THE ODYSSEY Books XVII - XVIII [The facts] [The violence]

THE ODYSSEY Books XVII - XVIII

[The facts]

[The violence]

Books XV – XVI Summary

Athena finds Telemakhos in Lakedaimon and urges him to return home

She also warns him of the looming ambush An eagle flies off with a goose in its

clutches Odysseus asks about his parents, Eumaios

then relates his life story Telemakhos lands, having safely avoided

the ambush Telemakhos goes off on his own to meet

Eumaios

Books XVII – XVIII Summary

Telemakhos goes back to the palaceOdysseus heads into town and gets

abused by MelanthiosOdysseus meets the suitorsOdysseus fights Iros– Odysseus wups him good– Odysseus sees firsthand the loose morals of

the handmaidens– Odysseus taunts Eurymakhos

The Players

Eumaios – the swineherd (good)Melanthios – the goatherd (bad)Argos – the dog (good)Eurymakhos – a suitor (bad)Antinoos – head suitor (bad)Melantho – a slut (bad)Iros – a beggar (bad)Laertes – Odysseus’ father (sad)

What does Odysseus see at his palace?No xenia– His abuse by Melanthios– Antinoos doesn’t give him bread and

hits him with

a stool– The staged

bum-fight– The slutty

handmaidens

Melantho taunts Odysseus

Odysseus tells the maids to go to Penelope and perform their household duties

Melantho replies: “ . . . Look out or someone better may get up and give you a good knocking about the ears to send you out all bloody.”

Odysseus warns Eurymakhos

Eurymakhos mocks Odysseus and offers him a job as his servant

Odysseus replies: “Just let Odysseus return, those doors wide as they are, you’d find too narrow to suit you on your sudden journey out.”

Eurymakhos’s reply: “Bundle of rags and lice!”

How Not to Be Seen

Odysseus manages to not be seen– Athena’s disguise serves him well–Who knows?

How does Odysseus almost give himself away?– His Arnold-like physique– “You slut.”– His taunting of Eurymakhos

The father and the son

Underscores the importance of blood relations

Telemakhos goes along

with OdysseusYouthful fearProves to be true

son to his father

The father and the son

The symbolic depiction of Odysseus as a bird of prey fits with his persona: while not a cold-blooded killer, Odysseus acts swiftly and with keen foresight.

Telemakhos has completed his mini-odyssey, growing up from a powerless boy at the beginning of the poem to an independent young man ready to fight alongside his father

Pericles and Alcibiades“If son of mine you are and blood of mine….”

Pericles and Alcibiades“Even when danger comes I think you’ll

find courage in me….”

“Microsoft is to those that hate it, much like Alcibiades was to the Athenians: ‘They love, and hate, and cannot do without him’” - Aristophanes

The Violence

The Suitors want to kill TelemakhosTelemakhos wants to kill the suitorsOdysseus wants to kill everybodyWhy?

- might makes right

- who’s gonna stop me?

- it’s my job to protect my home

- destiny

What eventually happens?Odysseus

(with Telemakhos) does in fact kill everyone

The suitors: violence has been foreshadowed in bloody omens

What eventually happens?

Odysseus (with Telemakhos) does in fact kill everyone

Melanthios: “chopped with swords to cut his nose and ears off, pulled off his genitals to feed the dogs and raging hacked his hands and feet away.”

What eventually happens?Odysseus (with

Telemakhos) does in fact kill everyone

The handmaidens: “in turn each woman thrust her head into a noose and swung…their feet danced for a little, but not long.” (after they have to clean up the slaughter in the Great Hall)

Is this excessive?

At what point do the victors have to say “Enough”?

The Melian DialogueThebes and Corinth on what to do with

AthensSparta’s judgement on the punishment for

AthensThe same theme is expressed in Greek

Tragedy -- when the gods declare “Enough!” Court system is used to decide punishments.