I choose a passage from Book 9^{, and} lines 360-368.

Odysseus and his crews accidentally became stayed on the land of Cyclops, They got the some cave and took some food like wine and cheese and there were some goat, so they recognized that was a place where someone lives. When they took some food, Polyphemus, one of the Cyclops, the host of the cave, the giant came to the cave, and seized two of odysseus’s crews and made his meal. So Odysseus began to plan a strategy to escape from Polyphemus. After completing the plan, first, he made the giant to give some gift to him, and when the giant asked him about who he is, he reply that ‘Noman is my name’. He already knew the strategy can make the giant helpless. This passage is the point of that strategy to escape from polyphemus. For this passage, the wisdom of Odysseus is marked. Like the war of Troy, his great wisdom to his reputation saved him and his crews again. His courage is as good as wisdom, he was in very high spirits, and said his name and needs, even if he could be killed by the giant. He always tried to maintain a brave and dignified appearance front of the giant. He said ‘Cycolops, You ask me my name, my glorious name’, the reason why he said ‘my glorious name’ is to emphasis his name and make the giant remember his name impressively for his strategy. I think the author said that the wisdom and braveness is the best and the powerful weapon in the war, not strong power and great physical like polyphemus. That situation is a good part to explain his character, which is one of many situations about odysseus’s travel.

Actually, I don’t understand what is standard, which is to get caught first one of his crews to sacrifice from the Giant. How did odysseus avoid being caught while his crews are getting caught? I think, if the odysseus is greatly wise man, he has should save more crews from the giant. There was too many victim. In my opinion of this, the author wanted to say that he is not a perfect god, he is just wise man even though god loves him wherever he is. But, it is true that the rest of crews were able to escape from there with odysseus’s great wisdom.

The section impressing me most lies in Book X, Page 448~449, Line 478~487.

Before reading this part, I regarded Circe as a “dread goddess” as Odyssey describes, who puts the insidious drugs into the wine and bewitches Odyssey’s comrades into swine. Nevertheless, what Circe says in this section display a kind and empathetic figure to me. When comforting Odyssey, Circe does not just express a feeling of sympathy for the past hardships of Odyssey, with words like “Lament no more”. Actually, the following lines “I myself know all that you have suffered” can exhibit she completely possesses the virtue of “empathy”, fully understanding other persons’ feelings and thoughts. She has the ability to associate herself with Odyssey’s pain vicariously, the “teaming sea”, the “losses” at enemies’ hands and the “spirit” he ever held when leaving Ithaca. In addition, Circe has been aware of that Odyssey now is not in a good state, directly penetrates his disguise of an energetic leader in front of his crew, and notices that he is “skin and bones” at present, ”hollow inside”. As if Circe has likewise experienced the misery of Odyssey herself, she realizes that “indeed”, Odyssey is suffering many woes.

Circe’s speech above can indicate she has the quality of empathy, which is essential to strengthen the relationship with others. In fact, it is inevitable that Odyssey is struck for he “took her words to heart” and “sat there for a year”. Days with “abundant meat and sweet wine” is so relaxing that he nearly forgets the major goal, until a member of the crew reminds him that it is time for them to set sail and return to the home. Hence, I do not think Odyssey is compelled to stay with Circe. On the contrary, to me, he lives there with his own willing.

However, looking back on prior words of Odyssey to Alcinous (Book IX, Page 427, Line 34), I find that he characterizes Circe with the label “the witch of Aeaea”, using the word “held” to express he is not voluntarily willing to stay in Aeaea for a year but instead, it is Circe who enforces him to reside in her halls. Besides, he compares Circe with Calypso that they are alike in yearning to possess him. Nonetheless, in Calypso’s cavern, Odyssey sits on the shore with “hollow, salt-rimmed eyes”(Book V, Page 387, Line 86), while in Circe’s hall, feasted with excellent wine and delicious dishes, Odyssey does not present a sign of deep sorrow as in Calypso’s island. Moreover, after Odyssey communicates his thoughts of leaving, Circe does not try to detain him or restrain his departure, answering “You need not stay here in my house any longer than you wish.” (Book X, Page 449, Line 510~511). In contrast, Calypso has ever tried to persuaded Odyssey to stay by comparing her beauty to his wife Penelope. These can indicate that although the two nymphs both have the intention to possess Odyssey, they are different in nature. Calypso does not understand the importance of the homeland to Odyssey and cannot perceive his great agony from the tears due to homesickness, regardless of the beautiful scene in her living place. But Circe can comprehend Odyssey’s pain and his attachment to Ithaca. Therefore, I do not agree with the message Odyssey conveys to Alcinous, which mistakes Circe for a malicious nymph. Instead, Circe is of complex personalities, and what she says in the part I select display that she is indeed kind, sensitive and compassionate.

