summar oy odyseus

8/20/2019 Summar Oy Odyseus

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Years after the end of the Trojan War, the Greek hero Odysseus still hasn't come

home to Ithaka. Most people ure he's dead. !ut "e don't# $omer lets us kno"

riht a"ay that Odysseus is %ein held as a &"illin se( capti)e on the island of the

oddess *alypso. Oh, and sea od +oseidon is ticked o at Odysseus, and sees no

reason to let him et home.

!ack in Ithaka, Odysseus's "ife +enelope is ettin s"armed %y a horde of

un"anted suitors. Odysseus and +enelope's son, Telemachos, no" a typically moody

teenaer, ets a )isit from the oddess -thene &"ho "as al"ays chummy "ith

Odysseus. he tells him to o lookin for ne"s of his missin father, so he heads to

+ylos to )isit *in /estor. /estor takes him in, i)es him a dinner0and then tells

him to o see *in Menelaos in parta. Once aain, he does as he's told.

In parta, Telemachos learns from Menelaos that Odysseus is ali)e and1"ell, %ein

held capti)e on *alypso's island. Menelaos also tells Telemachos a%out ho" his %ro,

*in -amemnon, "as murdered "hen he ot home from Troy %y his unfaithful "ife,*lytaimestra, and her lo)er, -iisthos. It's cool, thouh# -amemnon's son Orestes

killed the murderers. This fun story raises the 2uestion of "hether Odysseus "ill %e

killed "hen he ets home, and, if so, "hether Telemachos "ill step up to a)ene his

father's death. Mean"hile, %ack in Ithaka, +enelope's suitors plot to am%ush and kill

Telemachos "hen he returns home. Oh, the tension3

4p on Mount Olympos, "here the ods all han out, the oddess -thene asks her

father, 5eus, the *in of the ods, to ha)e mercy on Odysseus and force *alpyso to

release him. 5eus says "hate)s, and in no time, Odysseus sails o on a makeshift

raft. 4nfortunately, +oseidon "hips up some storms, and instead of ettin home,

Odysseus "ashes ashore in the land of the +haiakians. 6ortunately, -thene makesthe resident princess, /ausikaa, de)elop a crush on him. /ausikaa takes him home

to meet her parents, the *in and 7ueen of +haiakia. In return for their hospitality,

Odysseus tells them &and us e)erythin that's happened to him since the end of

the Trojan War, "hich is this#

Odysseus left Troy "ith a ship of his Ithakan men. -t their rst stop, they plundered

the locals' stu. e)eral storm8tossed days later, they landed on the island of the

9otus8eaters. - fe" uys ate the lotus :o"er &i.e. e)ery dru your parents ha)e e)er

"arned you a%out, forot their homes and families, and had to %e taken %ack to

the ship %y force.

/e(t, Odysseus and his men came to the land of the iant one8eyed ;yclopes. They

stum%led into a ;yclops ca)e, and the resident ;yclops &+olyphemos sealed the

entrance to the ca)e "ith a hue %oulder and ate a fe" of the Ithakans. /ot cool.

Odysseus did some of his patented trickery and manaed to %lind the monster< the

ne(t mornin, he and his men escaped %y ridin under the %ellies of +olyphemos's

:ock of sheep. &$ere's a picture of his escape.


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!ut as Odysseus "as sailin a"ay "ith his men, his eo ot the %etter of him. $e

taunted the ;yclops, tellin him his real name. Turns out, +olyphemos "as the son

of +oseidon, the od of the sea. Oops. Guess this is "hy +oseidon hates our hero so

much.

/e(t, Odysseus and his men came to the island of -iolos, od of the "ind. $e

helped Odysseus out %y puttin all the "inds0e(cept for the "est%ound %ree=e

they needed0into a nice little %a. 4nfortunately, Odysseus didn't tell his men

"hat's in the %a. On the "ay home, they opened it up, thinkin it "as full of

treasure. !i mistake. -ll the "inds jumped out and ran riot, thus dri)in them to

the island of sorceress ;irce, "ho turned many of the men into pis.

With the help of the ods, Odysseus ot his men turned %ack into humans and had

se( "ith ;irce. 6or a year. 6inally, one of his men said, >;an "e et oin already?,>

and Odysseus said, >O*.> Wait0rst they had to o the 4nder"orld and et ad)ice

from the prophet Teiresias. &@ust don't ask -pple Maps for directions.

-t the 4nder"orld, Teiresias prophesied that Odysseus "ould make it home, %ut not

"ithout diAculty. Odysseus spoke to se)eral other famous dead people &like his "ar

%uddies -chilleus and -amemnon. $e also met the host of his mother, -ntikleia,

"ho had died of rief o)er her son's proloned a%sence. Then, after a 2uick pit stop

%ack at ;irce's island for more directions &"ho says men don't ask for directions?,

Odysseus and his men sailed on for a series of ad)entures#

&B When they passed %y the irens, monstrous "omen "ith %eautiful )oices "ho

try to lure sailors to their deaths, Odysseus made his men plu their ears and tie

him to the mast so he could listen to the son "ithout chasin after it. $e %ecame

the only man to hear the irens' son and sur)i)e.

&C /e(t, they met t"o horri%le monsters &curiously, also female named kylla and

;hary%dis. -s predicted %y ;irce, kylla &"ho has si( heads ate si( Ithakans< the

rest %arely escaped ;hary%dis &a iant )orte( "ho sucks up the sea and )omits it

%ack out aain.

&D /e(t, they landed on the island of $elios, the sun od, "here his )ery special

cattle "ere kept. Eespite ha)in %een "arned %y Teiresias and ;irce not to eat the


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cattle, Odysseus's men couldn't control their huner. !ad call. /ot lon after"ard,

e)eryone died in a storm0e(cept for Odysseus.

&F !ut he "as in for his o"n %ad luck# "indin up on *alypso's island to %e held

prisoner for se)en years0%efore ettin free to ship"reck "ith the +haiakians,

"here he's tellin this story.

-nd that's it for Odysseus's story to the +haiakians. They're so mo)ed %y his

suerin that they load him up "ith treasure and ferry him %ack to Ithaka.

