LITERATURE CIRCLES

Literary Luminary
Name: Javier Gamboa
Text: The Odyssey
Date: August 30, 2010
Books: 13-16

Literary Luminary: The Odyssey features a powerful array of epithets and figures of
speech. Your job is: (a) to prepare a summary of the reading. Make a quick statement to discuss
the UNIVERSAL TRUTH found in the text; (b) to identify “Golden Lines”—or special passages
in the text (interesting, powerful, funny, puzzling, or important sections). You will also ponder on
how certain lines in the text are further illuminated in succeeding scenes. Decide which passages
or paragraphs are worth remembering, and indicate how you plan to present them: (a) You can
read the passages aloud yourself, (b) ask someone else to read them, or (c) read them together
as a group. Make sure to discuss your analysis of the selected text.

Quick Statement: What, for you, is the UNIVERSAL TRUTH in the text? Compare
this with others’.

In my opinion, the universal truth for these books is divine intervention, how
the gods affect the lives of the Greeks and how dependent the Greeks are
on the gods. It is shown multiple times throughout the entire text how
various characters would do or not do something depending on the gods'
desires, and oftentimes, what the gods want changes how the characters
act and behave. Also notable is how gods send signs to show how they react
to a certain being or event, such as the eagle and the falcon sent by Zeus
and Apollo, respectively, which was a way for these immortals to convey
their messages without actually being present, yet these symbols were
strong enough to push the characters into action. Another thing I noticed is
how the gods really favor certain people, such as how Athena loves
Odysseus so much that she would allow him to see her and not his son
Telemachus, and that she would go so far just for Odysseus to be happy and
successful, even when these acts of kindness make her be at odds with
other gods.
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GOLDEN LINES Book Significance and Analysis

“She carried a man with a mind like the gods
for counsel, one whose spirit up to this time
had endured much, suffering many pains: the
wars of men, hard crossing of the big waters;
but now he slept still, oblivious of all he had
suffered.”
“Come then, let us do as I say, let us be won
over. Stop our conveying of every mortal who
Lines 179-189
makes his arrival her at our city.” - Alkinoos
“Shame on the leaders of the Phaiakians and
their men of counsel, for they were not
altogether thoughtful, nor were they righteous,
when they took me away here to another land;
but they told me they would bring me to sunny
Lines 209-214
Ithaka, and they did not do it. May Zeus of the
suppliants punish them, for he oversees other
men besides and punishes anyone who
transgresses.” - Odysseus
“ It would be a sharp one, and a stealthy one,
who would ever get past you in any contriving;
even if it were a god against you. You wretch,
you devious, never weary of tricks, then you
Lines 291-295
would not even in your own country give over
your ways of deceiving and your thievish
ways” - Athena
“ Always you are the same, and such is the
mind within you, and so I cannot abandon you
when you are unhappy, because you are fluent
Lines 330-332
and reason closely, and keep your head
always.” - Athena
“ So he has perished there, and sorrows are
made for his dear ones all hereafter, and me
most of all, for never again now will I find
again a lord as kind as he, wherever I go; even
Lines 137-141
if I could come back to my father and mother's
house, where I first I was born, and they raised
me when I was little.” - Eumaios
After enduring so many pains and
trials, sleep was a gift that
Book XIII Odysseus had earned and this
Lines 89-92 allowed him to temporarily be
released of the memory of his pain
and suffering.
After Poseidon turned the ship that
had carried Odysseus to Ithaca
into stone, Alkinoos quickly
Book XIII reversed his views on hospitality
and conveyance as this might
further anger the gods, showing
how the actions of the gods will
change one's character.
Due to Athena's mist, Odysseus
thought that he wasn't conveyed
back to his homeland, and
Book XIII because of this, he was quick to
curse and berate those who had
been so kind to him, showing how
he is sometimes impulsive in
anger.
Athena acknowledges that
Odysseus' intelligence mainly
manifests itself as feats of trickery
Book XIII
and deception, and so great is his
deceptiveness that he can even
trick gods. Athena recognizes this
as his strong suit.
Athena believes that Odysseus is
way above all men in terms of
Book XIII
intelligence, and because of this,
she greatly favors him and will
help him through any problem.
Eumaios praises Odysseus and
considers him as a betetr master
Book XIV
than even his own father and
mother, and this shows just how
highly Ithacans regard Odysseus.

