aegisthus in the odyssey book 1
The Odyssey Book 1 ATHENA INSPIRES THE PRINCE SCENE: Calypso's island (briefly), Olympus (briefly), Ithaca, (mainly) IMPORTANT CHARACTERS: Gods: Poseidon, Hermes, Athena/Mentes, Zeus Mortals: Telemachus, Mentes (Athena): King of the Taphians, friend of Odysseus, Penelope,Eurycleia (nurse) Phemias (the singer), the "suitors," especially Antinous and Eurymachus. 9th grade. But in his heart he knew that it had been the goddess. You are indeed wonderfully like him about the head and eyes, for we were close friends before he set sail for Troy where the flower of all the Argives went also. Ten years after the fall of Troy, Odysseus is being held as a captive guest on the island of Ogygia by the nymph Calypso. Men-servants and pages were bustling about to wait upon them, some mixing wine with water in the mixing-bowls, some cleaning down the tables with wet sponges and laying them out again, and some cutting up great quantities of meat. Summary. Played 342 times. Start studying The Odyssey Books 1-4. Sing the suitors some one of these, and let them drink their wine in silence, but cease this sad tale, for it breaks my sorrowful heart, and reminds me of my lost husband whom I mourn ever without ceasing, and whose name was great over all Hellas and middle Argos. Now Neptune had gone off to the Ethiopians, who are at the world's end, and lie in two halves, the one looking West and the other East. Orestes, Agamemnon’s son, … He was then coming from Ephyra, where he had been to beg poison for his arrows from Ilus, son of Mermerus. Agamemnon. Nestor explains that Agamemnon returned from Troy to find that Aegisthus, a base coward who remained behind while the Greeks fought in Troy, had seduced and married his wife, Clytemnestra. Then Telemachus spoke, "Shameless," he cried, "and insolent suitors, let us feast at our pleasure now, and let there be no brawling, for it is a rare thing to hear a man with such a divine voice as Phemius has; but in the morning meet me in full assembly that I may give you formal notice to depart, and feast at one another's houses, turn and turn about, at your own cost. ", And Minerva answered, "I will tell you truly and particularly all about it. And now, sir, tell me and tell me true, who you are and where you come from. One is the story of Odysseus who is held captive on Ogygia by Calypso. Copy. Take my advice, call the Achaean heroes in assembly to-morrow morning—lay your case before them, and call heaven to bear you witness. A good old woman, Euryclea, daughter of Ops, the son of Pisenor, went before him with a couple of blazing torches. If Ulysses is the man he then was these suitors will have a short shrift and a sorry wedding. … THE GODS IN COUNCIL--MIVERVA'S VISIT TO ITHACA--THE CHALLENGE FROM TELEMACHUS TO THE SUITORS. What country does he come from? ... At the beginning of Book 1, what has happened to Odysseus? ", And Minerva said, "Father, son of Saturn, King of kings, if, then, the gods now mean that Ulysses should get home, we should first send Mercury to the Ogygian island to tell Calypso that we have made up our minds and that he is to return. ", "My mother," answered Telemachus, "tells me I am son to Ulysses, but it is a wise child that knows his own father. The most lucky person on earth will be the person you wed. However, Telemachus senses that Mentes is really Athena and is emboldened by her support. Forthwith men servants poured water over their hands, maids went round with the bread-baskets, pages filled the mixing-bowls with wine and water, and they laid their hands upon the good things that were before them. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from Sparknotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. Almost immediately, he delineates two plots that eventually will merge. She it was who now lighted Telemachus to his room, and she loved him better than any of the other women in the house did, for she had nursed him when he was a baby. If on the other hand you choose to persist in spunging upon one man, heaven help me, but Jove shall reckon with you in full, and when you fall in my father's house there shall be no man to avenge you. you think Homer begins the work by having Zeus discuss this story? Go, then, within the house and busy yourself with your daily duties, your loom, your distaff, and the ordering of your servants; for speech is man's matter, and mine above all others —for it is I who am master here.". In the old days we had many visitors for my father went about much himself. Edit. You can view our. Character List. The narrator calls upon the Muse to help him tell the story of Odysseus. Some one may tell you something, or (and people often hear things in this way) some heaven-sent message may direct you. Thus brooding as he sat among them, he caught sight of Minerva and went straight to the gate, for he was vexed that a stranger should be kept waiting for admittance. Then, having done all this, think it well over in your mind how, by fair means or foul, you may kill these suitors in your own house. Previous Book I. She held a veil, moreover, before her face, and was weeping bitterly. Clytemnestra approves of Aegisthus’s murdering Agamemnon v. Aegisthus would have taken over the kingdom if Orestes (Agamemnon’s son who was exile in Athens) had not killed Aegisthus and Clytemnestra vi. Tags: Question 20 . Of what family is he, and where is his estate? book give us? Throughout, people are responsible for their choices but always susceptible to intervention by the gods. ", The suitors bit their lips as they heard him, and marvelled at the boldness of his speech. Orestes avenges his father’s death by killing Aegisthus and Clytemnestra. The exact date of these works is disputed by modern scholars but they are usually placed in the C8th or C7th B.C. There she found the lordly suitors seated on hides of the oxen which they had killed and eaten, and playing draughts in front of the house. Odysseus, the reader is told, is the only Greek survivor of the Trojan War who has not yet returned home or died trying. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink they wanted music and dancing, which are the crowning embellishments of a banquet, so a servant brought a lyre to Phemius, whom they compelled perforce to sing to them. The gods meet in council and discuss Orestes and Aegisthus. If the showdown were immediate, it seems unlikely that Telemachus could defeat Antinous either personally or with his few supporters. He would accept the crown if it were the will of Zeus, but his modesty is justified at this point when he says he would simply hope to rule his own household. When she reached the suitors she stood by one of the bearing posts that supported the roof of the cloisters with a staid maiden on either side of her. Is this the worst fate you can think of for me? Polyphemus (the Cyclops) and King Alcinous. He opened the door of his bed room and sat down upon the bed; as he took off his shirt he gave it to the good old woman, who folded it tidily up, and hung it for him over a peg by his bed side, after which she went out, pulled the door to by a silver catch, and drew the bolt home by means of the strap. So now all who escaped death in battle or by shipwreck had got safely home except Ulysses, and he, though he was longing to return to his wife and country, was detained by the goddess Calypso, who had got him into a large cave and wanted to marry him. Homer opens The Odyssey with an invocation to the Muse of epic poetry and asks for her guidance in telling the story of a man who has experienced many twists and turns of fate and has suffered many hardships.