Odysseus
King of Ithaca, son of Laertes, known as 'clever Odysseus', hero in Trojan war (idea for Trojan horse). Favorite of Athena and enemy of Posiedon. Tells his journeys to the Phaecians and kills the suitors etc. Is known as clever, stong, brave, wants glory
Penelope
Odysseus's faithful wife, obliged to let suitors in her house due to Greek hospitality. She is left out of most matters as they don;t want to upset her more. She spends a lot of time crying. She is clever and sly and leads the suitors on with the burial s
Telemechaus
Penelope and Odysseus' son, at the suggestion of Athena goes on a year long search for his father and stays with King Melaneus in Sparta. Matures from a boy who is helpless against the suitors to helping save the kingdom and kill the suitors with Odysseus
Circe
Sorceress on Aeaen. She turns Odysseus's men into pigs nut Odysseus does not as he is given a mgic herb by Hermes. He is able to have her turn the men back ih he has sex with her. He does and they stay there for a year. She sayas they cannot go back to It
Calypso
Nymph who rescues Odysseus and holds him captive for seven years. Odysseus says although Calypso is much more beautiful than Peneope he never loved her, he just acted like it. He soends the time wishing he could be with Penelope. Hermes persuades her to l
Posiedon
One of the Gods, borther of Zeus. Strongly against Odyseeus as he blinded/tricked his Cyclops son. Always makes the sea pull him away from home.
Polyphemus
Cyclops son of Posiedon. They eneter his cave and Polyphemus enjoys eating his men with milk for his meals. He knows they cannot escape on their own since the entrance is blocked by a big boulder. Odyseeus tricks him by saying his name is Nobody. He gets
Tireisias
Blind prophet (we know him from Antigone!) that Odysseus calls from the Underworld. He warns them not to eat Helios's cattle and says that Odysseus will be the only one to survive home. There he must kill all the suitors and pray to Posiedon for a peacefu
Naussica
Daughter of Phaecian King Alonicus, she is prompted by Athena to do her laundry and finds Odysseus on the shore naked. She gives him clothes and is attracted to him. She invites hime to go the the palace (hospitality) but on his own so that people will no
Athena
Daughter or Zeus and godess of wisdom and purposeful battle, she has a soft spot for Odysseuss and aids him in many situations. She aids Telemechus, often disguising herself as Mentor, O's old friend. In Olympus she advocates for helping Odysseus to Zeus.
Antinous
Most arrogant of suitors and abusive of their home. He suggests the plot to kill Telemachus and abuses O when he is the beggar. Very unsympathetic and the first to die.
Eurymachus
Manipulative and decietful suitor with influence over the others.
Eumaeus
The 'loyal swineherd' who takes Odysseus/the beggar in, giving him food and shelter. He dislikes the suitors and helps O reclaim the throne.
Eurycleia
Old nurse of Odyseeus and Telemachus. She keeps Telemachus journey a secret from Penelope and hides O's identiy when she recognizes him from his scar. Helps with the preparations for killing the suitors.
Laertes
Odysseus's old father who is declining and upset becuase of O's abscence until he returns. Kills Antonius' father.
Anticlea
Odyseeus's mother, whom O discovers has died when he is in the Underworld. She died of a broken heart/longing for Odysseus as he hadn't come home.
Argos
Odysseus' dog. He waits twenty years for his master to return to Ithaca and dies just as he returns.
Alcinous
King of the Phaecians who welcomes Odysseus's in and hears his story. Sends O back to Ithaca with lots of treasures and because of thier hospitality, Posiedon enacts the prophecy.
Aeolus
God of the winds. Gove Odysseus a bag of the worlds winds which the crew opens up and sends them back to his island.
Ino
A nerid or sea nymph who tells Odyseeus to abandon his raft and gives him her veil to keep him afloat when he is a Posiedon-cretaed storm on the sea after leaving Calypso.
in medias res
tranlsated to "in the middle". Means how th Odyssey starts in the middle of a story to avoid lengthy introduction of characters, plot etc
Frame story
Tale within a tale-his journey inside the tale of his return to Ithaca
epithet
term used to characterize the nature of a person or thing. Used as a mnemonic device. -'Rosy fingered dawn'
epic (homeric) simile
Elaborate compasrison of like things. Examples?
Allegory
Work written on more than one level with the second level more important
Allegory: Land of the Lotus Eaters
temptations of pleasure which keep us from the duties of life can also destory us
Allegory: Cyclops
Direct threats to our lives and well being must be over come or else they will destory us
Allegory: Scylla and Charybdis
Life presents major choices to us all-what we decide determines our futures
Allegory: Ithaca
there's no place like him (also shown in the Ithaca poem we read in class!)
Allegory:Sea
Sea of life holds the challenges which determine our fates. Journey motif
Epic characteristics in Odyssey
long set speeches
welfare of a large number of people at stake
portrayal of a culture of people
intervention of divine sources
begins in medias res
use of elevated language (dactylic hexameter)
ambrosia
the food of the gods
ardent
1. firey, hot 2. zealous (ardent supporters)
brine
salt water
buckler
small round shield with a handle on an arm
charlatan
fraud
dam
femlae parent of a (domestic) animal
distraught
upset
lustral
purifying
pungent
sharp, painful
squalls
1. strong, violent storms 2. to cry out
National Epics
La Chanson de Roland-France (France and Muslim battle)
El Cid-Spain (warrior against invading Moors)
Gilgamesh-Turkey (earliest known epic)
The Aenied-Rome (founding of city)
Beowulf-England