2.13.13+and+2.14.13

JOURNALS DUE!

Discuss Book 11 Close Reading-- Odysseus and his men have a difficult journey ahead as Odysseus has the wrath of the sea god (Poseidon) at this back, so no matter what, his journey will be a difficult one. Odysseus will need to curb his crew's "wild desires" and his own (greed, pride, not trusting his crew, ego, etc.) if they all are to survive the journey home, and this will be tested when they land on Helios' island. If they eat the god's herd of cattle, they will be destroyed. Even if Odysseus' manages to survive, he will arrive home a broken man with struggles to overcome at home.

Once he's home and has killed the suitors, he'll need to make some specific sacrifices. First, with a burnished oar in hand, he needs to go on a journey until he meets people who have never seen the sea, know of its ways, use salt in their food, or know about ships. When a stranger compares this oar to a tool to winnow (sift or sort grain) he'll be at the correct place to plant this oar in the ground (probably spread some reverent knowledge about Poseidon and his power over the sea and all mortals who sail it) and sacrifice a black ram and an ewe in Poseidon's name). After this he can return home, but there, he needs to sacrifice to all the gods in order (reinforcing the power of the gods in all things). Then, and only then, will he live a full life, dying peacefully as an old man, surrounded by those he loves, and "far from the sea" aka Poseidon's wrath.

Summary: Bk 11: Using the following format, take notes on the summary of Bk. 11:

The book begins with…

1)

2)

3)

The book ends with…


 * With Circe’s help, the men sail off to reach the Ocean River and essentially the path into Hades: flows in a circle around the entire earth. From its stream all the Rivers and Clouds draw their waters. The underworld Styx, and the river Eridanos of Hyperborea, and Nile of Aithiopia drew their waters directly from the stream. Other rivers obtained their water from it through subterranean aquifers.
 * In Book 10 Circe instructs Odysseus to: enter the Underworld, offer libations of milk, honey, wine, water, and barley to all the dead. He must promise the dead that he’ll slaughter a heifer upon his return to Ithaca, and to Tiresias alone, he should slaughter a black ram. Then, in the moment he must slaughter an ewe and a black ram and pray to the gods. The dead will surge towards him and try to come near the sacrificial blood, but Odysseus and his men should keep them away until Tiresias arrives and Odysseus can question him about journey home to Ithaca.
 * Odysseus does all this, and waits for Tiresias. Before he comes we see Elpenor again (making his way to the underworld), who asks for them to return and give him a proper burial.
 * Tiresias approaches, drinks some of the blood, and then tells Odysseus that he will make it home, but that because he blinded Polyphemus, Poseiodon will make it hard for him to return. He says that Odysseus has the power to keep his crew alive if he can curb their wild desires (and his own) as they approach the (Thri-nay-sha) Thrinacia Island, that houses the cattle of Helios (Apollo’s cattle). If they harm the cattle of the sun, the men will all die, and though Odysseus will escape, his journey will not be an easy one: “And even if //you// escape, you’ll come home late and come home a broken man—all shipmates lost, alone in a stranger’s ship…” (11.129).
 * He describes the situation at home, and foretells that Odysseus will return and kill the suitors, but after that, when he sees the sign, he will travel again to make an offering to Poseidon in a far-off land.
 * Lastly he says, you will die an old man, far from the sea and with peace finally around him.
 * He also sees his mother, Anticleia who died of grief waiting for his return from the Trojan War. She tells him of Ithaca and what’s going on there, specifically of his father, Laertes, who never goes to town and lives alone off in the hills on a farm. She also tells him that Penelope has been loyal to him, but that the suitors have begun to court her.
 * After his mother, Odysseus sees a long line of the dead wives of famous men, each drinking a bit of blood so that he or she can speak to him. For each he tells their story.
 * Odysseus pauses, ready to be done telling the tale to the Phaeacians, and Queen Arete and King Alcinous heap praise upon him for his deeds and storytelling ability. Alcinous says he must wait until the morning to leave so he can gather gifts for him to take. Until then, he asks Odysseus to continue his tale and tell of heroes he saw in the Underworld.
 * Odysseus continues, telling of meeting Agamemnon, Achilles, Patroclus, Ajax, and the other famous men of the Trojan War.
 * Lastly he sees famous men of old being punished in Hades: Tantalus (grapes/water), Sisphyus (rock, gravity)
 * Finally the hordes of dead are too much for Odysseus and he rushes back to his ship, and he and his men sail away from the Underworld.

HW: Continue to work on your Map Assignment. It will be due by the end of next week or early the following week.