Troy and the Trojan War

Outline 5: The Odyssey Books 1-6

Preliminary:

Required Readings:

        1.  Odyssey textbook, pages 277-84.  The Odyssey in Antiquity.

        2.  Odyssey textbook, pages 284-294.  Article by G. S. Kirk.

Folkloristic Motifs in the Odyssey

            1.  The Quest

            2.  Magic (beautification, witches, paradise, etc.)

            3.  Weak (intelligent) overcome the strong (stupid)

            4.  The nick of time

I.  Book 1

    A.  Odysseus with Calypso

        1.  Anger of Poseidon

            a.  Ethiopians.

        2.  Athena intervenes with Zeus.

            a.  To Ithaca.

            b.  Hermes to Ogygia.

            c.  Athena meets Telemachus.  She tells him to go to Pylos and Sparta.

    B.  The Suitors

        1.  Abuse of hospitality.

        2.  Antinoos the worst.

        3.  Trick of Penelope.

        4.  Phemios the minstrel.

II.  Book 2

    A.  The Assembly

        1.  Aigyptios.

        2.  Speech of Telemachus.

        3.  Antinoos blames Penelope.

            a.  The loom trick.

        4.  Halitherses, the prophet.

            a.  Eurymachos rejects his prophecy.

        5.  Telemachus will go to Pylos and Sparta.

        6.  Speech of Mentor.

            a.  Philosophy of kingship.

        7.  Leocritus says the suitors do not fear Odysseus.

    B.  Preparations for the Voyage

        1.  Athena Takes on the Form of Mentor

                    a.   She will get a ship and men.

        2.  Suitors mock Telemachus.

        3.  Eurycleia advises against the voyage.

III.  Book 3: To Pylos

    A.  Greeting by Peisistratos

    B.  Speeches of Nestor

        1.  Describes the war casualties.

            a.  His son Antilochus

        2.  The returns of the heroes after the war.

            a.  Disaster because Athena was angry.  Ajax the Lesser had dragged Cassandra from Athena's temple.

            b.  Safe returns for Myrmidons, Philoctetes, Idomeneus, Nestor, Menelaus, Agamemnon, etc.

            c.  Murder of Agamemnon: Cassandra, Aegisthus, Clytemnestra, Orestes, Electra.

    C.  Leave for Sparta

IV.  Book 4

    A.  Arrival and Welcome

        1.  Hermione, Neoptolemus, and Andromache

        2.  Peisistratos and Antilochos, sons of Nestor

    B.  Hospitality

        1.  Menelaus

        2.  Helen

            a.  her knowledge of drugs

    C.  Travels of Menelaus

        1.  Visits Egypt

            a.  Proteus, the old man of the sea; changes shape; his knowledge

            b.  Proteus reveals that Odysseus is alive on the island of Ogygia

            c.  Peoples of the Sea

    D.  Suitors Plan to Ambush Telemachus

        1.  Penelope does not know that Telemachus has left Ithaca.

        2.  Telemachus will return in Book 15.

V.  Book 5

    A.  Hermes goes to Ogygia

        1.  Calypso must release Odysseus.

            a.  Her anger.   He has been there 8 years.

            b.  She would make Odysseus immortal.  He rejects the offer.

    B.  Odysseus leaves.

        1.  Building the raft.

        2.  Poseidon sees him and sends storm.

            a.  Leucothea, a sea nymph saves him.

    C.  Odysseus comes to Scheria.

        1.  Island of the Phaeacians.

            a.  Odysseus falls asleep.

VI.  Book 6

    A.  Athena and Nausicaa

        1.  Do the laundry.

            a.  Play on the beach.

    B.  Odysseus and Nausicaa

        1.  Odysseus begs for clothing.

        2.  Nausicaa's advice.

            a.  Go to the palace of Alcinoos and Arete.

            b.  Go separately.