[Homer2009-1] Conference call this Monday, Nov. 2, 8pm EST -- RSVP + q's

Tue Nov 3 01:02:06 UTC 2009

Andre and Odyssey

I have prepared a couple on comments on book 10 if you guys are interested.  Now dialing in.

CCC

Cathryn Cronin Cranston

5 Crow's Nest

Chappaqua, New York  10514

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From: homer2009-1-bounces at readingodyssey.org [mailto:homer2009-1-bounces at readingodyssey.org] On Behalf Of Beckwith Cynthia
Sent: Sunday, November 01, 2009 9:01 PM
To: homer2009-1 at readingodyssey.org
Subject: Re: [Homer2009-1] Conference call this Monday, Nov. 2, 8pm EST -- RSVP + q's

I will be on the call. Looking forward to it! 

Cyndie 

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 30, 2009, at 7:03 AM, Andre Stipanovic <astipanovic at mail.hockaday.org> wrote:

Hi fellow readers--

How's your reading of Books 9-16 going?  Any interesting discoveries?  Feel free to post them--just "reply all" to this email, so that it cc's 

 <mailto:homer2009-2 at readingodyssey.org> homer2009-1 at readingodyssey.org.

Just a reminder that our next call is coming up THIS Monday, November 2, 8pm EST (7pm Central).

Call-in information:

Dial-in number: 1 (888) 350-0075

Type in conference room number / passcode: 

     1100494#

(The exact same info as last time)!

Please drop me a note confirming:

[ ]  Yes, I'll be on the call Monday.

[ ]  No, I won't be able to make it.

Looking forward to the call, very much!!  I really enjoyed the last one!   I've included the questions we'll be looking at below.

Happy reading, and talk to you all soon!

Warm regards,

Andre

------------------------------

Study Guide Questions  - Discussion #2

Books 9- 16 Reconciliations

9-12 Odysseus’ wanderings, “reconciling” Poseidon’s curse

1. Book 9 - wise leader?

Odysseus is often referred to as “wily, crafty and wise.”  How wise of  

a leader is he in the events of Book 9 concerning the Cicones (pp.  

126-127), Lotus Eaters (127), and Cyclopes (128-140)?  How much of  

these hardships are Odysseus’ own fault?  How much of these hardships  

are pre-determined by prophecy?

2. Book 10 - crew morale?

In Book 10, morale among Odysseus’ crew continues to decline.  How do  

the events of Aeolus’ bag of winds (pp. 141-143), Laestrygonians  

(143-145), and Circe (145-157) contribute to the decline in morale of  

the crew?  What do we learn about Odysseus’ leadership and his  

cleverness?  Just when Odysseus is able to rescue his crew from  

Circe’s bewitchment, he is notified of a very dangerous voyage he must  

make to Hades.  With Circe’s help, Odysseus must consult Tiresias the  

prophet.  Why? (see Books 10 & 11)

3. Book 11 - Hades

In Book 11, the shades/ghosts of many reveal themselves to Odysseus at  

Acheron, the entrance to Hades.  Before talking even to his mother  

Anticleia, Odysseus makes sure to talk with Tiresias first.  Then  

Odysseus allows himself to talk to his mother and other famous Greek  

women who appear.  What is the significance to the plot of mentioning  

these various Greek heroines (pp. 164-167)?  As Odysseus continues to  

tell of Agamemnon, Achilles and other famous Greek men, what does this  

panorama of shades suggest about the Greek concept of Hades?  of  

Odysseus’ own fears?

4. Book 12 - Odysseus alone

How do the series of adventures in Book 12 (Sirens, Scylla, Oxen of  

the Sun, Thunder & Lightning, Charybdis, Calypso) compare to the  

series of adventures (Books 9-10) before Odysseus’ trip to Hades (Book  

11)?  Book 5 opens with Odysseus alone and Book 12 ends with Odysseus  

alone.  Now that Odysseus has come full circle in his flashbacks, what  

is the relatonship between Odysseus and his crew?  How are Odysseus’  

feelings compounded by the lack of a crew?

13-16 Odysseus’ return to his native land, “reconciling” with Telemachus

5. Book 13 - Ithaka

In Book 13, Poseidon is not happy with the Phaeacians for conveying  

Odysseus home safely.  Given what happens to the Phaeacians in  

response to Poseidon’s feelings, how is this action just?  What does  

Zeus think about it?  Why does Zeus have anything to do with this?   

Athena appears to Odysseus as he wakes up on his own island.  What  

part does she play in helping Odysseus?  As clever as Odysseus is, why  

would Athena’s help be necessary at this stage of the epic?

6. Book 14 - Hospitality revisted?

In what ways does Book 14 illustrate the ancient custom of  

hospitality?  How does hospitality in this chapter compare with the  

hospitality of the Phaeacians (Books 8-13) or Nestor (Book 3) or  

Menelaus (Books 4 & 15)?  In Book 14, Odysseus tells two long tales  

about both his origin and an incident with a cloak during the Trojan  

War.  His stories are inspired by Athena, the goddess of wisdom.  How  

does Odysseus balance the level of fiction with the level of truth in  

his stories?

7. Book 15 - Piety

In Book 15, both Odysseus’ and Telemachus’ piety (i.e. duty to the  

gods) is revealed in auguries (or bird signs).  How do the auguries  

support the intertwining of Odysseus’ and Telemachus’ lives? How does  

Telemachus’ piety show with respect to Theoclymenus?  How does  

Eumaeus’ piety show with respect to Odysseus?  According to Greek  

thinking, is Telemachus’ and Odysseus’ reunion left to chance in any  

way?  In many ways, this book is about origins.  Why do you suppose  

Homer chose this moment to unveil Eumaeus’ origin, Theoclymenus’  

origin and even information about Odysseus’ father, Laertes and  

mother, Anticleia?  What do Eumaeus’ and Theoclymenus’ stories tell us  

about nobility as an inner quality or characteristic of a person?

8. Book 16 - Telemachus and Odysseus

As dawn breaks at the opening of Book 16, Telemachus arrives safely to  

the swineherd’s hut.  Before the day is over, he will be re-united  

with his father Odysseus.   Having been only an infant when Odysseus  

left for Troy, how does Telemachus recognize his father?  Why then  

does he still doubt his senses?  (see pp. 245-246).  How is Penelope’s  

character defined in this book?  Ignorant of Odysseus’ return, what do  

Penelope’s actions reveal about her situation with the suitors?  How  

does Eurymachus’ pretending contrast with Penelope’s honesty about the  

situation?  By the end of the day, Eumaeus returns to his hut and  

Telemachus asks about the plot against him by the suitors.  How do  

Telemachus’ and Odysseus’ pretending contrast with Eumaeus’ honesty  

about the situation?

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