The Odyssey: The Tradition, the Singer, the Performance

Thomas R. Walsh

Rodney Merrill

Translating Homeric Song

Rodney Merrill

Bibliography

Maps

THE ODYSSEY OF HOMER

In Council, the gods talk of Agamemnon, Aigisthos, and Odysseus; Athena goes to Ithaka and rouses Telemachos to seek news of his father

In an assembly, Telemachos rebukes the suitors, who describe how Penelope has been avoiding remarriage; then he prepares for his journey

At Pylos, Telemachos meets Nestor and hears much about the Achaians' returns, but little about Odysseus; be departs with Nestor's son Peisistratos

At Sparta, Menelaos and Helen tell stories of Odysseus and of their own return; on Ithaca, the suitors plot against Telemachos, and Penelope hears of his departure

On Ogygia, Kalypso, at Hermes' prompting, helps Odysseus construct a raft and leave; arouses a storm that destroys the raft, and Odysseus swims, ashore

On Scheria, Nausikaa goes to do laundry at the seashore, comes upon Odysseus, clothes feeds him, and leads him to the Phaiakians' city

Athena leads Odysseus to the palace, where he receives a welcome, tells how he came, and asks Queen Arete and King Alkinoos for conveyance home

At a feast, Demodokos sings of Troy and of the love of Ares and Aphrodite the youths compete in athletics, and Odysseus shows his prowess and says farewell to Nausikaa

Odysseus begins his tale of adventures telling how he and his men encountered the Kikonians, the Lotus-eaters, and the Cyklops

The story continues with the episodes of Aiolos, the bag of winds, the Laistrygonians, and the enchantments of Circe, with whom the voyagers stayed a year

Odysseus describes his visit to Hades' domain, where he talked to Teiresias, to his mother and to famous women and heroes of old

Odysseus tells how they returned to Circe, then encountered the Sirens, Charybdis, and Skylla; how his men ate the cattle of Helios; and how Zeus destroyed the ship

The Phaiakians take Odysseus to Ithaka, where Athena meets him, helps him plot revenge on the suitors, and transforms him into a beggar

At the pig farm, Eumaios the swineherd welcomes Odysseus, who pretends to be a Cretan and tells stories of his life and wanderings

Telemachos leaves Sparta and evades the suitors ambush; at the farm, Odysseus hears Eumaios story; Telemachos arrives in Ithaka and goes to the farm

Odysseus and Telemachos, reunited at the farm, plan to kill the suitors; the suitors and Penelope hear of the ships arrival in Ithaka

Telemachos returns to the palace Odysseus as a beggar follows with Eumaios, his old dog dies upon seeing him, and the suitors abuse him; Penelope reeks to meet him

Odysseus fights and vanquishes Iros the beggar; Penelope extracts presents from the suitors, who again abuse Odysseus

With Telemachos, Odysseus hides the arms, and meets Penelope; Eurykleia recognizes Odysseus, but be silences her; Penelope tells him her dream

Penelope laments; Odysseus receives both good omens and more abuse; Philoitios the oxherd shows his loyalty; the prophet Theoklymenos sees grim omens

Penelope orders the contest of the bow, at which the suitors fail Odysseus reveals himself to the two herdsmen, strings the bow, and shoots through the axes

Odysseus and his men slaughter the suitors, sparing only Phemios and Medon; Telemachos hangs the maids who have been sleeping with the suitors

Odysseus is revealed to Penelope and resolves her doubt by describing bow he made their marriage bed; they go to bed and tell each other about their past sorrows

In Hades' domain the shades converse, and the slain suitors enter; Odysseus tests his father and reveals himself they start to fight the suitors' kinsmen, but Athena and Zeus establish peace

List of Proper Names in the Odyssey