HOMERS ODYSSEY BACKGROUND BEGINS 10 YEARS AFTER THE

HOMER’S ODYSSEY

BACKGROUND • BEGINS 10 YEARS AFTER THE 10 YEAR TROJAN WAR • ODYSSEUS’ SON, TELEMACHUS IS AROUND 20 YEARS OLD LIVING ON ISLAND OF ITHICA WITH HIS MOM, PENELOPE • SUITORS ARE TRYING TO PERSUADE PENELOPE TO MARRY • The GODDESS ATHENA SPEAKS WITH ZEUS IN ORDER TO HELP ODYSSEUS • ATHENA PERSUADES TELEMACHUS TO SEARCH FOR ODYSSEUS

LOTUS EATERS

EVENT #1: THE LOTUS EATERS • ODYSSEUS AND HIS MEN ARRIVE IN THE LAND OF THE LOTUS EATERS • THEY EAT LOTUS FLOWERS • THE FLOWERS CAUSE THEM TO LOSE THEIR DESIRE TO LEAVE • ODYSSEUS MUST FORCE THEM BACK ON THE SHIP

POLYPHEMUS A. K. A. CYCLOPS

Event #2 POLYPHEMUS (the Cyclops) • When supplies were low, Odysseus and his men stopped on a small island • They found a Cyclops named Polyphemus • Polyphemus ate goat cheese and milk, and sometimes HUMANS! • Polyphemus tricked the men and held them captive in a cave

• ODYSSEUS HAD A PLAN • HE WOULD GIVE POLYPHEMUS SOME RED WINE TO MAKE HIM FALL ASLEEP • HE LIT A STAKE ON FIRE AND POKED IT INTO POLYPHEMUS’ EYE • ODYSSEUS AND HIS MEN ESCAPED, BUT…

• POLYPHEMUS ASKED HIS FATHER, POSEIDON, GOD OF THE SEA TO PLACE A CURSE ON ODYSSEUS, SO HE WOULD NEVER GET HOME AGAIN, AND IF HE DID GET HOME, IT WOULD BE A TERRIBLE JOURNEY

ISLAND OF AEOLIA

EVENT #3 KING AEOLUS • AFTER RESTING FOR A MONTH, ODYSSEUS AND HIS MEN PREPARE TO LEAVE • KING AEOLUS GIVES ODYSSEUS A BAG A WINDS, TELLING HIM NOT TO OPEN IT • ALMOST BACK HOME, WHILE ODYSSEUS SLEEPS, THE MEN OPEN THE BAG OF WINDS • THEY ARE BLOWN BACK NEAR THE ISLAND OF AEOLIA

LAND OF LAESTRYGONIANS

EVENT #4 LAND OF LAESTRYGONIANS • IT IS DAYLIGHT 24 HOURS A DAY ON THE ISLAND • THE MEN SAW A YOUNG GIRL • SHE TOOK THEM TO HER MOTHER, THE QUEEN • SHE WAS HIDEOUS AND HUGE AS A MOUNTAIN • HER HUSBAND WANTED BLOOD, SO…

• THE KING GRABBED THE FIRST MAN HE SAW AND TORE HIM IN HALF! • THE MEN QUICKLY RAN BACK TO THE SHIP • THE LAESTRYGONIANS PELTED THEM WITH BOULDERS • SHIPS AND MEN WERE SMASHED • ODYSSEUS LEFT WITH ONLY 1 SHIP AND VERY FEW MEN

CIRCE THE BEAUTIFUL SORCERER

EVENT #: 5 CIRCE • THE MESSENGER GOD, HERMES CAME TO VISIT ODYSSEUS • HE WARNED HIM THAT CIRCE LIKED TO TURN MEN INTO PIGS • HE COULD BE PROTECTED IF HE ATE A BLACK MOLDY FLOWER • CIRCE TURNED ALL THE MEN INTO PIGS EXCEPT ODYSSEUS

• CIRCE PROMISES TO TURN ODYSSEUS’ MEN BACK IF HE STAYS A YEAR • CIRCE GIVES ODYSSEUS SOME ADVICE • SHE TELLS HIM HE WON’T SEE HIS HOME AGAIN IF HE SAILS THERE DIRECTLY • SHE TELLS HIM TO SEE THE BLIND PROPHET, TIRESIAS IN THE UNDERWORLD