&4nfortunately, in return for their trou%le, the od +oseidon turns them and their

ship into stone. !ut the fun isn't o)er yet0he still has all those pesky suitors to

deal "ith.

Once Odysseus ets home, -thene disuises him as a %ear so he can scope out

the situation. Odysseus then recruits the assistance of the s"ineherd, umaios, "ho

puts him up for the niht "hile -thene :ies to parta to retrie)e Telemachos. When

Telemachos ets %ack, Odysseus re)eals himself to his son and then heads to the

palace, still disuised as a %ear. Without re)ealin his true identity, he tries to

con)ince +enelope that Odysseus is on his "ay home and susses out "hich of his

ser)ants are still loyal to the household and "hich ha)e joined the suitors.

!y no", +enelope decides to take action# she'll marry the "inner of a content of

physical pro"ess. The challene? trin Odysseus's old %o" and shoot it throuh

the heads of t"el)e a(es. You can uess the rest# e)eryone tries and fails, until the

%ear &Odysseus in disuise steps up. $e succeeds, drops the disuise, and, "ith

the help of Telemachos, se)eral loyal ser)ants, and -thene's protection, kills all the

suitors in a massi)e and %loody slauhter. Odysseus reunites "ith his "ife, and

e)erythin is %ack to normal0e(cept that he's just killed all the youn no%lemen of

Ithaka and their parents are furious.

The ne(t mornin, Odysseus lea)es the palace, reunites "ith his father 9aertes, and

lays lo" "hile the anry moms and dads start lookin for )eneance. @ust "hen it

looks like more )iolence is on the "ay, -thene appears and asks "hy "e can't all

et alon. This sounds like a reat idea to e)eryone, and peace is restored in Ithaka.


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The Odyssey Book Summaries

Book 1

The epic begins with the invocation of the Muses, requesting inspiration and the beginning of Odysseus’s story.

t’s been !" years since the conc#usion of the Tro$an %ar and everyone but Odysseus and his comrades has

returned from their service in Troy. &ue to their devouring of 'yperion the Sun(god)s o*en, his comrades are

now dead and Odysseus is stuck on the is#and of Ogygia with +a#ypso, a besmirched nymph, Odysseus sti##

yearns for his wife and home. Back in thaca, Odysseus’s home, ene#ope sits waiting for Odysseus to return

whi#e fending off a pa#ace fu## of suitors for her hand in marriage. Te#emachus, hers and Odysseus’s -" year o#d

son, can do nothing to he#p and has fina##y come to be#ieve that Odysseus is dead.

thena eventua##y goes to thaca to ta#k to Te#emachus. She te##s him, in disguise as Odysseus’s friend Mentes,

that Odysseus is sti## a#ive and wi## soon return. She a#so te##s Te#emachus that he shou#d gather and have the

suitors banished from the /ingdom. She then advises him to visit y#os and Sparta to discern as much as hecan about his father. fter thena departs, Te#emachus sees his mother with the Suitors, upset by a particu#ar

bards’ song. The song itse#f is a ta#e of despair for those that have returned to 0reece. Te#emachus however,

te##s her that she shou#d not be upset by the song, as other men have fai#ed to return from Troy and that she

can a#ways #eave if she does not en$oy the music1 he can dea# with the suitors. 'e announces to the suitors that

he wi## ho#d an assemb#y the fo##owing day and that he e*pects them a## to #eave the estate. ntinous and

2urymachus are unhappy with the announcement though and demand to know who Te#amachus was ta#king

with, to which Te#emachus on#y responds that it was a friend of his father’s. Te#emachus is guided by 2uryc#eia,

daughter of Ops and granddaughter of eisenor, to his room where he retired to p#an his $ourney

Book 2

The ne*t day, as Te#emachus ca##s the assemb#y, an e#der of thaca praises Te#emachus for his actions as there

has not been a sing#e assemb#y since Odysseus #eft. Te#emachus fo##ows with a speech that decries the suitors

for taking over his father’s home and mourns the #oss of his father. 'e speaks against their rampant use of the

pa#ace’s food and wine and rebukes them for not simp#y going to carius, ene#ope’s father, to ask for her hand.

n response, ntinous p#aces the b#ame at the feet of ene#ope for seducing them a## but not committing. 'e

describes her use of the buria# shroud for 3aertes to e*tend her decision. She dec#ared that she wou#d choose

a husband after finishing, but every night she wou#d unrave# the shroud so as she never comp#eted it. ntinous

dec#ares that she shou#d be sent to carius so as he can choose a new husband for her. Te#emachus responds

vio#ent#y, dec#aring he wi## never throw his mother out and that the 0ods must punish those suitors who wish

such a thing upon her. t that moment, a pair of eag#es appears above and fight, a sign that the soothsayer

reads as meaning Odysseus wi## soon return and massacre the suitors. They dec#are such a warning foo#ishthough and continue to rebuke Te#emachus.

thena arrives once more whi#e Te#emachus is preparing to #eave for y#os and Sparta and gives him

encouragement for the ensuing $ourney. She he#ps him gather a crew for his ship and Te#emachus departs

without te##ing any of his servants or his mother.

Book 3


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%hen Te#emachus and Mentor arrive in y#os, they witness a ritua# sacrifice of twe#ve bu##s to oseidon and

though he is unsure of himse#f, Mentor gives Te#emachus encouragement to go forward and speak with 4estor

about Odysseus. 4estor has no news to re#ay though and recounts the fates of gamemnon and Mene#aus

after the fa## of Troy. The two broke apart after an argument and went their separate ways, 4estor with

Mene#aus and Odysseus with gamemnon. 'e speaks kind words for Te#emachus but cannot offer any more

information about Odysseus.

'e does however e*p#ain more about what happened to gamemnon. fter returning from Troy, he finds

egisthus who had remained in 0reece whi#e everyone went to Troy married to his wife, +#ytemnestra. The two

p#ot and carryout the murder of gamemnon and attempts to take over the kingdom. Orestes however returns

from e*i#e and takes revenge against both egisthus and +#ytemnestra. 4estor compares Orestes’ situation to

that of Te#emachus and sends isistratus a#ong with Te#emachus to Sparta to beseech Mene#aus for more

information. thena then revea#s herse#f as a goddess and remains behind in y#os to protect Te#emahus’s

crew and ship.

