The Ancient World (HUM 124 - UNC Asheville)/Texts/Odyssey/Book 8

Summary of Book 8

Book 8 starts off the following day from book 7. The king (Alcinous) calls in the councilors and hosts an assembly. Athena ensures attendance by telling the people the godlike visitor who appeared on the island that the people knew little about would be the main discussion at the assembly. At the meeting Alcinous mentions they should provide a ship and sailors for the ship in efforts to return Odysseus to his homeland. The people agree to this and the measure is then approved and everyone was then invited to a feast and celebration by Alcinous to honor the guest (Odysseus). At the feast a bard named Demodocus sings of a fight between Odysseus and Achilles at Troy. Odysseus begins to cry at the memories the song held from his past and once the king noticed the feast was ended so that the games could begin. The games that were held consisted of boxing, wrestling, and track events such as racing, discus and hurdles. At one point during the games Odysseus is approached by some of the athletes and asked to participate in the games. Odysseus politely declines due to his ongoing struggles of his grief and hardships. One of the athletes named Broadsea then insults Odysseus for not participating in the games. Odysseus then gets angered and competes in the games and wins. He then challenged everyone to try and go against him. After a heated discussion Alcinous intervenes and invites everyone to have another celebratory feast with entertainment. At the feast Odysseus asks the bard Demodocus to sing of the battle at Troy and the Trojan horse, as the bard sings of this and the afair between Ares and Aphrodite Odysseus cries once again and the music is stopped by the king. The king then asks Odysseus questions to learn more about him and his journey.

Analysis of Book 8

Odysseus can't seem to find any form of peace throughout book 8 and this can be seen through his cries and deep internal conflict which in turn causes the king to question his identity and journey. Odysseus has quite an ego and when insulted is provoked to challenge all to prove his worth and show he is the best. There is also subtle mention of a love connection between Odysseus and Princess Nausicaa throughout book 7 and 8. The song the bard sang about the affair of Ares and Aphrodite hints to the relationship between Odysseus and Nausicaa and adds for a possible foreshadow for later events. Odysseus seems to have matured in this book through his constant hardships and painful experiences.

Characters

Athena (disguised as Alcinous)- Daughter of Zeus, goddess of wisdom/ purposeful battle/ womanly arts, Assists Odysseus, and often appears in a disguise

Odysseus- main character, favored by the gods, respected by the mortals, complicated character, goes on several journeys throughout the book, his flaw is arrogance

Demodocus- the blind bard who sings throughout book 8

Alcinous- ruler/ king of the Phaeacians on the island of Scheria, has five sons and who daughter named Nausicaa who is a love interest for Odysseus

Laodamas- son of Alcinous, boxer in the games, honored Odysseus while he visited.

Broadsea- one of the young athletes in the game who insulted Odysseus and challenged him

Queen Arete- wife of Alcinous, queen of the Phaeacians, Odysseus makes an appeal to her for assistance

Nausicaa- princess of the Phaeacians, daughter of Alcinous and Arete, discovers Odysseus and later becomes a love interest for him

Ancient World Views

• Women were seen as less than men and were treated more as an object and housewife

1. example and explanation from text: "Apollo, son of Zeus, then said to Hermes, 'Hermes my brother, would you like to sleep with golden Aphrodite, in her bed, even weighed down by mighty chains?' And Hermes the sharp-eyed messenger replied 'Ah, brother, Apollo lord of archery: if only! I would be bound three times as tight or more and let you gods and all your wives look on, if only I could sleep with Aphrodite"(pg 231). Apollo and Hermes talk about Aphrodite as an object and talk little of her proving this world view.

• the belief in Greek mythology: There are several gods who rule in Olympus and they were worshiped by the people. they believed in the existence of these gods and would often pray to them and or tell stories/sig songs about them.

1. example and explanation from text: "The poet strummed and sang a charming song about the love of fair-crowned Aphrodite for Ares, who gave lavish gifts to her and shamed the bed of Lord Hephaestus, where they secretly had sex. The Sun God saw them, and told Hephaestus- bitter news for him. He marched into his forge to get revenge, and set the mighty anvil on its block, and hammered chains so strong that they could never be broken or undone"(pg 229). This example shows the fixation and belief in the gods and tales within Olympus.
2. example and explanation from text: "But once I heard Nausuthous, my father, say that Poseidon hates us for the help we give to take our guests across sea, and that one day a ship of ours would suffer shipwreck on its return; a mighty mountain would block our town from sight"(pg 239) This quote again shows the believe in the Greek methology and shows the inference of gods on the mortals.