TROY A Greek soap opera.

TROY A Greek soap opera

The deep background Peleus, a mortal man, fell in love with the sea nymph Thetis, a daughter of Nereus. Peleus was with Meleager on the boar hunt and Jason on the Quest for the Golden Fleece. Peleus had been married, but after accidentally killing his father-in-law the marriage ended. Then he met Thetis.

Peleus tried to kidnap Thetis and she fought him off with a snake
Peleus tried to kidnap Thetis and she fought him off with a snake. Eventually he won her love and Zeus acquiesced to the couple’s request for his blessing. The wedding was going to be HUGE!

All of the important (and not so important) gods and goddesses were invited to attend, with one notable exception: Eris, goddess of discord, conflict, and strife. What do you think the goddess of discord, conflict, and strife would do if she was excluded???

Get REVENGE! Eris rolled a golden apple into the middle of the reception. The words, “To the fairest,” were inscribed on it. What kind of problem could possibly arise from a simple golden apple in the middle of a room of goddesses?

Three goddesses claimed the prize as the fairest, most beautiful, most wonderful goddess in the room. The three self proclaimed finalists were Athena-Daddy’s little girl Hera-Queen of the gods Aphrodite-Goddess of Love

The ladies asked Zeus to choose the fairest, but he was no fool
The ladies asked Zeus to choose the fairest, but he was no fool. He passed the decision off to Paris, son of Priam, king of Troy. Why did Zeus choose Paris to pick the winner?

Zeus decided it would be fun to watch Paris fumble around and make his decision. He also thought this would get the ball rolling toward Troy’s demise.

Zeus knew that Troy had been fated to be destroyed
Zeus knew that Troy had been fated to be destroyed. Years ago the Trojan king Laomedon hired Apollo and Poseidon to build walls for Troy, but when the job was done, he refused to pay for the work. Whoops!

More backstory… When Paris was born, his mother had a dream that she’d given birth to a torch that was going to set the entire city on fire. His parents tried to “expose him,” but Paris survived for five days, so Priam gave in and took him back.

Of course, the competition wasn’t fair.
Athena offered him guaranteed victory in war. The Trojans would have victory over the Greeks. Hera offered him power over nations. He would be Lord over Europe and Asia which would make him incredibly wealthy. Aphrodite offered him the most beautiful woman in the world. He could have her as his own!

Which would you choose??

And the winner is… Paris accepted Aphrodite’s offer. The problem was that the most beautiful woman was already married! She was the daughter of a mortal named Leda and Zeus (in the form of a swan-Helen was born from an egg!) Helen was married to Menelaus, king of Sparta. Paris had to go a long way to kidnap his prize.

Read the following poem by William Butler Yeats
Read the following poem by William Butler Yeats. What is its significance to the story we are reading?

W. B. Yeats A sudden blow: the great wings beating still Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill, He holds her helpless breast upon his breast. How can those terrified vague fingers push The feathered glory from her loosening thighs? And how can body, laid in that white rush, But feel the strange heart beating where it lies? A shudder in the loins engenders there The broken wall, the burning roof and tower And Agamemnon dead. Being so caught up, So mastered by the brute blood of the air, Did she put on his knowledge with his power Before the indifferent beak could let her drop?

To whom is this poem referring?
What could the title could be?

Leda and the Swan Peter Paul Rubens (b.1577 d.1640)

P. S. Paris already had a beautiful woman in his life
P.S. Paris already had a beautiful woman in his life. The nymph Oenone (pronounced “Oy-no- nee”), lived as his wife in his mountain home. She had special healing powers. Read the play “The Judgment of Paris”

The kidnapping of Helen
Paris went to visit King Menelaus in his palace. While there he either forcibly carried Helen away to Troy or seduced her and she went willingly.

Zeus felt very strongly about Hospitality
Zeus felt very strongly about Hospitality. Kidnapping or seducing your host’s wife was certainly against the rules. Troy’s fate is sealed…again!

Helen’s backstory… When Helen’s reputed father, King Tyndareus, began to accept suitors for Helen’s hand in marriage, he was overwhelmed. It seemed as though every young prince in the region wanted her as his own. Tyndareus hesitated to make his choice for her husband.

The OATH To keep from becoming a target, Tyndareus made each suitor swear an oath to champion the cause of Helen’s husband if any wrong was done to him through his marriage.

Was this a good idea? Why would the suitors agree to this?

Tyndareus chooses Menelaus, the brother of Agamemnon, then makes Menelaus King of Sparta. Tyndareus named Menelaus his successor and co-leader. Read “Helen of Sparta” from Trickle Down Olympus Now, back to the apple…

To answer some questions which have been raised about Helen’s family… Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda ... she was raised by Leda and her husband King Tyndareus of Sparta. Her brothers Kastor (Castor) and Polydeukes (Polydeuces or Pollux) were also children of Zeus but she had two half-sisters, Klytemnestra (Clytemnestra) and Timandra, who were the daughters of Leda and Tyndareus.