Book 4

%hen Te#emachus and isistratus arrive in Sparta, they find Mene#aus and 'e#en ce#ebrating the marriages of

their son and daughter. The /ing and 5ueen ho#d a feast hat night and recount for Te#emachus the many

instances of Odysseus’ cunning during the war. 'e#en recounts the time when Odysseus dressed as a beggar

and infi#trated Troy and Mene#aus describes the fina# victory of the Tro$an 'orse, masterminded by Odysseus

himse#f. The ne*t day, Mene#aus describes how he returned from Troy. 'e was trapped in 2gypt for a time and

was forced to capture roteus, the O#d Man of the Sea who then gave him the directions back to Sparta as we##

as revea#ing the fates of gamemnon and $a*. $a*’s own fate was simi#ar to how gamemnon fina##y returned

home, on#y to be ki##ed.

roteus a#so revea#s to Mene#aus that Odysseus is imprisoned on the is#and of +a#ypso and has been for

years. Te#emachus and isistratus take this information and return to thaca. Back in thaca, the suitors begin to

p#ot the assassination of Te#emachus. hera#d overhears the p#ot and reports it back to ene#ope who

becomes distraught. 'owever thena sends her own message to ene#ope and re#ays that Te#emachus has

the goddess’s protection.

Book 5

Back on O#ympus, the gods convene without oseidon to discuss what sha## be done with Odysseus. thena is

ab#e to convince 6eus to step in and so 'ermes is dispatched to +a#ypso to inform her that Odysseus must be

a##owed to #eave. She is unhappy, rai#ing against the ma#e gods of O#ympus for their se#fishness and hypocrisy.

She does eventua##y re#ent though as it is by the decree of 6eus. Odysseus is a#one with his crew and ship both

#ong since destroyed after #eaving Troy. 'owever, with 'ermes’ inter$ection, he is fina##y permitted to bui#d a

new boat and prepare it for his fina# voyage home.

fter #eaving, Odysseus spends on#y eighteen days at sea before spotting Scheria, the #ocation pointed to himvia 'ermes by the gods. oseidon has returned though from his trip to 2thiopia and sees that the other gods

have he#ped Odysseus escape +a#ypso. n reta#iation he sets a storm upon Odysseus and attempts to drown

him. no arrives and saves Odysseus, bestowing upon him a vei# meant to keep him safe from the sea after the

ship sinks. %ith thena a#so at his side, Odysseus is ab#e to survive the storm and eventua##y fights his way to

shore and the forest of Scheria. fter tossing no’s vei# back into the water, he is fina##y safe from oseidon.

Book 6


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thena appears in the dreams of 4ausicaa, rincess of the haeacians as one of her c#osest friends. She

coa*es 4ausicaa to visit the river the fo##owing day and wash her c#othing so that the men courting her wi## find

her more attractive. She does as informed and whi#e she and her maids are naked and p#aying beside the river,

Odysseus awakes and encounters them. 'e himse#f is naked, but does not revea# his true identity, instead

taking the time to c#ean the dirt and muck from the ocean c#ean. thena imbues him with e*ceptiona# physica#

appearance and 4ausicaa begins to fa## in #ove with him upon seeing him once more. She informs Odysseusthat he must approach the pa#ace on his own so as not to draw attention to her bringing a man back with her to

the city. She informs him to approach rete, her mother and the 5ueen and gives him instructions on how to do

so.

Book 7

On the trip to the pa#ace to meet with the /ing and 5ueen of the haeacians, Odysseus encounters thena, in

disguise as a young gir#. She protects and hides him from the popu#ous and guides him to the a#ace. She te##s

him to ask for he#p from rete and not #cinous, the /ing as she is kind and wise and wi## he#p him. She then

#eaves Scheria to return to thens.

%hen Odysseus arrives, he finds the pa#ace worshipping oseidon in a festiva# designed for him. 'e notes the

beauty and e*cessiveness of the a#ace and the /ing’s ce#ebration and as Odysseus enters, the /ing himse#f

questions whether or not Odysseus might be a god. 'owever, Odysseus re#ates that he is indeed a morta# and

with a bit of e*p#aining is ab#e to describe his situation without revea#ing his identity and secure a promise of

assistance from the /ing and 5ueen1 they wi## he#p him return home the fo##owing day.

That evening, rete fina##y recogni7es Odysseus’s c#othing as be#onging to her daughter, 4ausica and

questions him more regarding his identity. 'e sti## keeps his name to himse#f, but re#ays his story of the $ourney

from +a#ypso to the beaches of Scheria and 4ausicaa that morning. Odysseus ca#m#y takes responsibi#ity for

arriving at the pa#ace a#one and does not give away any of what 4ausicaa said or did, eventua##y impressing

#cinous enough for him to offer her hand to Odysseus in marriage.

Book 8The fo##owing day, an assemb#y of the haeacian counse# is ca##ed with thena ensuring ma*imum attendance

by carrying word to each counse#or of the visitor to the is#and who appears as a god. #cinous presents his p#an

to offer Odysseus a ship to return home and the counse#ors agree, after which everyone convenes at the

a#ace for a feast and games in honor of their incredib#e guest. bard re#ays the story of Odysseus and

chi##es quarre##ing in Troy, causing Odysseus to weep in memory of those horrendous times. The king, noting

Odysseus’s response ends the mea# and announces the commencement of the games.

t first unwi##ing to participate because of the physica# strain of his $ourneys, Odysseus is goaded into

participating in the discus throw by a young ath#ete $abbing at his abi#ities. Overcome by pride, Odysseus out

throws everyone and cha##enges the rest of the haeacians to any sport they might choose. 2ventua##y, before

anyone e#se can become upset, #cinous announces that they sha## have another feast with further song anddance. The bard sings this time a ta#e of gods and goddesses in #ove instead. fter the feast, the haeacians

offer their gifts to Odysseus to return home with. 3ater that night when Odysseus requests a song about the

Tro$an 'orse and the end of the war, he eventua##y #oses contro# of his emotions again, prompting #cinous to

demand he revea# his name and purpose.

