2.25.13

Book 13 Reading Quiz: If you were absent, you need to make this up by the end of the week. Otherwise you will not receive credit.

Notes: We'll be summarizing Books 14-21 (yes, a lot, but remember this is an epic poem). Today in class we took notes on Books 14-16 using the format below.

Notes:

The book begins with…

1)

2)

3)

The book ends with…

Here are the summaries that you should take notes on: Book 14: Book 15: Book 16:
 * After Athena leaves him to go to Sparta, Odysseus makes his way to the home of a swineherd (who had been loyal to his family) named Eumaeus (you-may-us)
 * Eumaeus speaks of highly of his master (Odysseus) but mourns him for he assumes he’s dead. He still honors Odysseus and the king he was, and describes the suitors with disgust and raves about Telemachus. Odysseus starts to leave, but Eumaeus invites him to stay as a guest.
 * Eumaeus asks Odysseus to tell his story. Odyssues tells as story that has some striking similarities to Odysseus’ own tale. In his story he mentions that he has heard of great Odysseus and that he had just the last island that “the beggar” had visited.
 * Eumaeus still doubts that Odysseus is alive, but Odyssues has given him a bit of hope.
 * As the book ends, Odysseus spins a story in which he tests Eumaeus’ generosity by asking for shelter and a cloak in a round about way. Eumaeus is clever and picks up on it, gives him a cloak, and invites him to stay until Telemachus gets back from Sparta.
 * Athena goes to Sparta (home of King Menalous) to inspire Telemachus to go back home again. She tells him that his mother’s being pressured by her father to marry Eurymachus and that she’s agreed. This is a lie, but it does the trick and Telemachus hurries to go home.
 * She also warns him about the suitors who are waiting to ambush him and tells him how to avoid them and to go straight to the swineherd’s hut (convenient eh?) to avoid trouble.
 * He wants to leave at once, but Pisistratus (Nestor’s son) convinces him to wait until morning. Lavished with many, many gifts, and a clear sign from Zeus (eagle/goose=Odysseus will take revenge) they travel all the next day, spend the night Phera (royal welcome) and near King Nestor’s home.
 * Telemachus, aware that if he stops he will be showered with hospitality and delayed, convinces Pisistratus to drop him off at his ship where he can gather his men and sail before Nestor shows up with hosting desires.
 * His men rush to fill his ship with treasures, a stranger/prophet guy shows up and asks for passage. They swap quick stories and they all sail away…
 * Meanwhile, Odysseus is still at the swineherd’s hut (and the swineherd still doesn’t know that it’s Odysseus). Odysseus tests the swineherd’s generosity and the swineherd proves to be hospitable. Odysseus suggests the idea of going to the palace to mingle with the suitors. This allows the swineherd to launch into a rant about how terrible the suitors are, and provides Odysseus with info he needs about them and Penelope, Laertes, his mother’s death, and how the swineherd played with his sister growing up. They talk into the night and Odysseus is certain now that Eumaeus is loyal and true to Odysseus and his house.
 * On the boat back to Ithaca, the stranger/prophet and Telemachus see a bird sign that the stranger interprets as proving that Telemachus’ line will continue to rule in Ithaca
 * Telemachus arrives at Eumaeus’s hut. He greets him like a father does a son, which is ironic because just then he enters the hut and sees Beggar Odysseus.
 * They eat, and Telemachus questions the stranger a bit. He reveals that he wants shelter. Telemachus says he’d normally offer up shelter, but that his is currently overrun with disgusting suitors.
 * Clever Odysseus suggests he ask his brothers to help rid his home of the suitors, to which Telemachus, of course, tells him he’s an only child.
 * This reminds Telemachus to send Eumaeus to tell his mother he is home (quietly so no one knows).
 * As soon as he goes, Athena pops in (visible only to Odyssues) tells him to reveal himself to his son, and lifts her magic. Telemachus is shocked by the change but still doesn’t know it’s his father. Odysseus finally says “it’s me” and of course Telemachus is in shock and needs some convincing. Odyssues lectures him a bit, and then it’s all tears and hugs and love.
 * After the tears and love they get down to business. The plan? Kill the suitors (and now we know there are about 100 of them) Also, they remind themselves that Zeus and Athena are on their side. Yeah!
 * They decide that Telemachus will go back in the morning to hide all of Odysseus’ weapons (minus a few for their killing purposes). While he’s doing this, Odyssues will distract the suitors as a beggar (all the while testing who is loyal or good and who is not).
 * Meanwhile, Telemachus’ ship and the suitors’ ships both arrive unscathed proving that the suitors failed and that they were plotting in the first place. The suitors (led by Antinous) begin plotting anew but are overheard by Penelope. She scolds them of course, but they send her away to weep. And she does.
 * Eumaeus returns to the hut (Athena makes Odysseus into a beggar again before he can see his true form) and informs them that Penelope knows that Telemachus is back and that the suitors ship has returned.

HW: Period 3 and 6, finish reading the summary for Bk 16 and take your notes on it.