Overall, the content in Circe’s words is the inducement that makes Odyssey stay with her for one year. Even though he still holds his sweet country Ithaca in the heart during the year in Aeaea, on my part, he actually a little enjoys the days on this island and views this period a chance to recuperate from languishment, recharge himself and gather strength again.

‘Noman is my name. They call me Noman. My mother, my father, and all my friends too.’

During one evening in Phaeacia, Odysseus recalled his past after he heard a man named Demodocus, who was blind, sing about the Trojan War. As he was recalling, Odysseus had cried and the king of Phaeacia had witnessed it. Odysseus had explained to the king who he was, where he came from, what he has been through and how he came to Phaeacia. To begin with, Odysseus and his crews were returning to his hometown and they landed into the island of Cyclops. While they found a cave and stayed there, they met Polyphemus, a giant cannibal who locked them into the cave and planned about to eat them as a meal. Two of his crews had already eaten by him. He did not want his crews dying out more and his purpose of escaping situation was to go back to his home. Odysseus in response had lowered himself and did not identify himself as a hero. He offered Polyphemus a wine to ease his mind. Thus, when Polyphemus had asked “Tell me your name” , Odysseus said “You ask me my name, my glorious name… Remember now….NOMAN is my name, They called me Noman. My mother my father, and all my friends too”. “Noman” means a self-deprecating insignificant thing that shows Odysseus did not want to risk his life with his name value although he was a hero who led the Trojan war to the end. Odysseus, who escaped from the crisis to be eaten, stabbed Polyphemus’s eye while he was drunk. Rather fighting directly, Odysseus chose to avoid that situation with his elocution.

This scene is one of the adversities that Odysseus had faced to return back to his home. As a whole, the narrator depicts Odysseus as a character who had embodied wise and bravery man. Unlike other Greek mythical heroes, Odysseus presented himself as a humble hero in a more realistic and humanly ways. Odysseus had reflected and enlightened the readers how to face unexpected difficulties and how to address them. Odysseus is a man who embraced unforeseen situations. By saying ‘Noman’ instead of revealing himself his real name, he is more enlightened now to avoid if he sees danger by preparing himself in advance. Through this passages and Odysseus’s journey overall, it is clear that in order to achieve one’s desired goals one has to face and overcome hardships. In relations to Odysseus journey, his tactic was to survive in all means possible to return to his hometown, Ithaca.

Face of a God, Mouth of a Donkey

I chose a passage from Book VIII, lines 181 ~ 204.

In a few lines prior, Euryalus has just taunted Odysseus saying that he does not look like a sportsman and he looks more like the captain of a merchant ship rather than an athlete. Odysseus’s response is to look at the man dead on and state: Not all the gifts that people have are given to them from the gods. One man may not be handsome but the gods bless his speech so that “he stands out in any crowd” and that “he speaks with unfaltering grace and sweet modesty.” Another man may be handsome and look like an “immortal” but his words are foul.
Odysseus draws the parallel with the latter of the two men and says to Eurylaus that even though he is immensely good-looking, his mind is “crippled.” Eurylaus’s taunting jabs at Odysseus’s pride and “cuts deep”. Odysseus goes on saying that he is not a novice and that he is one of the best athletes around. Despite being “slowed down by my aches and pains”, Odysseus is fired up and ready to play.

