Books 13-17 review The Odyssey

Book 13: “One More Strange Land” Odysseus concludes his story. King Alkinoos makes a sacrifice to Zeus, prepares gifts for Odysseus, and organizes a crew to take him home to Ithaka. Poseidon, angry that the Phaiakians helped Odysseus, asks for Zeus’s permission to destroy the cutter and “heave a mass of mountains in a ring around the city” (Od. 13.190-191). In disbelief, Odysseus awakens on the shore of Ithaka and hides his treasures in a cave. Athena disguises him as a beggar.

Book 14: “Hospitality in the Forest” Odysseus is welcomed in Eumaios’s hut… ”You must eat something, drink some wine, and tell me where you are from and the hard times you have seen” (Od.14.54-55). He curses “the race of Helen” for the loss of his master (Od.14.83). Eumaios tells the beggar about the suitors plot to ambush Telemakhos. Odysseus is pleased to see the swineherd’s dedication to his flock and his master.

Book 15: “How They Came to Ithaka” Athena warns Telemakhos about the suitors, particularly Eurymakhos. He is to gather his riches and hide them with a trusted servant. The suitors are “hot for murder, waiting in a channel…they mean to kill you before you can set foot ashore” (Od. 15.42-45). Theoklymenos interprets a bird sign that Telemakhos’ family will be in power forever. Telemakhos heads to the swineherd’s hut.

Book 16: “Father and Son” Telemakhos arrives at the swineherd’s hut; they rejoice, feast, etc. and then Telemakhos send Eumaios to the castle to tell Penelope that he has safely returned. Athena removes Odysseus’s disguise; however, Telemakhos initially believes that “meddling spirits conceived this trick to twist the knife in [him]” (Od. 17.230). After some convincing, Telemakhos throws his arms around his father and “salt tears rose from the wells of longing in both men” (Od. 17. 255-256). They devise a plan; Odysseus stresses that Telemakhos must “hold down his anger” even if the suitors berate/attack Odysseus; finally, he needs to gather all of the weapons and place them in the vault (Od.17.329).

Book 17: “The Beggar and The Manor” Eumaios brings Odysseus to the castle; on the way, he notices Argos, “lying near…treated as rubbish now, he lay upon a mass of dung before the gates (Od. 17. 383-384). Why is this episode symbolic? Odysseus is mistreated by the suitors, particularly Antinoos. Penelope discovers that the beggar has news of her husband.