Why did Odysseus have to rescue his men? Lotus Eaters Why did Odysseus have to rescue his men? Lotus flower is a kind of drug. This situation is comparable to a modern day drug addiction. Being stuck in the land of the Lotus eaters is similar to being addicted to drugs.

The land of the Cyclopes… Huge guy/little sheep Hubris!!! Odysseus (“nobody”) reveals his name in order to get recognition for killing the Cyclopes. Why is this a mistake?

Laistrygonian {lie-stri-go'-nayn} Giant man-eaters!! Some of Odysseus’ crew were crushed with rocks from these giants.

Kirke (Circe) - goddess Circe’s Poison: Changed men: However, their minds stayed the same The description of "moly" fits the snowdrop, a flower of the region. Medical historians have speculated that the transformation to pigs was not intended literally but refers to intoxication. Symptoms include amnesia, hallucinations, and delusions

Odysseus Saves the Day! Hermes tells Odysseus to eat the flower, then he will not be affected by Circe. Oaths: Circe swears an oath to Odysseus. What is it? Where have we seen oaths being sworn before?

The Underworld Odysseus must find Teiresias {ty-ree'-see-uhs} Must make the proper sacrifices: black ewe (female sheep) and ram

Important people Odysseus meets in the Underworld… Teiresias “…anguish lies ahead…one narrow strait may take you through his [Poseidon] blows…On landfall avoid the herd of Helios {hee'-lee-ahs}…if you raid the herd, I see destruction for ship and crew.” (XI.120-127). Odysseus’ mother “…only my loneliness for you, Odysseus, for your kind heart and counsel, gentle Odysseus, took my own life away.”

Continued… Agamemnon “It was Aigisthos {ay'-gis-thus} who designed my death he and my heartless wife, and killed me, after feeding me, like an ox felled at the trough.”- Simile?? RETRIBUTION!! Agamemnon’s son Orestes killed Aigisthos (In book I Zeus mentions that Aigisthos was warned and got what was coming to him.

Continued… Tityos Punished forever for attempting to rape Leto. Two vultures will forever peck out his liver. Yum!

And Continued… Tantalos Stole a golden dog made by Hesphestus. Punished by never being able to reach the water or fruit…FOREVER…

And Continued Further (not farther)… Sisyphos King who killed travers and guests. He also betrayed Zeus by telling a secret – the whereabouts of a girl taken by Zeus. He is punished by being compelled to roll an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down, and to repeat this action forever.

The Sirens – “plug your ears!”

Scylla (sil’ ah) and Charybdis (char ib’ dis) Scylla kills 6 men at a time. Charybis swollows entire ships. Is it better to sacrifice few to save many?

Helios (Hee’ lee us) Warned by Teiresias to not eat the cattle THE MEN EAT THE CATTLE ANYWAY. Why? Would you have eaten them? Helios calls on Zeus to curse Odysseus and his men. What is the end result? Was Teiresias’ prediction correct? What does this show about Greek beliefs?

Frame Story Ends. Odysseus ends on Kalypso’s (Calypso) island.