The Odyssey

Book  10 ~ Study Guide

from John McIlvain

An Overview for the Student Book-by-Book Study Guide Literary Responses to the Odyssey

Image source: http://www.beloit.edu/~classics/main/courses/classics100/museum2/art_museum2.html

Note: This site is designed to be used with Robert Fagles' translation of the Odyssey, published by Penguin USA. It was prepared for a 9th grade English class.

Books:

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

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THE BEWITCHING QUEEN OF AEAEA

SCENE: In the palace of Alcinous in the land of the Phaeacians where Odysseus tells of the Aeolia land of the Laestrygonians, and of Aeaea, the island of Circe

IMPORTANT CHARACTERS: Odysseus, Aeolus, King of Aeolia and master of the winds, Antiphates, King of the Laestrygonians, Eurylochus, Circe, Hermes, and Elpenor.

Odysseus and his crew are treated hospitably by Aeolus, King of Aeolia, who sends off the Ithacans with a gift of wind in a bag which is to ensure a swift voyage. Just before the Ithacans reach home, Odysseus' crew, thinking their captain had been rewarded by Aeolus with riches, open the "gift" while Odysseus sleeps. The escaping wind blows the ships back to Aeolus where an irritated King refuses to help the ill-favored Greeks. They then make a disastrous journey to the land of the Laestrygonians, a race of giants who destroy all of Odysseus' ships but his which he had had cautiously anchored outside the small harbor. The despondent survivors travels to Aeaea where only one of an exploratory "platoon" escapes the bewitching Circe and returns to Odysseus to describe how the men he had led had all been turned into swine. Odysseus goes to attempt to deal with this situation. On the way to Circe's palace he is visited by Hermes who tells him what he needs to do to resist the beautiful witch's spells. Forewarned, Odysseus succeeds in winning his men's freedom and the bed of "the nymph with the lovely braids." All spend a relaxing and somewhat licentious year before Odysseus is told by Circe that he will need to go to the land of the dead to learn his fate.

PAY ATTENTION TO:

• King Aeolus' gift to Odysseus
• Odysseus's letting his guard down
• Aeolus' belief that Odysseus is not favored by the Gods,
• Aeolus' attitude toward second chances
• Odysseus' caution when he reaches the land of the Laestrygonians,
• Odysseus' caution when he reaches Aeaea,
• Circe's initial reception of Odysseus' men, her witchcraft.
• The role of Hermes
• Odysseus as seducer and seduced.
• The importance of Circe's “word”,
• the luxury of the palace, good times,
• Circe's ultimate support and hospitality,
• the need to visit Hades and hear from Tiresias.

EPITHETS: Who is...the nymph with the lovely braids

QUESTIONS:

1. After the attack from the Laestrygonians, how many ships are left out of the original twelve?
2. What sort of character is Circe? What craft does she practice that Penelope also practices?
3. Why (aside from her magic) is she able to turn Odysseus' men into swine? How do they offend her?
4. Into what does Circe transform Odysseus' crew?
5. What does Hermes give to Odysseus?
6. What makes Odysseus give in to Circe's enticements? Is this typical of him?
7. How long does Odysseus stay in Circe's palace?
8. Why does he want to leave?
9. Where must Odysseus go to learn his way home?

QUOTATIONS TO REMEMBER:

They loosed the sack and all the winds burst out and a sudden squall struck up and swept us back to sea, wailing in tears, far from out own native land,	(52)
"Crawling back like this – It proves the immortals hate you. Out! Get out!"	(82)
The [the Laestrygonians] speared the crews like fish and whisked them home to make a grisly meal. But while they killed them off in the harbor depths I pulled the sword from beside my hip and hacked away at the ropes that moored the blue-prowed ship of war and shout rapid orders at my shipmates: "Put your backs to the oars – now row or die!" In terror of death they ripped the swells – all as one – and what a joy as we darted out toward open sea, clear of those beetling cliffs. . . my ship alone.	(135)
I was well on my way down, nearing our ship when a god took pity on me wandering all alone; he sent me a big stag with high branching antlers, right across my path – the suns heat forced him down from the forest range to drink at the river's banks – just bounding out of the timber when I hit him square in the backbone, halfway down the spine and my bronze spear went punching clean through – he dropped in the dust, groaning, gasping his last breath.	(171)
Deep in the wooded glens they came to Circe's palace built of dressed stone on a cleared rise of land. Mountain wolves and lions were roaming round the grounds - she'd [Circe] bewitched them herself, she gave them magic drugs. But they wouldn't attack my men; they just came pawing up around them, pawing, swishing their long tails – . . . they [the men] paused at her door, the nymph with lovely braids, Circe – and deep inside they heard her singing, lifting her spell-binding voice as she glided back and forth on her great immortal loom, her enchanting web a shimmering glory only goddesses can weave.	(229)
Only Eurylochus stayed behind – he sensed a trap. . .	(256)
Once they'd drained the bowls she'd filled, suddenly she struck with her wand, drove them into her pigsties, all of them bristling into wine – with grunts snouts, even their bodies, yes, and only the men's minds stayed steadfast as before. So off they went to their pens, sobbing, squealing. . .	(261)
"Eurylochus, stay right here, eating, drinking, safe by the black ship. I must be off. Necessity drives me on."	(299)
Hermes god of the golden wand crossed my path. . . "have you come to set them free? Well I warn you. You won't get home yourself. . . But wait, I can save you, free you from that great danger. Look here is a potent drug. . . Now here is your plan of action, step by step. The moment Circe strikes with her long thin want you draw your sharp sword sheathed at your hip and rush her fact as thought to run the through! She'll cower in fear and coax you toward her bed – but don't refuse the goddess' bed, not then. . . But have her swear the binding oath of the blessed gods she'll never plot some new intrigue to harm you once you lay there naked – never unman you, strip away your courage!"	(305)
"Mount your bed? Not for all the world. Not until you consent to swear, goddess, a binding oath you'll never plot some new intrigue to harm me!"                 Straightaway she began to swear the oath. . .                      and when she's finished then at last, I mounted Circe's gorgeous bed."	(380)
"If you, you really want me to eat and drink set them free – all my comrades – let me feast my eyes."	(426)
So she enticed and won our battle hardened spirits over. And there we sat, at ease, day in, day out, till a year had run its course, feasting on sides of meat and drafts of heady wine. . . But then, when the year was through. . . my loyal comrades took me aside and prodded, "Captain, this is madness! High time you though of your own home at last. . ." That urging brought my stubborn spirit round.	(513)
"Royal son of Laertes, old campaigner, stay on no more in my house against your will. But first another journey calls. You must travel down to the House of Death and the awesome one, Persephone, there to consult the ghost of Tiresias, seer of Thebes, the great blind prophet whose mind remains unshaken Even in death – Persephone has given him wisdom . . . the rest of the dead are empty, flitting shades."	(537)
He [Tiresias] will tell you the way to go, the stages of your voyage, how you can cross the swarming sea and reach home at last."	(541)
There was a man, Elpenor, the youngest in our ranks, none too brave in battle, none too sound in mind. . .       keen for the cool night air, sodden with wine he'd bedded down on her roofs . . . he forgot to climb back down again by the long ladder – headfirst from the roof he plunged, his neck snapped from the backbone, his soul flew down to death.	(608)

Odyssey Guide