homer\'s the odyssey books 16, 17, 19 PDF

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Prof. Jessica Nowlin...

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STRUCTURE OF THE ODYSSEY ● Books 13-16: Odysseus returns to Ithaka, followed by Telemachus - happy reunion ● Books 17-20: Odysseus is in disguise, abused by suitors, and reunited w/ Penelope BOOK 14 ● Odysseus talks w/ swineherd, Eumaios ● Disguised as a beggar ● Lies about origins, travels after Troy BOOK 15 ● Telemachus returns from Sparta -> Pylos, boards ship home to Ithaka ● Athena tells him the suitors are planning to kill him ● He copies his father and lands the ship away from the main harbor, then goes to talk to Eumaios BOOK 16 ● Telemachus and Odysseus reunite ● Eumaios embraces Telemachus like a long-lost son - irony of this scene is that Eumaios is only a father figure, while actual father, Odysseus, looks on in disguise ● Telemachus tells the beggar (Odysseus) to keep his seat (good xenia) ● Eumaios introduces the ‘stranger’ as a suppliant of Telemachus; Odysseus’ life is now in his son’s hands ● Telemachus offers clothes, weapons, and safe passage ● Telemachus sends Eumaios to the palace to tell Penelope that he is home ● Athena arrives, visible to only Odysseus and the dogs ● Odysseus is rejuvenated and reunites with his son in a moment orchestrated by Athena ● Odysseus and Telemachus begin plotting against 109 suitors and attendants ● Telemachus’ ship arrives in the harbor and shows the suitors that their ambush failed ○ Antinous: “We must kill Telemachus or he’ll tell everybody our plan.” ○ Amphinomos: “We should confront the gods first.” ● Penelope confronts the suitors over their plans, and Eurymachus promises (kind of lazily) to protect Telemachus, although he was planning to kill him anyway BOOK 17 ● Telemachus reunites with Penelope, tells him what Menelaos says about Odysseus ● Odysseus and Eumaios are taunted by a goatherd named Melanthios ○ Eumaios prays for Odysseus’ return ○ Melanthios prays for Telemachos to be killed by suitors ● Odysseus returns to the palace and is recognized by his old dog (Argos) who dies immediately afterwards ● Telemachus gives Odysseus some bread so he can go begging to the suitors (testing loyalty) ● Antinous, egged on by Melanthios, chastises Eumaios for bringing a stranger to the feast ● Telemachus vs Antinous

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Antinous breaks xenia and throws a footstool at Odysseus Odysseus prays for revenge; other suitors turn on Antinous for being a shithead Penelope asks to meet the beggar, but Odysseus asks to wait until nightfall when it’s safer

BOOK 18 ● Odysseus fights with a beggar named Arnaeus ● Penelope announces that she will remarry and suitors should bring her gifts now BOOK 19 ● Hall is cleared of weapons, the nurse locks the doors ● Odysseus and Telemachus prepare a trap ● Athena holds up a golden lamp to make the room glow, and Telemachos is amazed by the room ● Quasi-reunion between Penelope and Odysseus (he is still in disguise) ● Penelope enters the room, followed by a train of women ● Odysseus lies about his identity and says he met Odysseus during travelling on Crete ● Penelope tests him: “What was Odysseus wearing? What were his men like?” ● Strangers have been coming to Ithaka with lies about Odysseus ● Odysseus describes in detail, including the brooch pin that Penelope gave him “Odysseus is coming back with a lot of treasure but has lost his men.” ● The old nurse gives Odysseus a bath and sees a scar on his leg, and knows it is him ● The nurse, Eurykleia, tries to tell Penelope but Athena intervenes and distracts her mind for long enough so Odysseus can reveal his plan and keep Eurykleia quiet ● Penelope asks, “Should I stay in Ithaka w/ Telemachus, or marry a suitor and let Telemachus take over?” ● Penelope has a dream: An eagle kills Penelope’s geese inside the hall ○ The dream is sent by Athena; the eagle is Odysseus, and geese are the suitors ○ Penelope is unsure about the dream bc it is ambiguous ● Penelope decides to have an archery contest to find her future husband - 12 axes in a row, with an arrow shot through each; suitors must first string the bow (this is all like Odysseus used to do)...