Author: Homer
background
- 24 books
- 1–4: Telemachia
- 9–12: Odysseus’ adventures returning home
- 13–24: Arrival in Ithaca and slaughter of the suitors
- Oral tradition
- Emily Wilson: first translation by a woman
- One book is around one papyrus scroll
- Written around 6th century BCE
- Troy = Ilium
- Paris = Alexander
- Cassandra = Alexandra
- First word: man, fifth: many turns → man of many turns
- Literally, tricks up sleeve
- Translated as “complicated man”
- Literally, tricks up sleeve
- Calypso traps Odysseus for a few years
- Man and goddess
- Anchises and Aphrodite
- Eos and Tithomus
- Man and goddess
- Mentorship from Athena
- Absence of father, indecision, weakness
- Athena occupies both parental roles
- Virgin goddess, androgyny
- Athena occupies both parental roles
- Absence of father, indecision, weakness
notes
The numbers on these notes correspond to annotations in my physical Emily Wilson copy.
Book 1: The Boy and the Goddess
- The gods always disguise themselves as mortals (Mentor)
- Patriarchal society
- “the most unlucky man alive”
- Poseidon is angry with Odysseus for destroying Polyphemus’ eye. Athena schemes to get him home and have Telemachus gain a reputation.
- 1.336–44: representation of oral tradition
Book 2: A Dangerous Journey
- Pretty, heroic, painting material
- Mentor, Odysseus’ friend, chastises the bystanders to the whole ordeal, saying kings should be cruel
- Intelligent, blessed by Athena; words that flew like birds – 2.269
- Icarius: Penelope’s father
- Halitherses: prophet
- Penelope weaving and unweaving to trick the suitors (2.98)
- Funeral shroud for Laertes, Odysseus’ old father
- Buying time
- Asserting agency within societal constraints
- Lead on and delay
- Options open
- Fear of consequences
- At a standstill because there is no closure
- Antinous: loud voice of opposition to Telemachus
- Eurycleia: nanny
- Gathering provisions to trip to Pylos
- Athena disguises herself as Mentor sails out with them
- Pallas = Athena
Book 3: An Old King Remembers
- Nestor: king of Pylos
- Menelaus and Agamemnon clashed
- Offerings to Poseidon and Athena, then off to Sparta
- Everybody needs the gods – 3.48
Book 4: What the Sea God Said
- Menelaus welcomes the boys and tells the tale of his encounter with Proteus on Pharos
- Ultimate bromance, Vashwood-core
- Suffering of a fatherless son
- Helen’s justification of her time in Troy: Aphrodite made her crazy (4.106–108)
- Fear the gods
- Story of Ajax’s hubris
- Funny insult
- Fear the gods
- Plot to kill Telemachus
highlights
His destiny was suffering, and mine the endless pain of missing him (4.106–108)
depictions
