DOCSLIB.ORG

Medon and the Cyclops? Odyssey 22.361-7

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Medon and the Cyclops? Odyssey 22.361-7 Medon and the Cyclops? Odyssey 22.361-7 Opinion is nearly universal among commentators (e.g., Stanford 1965, Fernández- Galiano 1992, de Jong 2001) that the discovery of Medon under an oxhide at Odyssey 22.362ff. is intended to evoke humor and provide relief from the high tension and drama of the mnesterophonia. Indeed, Odysseus himself smiles when Medon hastily throws off the newly flayed skin and grasps Telemachus by the knees in supplication (22.371). More motivates this scene, however, than simply a desire to lend humor and provide respite to the audience at a crucial point in the narrative. This deeper significance derives from an earlier incident, one to which Medon’s escape alludes. Although some (Stanford 1965, Fernández-Galiano 1992) have noted that the herald’s method of concealment hearkens back to the seals’ skins under which Menelaus and his men hide in order to ambush Proteus (4.436-40), it is far more likely that Medon’s escape is an allusion to Odysseus’ own and more recently narrated escape from the cave of the Cyclops. There are several factors that favor the latter reading. Book 20 opens with two explicit references to the Cyclopeia (18-21, 37-43). Medon’s situation corresponds more closely to Odysseus’ in the cave than to Menelaus’ on the beach: Odysseus hides under a sheep to escape a menacing monster, Menelaus lies under a skin to ambush a god. One is passive, the other aggressive. It is the focus on the shared detail of the animal skin rather than on the shared predicament of both Odysseus and Medon that accounts for the failure to see here a reference to Odysseus’ escape from the cave. Moreover, the hide with which Medon is concealed is the byproduct of the suitors’ depredations on Odysseus’ herds. Thus, Medon attempts to escape detection under the hide of an animal that belongs to Odysseus just as Odysseus escaped death beneath an animal that belonged to Polyphemus. This particular recollection of the Cyclops’ cave is actually only one of numerous references to the Cyclopeia in the Ithacan sequence, references which equate Odysseus with Polyphemus (Alden 1993, Bakker 2002). For example, Odysseus comes home to find his house occupied by strangers, who are slaughtering his animals, drinking his wine and eating his food. Odysseus locks the strangers in his house, keeps them from escaping, and, unlike Polyphemus, successfully eliminates them as a threat. In taking on Polyphemus’ might and combining it successfully with his cunning, our hero thoroughly defeats his enemies. Once Odysseus has conquered the suitors, there would appear to be no further need for a reference to the Cyclopeia. There is, however, in Odysseus’ assumption of Cyclopean bie an implicit threat of becoming too violent, too monstrous. The danger of the hero crossing or, rather, blurring the boundary between the human and bestial worlds is a concern in both Homeric epics (Segal 1974, Redfield 1975, Wilson 2002). In sparing Medon and Phemius, Odysseus demonstrates that he, unlike the implacable and violent Polyphemus, can wield great power yet, because of his metis, is able to temper that power with mercy and restraint. In fact, after Leodes’ unsuccessful supplication of our hero (22.310-29), Medon and Phemius are the first petitioners to be granted clemency. In this humorous moment, at least, Odysseus rejects the bestial side of bie. Bibliography Alden, M. 1993. “An Intelligent Cyclops?” π . .. , 75-95. Ithaki. Bakker, E.J. 2002. “Polyphemus.” Colby Quarterly 38.2: 135-150. Fernández-Galiano, M., J. Russo and A. Heubeck. 1992. A Commentary on Homer’s Odyssey. Volume III: Books XVII-XXIV. Oxford. Jong, I.J.F. de. 2001. A Narratological Commentary on the Odyssey. Cambridge. Powell, B.B. 1970. “The Narrative Pattern in the Homeric Tale of Menelaus.” TAPA 101: 419-31. Redfield, J.M. 1975. Nature and Culture in the Iliad: The Tragedy of Hector. Chicago. Segal, C. 1974. “The Raw and the Cooked in Greek Literature: Structure, Values, Metaphor.” CJ 69 289-308. Stanford, W.B. ed. 1965. Homer, Odyssey, vol. 2. London. Wilson, D.F. 2002. “Lion Kings: Heroes in the Epic Mirror.” Colby Quarterly 38.2: 230- 54. .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Sample Odyssey Passage
    The Odyssey of Homer Translated from Greek into English prose in 1879 by S.H. Butcher and Andrew Lang. Book I In a Council of the Gods, Poseidon absent, Pallas procureth an order for the restitution of Odysseus; and appearing to his son Telemachus, in human shape, adviseth him to complain of the Wooers before the Council of the people, and then go to Pylos and Sparta to inquire about his father. Tell me, Muse, of that man, so ready at need, who wandered far and wide, after he had sacked the sacred citadel of Troy, and many were the men whose towns he saw and whose mind he learnt, yea, and many the woes he suffered in his heart upon the deep, striving to win his own life and the return of his company. Nay, but even so he saved not his company, though he desired it sore. For through the blindness of their own hearts they perished, fools, who devoured the oxen of Helios Hyperion: but the god took from them their day of returning. Of these things, goddess, daughter of Zeus, whencesoever thou hast heard thereof, declare thou even unto us. Now all the rest, as many as fled from sheer destruction, were at home, and had escaped both war and sea, but Odysseus only, craving for his wife and for his homeward path, the lady nymph Calypso held, that fair goddess, in her hollow caves, longing to have him for her lord. But when now the year had come in the courses of the seasons, wherein the gods had ordained that he should return home to Ithaca, not even there was he quit of labours, not even among his own; but all the gods had pity on him save Poseidon, who raged continually against godlike Odysseus, till he came to his own country.
