Odysseus: Greek King and Hero
 |
| Statue of Odysseus (Munatones) |
Odysseus was a Greek hero; he was also the King of Ithaca a Greek Kingdom. Odysseus was the main character in Homer's Epic The Odyssey and other works of his. Currently in production for the big screen is The Odyssey, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus. Here is a link to the Trailer. He is also a big part of Homer's work The Iliad, and the Epic cycle of his. The name Odysseus means man who causes pain. The Latin translation of Odysseus is Ulysses, he is sometimes referred to this in different variations of his stories. Odysseus was an intelligent, noble, and brave man who showed much strength throughout his life.
Family life
Depiction of Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus (Lynch)
Odysseus is the son of Laertes and Anticlea. Odysseus married Penelope, the daughter of a Spartan King, and together they ruled Ithaca. Odysseus and Penelope had Telemachus before Odysseus left for the Trojan War. Odysseus also had several other children including Telegonus, Cassiphone, Agrius, Anteias, Ardeas, Rhomos, Poliporthes, Latinus, Nausinous, Nausithous, and Euryalus.(The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica)
The Trojan war
Odysseus never wanted to fight in the Trojan War, but he was recruited and had to go. When Odysseus arrives in Troy, he was a great strategist and helped recruit Achilles; the Trojans released Helen's brother-in-law and were important figures in many battles. Odysseus was very smart and had well-thought-out ideas for winning the battles they fought in. After 10 years of fighting, there was no clear Victory between the Greeks and the Romans. So, Odysseus had a brilliant idea to build a giant wooden horse, also known as the Trojan Horse and they hid soldiers inside and left it as a gift to the city. When they brought it into the city walls, they had accepted victory but what they didn't know was that Odysseus and his men were inside the horse, and they had a sneak attack inside the city walls. They destroyed the city, and the Greek army finally destroyed Troy (Wakeman).
Brining of the Trojan Horse into Troy (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica)
Odysseus was a Greek hero; he was also the King of Ithaca a Greek Kingdom. Odysseus was the main character in Homer's Epic The Odyssey and other works of his. Currently in production for the big screen is The Odyssey, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus. Here is a link to the Trailer. He is also a big part of Homer's work The Iliad, and the Epic cycle of his. The name Odysseus means man who causes pain. The Latin translation of Odysseus is Ulysses, he is sometimes referred to this in different variations of his stories. Odysseus was an intelligent, noble, and brave man who showed much strength throughout his life.
Family life
|
| Depiction of Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus (Lynch) |
Odysseus is the son of Laertes and Anticlea. Odysseus married Penelope, the daughter of a Spartan King, and together they ruled Ithaca. Odysseus and Penelope had Telemachus before Odysseus left for the Trojan War. Odysseus also had several other children including Telegonus, Cassiphone, Agrius, Anteias, Ardeas, Rhomos, Poliporthes, Latinus, Nausinous, Nausithous, and Euryalus.(The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica)
The Trojan war
Odysseus never wanted to fight in the Trojan War, but he was recruited and had to go. When Odysseus arrives in Troy, he was a great strategist and helped recruit Achilles; the Trojans released Helen's brother-in-law and were important figures in many battles. Odysseus was very smart and had well-thought-out ideas for winning the battles they fought in. After 10 years of fighting, there was no clear Victory between the Greeks and the Romans. So, Odysseus had a brilliant idea to build a giant wooden horse, also known as the Trojan Horse and they hid soldiers inside and left it as a gift to the city. When they brought it into the city walls, they had accepted victory but what they didn't know was that Odysseus and his men were inside the horse, and they had a sneak attack inside the city walls. They destroyed the city, and the Greek army finally destroyed Troy (Wakeman).Brining of the Trojan Horse into Troy (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica)
The Journey Back to Ithaca
Since Odysseus spent 10 years fighting the Trojan War all he wanted was to be returned to Ithaca, but they had angered Poseidon and set off their course. They first encounter the Lotus Eaters which make Odysseus's men forget home and delay their Journey. They are then greeted by the Cyclops Polyphemus; Odysseus blinds the Cyclops, angering Poseidon even more as that is his son. They are then met by the wind God, Aeolus, who gives him a bag of wind to guide him home. But the crew opens it and blows them farther off their course. They then faced the Lagerstroemia who destroyed most of his ships. Circe the sorceress turns Odysseus's men into pigs, but Odysseus can resist with the help of Hermes, and he stays on her Island for a year. Odysseus then has the chance to visit the underworld and gets guidance from the prophet Tiresias who warns him of future trouble. As they said so again, they ran into the sirens. Odysseus orders his men to plug their ears with wax, so the siren song does not affect them. While Odysseus is tied to the mast of the ship. They then face Scylla and Charybdis and lose several men doing that encounter. Odysseus's crew Slaughters the cattle of Helios, bringing punishment upon the crew. Zeus destroys the ship leaving Odysseus stranded. Odysseus is stranded on Ogygia where a nymph Calypso keeps him captive for 7 years. Athena and other gods convince Zeus to free him and let him return home (Cartwright).