“ You too, old man of many sorrows, since the
spirit brought you here to me, do not try to
please me nor spell me with lying words. It is
not for that I will entertain and befriend you,
but for fear of Zeus the god of guests, and for
my own pity.” - Eumaios
“For a guest remembers all his days the man
who received him as a host receives a guest,
Though only a swineherder,
Eumaios is shown to also possess
Book XIV intellect, as he is shown as both
Lines 386-389 suspicious and skeptical, meaning
that he doesn't just accept and
believe any information that goes
by him.
Book XV Peisistratus underlines how
Lines 54-55 important gifts are for hospitality
 LITERATURE CIRCLES
and gave him the gifts of friendship.” -
Peisistratus
“In all things balance is better. It is equally bad
when one speeds on the guest unwilling to go,
and when he holds back one who is hastening.
Rather one should befriend the guest who is
there but speed him when he wishes.” -
Menelaus
“As this eagle came down from the mountain,
where was his origin and parentage, and
caught the goose that was nursed in the
household, so Odysseus, after wandering long
and suffering much, will come home and take
revenge; or he is already home, and making a
plan of evil for all the suitors.” - Helen
“Then do not take me, illustrious, past my
ship, but leave me there, for fear the old man
in his affection will keep me in his house
longer than I wish. But I must make my way
quickly.” - Telemachus
“Give me a place on your ship, since I have
come to you as a suppliant, lest they kill me;
for now I think they are after me.” -
Theoklymenos
“But we two, sitting here in the shelter, eating
and drinking, shall entertain each other
remembering and retelling our sad sorrows.
For afterwards, a man who has suffered much
and wandered much has pleasure out of his
sorrows.” - Eumaios
“As he spoke, a bird flew by on the right, a
falcon, swift messenger of Apollo, and in his
claws he carried a pigeon and tore at it so that
a hower of feathers drifted to the ground
between the ship and Telemachus.”
“But Telemachus did not look at her nor
perceive her; for the gods do not show
themselves in this way to everyone; but
Odysseus saw her and the dogs did; they were
not barking, but cowered away, whimpering, to
the other side of the shelter.”
“No, you are not Odysseus, my father, but
some divinity beguiles me, so that I must
grieve the more, and be sorry. For no man who
was mortal could ever have so contrived it by
his own mind alone, not unless some immortal,
descending on him in person, were lightly to
make him a young or old person.” -
Telemachus
“And it is a light thing for the gods who hold
wide heaven to glorify any mortal man, or else
to degrade him” - Odysseus
and that if Telemachus were to
leave without receiving his gifts
from Menelaus, it would be a
terrible deed.
Menelaus shows how in the Greek
custom of hospitality, the guest
Book XV
truly commands how long they
Lines 71-74
stay, and generally is the master
of the host in this case because he
can leave as he pleases.
The eagle, Zeus' symbol, signified
Odysseus' plot against the suitor,
Book XV and this showed how signs and
Lines 174-178 symbols from the gods are
interpreted as relevant
information and precautions.
Telemachus in this scene
acknowledges the fact that the
Book XV Greek tradition of hospitality is in
Lines 199-201 fact a time-consuming ritual, and
this can sometimes be hindrance
when one is in a hurry.
This instance shows how the
Greeks are so hospitable, that
Book XV they would welcome anyone
Lines 277-278 regardless of background into
their dwelling, even one who
claims to be a murderer.
Eumaios discusses how one's
Book XV pains and sorrows, in the end, turn
Lines 398-401 into great stories for
entertainment.
This sign from Apollo made known
to Theoklymenos that the house of
Book XV
Odysseus is indeed the most
Lines 525-528
powerful in Ithaca and that they
should not be trifled with.
This instance shows how gods like
Athena are selective with who can
Book XVI sense her presence, and how a
Lines 160-163 gods presence itself is powerful
enough to make lesser creatures,
such as dogs, cower in fear.
Telemachus is skeptical of his
father's revelation that he is
Odysseus because he believes
Book XVI
that he is either a divinity, or
Lines 194-198
someone manipulated by a
divinity to trick him and burden
him.
Book XVI Odysseus tells his son that the
Lines 211-212 gods are so powerful, that they
have the power to make a single
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“Dear friends, I for my part would not be
willing to murder Telemachus; it is terrible to
kill one of royal blood; we should first have to
ask the gods for their counsel. Then if the
ordinances of great Zeus approve of it, I
myself would kill him and tell all others to do
so but I say we must give it up, if the gods
deny us.” - Amphinomos
Possible Reasons for Picking a Passage:
funny controversial
confusing
person's life glorious or miserable.
This particular passage shows how
there are some suitors who, out of
fear of punishment from the
Book XVI
heavens, do not want to, in cold
Lines 400-405
blood, kill Telemachus, lest anger
the Olympians, who so favor
royalty.
important surprising
informative