1. Odyssey Book 16
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2.
Listen/ Watch this short summary of book 16
Make a note of the major events that it identifies
Think about the themes raised by these events
Make a list of any themes that you think will crop up

3. Major Themes of 16 ?

4. What happens in Book 16? 1-50 50-100 100-150 150-200 200-250 250-300

5. Book 16: 1-50
What significance can we take from the fact that the dogs barked at Odysseus but not Telemachus?
How does Eumaeus greet Telemachus and how is their reunion described?
How is Eumaeus described throughout this passage (pick out adjectives)?
How do Telemachus and Odysseus interact and how does this characterise them?
Odysseus and Eumaeus are in Eumaeus’ hut
Odysseus sees the dogs wagging their tails
Telemachus enters
Eumaeus’ greets Telemachus
Telemachus asks after his mother and the suitors
Odysseus offers Telemachus his seat
Telemachus refuses and Eumaeus arranges a seat for him

6. Book 16:
How is Eumaeus characterised by his welcome of Telemachus?
What is ironic about Eumaeus’ introduction to his explanation of Odysseus’ presence?
What three reasons does Telemachus give for not being able to receive Odysseus?
What does Telemachus offer?
What three questions does Odysseus ask Telemachus?
Why does he ask these questions?
Who does Odysseus say he wishes he was?
Eumaeus feeds Odysseus and Telemachus
Telemachus enquires about the ‘stranger’
Eumaeus tells Odysseus’ Crete story
Telemachus claims he can’t have Odysseus to stay because of the suitors
Odysseus asks Telemachus about the suitors and how their situation has come about

7. Book 16: 100-150 What theme does Odysseus’ statement raise?
Why does Telemachus not acknowledge Odysseus’ anger?
How is Telemachus described in this section (pick out adjectives)?
How does Eumaeus describe Laertes?
How does his description make the reader feel?
Why does Telemachus not want Eumaeus to tell Laertes?
Do you agree with his decision?
Odysseus claims that he would rather die fighting the suitors than to allow them to dishonour his house
Telemachus answers Odysseus’ earlier questions
Telemachus asks Eumaeus to tell his mother of his return secretly
Eumaeus agrees and offers to also tell Laertes
Telemachus advises him not to

8. Book 16: 150-200 What can we say about the dogs’ reaction to Athene?
Why does Athene reveal herself only to Odysseus?
Why does Athene tell Odysseus to reveal himself?
How does Telemachus’ reaction to God-Odysseus characterise him?
How is Odysseus described in this passage? Pick out adjectives and also anything he does/ feels.
Why does Telemachus doubt his father?
Eumaeus sets off
Athene disguised (?) as beautiful woman approaches
Odysseus and the dogs see her
Athene instructs Odysseus to reveal himself to Telemachus and undoes his disguise
Telemachus thinks Odysseus is a god
Odysseus reveals himself
Telemachus doubts him

9. Book 16:
What do Odysseus claims about Athene tell us about the gods?
How is Telemachus and Odysseus’ reunion described? (Literary devices!)
How is the description of the reunion effective?
How does Odysseus’ account of the Phaeacians differ from earlier?
What is the difference between Telemachus and Odysseus’ approach to the problem of the suitors?
How do their approaches characterise them?
Odysseus reaffirms his identity
Odysseus explains about Athene
Odysseus and Telemachus hug and cry
Telemachus asks Odysseus how he arrived in Ithaca
Odysseus tells Telemachus about the Phaeacians
Odysseus asks for figures
Telemachus doesn’t believe that the suitors can be beaten

10. CONTEXT QUESTION
With this he sat down, and Telemachus flung his arms around him and wept, and the longing to express their emotion rose in both their hearts. They keened aloud, and their cries rose, louder and more frequent than those of birds of prey with curved talons, vultures or sea-eagles, whose nests have been robbed of their unfledged chicks by country folk. Tears streamed piteously from their eyes. And sunset would have found them still weeping, if Telemachus had not suddenly asked his father: ‘What ship brought you to Ithaca, dear father, and who did the sailors claim to be, since you can’t have arrived on foot?’
Noble, long-suffering Odysseus answered him: ‘My boy, rest assured I will tell you exactly how it was.  Phaeacians brought me here, famous seafarers, who provide passage for any strangers who reach them. While I slept they carried me in their swift ship over the sea, then set me ashore on Ithaca, with the fine gifts they gave me, bronze and gold items, and woven fabrics. That wealth, by the grace of the gods, is hidden in a cave. Now I am here at Athene’s prompting to plan how we will kill our enemies. Run through the list of suitors for me, and give me the count, so I know who they are and how many, and can judge with a clear mind whether we can handle them alone, or whether to seek for help.’
How effectively does Homer convey Odysseus and Telemachus’ relationship in this passage? [10]