Odysseus Returns Home
Odysseus washes ashore in Scheria where Nausicaa helps him. Odysseus tells the story of everything he's been through to King Alcinous, who allows him to take a ship home to Ithaca. When he arrives in Ithaca Athena, A goddess who had been guiding him home appears and disguises him as a beggar to see what had happened to his Kingdom. Seus went to his loyal friend Eumaeus who sheltered him as the disguised beggar. Telemachus hears of his father's return to Ithaca and Athena reveals Odysseus’s identity as the beggar to Telemachus. He informs Odysseus of the suitors trying to be with Penelope and they create a plan on how to stop it. Penelope had set up challenges for the suitors whoever could string Odysseus great bow and shoot an arrow through 12 axe heads would wind her hand. Nobody had done it successfully until Odysseus came still disguised as a beggar did the challenge effortlessly. Odysseus revealed who he was and killed all the suitors who had dishonored his Kingdom. He's still holding some doubt that this was Odysseus had ordered a servant to move their bed, but Odysseus knew that this bed could not be moved because it was built into an olive tree. That is when Penelope realizes that this is Odysseus her husband who had been gone for 20 years.
Odysseus attacking the Suitors (Choi)
The Death of Odysseus
There are two myths behind Odysseus’s death; the first one is the prophecy of Tiresias. People believe that before returning home Odysseus visited the underworld where the prophet Tiresias gave him a prophecy. He must go to a place where people do not know the ocean and plant an ore to make a sacrifice to Poseidon and after that, he could return home to Ithaca and live a peaceful life until he would die of old age (Greek Mythology). But the other myth of his death is the myth of Telegonus. This version is where Odysseus has his son, Telegonus with the sorcerer's Circe. Telegonus sailed to Ithaca seeking his father and he would accidentally kill Odysseus with a poisoned sting from a Stingray. After Odysseus’s death, Telegonus took Penelope and Telemachus to circle island where the myth says that the two became immortal.
Works Cited
The Journey Back to Ithaca
Since Odysseus spent 10 years fighting the Trojan War all he wanted was to be returned to Ithaca, but they had angered Poseidon and set off their course. They first encounter the Lotus Eaters which make Odysseus's men forget home and delay their Journey. They are then greeted by the Cyclops Polyphemus; Odysseus blinds the Cyclops, angering Poseidon even more as that is his son. They are then met by the wind God, Aeolus, who gives him a bag of wind to guide him home. But the crew opens it and blows them farther off their course. They then faced the Lagerstroemia who destroyed most of his ships. Circe the sorceress turns Odysseus's men into pigs, but Odysseus can resist with the help of Hermes, and he stays on her Island for a year. Odysseus then has the chance to visit the underworld and gets guidance from the prophet Tiresias who warns him of future trouble. As they said so again, they ran into the sirens. Odysseus orders his men to plug their ears with wax, so the siren song does not affect them. While Odysseus is tied to the mast of the ship. They then face Scylla and Charybdis and lose several men doing that encounter. Odysseus's crew Slaughters the cattle of Helios, bringing punishment upon the crew. Zeus destroys the ship leaving Odysseus stranded. Odysseus is stranded on Ogygia where a nymph Calypso keeps him captive for 7 years. Athena and other gods convince Zeus to free him and let him return home (Cartwright).