In this passage, Odysseus essentially insults Eurylaus and boasts about himself. For Eurylaus, Odysseus calls him handsome but “dumb” in a sense. For himself, Odysseus says that he was one of the best athletes and that despite being riddled with aches and pains of age and the suffering from war and sea, he will still rise up to the challenge.

Odysseus is known by many terms: cunning, sly, smart, and he is even called godlike on occasions. Despite all this, Odysseus is still just a human and as a human, he has faults. Odysseus has had moments where he was either rash, emotional, or both, which blindsides him and results in creating bad decisions or choosing poor courses of action. Although the passage I chose does not include Odysseus making a bad choice, it shows how Odysseus is human as he is affected by Eurylaus’s taunting.

It is understandable that Odysseus is riled up with Eurylaus’s taunts. These taunts really cut deep into Odysseus and it’s not surprising. If I were Odysseus and I had just experienced the worst years of my life I too would react in a similar fashion. If someone, especially if this person is from a younger generation, puts me down, I would be enraged and would want to prove myself. Eurylaus has no idea how hard of a life Odysseus has lived and the way Odysseus reacts is oddly calm as he does not show anger.

Additonally, Odysseus has lost many of his crew members. Instead of getting to understand Odysseus, Eurylaus paints Odysseus as a greedy merchant with no skill other than for profits. To the Greeks, having strength is important and it directly links to their pride and honor. Eurylaus says that Odysseus has neither physical strength nor the skill to maneuver the sea; essentially saying that Odysseus lived an easy life because of money. Odysseus has money but definitely has not lived an easy life.

Book IX,page 437, lines 526-533

For the purposes of this assignment, I used fate and destiny interchangeably.

Odysseus’s journey throughout the Odyssey is a long, meandering path that forks at many turns, due to both his own actions and those of his enemies and benefactors. This particular passage depicts the moment that explains a major source of Odysseus’s plight. Odysseus makes the decision of revealing his name to the Cyclops Polyphemus of his own free will. My analysis focuses on the illusion of free will presented in this passage and throughout the Odyssey. Superficially, it would appear that he made the decision of his own free will, but stated that his crew didn’t convince his “hero’s heart.” Because Odysseus represents the archetype of a hero, he must suffer a hero’s fate. That is because everything has been already decided for him, his choices only serve to cement his fate. This passage is important because it serves as the premise for the Odyssey. If he did not reveal himself to Polyphemus, then he would not suffer Poseidon’s wrath, and perhaps the many other perils he faced.The foreshadowing describes Odysseus’s journey clearly, that he is fated to return home, and destined/cursed to encounter trouble along the way, in the form of arriving late, “having lost all companions, in another’s ship,” to a household under siege. This foreshadowing repeats as a reminder than nothing will change, everything is predetermined. The decisions that Odysseus and others make keep delaying his return to home, and yet, his fate is to return home.

Polyphemus prays to Poseidon for a curse on Odysseus. This curse of suffering is issued by Poseidon but destiny and fate prove to be superior, a force that not even the gods have control over. That doesn’t mean the Gods are powerless though. They act as agents of Destiny, just like the Fates. Homer has written it so that all beings in his epic are subject to the same treatment. Throughout the Odyssey Odysseus faces many choices, from choosing to not stay with Calypso or the Phaeacians, to disobeying the goddess Ino until it became a matter of life and death. His destiny is to return to home, but he seems to exercises choice and free will along the way, developing the epic that much more. These choices all look like Odysseus exercising his free will on the road, but in reality, he is fulfilling his fate; all roads lead to destiny.

