What I remember vividly about reading Book 1 is that it was a shock after the Iliad, and I found its vision of an idillyc society nauseating. But l will be a bit more positive this time. The poet, inspired by the goddess, is going to sing about Odysseus, the man of many ways. His epithet, polytropos ('much-turned'), is ambiguous: it can literally mean 'much-turned, i.e. much-travelled'; or, metaphorically speaking, 'turning many ways, i.e. shifty, versatile, wily'. Now comes the statement of the theme: the word homecoming is mentioned frequently, but I also noticed that other words are repeated often: longing and desire. In l. 13, Odysseus is 'longing (kekhrēmenon) for his wife and his homecoming' (Lattimore swaps the original order in the Greek, where homecoming comes first, wife afterwards - why did he choose to do so one wonders), while Kalypso is 'desiring (lilaiomenē) that he should be her husband' (l. 15). Later, according to Athene, Odysseus 'longs (himeiretai - yet another synonym) to die' (l. 59). There are many kinds of desires, it seems. While Odysseus is enduring all the hardships down below, the gods gather together in council on Mount Olympos. Zeus discusses the issue of who is to blame for the sufferings of mankind (ll. 32-33) and complains that mortals (brotos sing., brotoi pl., 'stained with gore'; original form seems to have been mortos) always hold the gods responsible for everything (aitiōntai 'accuse', from aitios, 'culpable, responsible, being the cause of'). This theme is picked up later by Telemachos in l. 347, who does indeed blame Zeus for everything (Zeus aitios, 'Zeus is to blame'). Zeus claims that humans get into trouble and meet tragic ends through their own stupidity and mentions Aigisthos, who was fairly warned by the gods not to murder his kinsman, Agamemnon, and marry his wife, but alas, he did just that (reminds me a bit of Cain being warned by God before the deed in Genesis) and was in turn murdered by Orestes. Stupidity has also been mentioned in connection with Odysseus' companions in the beginning, and the suitors come to mind too as good examples. Yes, says Athene, Aigisthos deserved it all right, but what about Odysseus? Why do you hate him (ōdysao, the mythic origin of the name Odysseus) so much? Hated by gods and men, the ill-fated (Lattimore has 'unhappy') Odysseus has still not reached the shores of Ithaka. Conveniently, all is blamed on Poseidon, who is away on business. The gods make a decision that Odysseus should now be allowed to return home and Zeus assures Athene that Posiedon will have to put up with it, "for all alone and against the will of the other / immortal gods united he can accomplish nothing" (ll. 78-79). Three questions:
1. Are you happy with the explanation that Poseidon is behind all this? 2. What are immortal sandals like? (l. 97) 3. If Athene favours Odysseus so much, why has she waited 10 years to lobby for him?
4 Comments
Pauline Kearton Gee
9/11/2010 04:59:30 am
Hi Olga ,
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Sue Bunce
9/12/2010 03:35:35 am
Hi
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Sue Jones
9/12/2010 05:14:19 am
Hello, Olga, this is just to say that, as a fellow A219 student, I am looking forward to following your blog. I'm not able to make a start on anything to do with A219 yet but, once my exam for AA309 is over next month, I hope to apply myself to The Odyssey et al with vigour! Best wishes, Sue
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Linda Shipley
9/17/2010 04:02:15 am
Thank you for sharing this with us. I haven't read enough of The Odyssey to discuss the points you make and the questions you ask but I look forward to doing so.
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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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