Download The Odyssey Book XXIV

The Odyssey Book XXIV
Laertes
Odysseus
• Hermes leads the recently slaughtered suitors
down to Hades.
• They pass by the Asphodel meadow.
Agamemnon and
Achilles are
hanging out and
talking.
• Agamemnon tells Achilles about his death and
funeral.
•
•
•
•
Thetis and the other sea nymphs come to mourn Achilles.
All the gods were saddened and donated gifts to adorn Achilles’ tomb
Achilles is mourned for 17 days, and is burned solemnly on the 18th
Agamemnon ensures him that he was remembered, and that his name will
live on.
• Agamemnon is slightly jealous that Achilles got to die honorably in Troy,
while he was murdered.
Musée du Louvre, Paris,
France
Thetis and the Nereids
mourning Achilles.
Corinthian black-figure
hydria, 560/50 BC.
• Agamemnon sees Amphimedon (one of the sutors). Amphimedon is the son
of Melaneos who is a guest-friend of Agamemnon.
• Agamemnon asks how Amphimedon died.
• Amphimedon tells the story of Odysseus’s return
Agamemnon then praises the loyalty and steadfastness of
Penelope and reiterates his scorn for the traitorous
Clytemnestra
One artist’s version of Agamemnon
Back to the “real” world
• Odysseus travels to the groves of Laertes. He tells a Sicilian servant woman
to prepare a feast inside the hut that adjoins the vineyard.
• Like many older men Laertes is engrossed in tending his garden and too
busy to notice Odysseus.
• Odysseus watches him for some time (a single tear rolling down his oily
cheek).
• He debates whether he should just come up and embrace his father, or
prolong the reunion by lying to him.
He Chooses to Lie (didn’t see that coming)
• Odysseus pretends to be a man from Alybas
• He comments that his father looks like a king and wonders why he is
working in the grove.
• He tells Laertes that he and Odysseus are guest-friends, and that he
last saw Odysseus five years ago.
• At this a “black cloud of grief” covered the old man. Laertes is
so upset he picks up handfuls of dust from the ground and
begins pouring them over his head in lamentation.
On the Threshold of Eternity
(Old Man in Sorrow)
Vincent Van Gogh
• Odysseus can not take it anymore. He reveals himself and
leaps forward to kiss his beloved father.
• But Laertes doesn’t believe him (serves him right..the liar)
• Odysseus shows him his scar.
•Odysseus relates the
story of how Laertes
taught him the names of
trees when he was young,
and how Laertes gave him
trees of his very own.
• Laertes believes him and they embrace.
• The old king immediately gets down to business. He asks Odysseus what
he plans to do about the relatives of the suitors.
• Odysseus tells him not to worry. He leads Laertes to the house for a feast.
• Laertes bathes and (with the help of Athena) comes out looking like a god.
• Dolios an old farmhand, and his sons come in from the field. They greet
Odysseus and kiss his hands.
• Dolios makes sure that Odysseus has told Penelope of his return.
• Odysseus tells him not to worry about it, that he took care of it.
Meanwhile…
• A Council is summoned to discuss what is to be done about the whole dead
suitor situation.
• Eupeithes (father of Antinoos) argues for vengence.
• Medon says that the suitors’ death was the will of the gods.
• Halitherses blames the men for not doing anything to stop the suitors’ evil
deeds back when Telemachos first addressed them.
• Eupeithes (“the good persuader”) convinces half of the assembled men to
take vengeance upon Odysseus and leads them out.
The Pnyx in Athens. Meeting place of
the Athenian council.
The speaker’s platform on
the Pnyx
Athena has about had it.
• She asks Zeus why he is going to let even more violence upon Odysseus
and Ithaca.
• Zeus reminds Athena that it was by her design that Odysseus came back
and murdered the suitors. Should she be surprised when people get upset?
• Zeus tells Athena to do what she wants about the situation. But he advises
that the men should be induced to swear oaths of peace with each other.
• So Athena hurries down Mt. Olympus to get to Odysseus before Eupeithes
and his men.
• Athena comes to Odysseus and his crew (Dolios and sons,
Telemachos and Laertes)
• Eupeithes and his men are drawing near. Athena gives great
strength to Laertes and he kills Eupeithes with his spear.
Odysseus and Telemachos fall
upon the other men
Athena shouts and the men are
afraid and begin to run away.
• Athena orders the men to stop fighting.
• Odysseus doesn't listen, of course, and Zeus hurls a lightning bolt. This gets
Odysseus to stop and calm down.
• Athena bids Odysseus to stop fighting.
• In the guise of Mentor Athena helps make peace amoung the Ithacans.