Helen’s family… Zeus came to Leda in the guise of a swan and seduced her. King Tyndareus knew that three of his children were of divine origin but raised them as if they were his own children. Despite the support of Tyndareus and her personal relationship with Zeus, Leda finally killed herself in desperation after suffering through the tragic lives of her children.

The following questions refer to the worksheet Helen of Sparta
Around what emotion is Helen’s life centered? Explain.

Helen… 2. In some ways Helen is more fortunate than other women. In other ways she is less fortunate than other women. List some of these ways.

Helen… 3. If you had a chance to escape a prison such as Helen’s, would you take it? Why or why not?

At last This is the point at which Paris made his choice. In case you didn’t notice, Paris is rather foolish.

He heads to Sparta and kidnaps Helen from her much older husband…and creates circumstances that cause the fate of Troy.

Menelaus had been traveling
Menelaus had been traveling. When he got home he found his wife missing, his guest gone, and his hospitality dishonored.

He did the only thing that he could do: he called upon all of Greece to help him avenge this insult. The oath was called in.

The call goes out. Time had passed, the flame of first crush had died out, and no one was particularly enthusiastic about being called away from their lives to fight. On the other hand, it was a chance to fight, be valiant, and enhance the warrior reputation.

Insert mediterranean map here
Troy Aulis Ithaca Athens Sparta

Please complete the “Ancient Draft- Dodging” sheet
Please complete the “Ancient Draft- Dodging” sheet. This will give you an idea just how much some people did not want to honor the oath. Answer questions on your own paper!!!

It’s almost started now!
Agamemnon, king of Mycenae and Argos, was the Commander-in-Chief of the Greek forces. Once he managed to get everyone to report for duty, his real problems began.

The thousand ship armada was ready to set sail and lay siege to Troy.
Then the winds came.

Iphigenia-a sacrifice
The winds began to blow across the Aegean sea. This prevented the ships from sailing east across the sea to Troy.

Agamemnon consulted the prophet Calchas who said that these were winds sent by Artemis who liked Troy but didn’t like Agamemnon.

There was a way for King Agamemnon to get the winds to stop, however.

The 27 groups of Greek warriors and 1,116 ships sat idle.
There was a way for King Agamemnon to get the winds to stop, however.

Because someone had killed an animal which was sacred to Artemis, King Agamemnon would have to offer his daughter, Iphigenia, as a sacrifice to the goddess Artemis to make amends.

It’s a matter of honor. “If I must slay The Joy of my house, my daughter. A father’s hands Stained with dark streams flowing From blood of a girl Slaughtered before the altar.” From Mythology by Edith Hamilton

Nevertheless, Agamemnon yielded
Nevertheless, Agamemnon yielded. His reputation with the army was at stake. He also had a great ambition to conquer Troy and exalt Greece. “He dared the deed, Slaying his child to help a war.”

Agamemnon sent a message to his wife, Clymenestra, saying that he had arranged for Iphigenia to marry Achilles.

Iphigenia and her mother quickly packed and headed for Aulis (the port where the boats were trapped by the wind,) expecting a wedding to occur.

Surprise! When they arrived, Agamemnon killed his daughter on an altar, just like a sacrificial animal. The winds died down, the ships set sail, and with the commission of this horrible crime the war was on!

It didn’t go unpunished.
Clymenestra, Iphigenia’s mother, harbored a grudge against her husband Agamemnon until his death…which she caused once he returned from the Trojan War with his new girlfriend, Cassandra.

Then the Furies came and did their thing.
Just so you know… Clymenestra and Aegisthus killed Agamemnon, but not his son, Orestes, or his remaining daughter, Electra. Orestes and his sister Electra eventually killed Aegisthus and Clymenestra. Then the Furies came and did their thing.

…or nine years after the whole thing started.
The ILIAD …or nine years after the whole thing started.

One last thing before we begin.
The Greek warriors came from places such as Mycenae, Sparta, Pylos, Crete, Thessaly, and a hundred other locations.

The following is a list of characters you should know and be able to differentiate.

THE GREEK FORCES Agamemnon-King of Mycenae and leader of the Greek forces Menelaus-Helen’s wimpy husband Achilles-a great warrior &the one with the heel Patroclus-Achilles best friend

Phoenix-The man who raised Achilles since Peleus was too busy being King of Pithia
Odysseus-King of Ithaca known for being smart Ajax-big dumb guy who tries hard; blood thirsty warrior Diomedes-A real hero (especially when Achilles is pouting.) Nestor-An elderly warrior who tells “Back when I was a warrior…” stories.

Now for the Trojan warriors:
Priam-King of Troy and an old man Hecuba-Priam’s wife; not a warrior Paris-Priam’s son, Helen’s kidnapper and wimpy boyfriend

Hector-Another of Priam’s sons; a REAL hero
Andromache-Hector’s wife Aeneas-Like Diomedes; a fighter; he escapes the city of Troy while carrying his feeble father Anchises on his back and his son Ascanius in his arms. He gets his own story: the Roman writer Virgil’s Aeneid

The Gods took sides too. Troy Apollo Aphrodite Ares Artemis
Zeus (in secret) Greece Poseidon Hera Athena and they interfered a lot!

