The Odyssey

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The Odyssey

• Book I

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• The Trojan war has ended
• Homer asks the Muse (Calliope) to tell him about
  Odysseus

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• Odysseus longed for home and couldnt wait to be
  with his wife
• However, Odysseuss companions offended Apollo by
  eating his sacred cattle
• They died.

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• Odysseus ends up on the island of Ogygia after
  angering Poseidon
• He is stuck with Calypso, daughter of Atlas, who
  wants to marry him
• All Odysseus wants is to go home

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• The gods of Olympus are having a discussion about
  mortals blaming the gods, when Athena brings up
  Odysseus.
• She asks why Zeus is angry with Odysseus and why
  he hasnt been allowed to go home to Ithaca.

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• Zeus explains that hes not mad, but poseidon is.
  
• Odysseus blinded the cyclops Polyphemos,
  Poseidons son.
• This obviously made Poseidon a bit sore at
  Odysseus.

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Odysseus and Polyphemos
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Poseidons Anger
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• The gods try to devise a plan to bring Odysseus
  back to Ithaca, with hopes that Poseidon will
  cool his jets
• Athena suggests that they send Hermes to Ogygia
  to deal with Calypso while she goes to Ithaca to
  speak with Telemachos, Odysseus son.

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Athena traveling to Ithaca
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• Athena disguises herself as the Taphian leader
  Mentes.
• Telemachos greets her and offers food.
• Suitors of Penelope, Odysseus wife, have been
  helping themselves to food, wine, and whatever
  else they desire, all while trying to win her
  over.

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• Once the suitors are full and drunk, they sing
  and dance.
• This is Athenas time to speak to Telemachos
  about why she is there.

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• She tells him that his father Odysseus is not
  dead, but held captive by savages on an island.
• When Athena asks about the suitors, Telemachos
  says they are sucking his house dry and there is
  nothing he can do about it.

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• Athena suggests that Odysseus would do something
  and tells Telemachos to drive the suitors out,
  gather a crew, and set out in search of his
  father.

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• She tells him first to go to Pylos and speak with
  Nestor, then sparta to speak with Menelaos, the
  co-captain of the Greeks and husband of Helen.
  If Odysseus is dead, then he can dispose of the
  suitors however he chooses.

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• Athena says he can have glory like Orestes had
  when he avenged the death of his father,
  Agamemnon, by killing Aigisthos.
• This gives Telemachos courage.

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• The singer, Phemios, begins to sing, but the song
  upsets Penelope, and she scolds him.
• Feeling revived, Telemachos tells his mother to
  get a grip. Amazed by his authority, she goes
  back up to her room and weeps for Odysseus.

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Telemachos and Penlope
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• Once the suitors are gone, he goes up to his room
  and ponders what Athena said to him.