Book 13Book 13

Ithaca at Last Ithaca at Last http://www.longitudebooks.com/images/book_large/GRE45.jpg

Book OutlineBook Outline

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King Alcinous Gives Many King Alcinous Gives Many Beautiful Gifts to Odysseus.Beautiful Gifts to Odysseus.

– Alcinous orders all of his subjects to Alcinous orders all of his subjects to donate fine gifts of gold and fine donate fine gifts of gold and fine robes.robes.

– Odysseus and the Phaeacians make Odysseus and the Phaeacians make libations to Zeuslibations to Zeus

– King Alcinous packs up Odysseus’ boat King Alcinous packs up Odysseus’ boat himselfhimself

– Odysseus thanks the Phaeacians for Odysseus thanks the Phaeacians for their hospitality and their gifts.their hospitality and their gifts.

The ThresholdThe Threshold

– Odysseus is leaving king Alcinous’ Odysseus is leaving king Alcinous’ palace and Phaeacia to go to the shippalace and Phaeacia to go to the ship

– The gifts are all packed in a trunk and The gifts are all packed in a trunk and eventually brought down to the ship eventually brought down to the ship that will take Odysseus home.that will take Odysseus home.

– After the gifts are packed up and After the gifts are packed up and brought to the boat everyone goes back brought to the boat everyone goes back to Alcinous’ palace for another feastto Alcinous’ palace for another feast

– Odysseus is crossing the Odysseus is crossing the thresholdthreshold back from his 20 year journey to back from his 20 year journey to normal life (Ithaca)normal life (Ithaca)

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Ithaca at LastIthaca at Last

– Odysseus and the Phaeacians make Odysseus and the Phaeacians make landfall while Odysseus is sleepinglandfall while Odysseus is sleeping

– The Phaeacians unload all of the gifts The Phaeacians unload all of the gifts that where given to Odysseus from the that where given to Odysseus from the Phaeacians and leave Odysseus on a Phaeacians and leave Odysseus on a beach with all of his gifts while they beach with all of his gifts while they leave for their journey back to leave for their journey back to Phaeacia. Phaeacia.

Poseidon crushes the Poseidon crushes the Phaeacian ship according to Phaeacian ship according to

his promisehis promise– As the Phaeacian ship cruised into the

sight of the Phaeacians king Alcinous remembered his fathers prophecy.

– Alcinous and his followers attempt to prevent Poseidon from erecting the mountain by quickly making libations to him.

Odysseus wakes up in Odysseus wakes up in Ithaca Ithaca

– Athena disguises herself as a boy and Athena disguises herself as a boy and castes a mist over Odysseus so that he castes a mist over Odysseus so that he does not recognize Ithacadoes not recognize Ithaca

– Athena disguises Odysseus so that he Athena disguises Odysseus so that he will not be recognized until he takes will not be recognized until he takes revenge on the suitors.revenge on the suitors.

Athena Clears the MistAthena Clears the Mist

– Athena makes it so Odysseus can Athena makes it so Odysseus can recognize Ithaca, lifting the mistrecognize Ithaca, lifting the mist

– Athena helps Odysseus bury treasures Athena helps Odysseus bury treasures so they will not be stolenso they will not be stolen

– Begin plotting the death of the suitors Begin plotting the death of the suitors togethertogether

– Athena foreshadows bloodshed “I have Athena foreshadows bloodshed “I have a feeling some will splatter your ample a feeling some will splatter your ample floors with all their blood and brains.” floors with all their blood and brains.” 299, 452-3299, 452-3

Odysseus questions Athena about Odysseus questions Athena about the possibility of Telemachus the possibility of Telemachus

being in dangerbeing in danger– Odysseus wonders if Telemachus, who Odysseus wonders if Telemachus, who

is out at sea, could be “like father, like is out at sea, could be “like father, like son-condemned to hardship, roving son-condemned to hardship, roving over the barren salt sea” (300, 476-77)over the barren salt sea” (300, 476-77)