The Contest

The passage I have chosen to analyze is a mixture of scenes on page 414-416 I’ve Titled this passed analysis “The Contest” that is my main focus but first I will like to discuss the events that lead up to the contest. On page 414, line 92 – 107, the people of Phaeacia and Odysseus are feasting while a singer sings a songs that touches the emotional side of Odysseus. Odysseus comes from a town (Ithaca) where grieving was respected, appreciated and public. In this passage Odysseus is trying to hide his tears from the Phaeacians. On line 95 it reads “He was ashamed to let the Phaeacians see his tears falling down”. As strong minded Odysseus has been portrayed in these Books, since when he has ever felt ashamed to cry. When Odysseus was stranded Ogygia he wept constantly. The Phaeacians are not crying possibly because they have not experienced similar things Odysseus has experienced. While Odysseus continued to cover his face and hide his tears, on line 105 Alcinous notices and quickly tries to change to settings. Alcinous see’s more of Odysseus and that this stranger (Odysseus) probably had a more hard life than expected. Some other words that was used in this passage “Cover” and “Conceal”. The story told by Helen in previous passages, she mentioned how Odysseus hid his identity as he is now, but also covering him self up in clothes to look like a beggar. Odysseus is not a liar but he will hide the truth for his own benefit. So even in these moments where he is saddened, he knows if he reveals his tear it may open a door of questions on who is he really?  Odysseus has yet to tell Alcinous and the Phaeacians his name.

Moving forward in other parts of the passage, after Alcinous noticed Odysseus crying as I’ve stated earlier he quickly tries to change the settings by proposing a contest. An Athletic contest that consist of boxing, wrestling, jumping and footraces. Now based on the stories we have been told we know that Odysseus is strong, cunning, hero and also in previous stories that he will kill all the suitors, so he is a great fighter. In Line 146 Alcinous son suggested that they should invite “the stranger” (Odysseus) into the contest. The passages states “We should ask the stranger whether he is skilled in any sport.” Then they started complimenting his body, the Phaeacians are fascinated by Odysseus physical features. In line 153 Euryalus tells Laodamas to challenge him in Public. They know this stranger has been through hardship and is down on his luck, as sympathetic the Phaeacians have been towards this stranger, now during the contest Euryalus is ready to pull his collar with possibilities of Odysseus loosing the contest. In line 167 to 172 surprisingly Odysseus denies the invitation. Based on all the stories we have heard of Odysseus, to me him turning down a challenge has been unlikely, especially with all the trials and tribulations he has been facing so far, what’s one more challenge. But clearly Odysseus was not up for it. Possibly because he knew he will win and if he win people may not pity him any more and they may not feel the need to help him. Odysseus is still being mindful of his main goal and that’s to get home.

In line 174 Euryalus states “I’ve seen a lot of sportsmen and you don’t look like one to me at all” What an insult to Odysseus (the stranger). Euryalus is taunting and provoking Odysseus. Euryalus must love competing and winning, and its possible he always win any competitions because a known loser will not be looking for any challenges. From line 180 to 204 you can feel Odysseus fury, subtle anger and he is boiling up inside from the way Euryalus spoke to him. When reading this passage the feelings of thoughts in Odysseus mind is “HOW DARE HE!” In line 183 Odysseus states ” the Sad truth is that the Gods don’t give anyone all their gifts whether its looks or intelligence or eloquence”. Here Odysseus is basically telling Euryalus you’re not perfect, and subtly throwing Jabs at Euryalus like you may have a quality but you lack THIS QUALITY. In line 186 Odysseus seems to be describing himself it reads “But the Gods crown his words with beauty”, Odysseus cunning tongue. Skipping a few lines to 189 ” And stands out in any crowd. When he walks through town, men look upon him as a God” the words of GOD-LIKE ODYSSEUS. Towards the end of the Passage Odysseus accepts this challenge.

The lines I have bought to attention from page 414 – 416 an Overview; It begins with the town feasting, celebrating and during the celebration there is a singer, who sings a song that makes Odysseus very sad and emotional, Odysseus not wanting anyone to see his tears. Alcinous notices his tears and try to change the setting by proposing a Contest, something that we now know is enjoyment for the Phaeacians. Odysseus was offered to compete in the contest but refused possibly because he just wants to focus on getting home or because he does not want to reveal his true strength and the people will not pity him. With Pity comes help. But Odysseus was provoked by Laodamas and Euryalus, not accepting no for an answer Euryalus insults Odysseus which causing a rage in Odysseus to finally accept the challenge.

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