Odysseus Quotes

He drew to his fist the cruel head of an arrow for Antinous just as the young man leaned to lift his beautiful drinking cup, embossed, two-handled, golden: the cup was in his fingers: the wine was even at his lips: and did he dream of death? How could he? In the revelry amid his throng of friends who would imagine a single foe- though a strong foe indeed- could dare bring death’s pain on him and darkness in his eyes? (Homer, line 1412, page 1009) Over a period of time, Odysseus develops a hatred for the most obnoxious suitor named Antinous. Antinous believes that he couldn’t be killed because he amongst his friends and he has become hubris. Ignorantly, he thinks that no man would dare to kill him, but Odysseus proves him wrong by shooting
You took my house to plunder…You dared bid for my wife while I was still alive. Contempt was all you had for the gods who rule wide heaven, contempt for what men say of you hereafter. Your last hour has come. You die in blood.” (Homer, line 1439, page 1011) In this part of the scene, Odysseus is raged at the suitors for abusing his home, wife, and child. The suitors have plundered his house and tried to claim his wife while he was gone. He is also upset because the suitors have dishonored the Greeks’ religious laws regarding hospitality and the authority of the gods. Honor was everything to the Greeks, and to “die in blood,” is exactly the same as dying a violent
Rash actions, many here, more in the countryside. But here he lies, the man who caused them all. Antinous was the ringleader, he whipped us on to do these things. He cared less for a marriage than for the power Cronion has denied him as king of Ithaca. For that he tried to trap your son and would have killed him. He is dead now and has his portion. Spare your own people. As for ourselves, we’ll make restitution of wine and meat consumed, and add, each one, a tithe of twenty oxen with gifts of bronze and gold to warm your heart. Meanwhile we cannot blame you for your anger.” (Homer, line 1449, page