Homer’s poem, the Iliad, takes place during the ninth year of the Trojan War. It only covers events that happen over a few weeks.

Brave Protesilaus was the first to leap to shore once the first ship reached the shores of Troy.
The Oracle had foretold that the first to reach land would be the first to die. He was killed by a Trojan spear and received great honors among the Greeks.

A little more about Protesilaus
He was a Thessalian prince who was killed in the Trojan War. His wife, Laodamia, mourned his death so excessively that the gods allowed his image to visit her for three hours. When he returned to Hades, she was overcome with grief and took her own life. (I know, you are stunned.) The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press Read more: Protesilaus | Infoplease.com

The story focuses on the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon, and the resulting tragedy of Hector.

THE WAR HAD WAGED ON AND ON FOR NINE LONG YEARS.

The Chryseis crisis The Greeks had spent some time sacking neighboring cities, stealing the women and dividing them among the soldiers as spoils of war. The Iliad begins with the Greeks camped on a beach outside of the Trojan wall.

An old man called Chryse, a priest of Apollo, arrives at the Greek camp to try to buy his daughter, Chryseis, back from Agamemnon.

Agamemnon said, “No!” threatened Chryse, and made Apollo really mad.
Apollo sent a plague among the Greeks.

The prophet Calchas was consulted to find a way to end the plague.
He said Agamemnon would have to give the girl back to appease Apollo.

Agamemnon refused. He and Achilles got into an argument.

Agamemnon finally gives in, but he demands Achilles’s war prize, Briseis, as a replacement.
Achilles leaves and refuses to fight any more.

What’s the big deal?? Achilles was angry because of HONOR. All heroes want to collect as much honor through fighting well or giving good advice.

Prizes (gold, silver, horses, captive women, etc
Prizes (gold, silver, horses, captive women, etc.) were the visible symbols of that honor. When Agamemnon took Achilles’ woman, he diminished Achilles’ honor to enhance his own.

Achilles was also told by his mother that he was fated to live a short life, so he wanted to accrue as much honor as possible before his demise.

Read the reader’s theater play, The Tides of War.

Important battles

Paris versus Menelaus The war is raging. Suddenly the combatants stepped back to expose two fighters. Paris struck first, Menelaus caught the spear with his shield and hurled his own. He tore Paris’ tunic-but now he had no spear.

Paris versus Menelaus Menelaus drew his sword, but it broke. He jumped on Paris, grabbed his helm, and started dragging him away toward the Greeks.

Paris versus Menelaus Aphrodite broke the strap of Paris’ helm, and urged him to run away! She took him back to Troy. Yes, he was saved in war by the goddess of LOVE. How manly!

Paris versus Menelaus Menelaus tore through the Trojan ranks seeking Paris-and if anyone had seen him they would probably have given him up because they all hated him!

Paris versus Menelaus So Agamemnon spoke to both armies, declaring that Menelaus was the winner and told the Trojans to give Helen back. The Trojans would have agreed, but ATHENA (for Hera) persuaded Pandarus, a Trojan, to break the truce and shoot an arrow at Menelaus. Menelaus was wounded slightly, and the battle was back on!

Read the play “War at Troy”

Diomedes and Aeneas Diomedes almost slay Aeneas on the field of battle. Aeneas was the child of Aphrodite and the Trojan Prince Anchise (an-Ki-seez) , and when he was wounded his mother rushed to save him. She picked up her son and prepared to leave for Olympus.

Diomedes and Aeneas Diomedes knew she was a silly coward, so he jumped at her and stabbed her hand. She dropped Aeneas on the ground and took off for Olympus. Zeus thought this was funny.

Diomedes and Aeneas Luckily for Aeneas, Apollo was there and saved him by flying him to Pergamos-the holy place of Troy-where Artemis healed him.

A little information about Aeneas…
Due to the help of his mother, he is the lone Trojan able to escape defeat at the hands of the Greeks, fleeing with his father on his back and his son in his hand. Aeneas eventually winds up in Italy, where his son founds the city Alba Longa, the predecessor of Rome. Between the two cities, however, Aeneas has a long journey and many adventures.

Diomedes versus Ares Diomedes continued to fight until he came face to face with Hector. Fighting next to Hector was Ares, the bloodstained, murderous war god. Obviously, Diomedes was concerned (read “scared”) when he saw Ares.

Diomedes and Ares When Hera saw Ares, she got really mad. She flew to Olympus to get Zeus’ permission to drive Ares from the battlefield. Zeus said, “Go!” Hera flew down to Diomedes and encouraged him to smite the terrible god but have no fear.

Diomedes and Ares Diomedes flew at Ares and hurled his spear at him. Athena drove the spear into Ares’ body. The war-god let loose a stentorian cry, as loud as a thousand warriors in battle, and shook the entire battlefield.