The Blind Prophet, TIRESIAS

EVENT #6: UNDERWORLD AND TIRESIAS • TIRESIAS GIVES ODYSSEUS WARNINGS ABOUT HAVING A HAPPY DEATH • ODYSSEUS “SEES” FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT HAVE BEEN LOST, INCLUDING ACHILLES

THE SIRENS

EVENT #7: THE SIRENS • ODYSSEUS AND HIS MEN SAIL PAST THE SIRENS • THEY SING SONGS TO LURE PASSING CREWS AND SHIPS TO THEIR DEATH • ODYSSEUS ORDERS HIS MEN TO FILL THEIR EARS WITH WAX • THEY TIE HIM TO THE MAST SO HE CAN HEAR THE SONGS, BUT NOT BE ABLE TO BE TRICKED

EVENT #8: SCYLLA AND CHARYBDIS • ODYSSEUS MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN SAILING BY EITHER SCYLLA OR CHARYBDIS • HE TAKES CIRCE’S ADVISE AND SAILS PAST SCYLLA, WHO EATS ONLY SIX OF HIS MEN AND ALLOWS HIM TO PASS

SCYLLA, THE SIX-HEADED MONSTER

CHARYBDIS, THE WHIRLPOOL DEMON

HELIOS

EVENT #9: HELIOS • HELIOS HAD MANY CATTLE THAT WERE HIS PRIDE AND JOY • CIRCE WARNED ODYSSEUS NOT TO STOP ON THIS ISLAND, BUT IF HE HAD TO, NOT TO TOUCH THE CATTLE!!!!!!! • ODYSSEUS TOLD HIS MEN NOT TO TOUCH THE CATTLE • BUT DID THEY LISTEN? NO THEY KILLED A COW AND ATE IT • WHEN THEY LEFT THE ISLAND, A HUGE STORM SWEPT ALL BUT ODYSSEUS AWAY TO DROWN

CALYSPO, THE SEA NYMPH

EVENT #10 CALYSPO • ODYSSEUS SWAM TO THE NEAREST ISLAND OWNED BY CALYSPO THE BEAUTIFUL SEA NYMPH • SHE IMMEDIATELY FELL IN LOVE WITH ODYSSEUS WHEN SHE SAW HIM • ODYSSEUS WANTED TO STAY UNTIL HE RECOVERED • CALYSPO WANTED HIM TO STAY FOREVER!!

• ATHENA FELT SORRY FOR ODYSSEUS AND TALKED TO ZEUS • ZEUS ORDERED CALYSPO TO LET ODYSSEUS GO • AFTER 7 YEARS, CALYSPO GIVES ODYSSEUS A RAFT AND SETS HIM FREE • THE RAFT IS DESTROYED BY POISEDON WHO IS STILL ANGRY ABOUT POLYPHEMUS

SCHERIA

EVENT #11 KING AND QUEEN OF SCHERIA • ODYSSEUS WASHES UP ON THE ISLAND OF SCHERIA • THE KING AND QUEEN ASK ODYSSEUS TO TELL HIS STORY • THEY AGREE TO HELP HIM AND GIVE HIM THEIR BEST SHIP TO RETURN TO ITHACA

ITHACA-THE LONG RETURN HOME

EVENT #12 ITHACA • ODYSSEUS FINALLY RETURNS HOME • ATHENA TELLS HIM WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HIS FAMILY AND ISLAND WHILE HE’S BEEN GONE 20 YEARS • SHE TELLS HIM THAT SUITORS WERE ATTEMPTING TO MARRY HIS WIFE, PENELOPE • PENELOPE HAD 1 DAY TO DECIDE ON A HUSBAND

• ODYSSEUS WENT TO PENELOPE IN DISGUISE AND TOLD HER HE WAS HOME • THEY CAME UP WITH A PLAN • THERE WOULD BE AN ARCHERY CONTEST • THE WINNER WOULD BE CHOSEN AS HER HUSBAND

ODYSSEUS WON BECAUSE HE WAS THE BEST ARCHER IN ALL OF GREECE!

THE END ODYSSEUS AND PENELOPE LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER