1. INTRO TO GREEK MYTHOLOGY THE ODYSSEY

2. EPICS An epic is a long narrative poem that tells the adventures of heroes who embody the values of their civilizations. Often, epics would be used in schools to teach values

3. THE GREAT WAR The Odyssey is the counter part to the Iliad, an epic written about a ten year war (Trojan War) fought in the Mediterranean over 200 years prior to the epics Both epics were written by Homer, who took all of the orally recited tales and collected them into two volumes

4. BACKGROUND The war started when Helen, the wife of the Greek king Menelaus, ran away with Paris, a prince of Troy Agamemnon, Menelaus’ brother, banded all the Greeks together to attack Troy This story would have been common knowledge for the readers of the epics

5. HOMER No one really knows who Homer was, though he is believed to be a blind minstrel (singer) from Chios. Epics were often told orally, by traveling singers, but they were also performed as plays in amphitheaters

6. ODYSSEUS He is the main character of The Odyssey Traditional Greek heroes were flawless and mighty, but Odysseus is more down to earth and faces difficulties Married to Penelope, a beautiful and faithful wife They have one son, Telemachus

7. Odysseus was not interested in fighting in the war, so when the generals came to get him, he pretended to be insane The generals saw through this and tossed his then- infant son in front of a plow, and Odysseus was forced to save his boy, proving he was not insane

8. Once in the army, he was a competent general. He is said to be the one who thought of the Trojan horse trick (hiding soldiers inside a giant wooden horse, presented to the enemy as a gift so they would bring it inside their gates)

9. GREEK GODS Apollo – god of poetry, music, prophecy, medicine, and archery Athena – goddess of wisdom, war, and peace. Favorite daughter of Zeus, she favored the Greeks in the Trojan war. Often called Pallas Athena

10. Cronus – (Kronos) Titan god who ruled the universe until his son Zeus overthrew him Hades – god of the underworld Helios – god of sun Hephaestus (Ha-fest-us) – god of metalworking. Notoriously ugly, married to the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite Hermes – messenger god Poseidon – god of the sea, brother to Zeus. Believed to cause earthquakes; enemy to Odysseus Zeus – most powerful god. Lives on Mt. Olympus

11. PEOPLE TO KNOW IN ITHACA (ODYSSEUS’ HOME) Antinous (Ant-i-nus) – One of Penelope’s main suitors; an arrogant and mean young noble from Ithaca Eumaeus (you-may-us) – swineherd (pig farmer), one of Odysseus’ loyal servants Eurycleia (you-rick-lee-uh) – Odysseus’ old nurse Eurymachus (you-rim-uh-cuss) – suitor of Penelope

12. Penelope – Odysseus’ wife. While Odysseus is away, everyone assumes he is dead and men try to win her over. She remains faithful. Philoetus (fil-i-shus) – Cowherd (Cow farmer) One of Odysseus’ loyal servants Telemachus (tel-eh- meh-cus) – Odysseus’ son

13. OTHER PEOPLE AND PLACES Aeaea (Ay-ee-uh) – home of Circe, the enchantress and goddess Alcinous (al-sin-us) – king of Phaeacia (fay-shuh). Odysseus tells the story of his adventures to Alcinous’s court Calypso (cal-ip-so) – beautiful nymph goddess who keeps Odysseus on her island for 7 years

14. Charybdis (Ka-rib-dis) – female monster who sucks in water three times a day to form a deadly whirlpool Cicones (si-ko-neez) – people living on the southwestern coast of Thrace who battled Odysseus and his men on their journey Circe (sir-see) – enchtantress and goddess who turns Odysseus’s men into swine

15. Erebus (air-eh-bus) – dark area of the underworld where the dead reside Eurylochus (You-ril-uh-cuss) – a member of Odysseus’ loyal crew Lotus eaters – people who feed Odysseus’ men lotus flowers to make them forget Ithaca Phaeacia (Fay-shuh) – island kingdom ruled by Alcinous

16. Polyphemus (polly-fee-mus) – son of Poseidon; blinded by Odysseus. Polyphemus is a Cyclops Scylla (sill-uh) – female monster with 6 serpent heads, each head having a triple row of fangs Sirens – sea nymphs whose beautiful and mysterious music lures sailors to steer their ships towards rocks

17. Teiresias (tee-ray-see-us) – famous blind prophet from the city of Thebes Thrinakia (thrin-ah-kee-uh) – island where helios keeps his cattle Greeks are often referred to in the story as Acheans or Argives