I think I have gone on a great wanderings with Odysseus these past few weeks. I have been reading, but time has seemed to be forgotten, must have been the Siren's song making me forget all else. Book XI opens with our warriors leaving Circe behind to venture into the Underworld. I wonder, was Odysseus crying big tears because he was leaving the beautiful stand-in wife of Circe or because he was off to venture into the land of the dead? We learned in the previous book that Odysseus was to land and dig a pit where the Phyriphlegethon and Kokytos rivers meet the Acheron river, at the moldering home of Hades. Translated into meaning, where the fire and wailing river meet the river of pain. In this pit, a cubit in size, which is about the size of your arm from fingertips to elbow, he has concocted a special brew. A brew of honey mixed with milk, wine, water and white barley is topped with the sacrificial blood of sheep. Apparently this is the key to unlocking the undead and visions overtake Odysseus, washing a green fear over him. Not quite sure how Odysseus guarding the pit with his sword is a deterrent to thos already dead, but he does so to keep the undead from drinking this pool of blood until he is able to question Teiresias. His first encounter comes from Elpenor, a warrior, whose body was left behind at Circe's palace when they left, the young man didn't think he needed a ladder to leave the rooftop he was upon. Learned that lesson that hard way. | Image from the Pictorial Atlas of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey Thirty-six plates, containing 225 illustrations from works of ancient art, with descriptive text, and an epitome of the contents of each book, for the use of schools and students of literature and art by R. Engelmann and W.C.F. Anderson. Published 1892 by H. Grevel in London Accessed from OpenLibrary.org Work in the public domain because its copyright has expired in countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years. |
But now I pray you, by those you have yet to see, who are not here, |
We learn here, that Odysseus must return to Circe's island. Will he stay another year or scoot along on his way this time? Odysseus next is met by his mother, whom he left alive when he parted for Ilion (Troy), but even she was not allowed to partake in the blood as he had not been able to question Teiresias yet. Teiresias appears with his golden staff and is allowed to drink the blood so that he may speak the truth to Odysseus.
Image from the Pictorial Atlas of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey Thirty-six plates, containing 225 illustrations from works of ancient art, with descriptive text, and an epitome of the contents of each book, for the use of schools and students of literature and art by R. Engelmann and W.C.F. Anderson. Published 1892 by H. Grevel in London Accessed from OpenLibrary.org Work in the public domain because its copyright has expired in countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years. | "Glorious Odysseys, what you are after is sweet homecoming, but the god will make it hard for you. I think you will not escape the Shaker of the Earth, who holds a grudge against you (Book XI: Lines 100-103) at the island Thrinakia, escaping the sea's blue water, and there discover pasturing the cattle and fat sheep of Helios, who sees all things, and listens to all things. Then, if you keep you mind on homecoming, and leave these unharmed, you might all make your way to Ithaka, after much suffering; (Book XI: Lines 107-111) insolent men, who are eating away your livelihood and courting your godlike wife and offering gifts to win her. Odysseus has been given a road map, you have yet to pay for taking Polyphemus' sight, you then will come to the sun gods herd, do not partake in these animals for a feast, and when you finally arrive home, you will find men disrespecting your home and trying to steal your wife. Teiresias did tell him that if he kills the men he is to go on another journey to perform a ceremonious sacrifice to the gods, but he will return from this and live until the sea takes his life in old age. |
Odysseus next uses his time with Teiresias to question him about why his mother came to him, but did not speak to me. He learns this is because she had yet to have drank the blood. Allowing her to drink allowed Odysseus to question her about the current state of his home.
He learns that his mother died of longing for his homecoming, that no one has yet to have claimed his wife and his father is lamenting for his homecoming as well. Odysseus allowed others to come forward and drink one by one from his pool of blood. He questioned each as they were bound to tell him the truth in payment for their drink.
At this point Queen Arete breaks into the story and ask her townspeople what they now think of their guest. She reminds them they all have some part in honoring him sharing gifts. King Alkinoös has been taken in by Odysseus' story as well.
'Odysseus, we as we look upon you do not imagine |
I find it intriguing that King Alkinoös chose the words he did in building upon Odysseus character. In the modern world this type of tale would likely be likened to one of those fishing stories where all the sudden an everyday fish is turned into a monstrous large ferocious fish that takes ten men hours to pull on-board. [No offense meant to any fisherman] What exactly is in that wine they keep drinking?
Oddly enough Alkinoös wants Odysseus to continue the story with any visions he saw of men he lost in battle. Maybe King Alkinoös wishes he was a warrior and wants to live vicariously through Odysseus and his men? Odysseus is happy to oblige and continues with stories of these men, including Agamemnon, who was slaughtered by his wife and her lover when he stepped back upon his homeland, even before he could lay eyes on his son.
