ODYSSEY

maps

As you know, the Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus' return from the Trojan War. His was, in many ways, the most difficult and prolonged return of all the Greek heroes, but also probably the most triumphant, since he returned to reclaim his house and family from over 100 hostile suitors. These slides will follow the progress of the story, from the discussion between Zeus and Athena about the fate of Agamemnon (repeatedly contrasted with the fate of Odysseus), through the voyage of Telemachus, the stories of Odysseus in books 9-12, his return as a beggar in disguise in his own house, his slaughter of the suitors, and his metis-filled reunion with Penelope.

Book 1: Zeus recounts to Athena the story of how Aegisthus seduced Agamemnon's wife and then murdered him when he came home. This is the first of many tellings of this tale, which stress the parallel between Orestes (Agamemnon's son, who avenged his murder by murdering Aegisthus and his own mother, Clytemnestra) and Telemachus, the would-be punisher of the suitors. They also stress the possibility that Penelope will betray her marriage and turn out to be like Clytemnestra. This Attic red-figure crater (c.490 BCE) shows Aegisthus grabbing Agamemnon by the hair, after stabbing him. Agamemnon is wrapped up in a see-through robe, having just taken a bath. Cassandra, the next victim, stands behind Agamemnon shrieking, while Clytemnestra stands behind Aegisthus, urging him on.

Book 2: After being advised by Mentes (Athena in disguise) in Book 1, Telemachus calls a town meeting in Book 2, urging the suitors to stop eating up all his possessions and leave his house. Antinous and Eurymachus, the chief suitors, respond that it's really Penelope's fault for leading them on with the weaving and unweaving of Laertes' shroud. This Attic red-figure vase shows Penelope sitting in front of her loom, having been discovered and confronted by one of the suitors, probably Antinous.

Book 3: At the end of Book 2, Telemachus borrows a ship from Noemon and goes to visit Nestor and Menelaus on the mainland, and ask them for news about his father. This red-figure vase shows the aged Nestor receiving the beardless youth Telemachus; behind Nestor stands (scholars suspect) his daughter, Polycaste, who at the end of Book 3 bathes Telemachus and rubs him with oil. That's it, an innocent oil massage.

Book 4: Having learned what he could from Nestor (mostly another telling of the story of Agamemnon's homecoming), Telemachus goes to visit Menelaus, who relates what he heard from Proteus, the old man of the sea, while stranded on an island off of Egypt. This includes the story of the lesser Ajax, who raped Cassandra on the altar of Athena, leading to a disastrous storm on the way back home. This red-figure Attic hydria (c480 BCE) shows Ajax taking hold of Cassandra, who grasps Athena's statue. The statue already seems to be angry, aiming its spear down at Ajax. The aged Priam stands off to the left, and Hecuba slumps down beside the statue.

Book 6: After the Telemacheia (the journey of Telemachus in books 1-4), the action shifts to getting Odysseus back from Calypso's island. Odysseus' raft is wrecked by Poseidon at the end of Book 5, and he washes ashore on the island of the Phaeacians. Having slept all night naked under olive leaves, he is awakened the next morning by the cries of Nausicaa's maidens, who have lost their ball in a stream. This is the cover of a pyxis (a box for makeup), red-figure (c420 BCE), showing Odysseus emerging under the direction of Athena (at center bottom) while the girls run in terror, except for Nausicaa (top left).

Book 9: After entering the palace and being properly received and entertained in books 7-8, Odysseus is finally compelled to reveal his name and homeland. He responds with the massive flashback tale of his adventures. Book 9 contains the Cicones, the Lotus Eaters, and the Cyclops. This is a Roman sculpture from the mid-empire (c200 CE) of the head of a Cyclops. He has two depressions for regular eyes, even though he has his real eye in the middle of his forehead.

Despite the urging of his men, Odyssey insists on waiting in the Cyclops' cave for a guest-gift...and the Cyclops starts eating them! Odysseus gets him back, however, by getting him drunk and drilling a heated stake into his eye. It hisses and pops terribly. This painting comes from the neck of an amphora of the late Geometric period (mid 600s BCE), and it shows Polyphemus getting blinded, while he still holds his cup of wine.

