Megaron and view from Mycenae (source: Flickr) Very suddenly, we whoosh down from the sky and land in the world of mortals. We find ourselves in front of the palace in Ithaka. Athene (disguised as Mentes, a guest friend of Odysseus') is spotted by Telemachos, and is invited to join the feast of the suitors, strangely. They seem to be the ones that organise things in this house, and they do like parties. However, their (table) manners leave a lot to be desired and we will soon learn and see how they abuse the sacred institution of hospitality. Telemachos has to apologise to Mentes about the situation. I really liked the way Telemachos is portrayed - just what it's like to be a teenager and not being able to change anything. The most you can do is moan to someone who will listen about how unfair everything is. On the other hand, I feel there is some jealousy in Telemchos' attitude to the suitors: they play games, have free dinners, and there is song and dancing every night. They are having fun while he isn't. Waste and generosity - two opposites that alternate in this scene. We are told that the suitors are eating their hosts out of house and home, and at the same time there is this lavish and generous hospitality described at length: the servants bringing a golden pitcher and silver basin (a bit over the top??? I've never understood how gold and silver can go together) for the guests to wash their hands in, and the housekeeper is "generous with her provisions" (l. 140). I thought at this point: given the circumsances, maybe she shouldn't be! But I know that would be wrong and anyway she wasn't serving the suitors. The usual Homeric formula ("They put their hands to the good things that lay ready before them", l. 149) sounded this time slightly...erm...greedy. Interestingly, we encounter another "desire" in the next line (a continuation of the Homeric formula frequently employed in the Iliad too): "But when they had put away their desire for eating and drinking". It is eros in the Greek. I don't want to read too much into this (and as I said it is a usual formula), but I have a hunch that somehow the rather base desires of the suitors, Kalypso etc (the hindrances to Odysseus' homecoming) are shown in contrast to Odysseus' longing for his home and family. Something along the lines of temptations / needs of the moment and the grand scheme of things, the things that ultimately matter. The dialogue between Telemachos and "Mentes" is really interesting. Telemachos seems to be making a joke in l. 173 (see above), while Mentes-Athene is dropping some hints that all is just make-believe. For example, in l. 184 she says she is giving iron in exchange for bronze. Now I wonder: is that a good idea??? Or is she just pulling our legs? This might be a tall tale, but she also tells an outright lie: she says that Odysseus can't come home because (ahem) "savage men have him in their keeping" (l. 198). Is it out of consideration for Telemachos' feelings? Now we get to know why the name of Orestes really came up in the council of the gods. He is to be the role model for Telemachos - the guy whose ancestral home was run by usurpers but he came home and sorted things out (this involved killing his mother, but that is a side issue). Athene encourages Telemachos to take things into his hand. So the plot is set in motion by the gods. The entrance of Penelope (l. 328) introduces a passage which is a good example for what makes the Odyssey less appealing than the Iliad (in my opinion). She is presented as the model wife (modestly "holding her shining veil in front of her face"), who shuts up and speedily retires to her quarters when Telemachos announces his views on the woman's place in the household: they should see to their work while men "discuss things". Some other bits and pieces I found interesting:
1. The Greek word megaron, translated as 'palace' (l. 276). I spotted this in the Pomeroy book so it is something which comes up in both the history book and an ancient source. According to the dictionaries on Perseus, megaron originally meant "large room, hall, esp. the chief room in the Homeric palace", and the plural form meant palace. Later the singular form was used in that sense too. 2. Rumour (l. 282) or ossa in Greek, was held divine due to its origin being unknown. 3. Telemachos' threat that the suitors will perish "with no payment given" - this is Lattimore's rendering of line 380. My Hungarian copy has "unavenged". I personally find Lattimore's solution rather weak. Also, Lattimore replaces the formula "Will you be angry if I speak my mind?" with "In case you wonder at what I am saying" in line 383. Why? 4. "But I will be the absolute lord over my own household / and my servants whom the great Odysseus won by force for me" (ll. 397-98). I wonder how many ancient Greek fathers sighed listening to that line, mumbling "if only". 5. Apparently it wasn't set in stone that the first-born son was to succeed when the king died. These lines suggest that this could easily be challenged by other candidates. Although they mention Telemachos' "right by inheritance" (l. 387). But then: "But in fact there are many other Achaian princes, / young and old, in seagirt Ithaka, any of whom might / hold this position" (ll. 394-96). 6. Laertes, the model husband (ll. 432-433), the head of the ideal household. This makes these characters rather flat and open to (justifiable) ridicule. Why was it so important? The Iliad was so much more laid-back about portraying humans and gods alike. I feel Homer's losing his sense of humour here. 7. I don't understand why Eurykleia, the nurse, locks Telemachos up in his bedchamber. Does he have to rap on the door every morning to be let out?
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AuthorHave studied A219 Exploring the Classical World and A275 Reading Classical Greek at the Open University. Currently studying for a Psychology degree. ImagesPlease click on any image to be taken to its source.
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