Medusa Mythology Exam 2013 Odysseus Magister Vader Odysseus

Medusa Mythology Exam 2013 Odysseus Magister Vader

Odysseus (Ulysses), Before the War • Born to Laertes, Argonaut, Calydonian Boar Hunter, and Anticlea – Some versions say rather Sisyphus, the man well known for his crimes and punishment, forever rolling a stone up a hill • Came up with the Oath of Tyndareus, after Tyndareus promised him to aid in getting Penelope’s (Tyndareus’s niece) hand in marriage – Ironically, his presence would lead to him being away from her for two decades • Son, Telemachus, just born before Trojan War • To avoid joining the war, Odysseus feigned madness, plowing up his crops and sowing salt instead – Palamedes, sent by Agamemnon, exposed this trick by putting Telemachus, the baby, in front of the plow – During the war, to avenge himself against Palamedes, he hid gold in his tent and had a Trojan captive provide a treasonous letter to Palamedes – Palamedes was stoned to death • Having joined the Greek forces, Odysseus then exposed Achilles, who had been disguised as a girl by his mother to hide him

Odysseus, King of Ithaca, During the War • Odysseus served in the embassy to Achilles, trying to convince him to return to war • Fetched Philoctetes, who had the Bow and Arrows of Heracles, without which Troy could not be taken • Fetched Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, and stole the palladium from within Troy, without which Troy could not be taken • After Achilles’s death, won the arms of Achilles, beating out Ajax, who then went mad and took his own life • Conceived of the idea of the Horse, in which he among others, would sneak into Troy, which would lead to its fall

Odysseus, After the War (The Odyssey) • • • • Wandered for ten years before returning to Ithaca First, pillaged a city in the land of Cicones, killing all except a priest of Apollo Second, visited island of Lotus-Eaters Third, got trapped by Cyclops, Polyphemus (made Poseidon mad) Fourth, received bag-o-winds from Aeolus Fifth, crew opened bag-o-winds because they thought he was keeping treasure from them Sixth, visited the cannibals, the Lystrogonians (most of his ship and soldiers lost here) Seventh, visited Circe’s island, men to pigs and back, stayed for a while Eighth, visited the Underworld, spoke to Tiresias, his mother, and Achilles Ninth, sailed successfully passed island of Sirens, thanks to rope and wax Tenth, sailed past Scylla and Charybdis, losing some men Eleventh, his men and ship were destroyed after eating the cattle of Helios Twelfth, spent many years in the company of the goddess of Calypso Thirteenth, drifted by raft to the land of the Phaeacians, where Nausicaa found him naked, took him back to the king, where he was entertained and given passage home Fourteenth, returned to Ithaca, disguised as beggar, beat the suitors in archery contest, aided by son, Telemachus, Eumaeus, and Philoetius, and slaughtered them and Penelope’s twelve maids