Diomedes versus Ares Ares was a bully; he was also a wimp. He ran home to tell daddy about what Athena did to him, and Zeus replied that he was as intolerable as his mother and that he needed to stop whining.

With Ares gone, the Trojan army had lost some of its momentum
With Ares gone, the Trojan army had lost some of its momentum. It was forced to fall back. Hector’s brother told him to go to the city, tell his mother to offer the most beautiful robe she owned to Athena, and pray to Athena for mercy.

Hecuba placed the beautiful robe upon Athena’s lap and prayed to her : “Lady Athena, spare the city and the wives of the Trojans and the little children.” Athena ignored the plea.

As Hector heads back to the war he sees his wife, Andromache, and son, Astyanax.
His wife pleads with him not to go. “My dear lord, you who are father and mother and brother unto me as well as husband, stay here with us. Do not make me a widow and your child an orphan.”

He gently refused her request because of HONOR.
Explain this statement.

That day Zeus ordered all the other Olympians to remain behind
That day Zeus ordered all the other Olympians to remain behind. He had promised Thetis to avenge Achilles’ wrongs, and he planned to deliver. On this day Hector was unstoppable.

Agamemnon and the other Greek leaders despaired
Agamemnon and the other Greek leaders despaired. They even considered giving up and sailing home. Nestor told Agamemnon that the blame lay at his feet. Then he told him to make nice with Achilles.

Agamemnon confessed he had been a fool and promised to send Briseis back in addition to great gifts. WOULD IT BE ENOUGH??

No, it would not. Achilles said that not all the treasures of Egypt could buy him. He also said he was sailing home and advised them to do the same.

The Greek warriors continued to fight, however, and rejected the suggestion they should give up.
They were driven back to the beach where their ships were drawn up on the shore. Hera decided times were desperate.

She seduced Zeus by making herself irresistible
She seduced Zeus by making herself irresistible. She used her feminine wiles to make him forget Troy. She borrowed Aphrodite’s girdle of enchantments, worked her womanly magic, and…

…used magic to knock him out, like an Olympian roofie.

When Zeus woke up he was REALLY mad
When Zeus woke up he was REALLY mad. He saw the Trojans in flight, and Hector gasping on the plain from his wounds. He turned on Hera. She did what she does best: She blamed everything on Poseidon. (She did say that everything he did , he did on her orders.)

Apollo healed Hector and gave him extra power
Apollo healed Hector and gave him extra power. The Greeks fled like sheep driven by mountain lions. Patroclus saw the rout with horror, took Achilles’ armor, and led the Myrmidons into battle. This was great until…

Achilles versus Hector
…Patroclus met Hector on the battlefield. Hector killed Patroclus, took the armor, and symbolically stole Achilles’ strength. Achilles learned of his friend’s death while with his mother. His mother went to Hephaestus to get special armor for her son to return to battle.

Achilles (with Athena) and Hector met for battle. Apollo left hector to his fate. Achilles chased Hector around the Trojan wall 3 times. Athena appeared in disguise as Hector’s brother. Hector stopped.

Achilles threw a spear and missed. Athena brought it back. Hector struck Achilles’ magical shield. Achilles killed Hector, stripped his bloody armor off, pierced his feet, tied him to the back of his chariot, and dragged his corpse around and around the walls of Troy.

Eventually Achilles calmed down
Eventually Achilles calmed down. He realized what a terrible thing he had done, and he returned the body to King Priam. Then he allowed a recess for the funeral.

Priam’s words to his people after his meeting with Achilles
‘Gather wood now, men of Troy, and bring it to the city, and have no fear of some crafty ambush by the Greeks. Achilles promised me, before I left the black ships, that he would restrain their army till the twelfth dawn comes.’

Read the play “The Rage of Achilles”

As Achilles and Hector met on the battlefield, they had a few moments of conversation. As Hector lay dying he prayed that Achilles would give his body back to his parents. Achilles responds, “ No prayers from you to me, you dog.”

Then Achilles said, “I would that I could make myself devour raw your flesh for the evil you have brought upon me.”

The beginning of the end of the Trojan War
Once Hector was dead, Troy’s future was set. Achilles was killed shortly after the conclusion of the Iliad. Ironically Achilles was killed by Paris (the wimpy guy) with an arrow (considered a cowardly weapon).

Hector’s funeral rites
Hector was burned on a pyre. The flames were quenched with wine. The bones were gathered into a golden urn, which was shrouded in purple cloth. The urn was set in a hollow grave and great stones were piled upon it.

The Death of Achilles Hector is replaced by Prince Memnon of Ethiopia, a great warrior, and the Trojans have the upper hand for a time. Achilles soon kills Memnon as well, driving the Trojans back to the Scaean gates (the main city gate-pronounced “skee-an”). At the wall Paris kills Achilles with Apollo’s help: Paris shoots an arrow and Apollo guides it to Achilles’ heel.

Ajax carried Achilles’ body from the battlefield
Ajax carried Achilles’ body from the battlefield. Ajax and Odysseus are now the two greatest living Greek warriors.

FYI: It is said that after his pyre, Achilles’ ashes were placed in the same burial jar as Patroclus’ ashes.

Dividing the spoils of war…
Now we have a new spoil of war: Achilles’ fabulous, Hephaestus-forged armor. Two men really wanted it. Ajax and Odysseus were the heroes “in competition” for the prize.

A little more background about Ajax
He commands his army wielding a huge shield made of seven cow-hides with a layer of bronze. Ajax is not wounded in any of the battles described in the Iliad, and he is the only principal character on either side who does not receive substantial assistance from any of the gods who take part in the battles.

When Odysseus is chosen, Ajax plots revenge, but Athena makes him go crazy. Ajax massacres some cattle, then comes to his senses and, mortified, kills himself.

Because of his suicide, his body was buried in shame instead of burned on a pyre of honor.

Ajax said this about his choice of ending his life: “
Ajax said this about his choice of ending his life: “..I stand here alone, hateful to men and to gods. In such a state only a coward clings to life. A man, if he cannot live nobly, can die nobly.” Then he drew his sword and killed himself.

Now what to do…? The Greeks consulted Calchas. He told them he had nothing to tell them. He suggested they kidnap the Trojan prophet Helenus and ask him.

The prophet Calchas then tells the Greeks that they must capture the Trojan prophet Helenus.

Odysseus captured Helenus and was told that the Trojans would not fall until someone used the bow and arrows of Hercules to fight in the war. That man was Prince Philoctetes.

Read the play “ The Marooned Prince”

Should orders always be followed?
Pyrrhus’s struggle over his actions is a great example of inner conflict. What are the conflicts he is experiencing?

Soon after Achilles’ death Paris received a fatal wound from an arrow shot by the rival archer Philoctetes.

Palladium-the image of Athena
According to legend, the image was sent by Zeus to Dardanus, the founder of Troy, and it was believed that the city could not be taken while it possessed the Palladium. Thus during the Trojan War two Greeks, Diomed and Odysseus, stole it. Another legend says that during the sack of Troy, Ajax the Lesser carried it off. The Romans, who later claimed to have the true Palladium in their temple of the vestal virgins, said that Aeneas took it when he fled Troy. But many cities, including Argos, Athens, and Luceria, owned such images, all of which came to be known as Palladia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. Read more: Palladium, in Greek religion | Infoplease.com religion.html#ixzz3EwdjhQJB

Another prophesy… The Greeks learned that Troy would not fall while the Palladium remained within Troy's walls. The task of stealing this sacred statue fell upon the shoulders of Odysseus and Diomedes. They made their way into Troy by a secret passage and carried it off.

The Trojan Horse

With Patroclus, Hector, Achilles, Paris, and Ajax all dead, both sides were running out of heroes.
It was time to end the war, and Odysseus had a plan.

During the night, Odysseus had the Greeks build a giant, hollow, wooden horse.
A select group of soldiers hid inside the horse. The rest of the Greek army got on their ships and sailed away…

…and hid behind a nearby island out of sight.
The horse was left outside the gates of Troy. The trap was set.

The next morning the Trojans woke to find a big horse and an empty battlefield. Then a “deserter” from the Greek army showed up and told the Trojans a story about omens and gifts and running away.

The Trojans were a little skeptical
The Trojans were a little skeptical. Laocoon even said the horse might be filled with Greek soldiers waiting to be brought into the city. Athena (who hated Troy) made a sea serpent pop up and eat him and his sons in front of everyone. The Trojans saw that as a sign that the horse was ok.

Cassandra, Priam’s daughter, also warned of the possible doom the horse could bring. Cassandra had the true gift of future sight. Unfortunately she was cursed to always know the truth, and cursed to never have anyone listen to her.

Cassandra foresaw the destruction of Troy by the Greeks; when the Trojans found the big wooden horse outside the gates of their city Cassandra told them that Greeks will destroy them if they bring the horse in the city.

The famous phrase “Beware of Danaos (Greeks) bearing gifts” belongs to her. No one in Troy believed her, and the horse was admitted in the city, with the known results for Troy.

Cassandra’s story She was loved by Apollo, and he promised her whatever she desired if she would gratify his passion. As soon as she got her gift, she backed out of the deal. Once a god gives a gift it cannot be taken back. Because of this betrayal, a curse was born.

They dragged the horse inside the Trojan walls and went to celebrate and sleep. Later that night, three things happened to change Troy forever.

Victory as easy as 1-2-3! 1. The Greek army sailed their ships back to the beach and marched to the walls of Troy. 2. Odysseus and his guys came out of the horse and opened the city’s gates. 3. They killed the men, enslaved the women, and burned the city to the ground.

Cursed as easy as 1-2-3! King Priam took refuge at an altar, which should have protected him but didn’t. (It’s like killing someone at church.) He was decapitated as he clung to the altar. Hector’s baby son, Astyanax, was thrown from the city walls. Most of the Greeks forgot to make offerings to the gods for the victory. Big Mistake!!