Book 9


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%ithout much of a choice, Odyseeus re#ents and begins to te## his story. fter first setting sai# from Troy, they

arrived at the home of the +icones, smarus. They p#under the city but u#timate#y spend too much time there as

the +icone forces return and chase them back to their ships, ki##ing a#most si* men per ship. fter a storm that

#asts for nine fu## days, they arrive in the 3and of the 3otus 2aters.

8pon #anding, Odysseus’s men are offered fruit by the 3otus 2aters and immediate#y fa## victim to the

into*icating effect of it. They refuse to #eave and eventua##y are taken back to the ship by Odysseus by force.

%hen they fina##y #eave the 3and of the 3otus 2aters, the men secure#y #ocked up, they arrive soon in the #and

of the +yc#ops. t is here that they encounter a herd of wi#d goats. 'owever, eventua##y they decide they wi##

cross the straight and visit the main #and to acquire more supp#ies.

%hi#e on the main #and, they discover a #arge supp#y of sheep, mi#k and cheese in a #arge cave. The men urge

Odysseus to hurry but they spend a bit too #ong in the cave and o#yphemus, the cave’s resident returns and

immediate#y eats two crew members and imprisons the rest for future mea#s.

Trapped behind the giant rock b#ocking the entrance, Odysseus is forced to think of a p#an to escape. 'e waits

for o#yphemus to #eave the cave and finds a particu#ar#y good piece of wood to temper in the fire, hardening it.

%hen o#yphemus returns with his f#ock, Odysseus uses the wine they brought with them to get him drunk.%hi#e drunk, o#yphemus inquires of Odysseus’s name, to which Odysseus responds 94obody.: Short#y

afterwards, o#yphemus co##apses under the effects of the wine and Odysseus and his men attack with the

staff, b#inding the +yc#ops. %hen he ca##s for he#p, a## he can say is 94obody is ki##ing me:, forcing the other

+yc#ops to abandon his strange cries for he#p. The fo##owing day, the men c#ing to the bottom of the sheep and

#eave the cave when o#yphemus #eads them out. They stea# the sheep and as they are departing, Odysseus

ca##s his name back to the +yc#ops. %ith Odysseus’s name in hand, o#yphemus ca##s for his father, oseidon,

to curse Odysseus at sea.

Book 10

The ne*t stop for Odysseus and his men is the #and of eo#us, keeper of the winds. 'e offers Odysseus the gift

of a bag, containing a## of the winds. 'e then stirs up the %ester#y wind to guide them home. fter on#y !" days,they are within sight of thaca. 'owever, because the men are greedy, they tear open eo#us’s bag, thinking it

contains go#d and si#ver. The winds, #oosened as they are, form a terrib#e storm and b#ow the ships back to

eo#us who then refuses to he#p him as he be#ieves them to be cursed by the gods.

%ithout the winds to guide them, Odysseus and his men row to 3aestrygonia, the home of giants who

immediate#y ki## and eat Odysseus’s scouts. The 3aestrygonians toss bou#ders towards the ships and sink

them, #eaving on#y Odysseus’s ship to escape in. fter bare#y escaping, Odysseus and his men arrive in eaea

where the witch(goddess +irce #ives.

She immediate#y turns Odysseus’s men into pigs. Odysseus is given advice by 'ermes to eat an herb known

as Mo#y to protect him from the spe## and that when she draws her sword, he shou#d #unge towards her. fter

defeating +irce and forcing +irce to return his men to human, Odysseus becomes +irce’s #over, #iving on

+irce’s is#and for more than year in abso#ute #u*ury. The men fina##y convince Odysseus to #eave though and

+irce offers instructions that wi## send Odysseus to 'ades to speak with Tiresias, the b#ind prophet, to #earn the

way home.

%hen they awake and prepare to #eave the fo##owing morning, Odysseus #earns that yet another of his men has

perished, having fa##en from the roof after drinking too much and breaking his neck. The remaining men are not

happy about the news that they wi## be trave#ing to the underwor#d instead of direct#y home.


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Book 11

Odysseus trave#s with his men to the river of Ocean in the 3and of the +immerians to perform the necessary

tasks out#ined by +irce to reach the #and of the dead. 'e pours his #ibations and offers sacrifices designed to

attract dead sou#s and eventua##y is ab#e to reach and speak with the young crewman who fe## from +irce’s roof.

'e begs for Odysseus to return and proper#y bury his body. 4e*t, he speaks to Tiresias the rophet, who

re#ates the reason for their poor #uck. oseidon is angered by the b#inding of o#yphemus and impedes

Odysseus’s return. 'e offers his vision of the future to Odysseus, that he wi## eventua##y return home to his wife

and son. 'e a#so warns Odysseus that he must not touch the f#ocks of the Sun in Thrinacia or he wi## suffer

greater hardship and #ose his crew. fter Tiresias departs, Odysseus speaks with his mother, ntic#eia. She

re#ates the current state of affairs in thaca and how she died in grief waiting for him to return. 'e speaks with

numerous other perished heroes whi#e in the underwor#d.

fter attempting to end his story and s#eep, Odysseus is pressed on by the haeacians to re#ay if he met with

any of the great 0reek 'eroes who fe## in Troy. Odysseus re#ays his meeting with gamemnon who re#ates his

murder at the hands of his wife +#ytmenestra. 'e a#so meets with chi##es who asks after his own son,

4eopto#emus. 'e a#so attempts to contact $a*, the warrior who ki##ed himse#f after fai#ing to win a contest with

Odysseus to retain the arms of chi##es. 'e mentions that he saw 'erac#es, /ing Minos, Orion and many other

great 0reek heroes.

'e describes Sisyphus pushing his bou#der up the eterna# hi## and Tanta#us, eterna##y punished with hunger and

thirst, surrounded by water and tempted by grapes. 'e is eventua##y rushed by the many sou#s wishing to #earn

more about the #iving wor#d and is forced to f#ee for his ship, sai#ing away immediate#y.

Book 12

;o##owing his return from the 3and of the &ead, Odysseus returns to +irce’s is#and and buries his dead crew

member. She offers advice for the remainder of his trip on how to hand#e the ensuing tria#s as we##.

