From the book Allusion, Authority, and Truth. Cite this. You currently have no access to view or download this content. Please log in with your institutional or personal account if you should have access to this content through either of these. Showing a limited preview of this publication:. Chapter Allusion, Authority, and Truth 6.
Goldhill Idealism in the Odyssey and the Meaning of mounos in Odyssey 16". Goldhill, S. Idealism in the Odyssey and the Meaning of mounos in Odyssey When the horse was opened he and Menelaus were the first that juniped out and haste to the house of Deiphobus, where he conquered in the fearful struggle Od. He is also said to have taken part in carrying off the palladitum.
But no part of his adventures is so celebrated in ancient story as his wanderings after the destruction of Troy, and his ultimate return to Ithaca, which form the subject of the Homeric poem called after him the Odyssey. After the taking of Troy one portion of the Greeks sailed away, and another with Agamemnon remained behind on the Trojan coast. Odysseus at first joined the former, but when he had sailed as far as Tenedos, he returned to Agamemnon Od. Afterwards, however, he determined to sail home, but was thrown by a storm upon the coast of Ismarus, a town of the Cicones, in Thrace, north of the island of Lemnos.
He there ravaged and plundered the town, and as he was not able to induce his men to depart in time, the Cicones hastened towards the coast from the interior, and slew 72 of his companions Od. From thence he was driven by a north wind towards Maleia and to the Lotophagi on the coast of Libya. Some of his companions were so much delighted with the taste of the lotus that they wanted to remain in the country, but Odysseus compelled them to embank again, and continued his voyage Od.
In one day he reached the goat-island, situated north of the country of the Lotophagi Od. He there left behind eleven ships, and with one he sailed to the neighbouring island of the Cyclopes the western coast of Sicily , where with twelve companions he entered the cave of the Cyclops Polyphemus, a son of Poseidon and Thoosa.
This giant devoured one after another six of the companions of Odysseus, and kept the unfortunate Odysseus and the six others as prisoners in his cave. In order to save himself Odysseus contrived to make the monster drunk with wine, and then with a burning pole deprived him of his one eye. He now succeeded in making his escape with his.
The Cyclops implored his father Poseidon to take vengeance upon Odysseus, and henceforth the god of the sea pursued the wandering king with implacable enmity Od. Others represent Poseidon as angry with Odysseus on account of the death of Palamedes Philostr. On his further voyage he arrived at the island of Aeolus, probably in the south of Sicily, where he stayed one month, and is said to have been in love with Polymela, the daughter of Aeolus Parthen.
On his departure Aeolus provided him with a bag of winds, which were to carry him home, but his companions, without Odysseus' knowing it, opened the bag, and the winds escaped, whereupon the ships were driven back to the island of Aeolus, who was indignant and refused all further assistance Od. After a voyage of six days he arrived at Telepylos, the city of Lamus, in which Antiphates ruled over the Laestrygones, a sort of cannibals. This place must probably be sought somewhere in the north of Sicily.
Odysseus escaped from them with only one ship A part of his people was sent to explore the island, but they were changed by Circe into swine. Eurylochus alone escaped, and brought the sad news to Odysseus, who, when he was hastening to the assistance of his friends, was instructed by Hermes by what means he could resist the magic powers of Circe.
He succeeded in liberating his companions, who were again changed into men, and were most hospitably treated by the sorceress. When at length Odysseus begged for leave to depart, Circe desired him to descend into Hades and to consult the seer Teiresias He now sailed westward right across the river Oceanus, and having landed on the other side in the country of the Cimmerians, where Helios does not shine, he entered Hades, and consulted Teiresias about the manner In which he night reach his native island.
Teiresias informed him of the danger and difficulties arising from the anger of Poseidon, but gave him hope that all would yet turn out well, if Odysseus and his companions would leave the herds of Helios in Thrinacia uninjured Od.
Odysseus now returned to Aeaea, where Circe again treated the strangers kindly, told them of the dangers that yet awaited them, and of the means of escaping The wind which she sent with them carried them to the island of the Seirens, somewhere near the west coast of Italy.
The Seirens sat on the shore, and with their sweet voices attracted all that passed by, and then destroyed them. Odysseus, in order to escape the danger, filled the ears of his companions with wax, and fastened himself to the mast of his ship, until he was out of the reach of the Seirens' song Hereupon his ship came between Scylla and Charybdis, two rocks between Thrinacia and Italy. As the ship passed between them, Scylla, the monster inhabiting the rock of the same name, carried off and devoured six of the companions of Odysseus From thence he came to Thrinacia, the island of Helios, who there kept his sacred herds of oxen.
Odysseus, mindful of the advice of Teiresias and Circe, wanted to pass by, but his companions compelled him to land. He made them swear not to touch any of the cattle; but as they were detained in the island by storms, and as they were hungry, they killed the finest of the oxen while Odysseus was asleep.
After some days the storm abated, and they sailed away, but soon another storm came on, and their ship was destroyed by Zeus with a flash of lightning. All were drowned with the exception of Odysseus, who saved himself by means of the mast and planks, and was driven by the wind again towards Scylla and Charybdis.
But he skilfully avoided the danger, and after ten days he reached the woody island of Ogygia, inhabited by the nymph Calypso She received him with kindness, and desired him to marry her, promising immortality and eternal youth, it he would consent, and forget Ithaca. But he could not overcome his longing after his own home 1. Athena, who had always been the protectress of Odysseus, induced Zeus to promise over that Odysseus, notwithstanding the anger of Poseidon, should one day return to his native island, and take vengeance on the suitors of Penelope 1.
Hermes carried to Calypso the command of Zeus to dismiss Odysseus. The nymph obeyed, and taught him how to build a raft, on which, after a stay of eight years with her, he left the island 5. On the advice of Leucothea, and with her and Athena's assistance, he reached Scheria by dint of swimming 5.
Victory motivates Odysseus. He wants to return home and live well in Ithaca; as a result, every step along the way is another test, sometimes, another battle. His concern with victory is also cultural, as well as practical.
In Homer's world, where there are no police or justice systems, might usually makes right. The strong prevail. Odysseus often has only two choices: death or victory. Even when Athena intervenes on his behalf, she often leaves ultimate success or failure up to Odysseus.
During the battle with the suitors, for example, she could easily and quickly prevail; but she makes Odysseus earn the victory. Appropriately, Odysseus' development as a character is complicated. He is, in every way, "the man of twists and turns" 1. While he does seem to grow throughout his wanderings, the reader should not look at each event as a one more learning experience for the hero.
The Odyssey is not a lesson plan for growth; the episodes are not didactic examples of the importance of prudence or anything else. When Odysseus left for Troy, he had already established his reputation as a hero. His participation in the war was crucial to the Greeks' victory. It was he who disguised himself as an old beggar and infiltrated the enemy.
As Menelaus tells Telemachus in Book 4, it was Odysseus' legendary ruse of the Trojan horse that led to the defeat of Troy. Certainly Odysseus does grow in wisdom and judgment throughout his ventures.
His self-control while dealing with the suitors' insults is exemplary and contrasts, for example, with his earlier irresistible urge to announce his name to the Cyclops in Book 9.
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