Jack Zaikos > Recent Status Updates

Finished books 22, 23 & 24:

Can’t get over how violent the fight was and the torturing of melanthius… makes it hard to see Odysseus as a hero briefly

Interesting note about the true ending possibly being in bed with Penelope, I think I prefer that as an ending point

The scene in hades was interesting I can’t believe menelaus’ son was amongst the suitors considering Menelaus aided Telemachus

Book 21: the great bow

Humiliating for the suitors…

The fact that he worked the bow to their anger and now has the weapon ready to attack them is a good transition into the battle

Book 20: prelude to the crisis

Interesting how here the loyal and the disloyal are being separated even amongst the houses help

Lot of tension between the parties

Book 19: Eurycleia recognises Odysseus

Generational lock in from Odysseus to not reveal himself to his wife

I’ve reached a point in this book where I’m not sure if it is best to proceed…

Although I find Jung’s life very interesting I feel, as a 21 year old, that I am getting the perspective of maturation from a person other than myself and in that way am betraying my own development should I continue past the age of Jung that I am currently

So far I think I shall persevere

Book 18: the beggar in the palace

This interaction is getting drawn out majorly

Maybe my attention span is cooled from 21st century doomscrolling but the final encounter could’ve happened here with all the suitors incapacitated surely…

That poor irus challenging Odysseus…

Book 17: Odysseus goes to town

Antinous is violating the laws of guests and suppliants…

Throwing a chair at a beggar is low

Book 16: Odysseus meets his son

Book 15: Telemachus returns

Book 14: in euameus’ hut

Book 13: Odysseus returns to Ithaca

Can’t believe the hands on roll Athena has adopted

The treasure he receives feel like fan service

Didn’t realise Telemachus was away when he returns that’s crazy

Book 12: Scylla and the Charybdis

His men have the survival instincts of the lowing cows they killed

Suprised by how helpful Circe eventually becomes to the crew.

Sailing would’ve been terrifying if you were familiar with this tale

Book 11: book of the dead

So much information here, they really whipped out every myth in the book (almost)

I can’t believe how many sacrifices he has to keep track of… so far he need to sacrifice 2 animals to the dead when he gets home (of specific type build and colour) and then he needs to make a sacrifice to the immortal gods upon returning home so as not to incur their wrath again. So much to keep track

Book 10: Circe

The crew has managed to survive ten years at Troy, the den of the Cyclopes, the home of the man eating laestrygonians, the den of the Lotus eaters, the spells of the goddess Circe only for this one guy elpenor to fall off of circe’s roof on his way home and die lol

Book 9: Cyclopes

Can’t wait to see this in the upcoming Nolan movie

Odysseus couldn’t keep his big mouth shut

Book 8: the Phaeacian games

The story of Hephaestus catching ares in bed with Aphrodite was entertaining…

Odysseus sure does weep a lot!

The world depicted in the details of the feasts and games is so foreign and funny to imagine

Book 7: the palace of Alcinous

Book 6: Nausicaa

Honestly reading this book made me thing of studio Ghibli’s Nausicca valley of the wind and I honestly have to say the nausicca depicted in the film is of greater character than her name sake from thousands of years ago which is impressive.

Book 5: calypso

Loved the nod to Ursa Major. it’s comforting to think that we look upon the same stars as these people from thousands of years ago

Odysseus’ battle against the ocean is nuts… 2 straight days of swimming is intense but the sleep he was rewarded with at the end seemed so fire

Book 4: Menelaus and Helen

First of my hearing of the seer who lives in Egypt proteus

Helen and Menelaus’ dynamic post Trojan war is so interesting because Helen is depicted as fully cognisant of her betrayals at Troy and speaks of them acknowledging her mistake but they are so egregious that’s it’s hard to believe she can return to Sparta afterwards

Book 3: Telemachus with Nestor

The Ancient Greek code of hospitality gives you much to think about…

When traversing a world filled with uncertainty and danger the knowledge that when reaching a strangers house you shall be welcomed and taken care of would be reassuring and foster acts of reciprocity. Completely unimaginable in today’s world

Book 2: the debate in Ithaca

Liked the scene of the eagle omen sent by Zeus

End of chapter one: Athens visits Telemachus

As I’ve gotten older I’ve really gained a greater appreciation for the Greek gods as manifestations of all ordinary emotions, occurrences and events.

What the gods truly are exist in our modern world and seeing how they enhance the world of Homer makes our own reality see that much more colourful too

The first and second elegies were beautiful

Chapter 10 (finished)

This chapter had me wanting to go off and learn about queen Semiramis, the Midas tomb and the Great mother Kybele

Very abrupt way to end the book it feels like but this chapter was interesting as the sources for our understanding of Anatolia shifted from east to west with Greek stories from Homer to Herodotus becoming the basis of our understanding of its history

Chap 9 Urartu

Wrote an essay on this civilisation for my uni subject…

Wild how they rose to power so quickly before disappearing all in a matter of 250 years.

The Urartian kingship and military culture is cool to study as well as their use of religion as a tool for governance.

The fortresses they arrested such as Erebunni and Ayanis are awesome to look at