The Odyssey: Introduction & A Visit from a Goddess

• These selections are from The Odyssey.

Introduction

• The epic poem begins by invoking the Muse to tell the story of the ingenious hero Odysseus.
• Odysseus sacked the city of Troy
• He wandered far and wide, learning about different peoples and their cities as he sought to return home and save his men.

A Visit from a Goddess

• The gods gathered in Olympus, except for Poseidon, who hates Odysseus and prevents him from returning home after the Trojan War.
• Poseidon initially favored the Greeks in the Iliad but now hates Odysseus, an issue that will be explained later.
• Zeus, the king of the gods, speaks first, noting that people blame the gods for their own foolishness.
• Athena, Zeus's daughter and goddess of wisdom, defends Odysseus, noting his suffering and gifts to Zeus.
• Zeus responds by saying he has not forgotten Odysseus.
• Despite Odysseus's generous offerings, Poseidon remains furious and torments him, stopping short of killing him.
• The gods should work together to help Odysseus, as Poseidon cannot stand against them all.
• Athena decides to go to Ithaca to inspire Odysseus's son, Telemachus.

Telemachus's Situation

• Athena descends from Mount Olympus and appears in disguise in front of Odysseus's house in Ithaca.
• Telemachus sits inside, sad and brooding, remembering when his father left for the war against Troy when he was a month old.
• Odysseus had to leave his infant son, his young wife Penelope, and his father, Laertes.
• After ten years, Troy fell, but Odysseus did not return.
• Another ten years passed with no word of Odysseus, and Telemachus has grown into a young man.
• Telemachus is surrounded by servants preparing a feast in his father's house due to unwelcome suitors.
• Young nobles are relaxing, playing games, and making noise, showing disrespect.
• A middle-aged traveler with a spear approaches the courtyard (an open area enclosed by walls).
• Telemachus welcomes the unnoticed stranger, apologizing for his delay due to being lost in thought.
• The stranger is grateful to enter the house of the renowned Odysseus.
• Telemachus leads the stranger to a corner away from the noisy crowd.
• A handmaiden pours water for them, and a table is set with food and wine.
• Telemachus and his guest are disturbed by the loud crowd, who stare rudely at the stranger.
• Telemachus explains that the unwelcome men feast and give orders in his father's house because they are suitors of Penelope.
• Odysseus would have driven them away, but he is gone.
• The stranger identifies himself as Mentes, a prince and friend of Odysseus and Laertes.
• Mentes asks if Telemachus is Odysseus's son, noting his resemblance.
• Telemachus confirms his parentage and the reason for the riotous behavior of the suitors of Penelope.
• Penelope hopes for her husband's return and keeps the suitors waiting, but they are consuming Odysseus' goods and threaten Telemachus's life.
• Mentes wishes Odysseus were present to deal with the suitors, so Odysseus' son can be given back his home.
• Telemachus must get the suitors out of his house.
• The stranger advises Telemachus to call the suitors to assembly and order them to leave.
• Telemachus should prepare a ship with twenty rowers and seek news of his father from King Nestor in Pylos and Menelaus in Sparta.

The Goddess's Revelation

• Mentes's words empower Telemachus.
• Mentes advises Telemachus that if he learns Odysseus is dead to hold a funeral for his father and will give his mother back to her father to find another suitor.
• Telemachus must punish those who have wasted his goods and insulted his house and he must do these as a man.
• Telemachus will rise to fame.
• Telemachus says he will not forget Mentes's wise words.
• The stranger transforms into a tall, fair-haired woman with a bronze spear, and then into a sea-eagle to reveal herself as Athena, a friend of Odysseus.

Telemachus Addresses the Suitors

• Telemachus returns to the hall, and the suitors comment on his newfound pride.
• At the hall, men call for the minstrel to sing which Penelope hears and dislikes.
• Penelope is with two female servants.
• The minstrel sings a sad tale of the Greeks' homecoming from Troy.
• Penelope asks for a different song, but Telemachus defends the minstrel.
• Penelope is surprised by Telemachus's wise words and her strength.

The First Sign

• Penelope believes that Telemachus carries his head high, like his father, and sees that he has become a man.
• Penelope feels the suitors' gaze and overhears them discussing who will be her next husband.
• Penelope retreats to her loom with her handmaidens, where Athena provides her with sweet sleep.
• Telemachus silences the suitors and announces they should listen to the minstrel that evening, and he will make them know if they have overstayed their welcome.
• He requests them to meet in assembly in the morning and, by Zeus's will, be defeated.

Preparing for a Voyage

• The suitors reacted to the boldness of this speech.
• Telemachus retires to his room, guided by Eurycleia, his childhood nurse.
• Telemachus reflects on the assembly and Athena's instructions for his journeys to Pylos and Sparta
• When dawn arrives, Telemachus prepares for the assembly with his sword and spear, accompanied by two hounds.
• Telemachus finds royalty already gathered.
• Aegyptus speaks, noting this is the first meeting since Odysseus left for Troy and inquires.
• A herald gives Telemachus a staff.
• Telemachus explains that he called the assembly not about Odysseus's return, but to address the suitors troubling his mother for three years.
• Telemachus claims his house is disgraced, calls members to conscience, and do not to anger the gods.
• Antinous blames Penelope for not choosing a suitor and keeping them waiting.
• Antinous accuses Penelope of trickery: Penelope claims she is weaving a shroud for Laertes and will choose a husband with the task is done. but she unravels the threads at night.
• Antinous demands Telemachus send Penelope to her father to choose a husband to stop the waste of wealth.
• Telemachus refuses to send his mother away.
• Telemachus says bad behavior will make bad things occur.
• Halitherses cries "behold" and points to two eagles flying towards the place of assembly.
• Halitherses interprets it to mean Odysseus is near his friends and woe is soon.
• The suitors dismiss Halitherses' wisdom and mocks him, stating "Even should Odysseus return that would not scare us."
• The members end the meeting broke up, and the suitors go to Odysseus' house.
• Telemachus is troubled by doubts and goes the shore to pray to Athena.

The Goddess Returns

• Seeing Mentor Telemachus realizes it is Athena.
• Athena encourages Telemachus, and says she has seen nobility and wisdom in him.
• She advises Telemachus to gather barley flour and wine in jars.
• She promised to find a crew for the best ship in Ithaca, rig it and and launch it into the open sea.
• Telemachus heads to the storeroom, filled with gold, bronze, clothing, and wine.
• The storeroom's doors are watched by Eurycleia.
• Telemachus asks Eurycleia to fill twelve jars of wine and bags of barley meal without telling anyone, as she is his nurse.
• Telemachus says he is going to Sparta and Pylos.
• Eurycleia asks Telemachus "Why in the world do you want to go-you" and says his is father is gone and all other people want to harm him.
• Furthermore she says "Oh, do not go wandering on the wide ocean.”
• Telemachus tells Eurycleia not to worry as he is told to go by goddess and she swears she will wait 12 days..
• Eurycleia agrees; Telemachus returns to the suitors and listens to the songs about Odysseus's struggles.
• Athena, disguised as Telemachus, borrows a swift ship from Noemon, enlists strong youths, and sets a rendezvous by sundown.
• The goddess Athena puts the suitors into a deep sleep.
• Disguised as Mentor, Athena summons Telemachus.
• Athena leads the way because the men await his orders at their oars.

Summary of the beginning of The Odyssey. The epic poem starts with Odysseus wandering and trying to return home after the Trojan War. He faces the wrath of Poseidon, while Athena pleads with Zeus for Odysseus's safe return.