– Athena assures that Telemachus has Athena assures that Telemachus has no troubles right nowno troubles right now

– She tells Odysseus that some men She tells Odysseus that some men plan an ambushplan an ambush

– Athena dresses Odysseus up to look Athena dresses Odysseus up to look like a beggar so not to be recognizedlike a beggar so not to be recognized

Book 13Book 13

Fitting The MonomythFitting The Monomyth

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Fitting the MonomythFitting the Monomyth

This part of the book fits mostly with the trails and struggles part of the monomyth. He does return but he has met Athena and makes him look like an old man. She tells him it will be tough to take down the suitors so it doesn’t really. From lines 448 to 470 she tells him the plan to take back his house showing that he still has lots to do before he can peacefully return. Also Odysseus really relies on supernatural aid from Athena mostly; she always saved him from danger and always found a way to make him get home.

Book 13 Book 13 Key PassagesKey Passages

Page 299, Page 299, Lines 422-Lines 422-

445445““come, weave us a scheme so I can pay them come, weave us a scheme so I can pay them

back!back!Stand beside me, Athena, fire me with daring Stand beside me, Athena, fire me with daring

fierce fierce As the day we ripped Troy’s glittering crown of As the day we ripped Troy’s glittering crown of

towers down.towers down.Stand by me- furious now as then, my bright-eyed Stand by me- furious now as then, my bright-eyed

one-one-And I would fight three hundred men, great And I would fight three hundred men, great

goddessgoddessThis shows that Odysseus wants Athena to make a This shows that Odysseus wants Athena to make a

scheme for him instead of just him doing it scheme for him instead of just him doing it himself. It shows that he wants all the credit, but himself. It shows that he wants all the credit, but doesn’t want to be the one doing all the work.doesn’t want to be the one doing all the work.

““So damn those lords and captains,So damn those lords and captains,

Those Phaeacians! Not entirely honest or Those Phaeacians! Not entirely honest or upright, were they?upright, were they?

Odysseus has just landed on Ithaca without Odysseus has just landed on Ithaca without knowing it, and he thinks that he is in a knowing it, and he thinks that he is in a savage land. This passage reveals that savage land. This passage reveals that over his journey, he has started to blame over his journey, he has started to blame others for his troubles instead accepting others for his troubles instead accepting what has happened. He also jumps to what has happened. He also jumps to conclusions very quickly.conclusions very quickly.

Page 293, Page 293, Lines 237Lines 237

““From then on, daughter of Zeus, I never saw youFrom then on, daughter of Zeus, I never saw youNever glimpsed you striding along my decksNever glimpsed you striding along my decksTo ward off some disaster...To ward off some disaster...You’re mocking me, I know it, telling me talesYou’re mocking me, I know it, telling me talesTo make me lose my way. Tell me the truth now,To make me lose my way. Tell me the truth now,Have a really reached the land that I love?Have a really reached the land that I love?This passage is important because Odysseus is This passage is important because Odysseus is

questioning Athena by saying that she wasn’t questioning Athena by saying that she wasn’t there when he needed her and that she is lying to there when he needed her and that she is lying to him now. This shows that Odysseus is so him now. This shows that Odysseus is so extremely ignorant, because Athena has done extremely ignorant, because Athena has done almost everything possible for him. She is doing almost everything possible for him. She is doing all the work for him, and he whines and points all the work for him, and he whines and points fingers and accuses her still.fingers and accuses her still.

Page 296, Page 296, Lines 361-Lines 361-

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Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions

1.1. Why did Athena stop Odysseus from Why did Athena stop Odysseus from returning home normally and let him returning home normally and let him murder the suitors without turning murder the suitors without turning into an old man in disguise.into an old man in disguise.

2.2. Why did Odysseus pretend to be Why did Odysseus pretend to be someone else when Athena, disguised someone else when Athena, disguised as a shepherd, was talking to himas a shepherd, was talking to him

3.3. Why do you think Odysseus questions Why do you think Odysseus questions Athena once Odysseus arrives in Athena once Odysseus arrives in IthacaIthaca