The same scene depicted on an Attic black-figure vase about a century later (late 500s BCE)

Having blinded the Cyclops, Odysseus' men escape under the sheep, and Odysseus himself under the lead ram. This Attic black-figure crater (c500 BCE) shows the ram, weighted down by Odysseus and his mind full of metis.

This Attic red-figure crater (c440 BCE) shows Odysseus with sword drawn, in pursuit of Circe. She will be amazed at his ability to resist her drugs and spells, and will offer to go to bed with him...and he agrees. But first, she must promise not to unman him while he's naked.

Book 11: Odysseus continues to feast and sleep with Circe, until a year goes by and his companions remind him about Ithaca. Circe agrees to let him go, but says that first he's got to go to the Underworld and speak with Tiresias. This Attic red-figure pelike (c440 BCE) shows Odysseus speaking with the ghost of Elpenor, who fell off Circe's roof while he was drunk. Although he is not part of the scene in the Odyssey, Hermes, as conductor of souls, stands at right.

Book 12: Leaving Circe, Odysseus and his men first must go by the island of the Sirens, who attempt to lure sailors to their death with their song. They promise to sing to Odysseus an incomparable song about the Trojan War, because they know everything...and he wants to listen. This Attic red-figure stamnos (c460 BCE) shows the Sirens, who have bird-legs and wings, singing to Odysseus while his men, with wax in their ears, row manfully on.

Book 17: After the Phaeacians drop him off in Book 13, Odysseus is disguised by Athena as a beggar. He is welcomed by the swineherd in Book 14, and in Book 15 Telemachus is brought back to Ithaca (with the help of Athena), while Eumaeus tells Odysseus his story. In Book 16, Odysseus reveals himself to Telemachus in the swineherd's hut, and in Book 17, Telemachus, Eumaeus, and Odysseus-as-beggar all come down to Odysseus' house. The first to recognize him (besides Telemachus) is his old dog Argus, who then up and dies on his manure pile. This Apulian red-figure crater (c350 BCE) shows Penelope leaning against a column at left, Telemachus in the center, and Odysseus with Argus at right.

Book 19: After getting hit with a footstool in 17, thrown by Antinous, and almost hit by another footstool in 18 (thrown by Eurymachus), beating up the beggar Irus, and watching Penelope seduce the suitors out of gifts, Odysseus finally gets to talk one-on-one with Penelope in Book 19. In the midst of the conversation, Penelope suggests that Odysseus (the beggar) get a footbath from Eurycleia. This relief plaque from the early classical period (c470 BCE) shows Penelope looking on thoughtfully (or in a daze) while the Beggar attempts to hide his scar.

Book 22: At the end of the conversation in Book 19, Penelope proposes that the next day she will produce Odysseus' old bow, and put her challenge to the suitors--whoever can string it and shoot an arrow through 12 axeheads will win her. After getting some positive omens and meeting the cowherd in Book 20, in Book 21 Odysseus the Beggar finally gets the bow--after revealing his identity to Eumaeus and Philoetius. This Attic red-figure skyphos (c440 BCE) shows Odysseus raining arrows down on the suitors. Again, contrary to the way it's presented in the Odyssey, serving women stand behind Odysseus; the one immediately behind him is probably Eurycleia.

Another view of the suitors meeting their fate. Telemachus is at far left, wrestling with the bearded man. Apulian red-figure crater (c400 BCE).

Book 23: After the suitors have been slaughtered, their bodies dragged out, and the bad serving maids punished (together with Melanthius), Penelope comes down to see the stranger. There is a long period of silence. After Odysseus has bathed, they again meet each other, and Penelope proposes to move Odysseus' bed--which makes Odysseus reveal his knowledge of that one of the posts is made from an olive trunk. After that, she welcomes him and they make love and talk all night about their pains and trials. This Roman wall painting (c60 CE) shows Penelope looking thoughtfully at Odysseus, who looks thoughtfully back.

Another wall painting of the same scene, from the macellum (public market) off the forum at Pompeii (c70 CE).