The first tria# turns out to be the Sirens. Odysseus has each of his men p#ug their ears with bee’s wa* and then

tie him down to the mast of the ship and ho#d him there no matter what. &espite their ca##s, Odysseus is ab#e to

withstand the Sirens with the he#p of his crew.

The ne*t tria# is the straight of Scy##a and +harybdis. 'ere, they encounter the si*(headed monster Scy##a, who

wi## eat one crew member for each of its si* heads. On the other side is +harybda, the infamous#y dangerous

whir#poo# that takes any ship foo#ish enough to come within range. ccording to +irce’s advice, they navigate

towards Scy##a’s #air and are forced to sacrifice si* men to survive the straights.

;ina##y, they arrive in Thrinicia, where they encounter the +att#e of the Sun. &espite his desire to move on, his

men convince Odysseus to stop and rest on the s#and of the Sun. fter a fu## month of waiting out storm after

storm, the men begin to e*haust their rations and decide they wou#d #ike to ki## and eat the +att#e on the is#and.

gainst Odysseus’s orders, they wait unti# he is as#eep and s#aughter the +att#e for food. The Sun is enraged

and asks 6eus for assistance in punishing Odysseus and his men. fter they #eave the is#and, 6eus does $ust

that by throwing a storm toward them that immediate#y sinks the ship and ki##s every man aboard e*cept

Odysseus. t is after this ordea# that he eventua##y makes his way, aboard f#otsam from his sunken ship, to

+a#ypso’s is#and where he’## spend the ne*t seven years.

Book 13


9/20

The ne*t day, after having comp#eted his ta#e, Odysseus prepares to #eave for thaca. #cinous #oads the gifts

from the night before onto the ship Odysseus wi## use and the ne*t day Odysseus sets sai# with a fu## haeacian

crew. 'e s#eeps on the ship unti# he arrives at thaca, where the haeacians un#oad him and his gifts on shore

before sai#ing home.

oseidon, however, is unhappy that the haeacians, a peop#e who traditiona##y worship him, wou#d he#p

someone he so dis#ikes. ;or that reason, he takes his vengeance upon them by waiting for the ship to arrive in

Scheria and turning it to stone, sinking it to the bottom of the harbor. The haeacians reca## a particu#ar

prophecy warning them against he#ping strangers and decide never to he#p a trave#er again.

Odysseus awakes and finds himse#f in a strange #and. Though he is in thaca, thena keeps it hidden unti# she

is sure what to do ne*t. 'e is at first angry at the haeacians, but thena arrives in the disguise of a shepherd

and te##s him he is in thaca. fter a game of wits with thena over their identities, thena re#ays that he must

use his inte##igence to punish the suitors who have been misusing his home and wife. She te##s him to seek out

2umaeus and take refuge in his hut. She a#so re#ays news of Te#emachus and disguises Odysseus as a beggar

to keep his identity a secret.

Book 14

8pon approaching his hut, Odysseus finds 2umaeus who invites him inside for a mea# of pork. 2umaeus

reca##s the g#ory days of his o#d master, who he worries is #ong dead and gone, and speaks i## about the suitors

who have turned the once proud a#ace into a horrid p#ace. Odysseus pretends to predict the return of

2umaeus’s o#d master, but 2umaeus grows wary as many beggars have arrived trying to get a hot mea# by

offering news of Odysseus to ene#ope. 2umaeus #ikes the beggar though and offers him a c#oak and a p#ace

to s#eep. Odysseus then re#ates the #ie that he is from +rete and was at Odysseus’s side in Troy before

returning home. 'owever, a #ater trip to 2gypt proved fatefu##y bad and he became the beggar that 2umaeus

sees in front of him. 'e revea#s that during the trip to 2gypt he heard Odysseus was a#ive.

Book 15

n Sparta, thena arrives to find Te#emachus and isistratus as#eep in the pa#ace of Mene#aus. She re#ays to

Te#emachus that he must hurry home to dea# with the suitors and warns him of the p#ot to assassinate

Te#emachus when he returns and how to avoid it. She te##s him to seek out 2umaeus when he returns who wi##

re#ay his return to ene#ope.

%hen Te#emachus is preparing to #eave the fo##owing day an eag#e appears with a goose in its c#aws, a sign

that 'e#en interprets as the return and triumph of Odysseus. Te#emachus arrives back in y#os and immediate#y

returns to his ship, stating that he has no time to spend with 4estor. The descendent of a prophet,

Theoc#ymenus, who is pursued by the #aw for a crime committed in rgos, arrives and requests passage with

Te#emachus, who offers him amp#e hospita#ity.

2umaeus refuses to a##ow Odysseus to #eave and seek emp#oyment with the suitors, instead offering his own

further hospita#ity. They continue to swap stories. 2umaeus describes how he first arrived in thaca. 'e

describes how he was kidnapped by pirates and so#d to 3aertes, and eventua##y raised by Odysseus’s mother

as one of her own.

%hen Te#emachus arrives the ne*t day, he disembarks and sends his crew ahead to the city. Theoc#ymenus

sees a hawk f#y above with a dove in hand that he interprets as a good sign for Odysseus and his fami#y #ine.

Book 16


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Te#emachus arrives at the hut of 2umaeus and finds Odysseus and the swineherd ta#king. 2umaeus at first

suggest that Te#emachus take Odysseus to the pa#ace with him, but Te#emachus is afraid of the suitors and

their actions, so sends 2umaeus ahead instead to inform his mother of his return.

thena then ca##s Odysseus outside the hut where she removes the spe## she had cast upon him, revea#ing

who he rea##y is. 'e reenters the hut and, standing as Odysseus the #ong #ost /ing of thaca, embraces his son

and two weep. Odysseus describes his trip to thaca with the haeacians and begins to out#ine the p#ot which

wi## eventua##y overthrow the suitors.

'e wi## enter the pa#ace disguised as a beggar, whi#e Te#emachaus hides the e*cess arms away from the

access of the suitors. %hen the time is right, father and son wi## take the hidden arms and s#aughter the suitors.