Book XII opens with the men setting sail back to Aiaia so they may lay to rest Elpenor and Odysseus could hold counsel again with Circe to relate his trip to the Underworld.
Oddly enough Alkinoös wants Odysseus to continue the story with any visions he saw of men he lost in battle. Maybe King Alkinoös wishes he was a warrior and wants to live vicariously through Odysseus and his men? Odysseus is happy to oblige and continues with stories of these men, including Agamemnon, who was slaughtered by his wife and her lover when he stepped back upon his homeland, even before he could lay eyes on his son.
Book XII opens with the men setting sail back to Aiaia so they may lay to rest Elpenor and Odysseus could hold counsel again with Circe to relate his trip to the Underworld.
"Unhappy men, who went alive to the house of Hades, |
So the men will be setting sail in the morning, no year long stay this time. Circe tells Odysseus, he must first sail into the area where the lovely Sirens can be heard. She instructs him to seal all his mens ears with wax to block the singing and that he alone may listen if his men have him lashed to the mast and are willing to lash him even tighter if he begs to be set free.
Artist: John William Waterhouse (1849-1917) Dated: 1891 Current Location: National Gallery of Victoria Source: Wikimedia Commons Work in the public domain because its copyright has expired in countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 90 years. | Naturally Odysseus wasn't going to pass up the chance to hear these lovely creatures sing. Trusting his men to keep him lashed to the mast instead of setting him free to follow the Sirens that have a history of leading sailors to their doom. Once they safely navigated this area Circe told him he must chose with his mind to follow the left or the right. She laid out that the perils of both sides, leaving him to decide which fate to take. She then explained he would reach Thrinakia, and find Helios livestock, she reiterated the warning to keep your hands off these particular animals. If you harm Helios sheep, you will not escape to make it to homecoming. Losing a few more men along the way they near Helios island, Odysseus doesn't even want to land on this island. However, his men are weak and in need of a rest. He relents and they land, he has warned them all of the prophecy from Teiresias and Circe. All was well, |
except the winds kept the men on the island for a month, with their food supply now out they take advantage of Odysseus having fallen asleep away from the camp and slaughter some of the oxen.
Another god upset, Helios asks his father, Zeus, to punish the companions of Odysseus for killing his cattle. Zeus took care of this by striking a thunderbolt upon the ship after it had set sail. All the men, lost at sea, but heroically Odysseus is able to lash together a piece of hull and keel and float upon the seas for ten days until he reaches Ogygia, the island of Kalypso. His story concludes here, as it brings him back to the story he told when he arrived at King Alkinoös' house.
Odysseus is clearly a superb storyteller and has caught the attention of the King and Queen and presumably the townspeople as well. His escapades certainly set him up to be a knight in shining armor. He he has battled death multiple times and won, even venturing into the Underworld where no one escapes alive. He tries to make it look like he only agreed to bed Circe for the greater good of his men and their quest to get home. His eye is always on the prize though, asking and expecting his gifts for appearing on your doorstep.
Another god upset, Helios asks his father, Zeus, to punish the companions of Odysseus for killing his cattle. Zeus took care of this by striking a thunderbolt upon the ship after it had set sail. All the men, lost at sea, but heroically Odysseus is able to lash together a piece of hull and keel and float upon the seas for ten days until he reaches Ogygia, the island of Kalypso. His story concludes here, as it brings him back to the story he told when he arrived at King Alkinoös' house.
Odysseus is clearly a superb storyteller and has caught the attention of the King and Queen and presumably the townspeople as well. His escapades certainly set him up to be a knight in shining armor. He he has battled death multiple times and won, even venturing into the Underworld where no one escapes alive. He tries to make it look like he only agreed to bed Circe for the greater good of his men and their quest to get home. His eye is always on the prize though, asking and expecting his gifts for appearing on your doorstep.
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Quotes from: The Odyssey of Homer, Translated and with an Introduction by Richmond Lattimore
ISBN: 978-0-06-124418-6; Publisher: Harper Perennial Modern Classics (2007)
[Notice: Original posting 2014-03-20 at Plethora of Books Blog: http://bookchallenges.weebly.com]
Tags: Odyssey, Read-Alongs
Quotes from: The Odyssey of Homer, Translated and with an Introduction by Richmond Lattimore
ISBN: 978-0-06-124418-6; Publisher: Harper Perennial Modern Classics (2007)
[Notice: Original posting 2014-03-20 at Plethora of Books Blog: http://bookchallenges.weebly.com]
Tags: Odyssey, Read-Alongs