The OdysseyThe Odyssey

By: Amanda And BradBy: Amanda And Brad

Basic OverviewBasic Overview

Once the Trojan War had ended, Odysseus, ruler Once the Trojan War had ended, Odysseus, ruler of the island kingdom of Ithaca, would return of the island kingdom of Ithaca, would return

home once again.home once again. But During the Trojan War he angered many But During the Trojan War he angered many

gods. gods. To which arose lots of obstacles on his journey To which arose lots of obstacles on his journey

home. home.

OdysseusOdysseus

Odysseus (called Ulysses in Latin) was Odysseus (called Ulysses in Latin) was the son of Laertes the son of Laertes

Was the ruler of the island kingdom of Was the ruler of the island kingdom of Ithaca. Ithaca.

He was one of the most prominent Greek He was one of the most prominent Greek leaders in the Trojan War. leaders in the Trojan War.

OdysseusOdysseus

Was the hero of Homer's Odyssey. Was the hero of Homer's Odyssey. He was known for his cleverness and He was known for his cleverness and

cunning, and for his eloquence as a cunning, and for his eloquence as a speaker. speaker.

ObstaclesObstaclesOdysseus’s return took ten years due to many Odysseus’s return took ten years due to many

perils. These perils being:perils. These perils being:

He freed his men from the pleasure-giving drugs of the Lotus-He freed his men from the pleasure-giving drugs of the Lotus-EatersEaters

He rescued his crew from the cannibalism of the Cyclops'sHe rescued his crew from the cannibalism of the Cyclops's Also rescued his crew from the enchantments of Circe, daughter Also rescued his crew from the enchantments of Circe, daughter

of the sun.of the sun. He steered them past the perils of the Sirens and of Scylla and He steered them past the perils of the Sirens and of Scylla and

Charybdis Charybdis He could not save them from their final folly, however.He could not save them from their final folly, however.

The Final FollyThe Final Folly

The crew violated divine The crew violated divine commandments by slaughtering commandments by slaughtering

and eating the cattle of the sun-god.and eating the cattle of the sun-god.

This obviously angered the Sun god This obviously angered the Sun god because you don’t go around because you don’t go around slaughtering slaughtering HISHIS cattle, It’s cattle, It’s

common sense. common sense.

ResultResult

As a result of this rash act, As a result of this rash act, Odysseus' ship was destroyed by a Odysseus' ship was destroyed by a

thunderbolt, and only Odysseus thunderbolt, and only Odysseus himself survived. himself survived.

He came ashore on the island of the He came ashore on the island of the nymph Calypso, who made him her nymph Calypso, who made him her lover and refused to let him leave lover and refused to let him leave

for seven years. for seven years.

Savior?Savior?

When Zeus finally intervened, When Zeus finally intervened, Odysseus sailed away on a small Odysseus sailed away on a small boat, only to be shipwrecked by boat, only to be shipwrecked by

another storm. another storm. He swam ashore on the island of the He swam ashore on the island of the

Phaeacians, where he was Phaeacians, where he was magnificently entertained and then, magnificently entertained and then,

at long last, escorted home to Ithaca.at long last, escorted home to Ithaca.

The Cunning of Odysseus The Cunning of Odysseus

The intelligence and cunning of Odysseus The intelligence and cunning of Odysseus brought him a long way in Greece.brought him a long way in Greece.

Odysseus was one of the original suitors Odysseus was one of the original suitors of Helen of Troy. of Helen of Troy.

When Menelaus succeeded in winning When Menelaus succeeded in winning Helen's hand in marriage, it was Helen's hand in marriage, it was

Odysseus who advised him to get the Odysseus who advised him to get the other suitors to swear to defend his other suitors to swear to defend his

marriage rights. marriage rights.

Cunning cont. Cunning cont.

However, when Menelaus called on the However, when Menelaus called on the suitors to help him bring Helen back from suitors to help him bring Helen back from

Troy, Odysseus was reluctant to make Troy, Odysseus was reluctant to make good on his oath. good on his oath.

He pretended to have gone mad, plowing He pretended to have gone mad, plowing his fields and sowing salt instead of grain. his fields and sowing salt instead of grain.

Palamedes placed Odysseus' infant son in Palamedes placed Odysseus' infant son in front of the plow, and Odysseus revealed front of the plow, and Odysseus revealed his sanity when he turned aside to avoid his sanity when he turned aside to avoid

injuring the child. injuring the child.

Problems in IthacaProblems in Ithaca While Odysseus was away, His wife Penelope was While Odysseus was away, His wife Penelope was

under lots of pressure to re-marry. Suitor’s came under lots of pressure to re-marry. Suitor’s came almost every day to ask her hand. But she stayed almost every day to ask her hand. But she stayed

faithful to Odysseus until the day he returned. faithful to Odysseus until the day he returned. There were problems in Ithaca as well, however. There were problems in Ithaca as well, however.