2umaeus is unab#e to give ene#ope the news of Te#emachus’s return before the ships messenger arrives. The

suitors are du#y upset at their fai#ure and begin to p#an their ne*t move against him. ntinous wants to ki##

Te#emachus before he has a chance to ca## another assemb#y and revea# the p#ans of the suitors. mphinomus,

the nicer of the suitors, is ab#e to way#ay such ta#k though and convince his brethren to await a sign from the

gods. ene#ope #ater denounces ntinous for his p#ot against Te#emachus before being ca#med by the #ies of

yet another i##(mannered suitor, 2urymachus.

Book 17

3eaving his father behind, Te#emachus enters the pa#ace and meets back up with his mother and 2uryc#eia, his

nurse. 'e meets with Theocy#menus and his crew chief in the ha## and requests that the gifts given to him by

Mene#aus remain on the ship for now, #est the suitors stea# them. 'e #ater revea#s the news he has gathered

from Sparta and y#os about Odysseus but does not revea# that Odysseus is in fact waiting in 2umaeus’s hut.

Theocy#menus however, pronounces that Odysseus is in thaca at that moment.

fter Te#emachus has entered the pa#ace and spoken with ene#ope, Odysseus and 2umaeus set out for the

pa#ace on their own. One of the suitors’ companions sees them and physica##y assau#ts Odysseus


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and Odysseus attempts to send her maids to her. They a#so insu#t Odysseus though and so he threatens them

to scare them away.

thena continues to enf#ame re#ations with the suitors by prompting 2urymachus to insu#t Odysseus, #eading to

a vo##ey of insu#ts and thrown stoo#s. The room is about to erupt into a fu## riot when Te#emachus fina##y steps in

and sett#es them a## down.

Book 19

That night, Te#emachus and Odysseus hide away the arms whi#e thena keeps the rooms #it for them.

Te#emahus #ies to the 2uryc#eia and te##s her that they are keeping them from damage. fter their task is

comp#eted, Te#emachus #eaves for his chambers and ene#ope arrives to speak with Odysseus. She is curious

of his know#edge of her husband and questions him to describe the /ing. 'e therefore describes himse#f in

abso#ute detai#, brining ene#ope to tears in the process. 'e te##s his recounting of how he met Odysseus and

how he came to be in thaca. 'e te##s her that Odysseus is a#ive and we## and wi## return within one month.

'e refuses an offer by ene#ope for a bed to s#eep in and very re#uctant#y a##ows 2uryc#eia to wash his feet.

She notes the scar on his foot he received whi#e boar hunting as a young man with his grandfather. She

immediate#y recogni7es Odysseus and hugs him. thena does her part to keep ene#ope distracted though sothat Odysseus can maintain his secret identity and e*tract a promise of si#ence from 2uryc#eia.

ene#ope describes a dream before she s#eeps to Odysseus about an eag#e which ki##s a## twenty of her pet

geese and then revea#s itse#f as her husband ki##ing her #overs. Odysseus e*p#ains the dream to her and

ene#ope announces that she wi## choose a new husband by demanding the suitors to attempt to shoot an

arrow through twe#ve a*es in a #ine, something on#y Odysseus has been known to accomp#ish.

Book 20

Because of the task ahead of them, Odysseus has troub#e s#eeping. thena assures him of his future success

though, even against such incredib#e odds. ene#ope on the other hand is distraught that her husband is sti##

#ost and that she has $ust committed to a new husband. She awakes and prays for death at the hands of

rtemis. Odysseus responds with a prayer of his own to 6eus for an omen. 6eus rep#ies with a thunder c#ap,

coinciding with maids nearby cursing the suitors.

The fo##owing morning, Te#emachus and Odysseus meet up with 2umaeus, a sti## #oya# herdsman, and a swarm

of suitors arriving with murder on their minds. nother eag#e appears with a dove in its c#aws and mphinomus

requests that they ca## of their p#ot against Te#emachus. thena keeps the suitors ri#ed up though so as

Odysseus does not re#inquish any of his rage. One of the suitors throws a cow’s hoof at Odysseus and another

threatens to ki## him. They #augh at Odysseus and miss the obvious omen of b#ood covering the wa##s, an

imminent promise of their doom.

Book 21

ene#ope arrives with the announcement that she wi## choose a suitor, so #ong as he is ab#e to string

Odysseus’s bow and shoot an arrow through the #ine of twe#ve a*es. Te#emachus quick#y sets up the a*es and

attempts the feat himse#f, fai#ing to even string the bow. The suitors themse#ves fai# at the task of warming and

stringing the bow, one by one.

Odysseus retreats outside with 2umaeus and the #oya# herdsman and ensures they are sti## #oya# to him before

revea#ing his true identity. 'e asks that they fight at his side and he promises to treat them as sons in

repayment.


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8pon returning they find that the suitors are sti## fai#ing to even string the bow. ntinous tries to retire for the day

so that they can make sacrifices to po##o and try again the ne*t day. 'owever, Odysseus steps forward and

requests to try the task himse#f. They fear his success and refuse him the opportunity. Te#emachus si#ences

them though and demands that Odysseus be given the bow and a chance. 'e quick#y and easi#y strings the

bow and shoots the arrow through a## twe#ve a*es.

Book 22

s quick#y as he shoots the first shot, Odysseus puts an arrow through the throat of ntinous and revea#s

himse#f as the #ong #ost /ing, driving fear into the hearts of the remaining suitors. The doors are #ocked, keeping

them from escaping and despite the p#eas of the suitors to #et them #ive, Odysseus dec#ares that they wi## a## die

and the batt#e ensues.

Te#emachus retrieves swords and shie#ds from the storeroom and arms 2umaeus and the herdsman, but

forgets to #ock the room as he e*its. One of the suitors is ab#e to enter the room and retrieve arms for the

others, though on the second trip to the storeroom he is captured and #ocked inside.

thena arrives as Mentor and encourages Odysseus, trying to measure how strong he tru#y is. few of the

suitors are fe##ed with spears with on#y sma## wounds for Odysseus and his side. 'owever, as soon as thena $oins in as Mentor, the batt#e is quick#y finished. Odysseus ki##s everyone who was with the suitors with the

e*ception of the minstre# and the hera#d who he deems as innocent victims.

