In what way does O test the loyalty and faithfulness of the people in his house? 1
How does xenie play a part in his homecoming (nostos)? 2/3
How does Penelope’s experience with the suitors affect her hospitality towards Odysseus dressed as beggar? 2 → specific/too narrow
Disguise/Deception/Trickery... why do they play a large role in the second half of the epic? 1/4

Why doesn’t O reveal himself? revelation of Telemachus/Penelope? 4
Explain the role of xenie in the Odyssey? 2
Compare/Contrast Odysseus and Penelope? Telemachus? A character/hero from the Iliad? 5
Provide examples that either prove Odysseus did or did not lie about his adventures. 6 → (not on test currently, but great question)
Talk about hospitality in the Odyssey 2 → too general

Should Odysseus trust his men more? → people on boat (in first half)? nurse Eurycleia? Eumaeus then more test 1
Does Odysseus take his distrust too far? opinion question, needs to based on text 1?
What do Odysseus’ test (when he comes home) say about himself or the book? 1
Does Odyssey disrespect the law of xenie at the end of the Odyssey? are the suitors guests? Penelope’s promise = invitation? never invited in... 2
What was Odysseus’ reasoning/excuse to stay with Calypso? Circe? → good question because it relates to so many things; use quote from each of these themes 6/7/8/9/10
How does testing play a role in Odysseus’ homecoming? 1/3

What would happen to Odyssey without Athena? → speculation...
What role does [kleos, geras, hubris] play the Odyssey? → lexicon terms, O killing suitors
How has O changed since the Trojan War? → Iliad

Discuss the gods’ involvement in the Odyssey?

1 TESTS: testing loyalty, several people

how does xenie play a part in his homecoming?

2 XENIE: hospitality

explain the role of hospitality between O and P at the end of the book

fits with her testing too

quote w/ O using hospitality to test P

3 NOSTOS: homecoming

4 DISGUISE/DECEPTION: (related to testing?)

in certain books? focus on specific character?

---------------- above = more likely to be a question on test
5 Compare/Contrast

(hero from the Iliad) save for exam, probably not on this test

6 O lying about his adventures
too speculative?
embellished?

7 Calypso
early part of the book
relates to lying? 6
role of women

8 Role of Women
women used to show men in a favorable way
calypso makes O look better
women stronger/wiser?
Penelope

9 Role of Immortals


10 Relationship w/ Penelope


disguise not = to testing
- cyclops disguised but not testing
- athena disguised but not testing
- shooting through axes testing but not disguised

Athena

WHY > HOW

Class Notes 5/23
Good
Odysseus
Telemachus
Eurycleia (p 405) - Nurse who recognizes him, keeps secret, helps Telemachus
Eumaeus - Swine herd
Medon (p 450) - Herald
Phemius - Bard
Penelope
Philoetuis - Cow herd
Mentor (Athena)

(In Between
Leodes)

Bad
Antinous (lead suitor)
Eurymachus
Irus
Melanthius (p 454 line 500) - Goat herd
Melantho (p 392 line 70) - his sister
Maids p 453


goats more independent-thinking?
goat = christian symbol of satan

Medea p 36

Atalanta - Christian
doesn’t know father
left in woods
father wanted a son
father is king of oatia (sp?)
woods of arcadia
she-bear took her in
hunters seperated them
grew to be one of most beautiful women
virgin
outrun/outwrestle
beat pelios (sp?)
denied from going on Argo
calydonian boar
omitted sacrifice to artemis
meleager got credit
mother was althea
got it in the neck with a spear
she shot arrows into eyes
he gave her the hide
uncles didn’t like that woman got fur
if he didn’t want it, the uncles should get it
uncles stole hide (some say demanded, others stole)
he killed all of them
and gave skin back
mother very angry
he died too
father back in touch with her
reluctantly moved back in
on condition to stay a virgin
he went back on agreement
anyone who could be her in a foot race could marry her, those who lost would die
foolhardy or dumb
hippomenes
smart
shocked at people going to get killed
he fell in love with her
he wanted to marry her
first went to Aphrodite
gave him 3 irresistible golden apples
was good runner, but no match for her
threw apples
1st one off track (either near or in bushes)
she stops and keeps running
passed him back
⅔ through race
threw next one farther
but still overtook him
threw last one deep into bushes and he won
hippomenes
once won, he forgot to thank aphrodite
sent desire
laid together in zeus temple...
turned them into lions

some stories say it was later in life, laid together in woods during hunting trip

differences:
- uncles demanding vs stealing skin
- threw 1st apple just on track vs in bushes
- when turned into lions


themes:
- thank the gods after!
- don’t tell aphrodite you’re a virgin
- golden apple motif

Notes from a while ago...