11. Book 16:
What is Odysseus tone when he tells Telemachus about Athene and Zeus?
How does Odysseus predict the suitors will treat him?
How does Odysseus predict the suitors will react to Telemachus’ reason?
What do Odysseus predictions tell us about the nature of fate/ destiny?
What does Odysseus suggest Telemachus tell the suitors re weapons?
How do we see Odysseus using story telling in this passage?
Odysseus tells Telemachus that Athene and Zeus are their allies and will help them fight the suitors
Eumaeus will bring Odysseus to the house
Telemachus must watch as the suitors mistreat Odysseus and try to reason with them
When instructed, Telemachus should hide most of the weapons

12. Book 16:
Why does Odysseus tell Telemachus not to talk to Penelope?
How does this decision characterise him?
How does Telemachus talk about himself?
What does Odysseus/ Telemachus’ conversation tell us about their relationship?
How does the story of the two messengers characterise Eumaeus?
What is the disadvantage of the ship’s messenger having delivered the message?
Odysseus tells Telemachus not tell anyone (even Penelope) of his return
Telemachus tries to persuade Odysseus to avoid delay
Telemachus and Odysseus discuss the situation
Two messengers are sent to Penelope to inform her of Telemachus’ return
The ship’s messenger announces the news in front of everyone and the suitors are shocked

13. Book 16:
How does the meeting of the suitors characterise them as a group?
What is Antinous angry about?
Why does Antinous not want Telemachus to call a council?
How does Antinous make his speech to the suitors persuasive?
What arrangement does Antinous suggest after the death of Telemachus?
How is Antinous’ speech received by the rest?
Polybus encourages the other suitors to spread the word of Telemachus’ arrival
Amphinomus spots the suitor’s ship arriving
The suitors assemble
Antinous addresses the suitors: suggests killing Telemachus before he can call an assembly
Antinous gives choice; kill Temelachus en route or go home

14. Book 16: 400-450 How is Amphinomus characterised by his speech?
How does Penelope know about the suitor’s plot?
How does Penelope insult Antinous?
What does Penelope remind Antinous about?
How does Penelope’s outburst characterise her?
What does Eurymachus say to reassure Penelope?
How does Eurymachus’ speech characterise him?
Amphinomus relpies to Antinous and advises against killing Telemachus before they have consulted the oracle
Penelope knows about the suitors’ plot and decides to confront them
Penelope tells off Antinous
Eurymachus responds to Penelope and allays her fears
Eurymachus deceives Penelope

15. Book 16: 450-481 Why does Athene re-disguise Odysseus?
What can we surmise about this disguise/ taking it off?
What is Telemachus’ tone when he greets Eumaeus?
What does Eumaeus say he did/ didn’t do?
How do we know that Eumaeus is reliable?
Why does Telemachus smile at Odysseus?
Eumaeus returns to his hut and Athene re-disguises Odysseus
Telemachus asks Eumaeus for news
Eumaeus tells the story of the messengers
Eumaeus reports that he thinks he saw a ship full of armed suitors coming into harbour
They eat and sleep

16. Book 16 – Context Question
Then the Suitors went in a crowd to the meeting place, and prevented anyone else attending, young or old. Antinous, Eupeithes’ son spoke: ‘Alas, the gods have rescued that man from destruction. Day after day, men were at watch on the windy heights, and at sunset we headed offshore for the night, and waited out at sea for gleaming Dawn, hoping to catch and kill Telemachus: meanwhile some god has seen him home. Don’t let him slip through our hands: let us plan a sad death for him here, since I say while he lives our business will fail. He is wise and shrewd, and the people no longer support us. Let us act before he calls on the Achaeans to assemble. I don’t believe he’ll wait a moment, but he’ll tell them all in his anger how we planned his utter ruin, then failed. We’ll get no praise for it when they hear of the evil we plotted: take care they don’t offer us harm, and drive us into exile in some foreign land. No: we must act first: take him in the fields outside the city, or on the road, then divide his wealth and possessions fairly between us, leaving his mother and whoever marries her with the palace. If this idea displeases you, and you decide to let him live and allow him to keep his ancestral wealth, then I suggest we disperse, and stop consuming his store of luxuries, and let each man woo her and try to win her from his own house: then she can marry the one that offers most, and is fated to be her husband.’
How effectively does Homer convey Antinous’ emotions?

17. Book 16 – Essay Question
“Book 16 is a turning point in The Odyssey”. To what extent do you agree with this statement? [20]

18. Book 16 – Essay Planning
“Book 16 is a turning point in The Odyssey”. To what extent do you agree with this statement? [20]
Your evidence will mainly come from 16
Think of all the major events
Think of anything that signals change
You need to make a judgement call
Look of the events and their significance in the poem as a whole
How different is book16?/ How important is it for the rest of the poem?

19. Book 16 – Essay Planning
MAJOR EVENTS/ EVENTS THAT MARK CHANGE IN BOOK 16 ?