Odysseus then ca##s 2uryc#eia out to he#p remove the dead suitors. t first she is e*cited at their deaths, but

Odysseus quiets her for re$oicing over the dead. They gather the servants who were dis#oya# and have them

c#ean and dispose of the bodies before they are themse#ves taken outside and ki##ed. Te#emachus decides they

wi## be hanged, a much more disgracefu# way to die. ;ina##y, after everyone is dead, Odysseus orders a

fumigation of the house to c#eanse it.

Book 23

'aving s#ept through the entire batt#e, ene#ope is fina##y awakened. She does not be#ieve 2uryc#eia at first and

does not accept the truth unti# she goes downstairs and sees Odysseus with her own eyes. The fami#y reunites

and Te#emachus chastises her for not showing more open e*citement. 'owever, Odysseus is more worried

about having $ust ki##ed every young nob#eman in the country, something their parents wi## not appreciate. 'e

decides to take his fami#y to their farm and hide for a bit unti# things sett#e.

%ary that she is being tricked, ene#ope is not quite wi##ing to be#ieve that her husband has returned. She

requests that the brida# bed be moved, to which Odysseus e*p#odes, e*p#aining that such a thing cannot be

done. t was carved from the so#id trunk of a sing#e o#ive tree, around which the house was bui#t. She knows

from these detai#s that it must tru#y be her husband and fina##y she re$oices. They spend time getting caught up

and Odysseus recounts his $ourneys thus far. The ne*t day, he #eaves to see 3aertes and warns his wife to

remain in her room and not take any visitors. thena assists once again by hiding Odysseus and Te#emachus in

darkness.

Book 24

The scene changes to the procession of the suitors’ sou#s to 'ades, #ed by 'ermes. 'ere, gamemnon and

chi##es argue over whose death was better, describing chi##es’ funera# in detai#. They meet the suitors as they

arrive and inquire as to how they a## died. They b#ame ene#ope for her treachery, which gamemnon

compares to the actua# treachery of +#ytmenestra, knowing that ene#ope is a better person.


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On 3aertes’ farm, Odysseus arrives and meets with his father a#one. 'e finds his father much o#der than when

he #eft, having grieved for the death of his wife and #oss of his son. Odysseus de#ays revea#ing himse#f to his

father, but after 3aertes begins to weep in memory of his #ost son, Odysseus revea#s himse#f and shows the

scar on his foot to prove his c#aim a#ong with certain memories of chi#dhood. 'e describes the previous night’s

batt#e with the suitors and their messy end.

fter their discussion, they have #unch. &uring their mea#, the 0oddess >umor spreads the news of the

massacre in the pa#ace. The suitors’ parents gather and decide how they wi## respond. 'a#itherses, an e#der of

the group describes the $ust punishment they received, whi#e 2upithes, ntinous’s father wants revenge against

Odysseus. 2ventua##y, they track down Odysseus on 3aertes’ farm. thena appears once more as Mentor and

stops the procession though, with on#y one more man dying, ntinous’s father. 8nder the carefu# manipu#ation

of thena, the thacans are ab#e to forget the massacre and Odysseus is ab#e to rec#aim his throne and peace

is restored

odysseus

hort summary

The Odyssey is uni2ue amon poems of the time. The focus on a unied theme

"ithin an epic cycle )ia rapid, %ut direct, e)olution of thouht and e(pression makes

the Odyssey a classic. $omer "as reconi=ed around the Western "orld for simple

synta( in he(ameter )erse. The poem spotlihts rammatical form led %y )erse

structure to attri%ute rhythm throuh uniform pauses. $omer's poetic skill dees

ae and time %y surpassin deree. Odyssey may lack the e(pression and

distinuishin 2ualities of Iliad, %ut the su%tle )ersion of the epico8lyrical attempt

remains a %allad. $omer's po"erful style of )erse denes the popular epic as a%allad, set aainst Greek culture. The Odyssey is indienous and easily

distinuisha%le from a Eante or Milton.

$omer's Odyssey is as dramatic as Iliad. The lack of racial antipathy and political

e)ents etch the poem permanently in the mind of the reader. $omeric Greek, in the

Odyssey, is a rhapsode style that "as pro%a%ly meant to %e sun. The %allad


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re)ol)es around Odysseus, "ho takes ten lon years after the Trojan War to reach

Ithaca. $is a%sence is misunderstood for his death. +enelope, his "ife and his son

Telemachus deal "ith suitors, "ho line up for +enelope's hand. The unruly +roci

make their li)es misera%le.

The Odyssey# - hort ummary

Odyssey %attles internal and e(ternal con:ict to take part in the Trojan War. It is at a

time "hen his son Telemachus, is only a month old. Ten years after the "ar,

Odysseus retraces his steps %ack home. !y that time, Telemachus is t"enty and

li)in "ith his mother +enelope in Ithaca. $is mother has to deal "ith BH suitors,

"ho are %oisterous and adamant that she should aree to marriae.

-thena, Odysseus's uardian, decides "ith the *in of Gods accordin to Greek

mytholoy, 5eus, to take the form of Mentes, a Taphian chief and speak to

Telemachus. he ures the %oy to look for his father. Telemachus and -thena

"itness +hemius the %ard entertainin the ro"dy suitors "ith >Jeturn from Troy>.

)en as +enelope o%jects, ured %y -thena, Telemachus orders +hemius to read on.

-thena nds Telemachus a ship and cre" and helps him to depart for the mainland.

Welcomed %y the /estor family, Telemachus then em%arks on a land journey

alonside parta, /estor's son. $e chances upon $elen and Menelaus %ear "itness

of a meetin "ith sea8od +roteus. They inform Telemachus that his father has %een

captured %y ;alypso, a nymph.

Odysseus, mean"hile, spends se)en years in capti)ity. $e is released only to incur

the "rath of +oseidon, the sea8od "ho "as not present on Mount Olympus "hen-thena and 5eus interacted. scapin the "reckae, Odysseus s"ims ashore

e(hausted and falls asleep. $e then seeks the hospitality of -rete and -lcinous.

Odysseus strules throuh a situation "here his identity is al"ays in dou%t.