Read the play “The Fall of Troy”

THE ODYSSEY How odysseus was punished for his transgressions against everyone.

The long road home. Not giving thanks to the gods had bad results for many warriors heading home from Troy. Menelaus was blown all over the ocean and ended up in Egypt. He had to wrestle Proteus, the Old Man of the Sea, to find out how to get home to Sparta.

Proteus knew all things—past, present, and future—but disliked divulging what he knew. Those who wished to consult him had first to surprise and bind him during his noonday slumber. Even when caught he would try to escape by assuming all sorts of shapes.

Agamemnon was able to get right home, but then he was killed.
Read “The Death of Agamemnon”

TANTALUS: Tantalus' family was an ill-fated one. His daughter, Niobe, lost all her children and was turned to stone. His son, Pelops, was murdered, cooked, and restored to life. His grandsons, Atreus and Thyestes, struggled for power, and Atreus committed a variation of Tantalus' cannabilistic trick with Thyestes' children. His great-grandson, Agamemnon, was murdered by another great-grandson, Aegisthus, who was in turn killed by a great-great-grandson, Orestes.

The most famous homecoming was the voyage of Odysseus
The most famous homecoming was the voyage of Odysseus. His story is the ultimate adventure filled with sex, violence, deceit, and monsters. We also are presented with an interesting question: Which is more monstrous, the creatures Odysseus meets, or the human suitors who want his wife, Penelope?

We are also presented with another theme frequently visible in art, literature, movies, and life: the double standard. What are some elements of the double standard in this story so far?? Odysseus Penelope

When the Odyssey opens, our hero has already been away for over ten years.
The war has finally ended and some of the warriors have already returned home, but not Odysseus.

Poor, wealthy, beautiful, desirable Penelope continues to await the return of her husband. Unfortunately for her, not everyone thinks he’s coming home.

Now they have moved into her home
Now they have moved into her home. They are rudely using her servants, eating her food, drinking her wine, spending her money, and expecting her to choose one of them to marry.

She managed to keep them at bay with her tapestry trick for two years before a slave-girl was enticed to give up her secret.

Why didn’t Penelope say, “GET OUT!”
First, it adds to the suspense of the poem. Second, if she didn’t give the suitors what they want, they could have gone to her father or nearest male relative and have him arrange her new marriage. At least this way she maintains some control.

Where was the son of Odysseus?
Telemachus was now twenty years old. He knew his father was respected, but hadn’t had the benefit of his training and guidance. He lacked confidence. There were at least seventy suitors.

Odysseus’ adventures The land of the Cicones was Odysseus’ first stop on the way home. They went to start a quick war and get some new stuff. This didn’t go as planned, and they barely escaped with their lives.

Odysseus’ adventures The Land of the Lotus Eaters was the next stop.

Remember this????

Odysseus’ adventures The Cyclops Polyphemus was the next encounter.
What role did hospitality play in this disaster? Who was Polyphemus’s famous father? Read “In the Cave of the Cyclops”

Odysseus’ adventures Next the adventurers come to the Aeolian Islands, home of King Aeolus, lord of the winds. AIOLOS (or Aeolus) was the king of the winds who kept the stormy Anemoi Thuellai and Aellai locked away inside the hollow heart of the floating island of Aiolia. At the command of the gods he released these to wreck devastating storms.

Odysseus’ adventures Aeolus gives Odysseus a gift of wind to help him sail home. His crew believes it is secret treasure.

Odysseus’ adventures They open the bag, release the winds, and end up back with Aeolus who is too angry to help a second time. The fierce storm blows them to the land of the Laestrygons, cannibals who destroy every ship in the fleet except one.

Odysseus’ adventures Circe’s island was next. Odysseus’ men were turned into pigs by their hostess, but Hermes gave Odysseus a magic herb (moly) which kept him human. Odysseus angrily confronted Circe, which turned her on, so she fell instantly in love with him. He and his men lived with her for a year. (double standard rears its ugly head) Read “Circe the Witch”

Odysseus’ adventures What he learns from Tiresias in the Underworld:
Poseidon is punishing the crew because of Polyphemus Odysseus’s fate is told: He will return home, reclaim his wife, then make a trip to appease Poseidon Do not eat the cattle on Thrinacia-if the cattle are eaten, he will face suffering and lose all of his crew.

Odysseus returns to Circe’s Island for one more night after his journey to the Underworld. She tells him of the obstacles he will face and how not to fall victim to them.

Odysseus’s adventures
The Sirens sing a seductive song which leads sailors to their deaths. Odysseus (of course) wants to hear the song.

Scylla and Charybdis

Odysseus’ adventures Thrinacia Odysseus wants to avoid the island, but Eurylochus persuades the crew that this would be a great place to rest. A storm raged, and they are stuck here for a month. They ran out of provisions and did what they were told what not to do. Zeus makes a storm and destroys the ship.

