The Odyssey Study Guide (Books 17-24)
THE ODYSSEY – Notes
XVII. BOOK 17
A. Telemachus Brings Gifts To Palace, Theoclymenus Says Odysseus Is Near i. Telemachus leaves Odysseus in hut, returns to tearful Penelope and nurse ii. Telemachus sees Theoclymenus and Piraeus at palace, tells Piraeus not to bring Menelaus’s gifts to palace, suitors might steal them iii. Telemachus tells Penelope what he learned in Pylos and Sparta, but doesn’t tell her he saw Odysseus himself or where he is iv. Theoclymenus swears Odysseus is in Ithaca at that very moment
B. Odysseus Meets Suitors, Suitors Start Fight, Penelope Summons “Beggar” i. Odysseus and Eumaeus head to town in Telemachus’s footsteps ii. They meet Melanthius, servant of suitors, who insults and kicks them iii. When they reach palace, suitors only reluctantly give them food, and Antinous goes out of his way to insult Odysseus iv. When Odysseus insults Antinous back, Antinous throws stool at him v. Penelope hears about cruelty, summons “Beggar” to ask about Odysseus vi. But Odysseus doesn’t want suitors to see him heading to queen’s room vii. Eumaeus says he must return to hut and hogs, leaves Odysseus with son
XVIII. BOOK 18
A. Beggar Irus Insults Odysseus, Suitors Watch Fight, Odysseus Wins Fight i. Arnaeus another beggar, nicknamed Irus, insults and challenges Odysseus ii. Odysseus agrees to fight beggar, Athena gives Odysseus extra strength and stature, Odysseus is winning iii. Irus regrets challenge as Odysseus begins to win, but soon suitors take notice and egg them on iv. Fights ends quickly as Odysseus floors Irus, nearly killing him
B. Amphinomus Congratulates, Odysseus Pities, Amphinomus Ignores Warning i. Suitors congratulate Odysseus, especially Amphinomus who toasts Odysseus and gives him food ii. Odysseus knows suitors will be slaughtered, tries to tell Amphinomus that “Odysseus” will be home and warns him to leave and return home
XVII. BOOK 17
A. Telemachus Brings Gifts To Palace, Theoclymenus Says Odysseus Is Near i. Telemachus leaves Odysseus in hut, returns to tearful Penelope and nurse ii. Telemachus sees Theoclymenus and Piraeus at palace, tells Piraeus not to bring Menelaus’s gifts to palace, suitors might steal them iii. Telemachus tells Penelope what he learned in Pylos and Sparta, but doesn’t tell her he saw Odysseus himself or where he is iv. Theoclymenus swears Odysseus is in Ithaca at that very moment
B. Odysseus Meets Suitors, Suitors Start Fight, Penelope Summons “Beggar” i. Odysseus and Eumaeus head to town in Telemachus’s footsteps ii. They meet Melanthius, servant of suitors, who insults and kicks them iii. When they reach palace, suitors only reluctantly give them food, and Antinous goes out of his way to insult Odysseus iv. When Odysseus insults Antinous back, Antinous throws stool at him v. Penelope hears about cruelty, summons “Beggar” to ask about Odysseus vi. But Odysseus doesn’t want suitors to see him heading to queen’s room vii. Eumaeus says he must return to hut and hogs, leaves Odysseus with son
XVIII. BOOK 18
A. Beggar Irus Insults Odysseus, Suitors Watch Fight, Odysseus Wins Fight i. Arnaeus another beggar, nicknamed Irus, insults and challenges Odysseus ii. Odysseus agrees to fight beggar, Athena gives Odysseus extra strength and stature, Odysseus is winning iii. Irus regrets challenge as Odysseus begins to win, but soon suitors take notice and egg them on iv. Fights ends quickly as Odysseus floors Irus, nearly killing him
B. Amphinomus Congratulates, Odysseus Pities, Amphinomus Ignores Warning i. Suitors congratulate Odysseus, especially Amphinomus who toasts Odysseus and gives him food ii. Odysseus knows suitors will be slaughtered, tries to tell Amphinomus that “Odysseus” will be home and warns him to leave and return home