    [Show full text]
  • From the Odyssey, Part 1: the Adventures of Odysseus
    from The Odyssey, Part 1: The Adventures of Odysseus Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald ANCHOR TEXT | EPIC POEM Archivart/Alamy Stock Photo Archivart/Alamy This version of the selection alternates original text The poet, Homer, begins his epic by asking a Muse1 to help him tell the story of with summarized passages. Odysseus. Odysseus, Homer says, is famous for fighting in the Trojan War and for Dotted lines appear next to surviving a difficult journey home from Troy.2 Odysseus saw many places and met many the summarized passages. people in his travels. He tried to return his shipmates safely to their families, but they 3 made the mistake of killing the cattle of Helios, for which they paid with their lives. NOTES Homer once again asks the Muse to help him tell the tale. The next section of the poem takes place 10 years after the Trojan War. Odysseus arrives in an island kingdom called Phaeacia, which is ruled by Alcinous. Alcinous asks Odysseus to tell him the story of his travels. I am Laertes’4 son, Odysseus. Men hold me formidable for guile5 in peace and war: this fame has gone abroad to the sky’s rim. My home is on the peaked sea-mark of Ithaca6 under Mount Neion’s wind-blown robe of leaves, in sight of other islands—Dulichium, Same, wooded Zacynthus—Ithaca being most lofty in that coastal sea, and northwest, while the rest lie east and south. A rocky isle, but good for a boy’s training; I shall not see on earth a place more dear, though I have been detained long by Calypso,7 loveliest among goddesses, who held me in her smooth caves to be her heart’s delight, as Circe of Aeaea,8 the enchantress, desired me, and detained me in her hall.
    [Show full text]
  • The Odyssey and the Desires of Traditional Narrative
    The Odyssey and the Desires of Traditional Narrative David F. Elmer* udk: 82.0-3 Harvard University udk: 821.14-13 [email protected] Original scientific paper Taking its inspiration from Peter Brooks’ discussion of the “narrative desire” that structures novels, this paper seeks to articulate a specific form of narrative desire that would be applicable to traditional oral narratives, the plots of which are generally known in advance by audience members. Thematic and structural features of theOdyssey are discussed as evidence for the dynamics of such a “traditional narrative desire”. Keywords: Narrative desire, Peter Brooks, Odyssey, oral tradition, oral literature In a landmark 1984 essay entitled “Narrative Desire”, Peter Brooks argued that every literary plot is structured in some way by desire.1 In his view, the desires of a plot’s protagonist, whether these are a matter of ambition, greed, lust, or even simply the will to survive, determine the plot’s very readability or intelligibility. Moreover, for Brooks the various desires represented within narrative figure the desires that drive the production and consumption of narrative. He finds within the narrative representation of desire reflections of the desire that compels readers to read on, to keep turning pages, and ultimately of an even more fundamental desire, a “primary human drive” that consists simply in the “need to tell” (Brooks 1984, 61). The “reading of plot,” he writes, is “a form of desire that carries us forward, onward, through the text” (Brooks 1984, 37). When he speaks of “plot”, Brooks has in mind a particular literary form: the novel, especially as exemplified by 19th-century French realists like Honoré de Balzac and Émile Zola.
