with his wife) in his home. After he has killed these suitors, the prophet instructs Odysseus to make a sacrifice to Poseidon so that the god will allow him to live to be an old man.

The Sirens The sirens are creatures that appear like woman. The beautiful songs of the sirens lure sailors to jump from ships and die. Odysseus has his crew put beeswax in their ears. He orders then to tie him to the mast so he can listen to the song.

Scylla and Charybdis Scylla – a six headed monster Charybdis – a whirpool Odysseus must pass between these two. Odysseus listens to Circe’s warning and stays close to Scylla’s cliff, but loses six men.