Ogygia, the Island of Calypso The gods (except Poseidon) meet to decide Odysseus’ fate. Hermes is sent to Calypso to tell her she must let Odysseus go. She argues about the double standard, but obeys the order. Calypso helps him build a boat to sail away.

Odysseus’ adventures Odysseus sailed away from Calypso’s island on a raft. As soon as Poseidon realized he was in the water, a huge, deadly storm arose. The raft was smashed to bits, but the goddess Ino sweeps down and gives him her veil, protecting him from harm in the water.

After two days of swimming, Odysseus landed on an island called Phaeacia. The king of the island is Alcinous.

Odysseus’ adventures Odysseus lay naked on the beach. He was rescued by Nausicaa, the princess of the nearby kingdom. Odysseus told the Phaiacian king the story of his adventures.

Odysseus’ adventures Before he meets Nausicaa, Odysseus meets another young girl-actually Athena in disguise. She leads him to the palace and shrouds him in a protective mist. She advises him to speak to the queen rather than the king. The Phaeacians were somewhat xenophobic. (fear or hatred of foreigners)

The veil lifts, and Odysseus supplicates himself to the queen
The veil lifts, and Odysseus supplicates himself to the queen. At first they are afraid Odysseus is a god, but he puts their fears to rest.

The king sent him home in a Phaeacian ship, constructed with superior knowledge, for the vessel had neither steersmen nor steering-oars. The magical ship knew what the crew was thinking and proposed to do. They reached Ithaca and left Odysseus on the shore.

Telemachus’s story Read “Searching for Odysseus” to learn what has been going on in Ithaca since Telemachus has gotten older.

Back in Ithaca Athena casts a protective mist about that keeps Odysseus from recognizing his homeland. Finally the goddess reveals herself and dispels the mist. In joy Odysseus kisses the ground.

Back in Ithaca Athena transforms him into an old man as a disguise. Clad in a filthy tunic, he goes off to find his faithful swineherd, as instructed by the goddess.

Review of Odysseus’ journey:
The Island of the Cicones: After leaving Troy, they stop to raid this island for supplies. The Cicones attack on horseback, and Odysseus lost 72 of his men. The Island of the Lotus Eaters: Odysseus sends his men out to search for food, and has to recover them when they eat the Lotus Flower.

Review of Odysseus’s journey
.The Island of the Cyclopes: Odysseus and his men, lured by cheese and wine, find a Cyclops' cave. The cyclops, Polyphemus, traps them inside the cave. Odysseus and his men blind the cyclops, and then sneak out under his herd of sheep. The Island of Aeolus: Aeolus, the god of the winds, gives Odysseus all of the bad winds, so he can safely sail home. Odysseus' men go against his orders and open the bag, and all of the winds escape.

The Island of the Laestrygonians: The Laestrygonians, a race of cannibals, eat the Greeks. Only Odysseus and the men on his flag ship survive.

Circe's Island: Circe turns Odysseus' men to swine, but Odysseus is protected from her magic with the help of Hermes, who gave him a magical herb called Moly. Odysseus ends up staying there for what seems like a short time, but ended up being about a year. Before Odysseus departs, Circe finally tells him that he needs to find the blind prophet Teiresias in the Underworld.

Circe’s Island

The Underworld: Odysseus consults the prophet Tiresias to ask how he can get home, and finds his mother there, who has committed suicide. He also sees Achilles. He receives a few prophesies.

Side Note on Tiresias… Tireseas was not born a blind prophet. One day he was walking along a path in the mountains and saw two snakes copulating. He killed the snakes (who needs more snakes, right?) The snakes disappeared, and Tiresias was transformed into a woman. He remained a woman for seven years. In the eighth year he was walking along the same path, saw two more snakes, and whacked them with his stick. Now he was transformed back into a man.

Tiresias… Years later Hera and Zeus were having a NC-17 argument regarding pleasure. They decided to consult Tiresias, since he had been both male and female. When faced with the gods Tiresias knew there was no way he could win. He declared Zeus was correct and Hera blinded him in her rage. Zeus felt slightly guilty, so he gave Tiresias the gift of prophetic sight and allowed him to live for seven lifetimes.

The Island of the Sirens: Odysseus and his men pass here, an island with women singing their luring songs, trying to reel in sailors. So they do not hear, Odysseus fills his men’s ears with beeswax, and he has them tie him to the mast.

Scylla and Charybdis: Odysseus chooses to sail for Scylla, a six-headed sea serpent, rather than Charybdis, a giant whirlpool. He did this because he knew that if he went to Charybdis, the whole ship would be destroyed. However, if he went towards Scylla, six men would die. A sacrifice the brave Odysseus decided to make.

The Island of Helios: Odysseus falls asleep praying to Athena. While sleeping, his men once again go against his orders and eat Helios' cattle. This outrages the god, and he threatens never to rise again. As a punishment, Zeus throws a bolt of lightning at the ship, and turns it to splinters. Only Odysseus survives.