    [Show full text]
  • The Odyssey Homer Translated Lv Robert Fitzç’Erald
    I The Odyssey Homer Translated lv Robert Fitzç’erald PART 1 FAR FROM HOME “I Am Odysseus” Odysseus is in the banquet hail of Alcinous (l-sin’o-s, King of Phaeacia (fë-a’sha), who helps him on his way after all his comrades have been killed and his last vessel de stroyed. Odysseus tells the story of his adventures thus far. ‘I am Laertes’ son, Odysseus. [aertes Ia Men hold me formidable for guile in peace and war: this fame has gone abroad to the sky’s rim. My home is on the peaked sea-mark of Ithaca 4 Ithaca ith’. k) ,in island oft under Mount Neion’s wind-blown robe of leaves, the west e ast it C reece. in sight of other islands—Dulichium, Same, wooded Zacynthus—Ithaca being most lofty in that coastal sea, and northwest, while the rest lie east and south. A rocky isle, but good for a boy’s training; I (I 488 An Epic Poem I shall not see on earth a place more dear, though I have been detained long by Calypso,’ 12. Calypso k1ip’sö). loveliest among goddesses, who held me in her smooth caves, to be her heart’s delight, as Circe of Aeaea, the enchantress, 15 15. Circe (sür’së) of Aeaea e’e-). desired me, and detained me in her hail. But in my heart I never gave consent. Where shall a man find sweetness to surpass his OWfl home and his parents? In far lands he shall not, though he find a house of gold.
    [Show full text]
  • Myths and Legends: Odysseus and His Odyssey, the Short Version by Caroline H
    Myths and Legends: Odysseus and his odyssey, the short version By Caroline H. Harding and Samuel B. Harding, adapted by Newsela staff on 01.10.17 Word Count 1,415 Level 1030L Escaping from the island of the Cyclopes — one-eyed, ill-tempered giants — the hero Odysseus calls back to the shore, taunting the Cyclops Polyphemus, who heaves a boulder at the ship. Painting by Arnold Böcklin in 1896. SECOND: A drawing of a cyclops, courtesy of CSA Images/B&W Engrave Ink Collection and Getty Images. Greek mythology began thousands of years ago because there was a need to explain natural events, disasters, and events in history. Myths were created about gods and goddesses who had supernatural powers, human feelings and looked human. These ideas were passed down in beliefs and stories. The following stories are about Odysseus, the son of the king of the Greek island of Ithaca and a hero, who was described to be as wise as Zeus, king of the gods. For 10 years, the Greek army battled the Trojans in the walled city of Troy, but could not get over, under or through the walls that protected it. Finally, Odysseus came up with the idea of a large hollow, wooden horse, that would be filled with Greek soldiers. The people of Troy woke one morning and found that no army surrounded the city, so they thought the enemy had returned to their ships and were finally sailing back to Greece. A great horse had been left This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cyclops in the Odyssey, Ulysses, and Asterios Polyp: How Allusions Affect Modern Narratives and Their Hypotexts
    THE CYCLOPS IN THE ODYSSEY, ULYSSES, AND ASTERIOS POLYP: HOW ALLUSIONS AFFECT MODERN NARRATIVES AND THEIR HYPOTEXTS by DELLEN N. MILLER A THESIS Presented to the Department of English and the Robert D. Clark Honors College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts December 2016 An Abstract of the Thesis of Dellen N. Miller for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the Department of English to be taken December 2016 Title: The Cyclops in The Odyssey, Ulysses, and Asterios Polyp: How Allusions Affect Modern Narratives and Their Hypotexts Approved: _________________________________________ Paul Peppis The Odyssey circulates throughout Western society due to its foundation of Western literature. The epic poem thrives not only through new editions and translations but also through allusions from other works. Texts incorporate allusions to add meaning to modern narratives, but allusions also complicate the original text. By tying two stories together, allusion preserves historical works and places them in conversation with modern literature. Ulysses and Asterios Polyp demonstrate the prevalence of allusions in books and comic books. Through allusions to both Polyphemus and Odysseus, Joyce and Mazzucchelli provide new ways to read both their characters and the ancient Greek characters they allude to. ii Acknowledgements I would like to sincerely thank Professors Peppis, Fickle, and Bishop for your wonderful insight and assistance with my thesis. Thank you for your engaging courses and enthusiastic approaches to close reading literature and graphic literature. I am honored that I may discuss Ulysses and Asterios Polyp under the close reading practices you helped me develop.