Star Wars
Call to Adventure: R2D2 transmission
Helpers/Tools: Light Saber, Obi Wan, The Force, Yoda
Allies: Han Solo, Leia, CP3O, Chewie, R2D2
Quest/Challenges: Death Star - blow it up
Goal/Journey Home: travel home, destroy death star

Iliad vs Odyssey
Iliad:
- Battles
- 6 days
- linear narrative
- warriors respected
- focus on geras, aristeia, kleos, etc
- Achilles = main character

Odyssey:
- Mythical Creatures
- 40 days
- not linear narrative
- disguise
- suitors (b-listers disrespected and die w/out honor)
- less emphasis on pride
- journey
- Odysseus = main character

Both:
- epics (24 books)
- epic similes
- heroes
- proem
- Odysseus -> Athena
- God’s intervention
- Trojan War Era

Theseus - Meg
Aegeus King
wife pregnant stayed in south
moved to Athens
had to be able to move boulder to get sword and shoes
dreamed of becoming a hero
wouldn’t sail to Athens, by land instead
welcomed son (w/out knowing)
medea
knew his true identity
worried about her influence
theseus revealed sword -> king saved from drinking poison
minos
suppose to kill dangerous bull but son died
minos 14 youths
theseus volunteered
change ship’s sails
ariadne fell instantly in love
helped him
spool of thread
beat him to death with fist
led out of labyrinth
left w/ ariadne
noxos - abandoned
forgot to change sails
king killed himself
theseus king
athens prosperous
war of the 7 vs thebes
theseus agreed to help argives
democratic gov’t
hercules killed family
theseus helped him recover
amazons
stole hippolyta (sp?)
son
they invaded attica and reclaimed her
sent son to grow up in same place where he grew up
argo - golden fleece
calydonian hunt
met pirithoüs
always in trouble
steal cattle
forgot about fighting
centaurs at wedding tried to make off with women
theseus helped
p’s wife died wanted persephone
he wanted to steal helen (still child)
successful, brothers took her back
couldn’t find him
underworld - chair of forgetfulness

hercules saved theseus
married ariadne’s sister
son - hated luxury and love
worshiped artemis
didn’t see his wife
fell in love with stepson
wanted to kill herself
nurse begged him to love her
told her he’d only come back if theseus there
theseus found wife dead
banished son
sea monster killed him
artemis told him truth
theseus regret
aphrodite’s to blame
achilles killed theseus
protector of defenseless

differences:
medea aegeus’ new wife
theseus left ariadne sleeping or sea-sick? died
amazon was antiope

themes:
kleos - fame reputation
nostos - home-coming

Perseus - Trey
King of Argos Acrissius
Danae daughter
goes to delphi asks if he’ll have a son?
daughter will have a son who will kill you
built a house of bronze and sunk it
shower of gold - Danae became pregnant
tried to hide Perseus
cast them out into sea in a chest
giant wave -> onto shore of island
found by a fisherman
took them in with his wife good people
raised them as their own children
taught perseus fishing
polydektes king brother
fell in love with danae
wanted to get rid of perseus
kill gorgons
invited perseus to wedding feast
perseus had no gift, declared he’d bring gorgon’s head (medusa)
went to go kill her
didn’t tell mother
turn to stone
told him he was under protection of gods
Hermes and Athena helped
Hermes - must be properly equipped
nymphs of the north
must ask grey women
one eye to share, old, shriveled
steal eye, trade for directions
sword that can’t be bent or broken
athena - polished shield to look at gorgon’s with
traveled to grey women
took eye from women
gave him directions
sailed to land of the hyperboeans
feasted
hermes showed him the way because impossible to reach without help
3 gifts
winged sandals, magic wallet, invisible hat
athena told him which one was medusa
beheaded medusa
other two woke up as put head into bag
found andromeda
casseiopaiea mother boasted about her daughter
should sacrifice andromeda to sea monster
she was on ledge
perseus chopped off its head
asked parents to marry her
took her back
dictus’ wife died
dictus and danae hid in temple
perseus heard about banquet of king
entered banquet hall
took out medusa’s head
everyone turned to stone
easy to find mother and dictus
dictus-> king
sail back to greece to reconcile with acrissius but he’d fled
athletic contest
discus perseus threw hit accrissius in crowd and killed him
live happily ever after
their son electrion grandfather of hercules
medusa’s head -> athena
part of her aegis

differences
island
polydektes takes them in not dictus
gorgons and grey women siblings
eye and one tooth to share
defeats atlas, turned him to stone out of pity
hat of darkness belongs to
underground house - tower
zeus turns into a sunny field
sickle belonged to cronos
perseus and andromeda -> constellations
dionysus kills perseus

themes:
don’t enrage the gods
hubris
don’t try to avoid prophecies
discus death


*** sorry about any misspellings...