Ogygia (Calypso's Island): Odysseus finds this island after drifting in the sea. It is a island of women, with a nymph named Calypso, with whom Odysseus has a seven-year affair. After the seven years, Hermes convinces Calypso (on Zeus’s orders,) to let Odysseus build a new ship so he could sail home.

The Island of the Phaecians: The Phaecians accept Odysseus, and he explains his ten-year journey to them during a feast. They happily give him a ride home on one of their magical ships.

Return to Ithaca Read the play Return to Ithaca

Odysseus in disguise When Odysseus finally landed in Ithaca, a young man met him and told the harrowing tale of the suitors. This man was really Athena in disguise, and she promised to help him get the suitors out of his house.

Odysseus in disguise Athena disguised Odysseus as an old beggar and instructed him to seek out his faithful swineherd. (Remember, there are very few servants who remain faithful to Odysseus and his family.)

Odysseus in disguise Athena arranges for Telemachus to visit Eumaeus (the swineherd) at this time. Telemachus has just returned from HIS adventures and wants to see a friendly face. Surprise awaits him: he is introduced to his father.

Odysseus in disguise Telemachus does not believe the beggar is his father, so Athena allows the disguise to slip for a moment. Telemachus is still hesitant to believe what he sees.

Odysseus in disguise The next day Odysseus the beggar heads toward his home. No one is able to discern his true identity. No one, that is, except one very old dog. Argus, Odysseus’ dog from long ago, is resting on a pile of dung. He is sick, covered in ticks, and forgotten.

Odysseus in disguise Argus sees his master, wags his tail, and dies. Because of his disguise Odysseus is unable to acknowledge his faithful dog directly.

Odysseus in disguise Odysseus arrives and the suitors sit around and make fun of him. Penelope shows up and shows the beggar hospitality. The beggar tells her he has seen her husband recently.

Odysseus in disguise Eurycleia, the other loyal servant, recognizes Odysseus as she washes his feet. He has a distinctive scar on his leg. He gets her to promise not to say anything about his presence in the house.

The TEST Penelope issued a challenge to the suitors the next day: string Odysseus’ bow, shoot an arrow through 12 rings (ax handles) in a row, and she would take the man who succeeds as her husband.

The TEST Telemachus set up the rings and encouraged the suitors to take the challenge. They all tried, but none could string the bow.

The TEST Odysseus, the beggar, asked for a chance. The suitors complained and jeered. Telemachus insisted he be given a chance.

The TEST Odysseus succeeded. Penelope decides to hold a contest: whoever can string Odysseus’s gigantic bow and shoot an arrow through twelve rings can marry her. All the suitors try and fail, but then the beggar stands up and asks for a try.

The suitors scoff, but the beggar quickly and easily strings the massive bow and shoots an arrow straight through the axe handles. He then turns and begins shooting the suitors. Taken off guard, they reach for their weapons, but Telemachus has hidden them.

They try to run away, but Telemachus and Eumaeus have locked all the doors. Soon all the suitors have been killed—only a bard is spared, because Odysseus remembers how much the gods favor song and poetry.

Disloyalty is avenged The unfaithful servants beg to be restored to Odysseus’ good graces. They offer excuses and beg forgiveness. Odysseus says he will consider it, but they must clean the hall so Lady Penelope will never see the evidence of the massacre.

Once they have finished, Odysseus hangs the disloyal servants.
Meanwhile, a minstrel has been playing happy songs to keep the people outside from asking questions.

Could it be this easy? Odysseus finally reveals himself to Penelope, and after twenty years of separation, they live happily ever after.

But first… Telemachus is upset with Penelope her for not greeting Odysseus more lovingly after his long absence, but Odysseus has other problems to worry about. He has just killed all of the noble young men of Ithaca—their parents will surely be furious.

Penelope’s test for Odysseus
Penelope remains wary, afraid that a god is playing a trick on her. She orders Eurycleia to move her bridal bed, and Odysseus suddenly flares up at her that their bed is immovable, explaining how it is built from the trunk of an olive tree around which the house had been constructed. Hearing him recount these details, she knows that this man must be her husband.

Cleaning up the loose ends…
Laertes and Odysseus have lunch together. Dolius, the father of Melanthius and Melantho, joins them. While they eat, the goddess Rumor flies through the city spreading the news of the massacre at the palace.

The parents of the suitors hold an assembly at which they assess how to respond. Halitherses, the elder prophet, argues that the suitors merely got what they deserved for their wickedness, but Eupithes, Antinous’s father, encourages the parents to seek revenge on Odysseus.

Their small army tracks Odysseus to Laertes’house, but Athena, disguised again as Mentor, decides to put a stop to the violence. Antinous’s father is the only one killed, felled by one of Laertes’ spears. Athena makes the Ithacans forget the massacre of their children and recognize Odysseus as king. Peace is thus restored.

"Proteus. " Encyclopaedia Britannica
"Proteus." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., Web. 13 Mar <

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