    [Show full text]
  • Homeric Translation in Theory and Practice: a Reply to Matthew Arnold, Esq., Professor of Poetry, Oxford
    HOMERIC TRANSLATION IN THEORY AND PRACTICE: A REPLY TO MATTHEW ARNOLD, ESQ., PROFESSOR OF POETRY, OXFORD. FRANCIS W. NEWMAN, 1861. E-Texts for Victorianists E-text Editor: Alfred J. Drake, Ph.D. Electronic Version 1.0 / Date 7-20-02 This Electronic Edition is in the Public Domain. DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES [1] I DISCLAIM ALL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, COSTS AND EXPENSES, INCLUDING LEGAL FEES. [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. [3] THE E-TEXTS ON THIS SITE ARE PROVIDED TO YOU “AS-IS”. NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS TO THE E-TEXTS OR ANY MEDIUM THEY MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. [4] SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW DISCLAIMERS OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE DISCLAIMERS AND EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU, AND YOU MAY HAVE OTHER LEGAL RIGHTS. PRELIMINARY NOTES BY E-TEXT EDITOR: Reliability: Although I have done my best to ensure that the text you read is error-free in comparison with the edition chosen, it is not intended as a substitute for the printed original. The original publisher, if still extant, is in no way connected with or responsible for the contents of any material here provided. The viewer should bear in mind that while a PDF document may approach facsimile status, it is not a facsimile—it requires the same careful proofreading and editing as documents in other electronic formats.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cyclops Cave
    “The Cyclops” from the Odyssey by Homer In ancient Greece, heroes in epic poems like the Odyssey represented the highest values of Greek civilization. In Homer’s day, heroes were thought of as a special class of men, somewhere between the gods and ordinary human beings. As you read “The Cyclops,” see how Odysseus uses his special qualities to save himself and his men from becoming a monster’s meal. LITERARY FOCUS: HEROES AT LARGE Epics are long narrative poems that tell of the great deeds of a hero. In an epic, the main character is the hero. (In many epics the hero’s enemy is also a major character.) Heroes usually represent qualities that their society admires. Some people today, for example, see sports stars, popular singers, great scientists, or firefighters as their heroes. In epics told long ago, the heroes are often superhuman warriors, who set off on journeys to win something of great value for themselves and for their people. The conflicts, or struggles between opposing forces, in an epic are usually external, as the heroes battle armies, monsters, or the forces of nature. Epic heroes can also face internal conflicts—caused by fear, doubt, weakness, and so on. • First, read “The Cyclops” for enjoyment. Then, consider what the adven- ture reveals about the values of the ancient Greeks. READING SKILLS: MONITOR YOUR COMPREHENSION Good readers pause occasionally to make sure they understand what they have read. When you read a long, action-filled poem such as this one, it is Literary Skills important to stay on top of events—to understand what is happening.
    [Show full text]
  • THE CYCLOPS) PHILOSOPHY on First Glance, This Story Appears to Be the Least Yielding When It Comes to Finding Philosophy for Discussion
    NOBODY'S HOME (THE CYCLOPS) PHILOSOPHY On first glance, this story appears to be the least yielding when it comes to finding philosophy for discussion. But take a closer look and the philosophy starts to materialise from nothing. I say 'materialise from nothing' because I have found the most successful philosophical discussion emerging from this session to be about non-existent entities. This topic emerges from both the content of the story (i.e. his use of the word 'nobody' to trick the Cyclops – 'nobody' seeming to be a referring term for someone that isn't there) and a feature of the story (i.e. that it contains a famous mythical creature – mythical creatures being perfect examples of non-existent entities). So, how can something that doesn't exist have certain qualities or features? Does our collective reference to a Cyclops somehow give it existence, perhaps in our minds, in our culture, or in some other way? Some philosophers have thought so. If so, what kind of existence would this be? It's certainly not the kind of existence something like a rabbit has. Or is it simply that a Cyclops does not exist in any way? But if this is the case, how can you meaningfully speak about one - how can you tell the story you are about to tell? Note: this story contains a clear example of a key Ancient Greek theme and one that runs throughout the Odyssey: hubris, 'downfall brought about by excessive pride'. Odysseus' announcement revealing his true identity to Polyphemus from the prow of his ship endangers both himself and his crew by inciting the wrath of the god Poseidon no less.