|
Odysseus Returns Home
Odysseus washes ashore in Scheria where Nausicaa helps him. Odysseus tells the story of everything he's been through to King Alcinous, who allows him to take a ship home to Ithaca. When he arrives in Ithaca Athena, A goddess who had been guiding him home appears and disguises him as a beggar to see what had happened to his Kingdom. Seus went to his loyal friend Eumaeus who sheltered him as the disguised beggar. Telemachus hears of his father's return to Ithaca and Athena reveals Odysseus’s identity as the beggar to Telemachus. He informs Odysseus of the suitors trying to be with Penelope and they create a plan on how to stop it. Penelope had set up challenges for the suitors whoever could string Odysseus great bow and shoot an arrow through 12 axe heads would wind her hand. Nobody had done it successfully until Odysseus came still disguised as a beggar did the challenge effortlessly. Odysseus revealed who he was and killed all the suitors who had dishonored his Kingdom. He's still holding some doubt that this was Odysseus had ordered a servant to move their bed, but Odysseus knew that this bed could not be moved because it was built into an olive tree. That is when Penelope realizes that this is Odysseus her husband who had been gone for 20 years.
|
Odysseus attacking the Suitors (Choi) |
The Death of Odysseus
There are two myths behind Odysseus’s death; the first one is the prophecy of Tiresias. People believe that before returning home Odysseus visited the underworld where the prophet Tiresias gave him a prophecy. He must go to a place where people do not know the ocean and plant an ore to make a sacrifice to Poseidon and after that, he could return home to Ithaca and live a peaceful life until he would die of old age (Greek Mythology). But the other myth of his death is the myth of Telegonus. This version is where Odysseus has his son, Telegonus with the sorcerer's Circe. Telegonus sailed to Ithaca seeking his father and he would accidentally kill Odysseus with a poisoned sting from a Stingray. After Odysseus’s death, Telegonus took Penelope and Telemachus to circle island where the myth says that the two became immortal.
Works Cited
Works Cited
Cartwright, Mark. “Odysseus.” World History Encyclopedia, Mark Cartwright, 31 Dec. 2012, www.worldhistory.org/odysseus/.
Choi, Charles. “Odysseus’ Return from Trojan War Dated.” NBC News, 23 June 2008, www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25337041. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
Greek Mythology. “Odysseus - Greek Mythology.” Greekmythology.com, GreekMythology.com, 13 Mar. 2018, www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Heroes/Odysseus/odysseus.html.
Lynch, Justin. “The Iliad and the Islamic State.” The Strategy Bridge, 18 Jan. 2017, thestrategybridge.org/the-bridge/2017/1/18/the-iliad-and-the-islamic-state. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
Munatones, Steven. “Was Odysseus a True Marathon Swimmer?” Open Water Swimming, 12 Mar. 2020, www.openwaterswimming.com/36493-2/. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Odysseus". Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Feb. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Odysseus. Accessed 19 February 2025.
Wakeman, Gregory. “Who Was Odysseus? Facts about the Legendary Greek Hero.” HISTORY, 12 Dec. 2024, www.history.com/news/odysseus-homer-facts.
Cartwright, Mark. “Odysseus.” World History Encyclopedia, Mark Cartwright, 31 Dec. 2012, www.worldhistory.org/odysseus/.
Choi, Charles. “Odysseus’ Return from Trojan War Dated.” NBC News, 23 June 2008, www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25337041. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
Greek Mythology. “Odysseus - Greek Mythology.” Greekmythology.com, GreekMythology.com, 13 Mar. 2018, www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Heroes/Odysseus/odysseus.html.
Lynch, Justin. “The Iliad and the Islamic State.” The Strategy Bridge, 18 Jan. 2017, thestrategybridge.org/the-bridge/2017/1/18/the-iliad-and-the-islamic-state. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
Munatones, Steven. “Was Odysseus a True Marathon Swimmer?” Open Water Swimming, 12 Mar. 2020, www.openwaterswimming.com/36493-2/. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Odysseus". Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Feb. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Odysseus. Accessed 19 February 2025.
Wakeman, Gregory. “Who Was Odysseus? Facts about the Legendary Greek Hero.” HISTORY, 12 Dec. 2024, www.history.com/news/odysseus-homer-facts.
Great job on your blog! It was very interesting to learn about Odysseus and his life. Full of trials and tribulations for sure, you did a great job on showing the journey of how his life occurred. The blog was organized and well thought out. The pacing of the blog flowed nicely as well.
ReplyDeleteHi! It's interesting to me how different versions of Odysseus' tail have largely varying details on his death. I had no idea that Odysseus' was recruited, or that a king could get recruited. I also didn't know he was the one to come up with the Trojan Horse ploy, it's interesting to know that on top of the whole story.
ReplyDeleteI thought your blog was truly epic! You've truly captured the details that define one of mythology's greatest heroes. I enjoyed reading and I loved the use of pictures you incorporated.
ReplyDelete