- raid on his t"el)e ships %y storms, lotus eaters and %linded "ith a "ooden stake,

lea)es the hero a %roken man. - %oon from -eolus, the "ind od helped Odysseus

harness all the "inds. $o"e)er, "ith destiny playin truant, Odysseus does not

retain the only 'safe' "ind that could %lo" him home"ard. $is escapades "ith the

pantheon of Greek ods and oddesses, a treacherous sailor, 9aestryones the

canni%al, ;irce, the "itch oddess and the spirit of Tiresias, lea)e Odysseus spentand lonin for home.

Odysseus' lucky meetin "ith the +haeacians, %uys him a home8%ound journey.

Eisuised as a %ear, Odysseus learns a%out his family. $e meets +enelope "ith

the intention of testin her lo)e for him. +enelope proposes that a contest %e held

to nd the suitor "hom she "ill marry. he declares that the person "ho can strin

Odysseus' reat %o" and shoot an arro" throuh a do=en a(eheads "ill "in the


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contest. -s it is his %o", Odysseus can only pull o the feat and then he proceeds to

kill all the other contestin suitors in the process re)eals his true identity. -s a result

of the killin of the suitors %y Odysseus a feud erupts %et"een the kin of the slain

suitors and Odysseus. This potential %attle is a)erted "hen -thena inter)enes and

on the command of 5eus, persuades the "arrin parties to end the )endetta

%et"een the t"o sides. -t last peace is restored to Ithaca.

Odyssey the "ord itself has come to refer to an epic )oyae. One of the major

themes is "anderin or loneliness, a desire for homecomin "hich %ecomes the

%asis of Odysseus' journey o)er se)eral years. -nother theme that emeres is that

of temptation and "eakness "hich lies inside each person and makes that

indi)idual )ulnera%le. - fre2uent and dominant motif in the Odyssey is disuise, %e

it in the Trojan horse, or as a %ear "hen Odysseus returns home.

Jead more at !u==le# http#KK""".%u==le.comKarticlesKshort8summary8of8the8

odyssey.htm

The journey

THE CICONES

-fter Odysseus and his men depart from Troy, they are reeted %y friendly and

calm "aters. The cre" made for Ismaros in the land of the ;icones. The city "as

not at all protected and all of the inha%itants :ed "ithout a ht into the near%y

mountains. Odysseus and his men looted the city and ro%%ed it of all its oods.

Odysseus "isely told his men to %oard the ships 2uickly %ut they refused and fell

asleep on the %each. The ne(t mornin, the ;icones returned "ith their erce

kinsmen from the mountains. Odysseus and his men :ed to the ships as fast as

they could %ut they lost many men still. On lea)in Ismaros, Odysseus and hist"el)e ships "ere dri)en o course %y erce storms.

When Odysseus and his men landed on the island of the 9otus8aters, Odysseus

sent out a scoutin party "ho ate lotus fruit "ith the nati)es. This caused them

to fall sleep and stop carin a%out e)er oin home. Odysseus "ent after the

scoutin party and draed them %ack aainst their "ill to the ship and set sail.

THOTUS-EATERSWhen Odysseus and his men landed on the island of theLotus-Eaters, Odysseus sent out a scouting party who ate lotus fruitwith the natives. This caused them to fall sleep and stop caring aboutever going home. Odysseus went after the scouting party and draggedthem back against their will to the ship and set sail.

THE LAESTRYGONIANS

They came to Telepylos, the stronhold of 9amos, kin of the 9aestryonians. These people attacked the :eet "ith %oulders, sinkin all %ut one of the ships

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/short-summary-of-the-odyssey.htmhttp://www.buzzle.com/articles/short-summary-of-the-odyssey.htmhttp://www.buzzle.com/articles/short-summary-of-the-odyssey.htmhttp://www.buzzle.com/articles/short-summary-of-the-odyssey.htm


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and killin hundreds of OdysseusLs men.

TIRESIAS

6inally, uided %y ;irce's instructions, Odysseus and his cre" crossed the ocean

and reached a har%or at the "estern ede of the "orld, "here Odysseus

sacriced to the dead and summoned the spirit of the old prophet Tiresias to


17/20

ad)ise him of ho" to appease the ods upon his return home.

THE SIRENS

Odysseus escaped the irens %y ha)in all his sailors plu their ears "ith

%ees"a( and tie him to the mast. $e "as curious as to "hat the irens sounded

like. When he heard their %eautiful son, he ordered the sailors to untie him %ut

they inored him. When they had passed out of earshot, Odysseus stopped


18/20

thrashin a%out and calmed do"n, and "as released.

SCYLLA & CHARYBDIS

Odysseus "as i)en ad)ice %y ;irce to sail closer to the si(8headed monster

cylla, for the "hirlpool ;hary%dis could dro"n his "hole ship. Odysseus

successfully na)iates his ship past cylla and ;hary%dis, %ut cylla manaes to


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catch si( of his men, de)ourin them ali)e.

THRINACIA

6inally, Odysseus and his sur)i)in cre" landed on an island, Thrinacia, sacred

to $elios, "here he kept sacred cattle. Thouh Odysseus "arned his men not to

&as Tiresias had told him, they killed and ate some of the cattle. -s uardians of

the island, $eliosLs dauhters told their father. $elios destroyed the ship and all

the men sa)e Odysseus.

CALYPSO

Odysseus "as "ashed ashore on Oyia, "here the nymph *alypso &;alypso

li)ed. he made him her lo)er for se)en years and "ould not let him lea)e,

promisin him immortality if he stayed. On %ehalf of -thena, 5eus inter)ened

and sent $ermes to tell *alypso to let Odysseus o.

NAUSICAA

Odysseus left Oyia on a small raft furnished "ith pro)isions of "ater, "ine and

food %y *alypso, only to %e hit %y a storm and "ashed up on the island of

cheria and found %y /ausicaa, dauhter of *in -lcinous and 7ueen -rete of


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the +haeacians, "ho entertained him "ell and escorted him to Ithaca. On the

t"entieth day of sailin he arri)ed at his home in Ithaca.

http#KK""".youtu%e.comK"atch?)+/(-t$!5p%

summar oy odyseus

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