    [Show full text]
  • Penelope, Odysseus, and the Teleologies of the Odyssey
    Putting an End to Song: Penelope, Odysseus, and the Teleologies of the Odyssey Emily Hauser Helios, Volume 47, Number 1, Spring 2020, pp. 39-69 (Article) Published by Texas Tech University Press DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/hel.2020.0001 For additional information about this article https://muse.jhu.edu/article/765967 [ Access provided at 28 Dec 2020 07:35 GMT from University of Washington @ Seattle ] Putting an End to Song: Penelope, Odysseus, and the Teleologies of the Odyssey EMILY HAUSER Abstract Book 1 of the Odyssey presents us with the first bard-figure of the poem, singing what in many ways is an analogue to the Odyssey with “the return of the Greeks”; yet when Penelope appears, it is to attempt to put an end to his song. I use this scene as a starting point to suggest that Penelope is deeply implicated in narrative endings in the Odyssey. Looking at the end or τέλος of the poem through a system- atic study of its “closural allusions,” I argue that a teleological analysis of Penelope’s character in relation to endings may both resolve some of the issues in her inter- pretation thus far, and open up new avenues for the reading of the Odyssey as a poem informed by endings. I. Introduction Penelope’s first appearance in the Odyssey (1.325–144) is to make a request of Phe- mius the bard, who is singing the tale of the Greeks’ return from Troy, the Ἀχαιῶν νόστος (1.326). Phemius’s song of the Greek νόστος (return), of course, mirrors the plot of the Odyssey itself, which has opened only a few hundred lines before with the plea to the Muse to sing of Odysseus and his companions’ return (νόστος, 1.5) from Troy.1 Penelope, however, interrupts the narrative flow and asks the bard to cease singing because of the pain his tale is causing her (1.340–342): ‘ταύτης δ᾽ ἀποπαύε᾽ ἀοιδῆς λυγρῆς, ἥ τέ μοι αἰεὶ ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλον κῆρ τείρει .
    [Show full text]
  • Meerkats' Class Assembly Odysseus and the Cyclops
    Meerkats’ Class Assembly Odysseus and the Cyclops Cast and costume ideas/ props needed Cast – Props Odysseus: blue toga, sword kept in his belt. Sohail Cyclops: red toga face painted eye on forehead Abdulmajid Ship – Saba’s assembly ship Neighbour 1: red toga Adam All soldiers to Tree (tube from Miss L’s cellar) Neighbour 2 red toga Abdi wear a white Neighbour 3: red toga Saba Cardboard sheep Homer: White toga with gold. Scroll to read from Archie toga. Wine -Large bottle to be filled with blackcurrant Soldier 1: Taela Cardboard cheese Soldier 2: Veen They could Solider 3: Summer Glasses Soldier 4: Faisal wear 1 Cardboard fire Soldier 5: Destiny additional Soldier 6: Josh R Scroll Soldier 7: Zahra accessory Facepaint Soldier 8: Cameron (sword/ Soldier 9: Aydane Soldier 10: Josh S shield/ etc…) Flipchart Soldier 11: Igor Slide 1 – Island Soldier 12: Mustafa attached to a Soldier 13: Marci belt. Slide 2 – Cave with boulder Soldier 14: Ane Slide 3 - Island Soldier 15: Mehreen Soldier 16: Adiyan Soldier 17: Bradley Homer: (stepping to the front of the stage) Hello. My name is Homer, the great author of this tale, Odysseus and the Cyclops. I will be the narrator for this story. Scene 1 Odysseus and his crew are on board a ship looking tired and hungry. Homer It took 10 years for the Trojan war to end. Now, it was finally over. Odysseus, the proud hero, returned onto his ship with his brave soldiers, and were ready to return home. Before they reached home, they saw an island up ahead.
    [Show full text]
  • Table of Contents
    OGL 360, “Odyssey synopsis” (2018), Page 1 The Odyssey of Homer: An Illustrated synopsis (revised 2018) with excerpts from the text Please read the entire synopsis, along with most of the excerpts. WANT A SHORT VIDEO? This assignment cannot be completed with a video, but a video can help you understand and remember key moments in the story. Plus, some of these videos are just fun. An entertaining and fairly accurate 4-minute cartoon is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PglAFdKSJ_M and another cartoon is at http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/the-odyssey-greek- epic.html#lesson; they are both recommended, but you’d need to register for a free trial if you want to view the full “education-portal” cartoon. Or, if you are tired of proper vocabulary and polite discourse, you might like the irreverent and wittily foul-mouthed “THUG NOTES” (WITH DECENT ANALYSIS INCLUDED!) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf3XrZW2o4I (Warning: Foul language, snap judgment, and lots of it.) AUDIOBOOK? A reading by Ian McKellan (yes, the actor who plays Gandalf) is worth a bit of your time. Listen to him read the first lines (the invocation) and other excerpts, as if you and a bard are sitting at a fire 4,000 years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IiP74_5Mnc Table of Contents These are “The Wanderings of Odysseus”---the middle part of The Odyssey---arranged in chronological order without the framing narratives and flashbacks of the full story. Thus, please note that we are actually skipping over the first four books, which focus on Odysseus’s family and the “haughty suiters” afflicting their home---these are “the good parts” in terms of adventure, but I highly recommend you read the entire epic sometime; it’s a fascinating read! -The Trojan Horse (a story told in The Iliad, though The Odyssey includes mention of it).
    [Show full text]