During Odysseus' twenty-year absence, his wife, During Odysseus' twenty-year absence, his wife, Penelope, had remained faithful to him. Penelope, had remained faithful to him.

Odysseus at lastOdysseus at last

But she was under enormous pressure to But she was under enormous pressure to remarry. A whole host of suitors were remarry. A whole host of suitors were occupying her palace, drinking and occupying her palace, drinking and eating and behaving insolently to eating and behaving insolently to

Penelope and her son, Telemachus. Penelope and her son, Telemachus. Odysseus arrived at the palace, disguised Odysseus arrived at the palace, disguised

as a ragged beggar, and observed their as a ragged beggar, and observed their behavior and his wife's fidelity. behavior and his wife's fidelity.

Cont.Cont.

With the help of Telemachus and Laertes, With the help of Telemachus and Laertes, he slaughtered the suitors and cleansed he slaughtered the suitors and cleansed

the palace. the palace. He then had to fight one final battle, He then had to fight one final battle, against the outraged relatives of the men against the outraged relatives of the men

he had slain; he had slain; Athena intervened to settle this battle, Athena intervened to settle this battle,

however, and peace was restored.however, and peace was restored.

PenelopePenelope

Penelope was the daughter of Icarius Penelope was the daughter of Icarius A first cousin of Helen of Troy. A first cousin of Helen of Troy. She was the wife of Odysseus She was the wife of Odysseus Was famous for her cleverness and for Was famous for her cleverness and for

her faithfulness to her husband. her faithfulness to her husband.

Penelope’s DelayPenelope’s Delay

When Odysseus failed to return from When Odysseus failed to return from the Trojan War (he was delayed for ten the Trojan War (he was delayed for ten years on his way home), Penelope was years on his way home), Penelope was beset by suitors who wanted her to beset by suitors who wanted her to remarry. remarry.

In order to delay them, she insisted In order to delay them, she insisted that she could not remarry until she that she could not remarry until she had finished weaving a shroud for had finished weaving a shroud for Odysseus' father ,Laertes. Odysseus' father ,Laertes.

At the prompting of Athena, Penelope said At the prompting of Athena, Penelope said that she would marry the man who could that she would marry the man who could string Odysseus' bow and shoot an arrow string Odysseus' bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axes.through twelve axes.

By this time, Odysseus himself had secretly By this time, Odysseus himself had secretly returned, disguised as a beggar; he passed returned, disguised as a beggar; he passed the test of the bow, and then proceeded to the test of the bow, and then proceeded to slaughter the suitors who had tormented his slaughter the suitors who had tormented his wifewife

cont.cont.

She worked each day at her loom, and She worked each day at her loom, and then unraveled the cloth each night. then unraveled the cloth each night. After three years of successful delay, After three years of successful delay, one of her servants revealed her one of her servants revealed her deception, and the impatient suitors deception, and the impatient suitors angrily demanded that she choose one angrily demanded that she choose one of them for her husband immediately. of them for her husband immediately.

Some Gods InvolvedSome Gods Involved

AthenaAthena

AresAres

AphroditeAphrodite

HeraHera

PoseidonPoseidon

ZeusZeus

ApolloApollo

HephaestusHephaestus

Goddess That Made All The Difference:Goddess That Made All The Difference:

AthenaAthena

Occupation:Occupation: Goddess of wisdom, Goddess of wisdom, war, war,

arts and crafts; arts and crafts; Advisor to ZeusAdvisor to Zeus

Powers of Athena Powers of Athena

Athena possesses all the conventional Athena possesses all the conventional powers of the Olympian godspowers of the Olympian gods

including superhuman strength, and including superhuman strength, and great Wisdomgreat Wisdom

Extra:Extra:

As the goddess of wisdom, Athena As the goddess of wisdom, Athena has devoted a great deal of time has devoted a great deal of time

throughout the centuries to throughout the centuries to studying and mastering many areas studying and mastering many areas of knowledge including all fields of of knowledge including all fields of

non-technical science.non-technical science.

Athena’s HobbiesAthena’s Hobbies

Also is quite adept at combat both Also is quite adept at combat both armed and unarmed armed and unarmed

is a highly competent military is a highly competent military strategist even superior to her half-strategist even superior to her half-

brother Ares, the god of war. brother Ares, the god of war.

She is a master of the weapons used She is a master of the weapons used at the time of ancient Greece and at the time of ancient Greece and

Rome including the sword, spear, and Rome including the sword, spear, and shield.shield.

CitationsCitations

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/o/odysseus.htmlhttp://www.pantheon.org/articles/o/odysseus.html

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