Andrew Markham’s Reviews > The Odyssey > Status Update

Book XII: Odysseus and crew return to Circe from the trip to Hades. After a brief stay overnight, they leave again past a new host of dangers. They make it past the island of the Sirens, the whirlpool formed by Charybdis, and the fearsome Scylla. After making it to the island hosting Helios’ herds and eating a cow from it, the ship is destroyed and Odysseus floats back towards Charybdis and Scylla.

Odysseus performs the sacrifice ritual as described by Circe and talks to a great number of spirits who have died. He speaks to many heroes, wives of heroes, his mother, and eventually talks with Theban Tiresias.He learns some of what has happened at home since he left Ithaca.

Odysseus continues describing how he and his crew arrived at Phaecea. After a couple quick tales, they land on Circe’s island where half of the crew is turned into hogs by the witchcraft and potions of Circe. Hermes tells Odysseus how to resist Circe’s potions and save his men. While carrying out the plan, Circe tells the crew they must talk to Teiresias the Theban in the House of Hades.

Book IX: Odysseus reveals his true identity to the party-goers and tells them of the misfortunes that have lead him to Phaecea. He tells them of stopping by the Cicones and the bad weather that lead them to the land of the Lotos-eaters. The longest story consists of him and his men being trapped in the cavern lair of a giant cyclops, named Polyphemus, and the daring trickery they needed to escape.

Odysseus is guided by Athene to the house of Alcinous, who welcomes him with open arms. After listening to Odysseus’ tale of woe, he announces the Phaecians will do everything within their power to return Odysseus across the sea to his home in Ithaca.

Nausicaa, daughter of Alcinous, king of the Phaeacians, is visited by Athene while she is dreaming. Athene convinces her she must take the clothes of the house to be washed in a nearby river with her handmaidens. After washing the clothes, Odysseus hears the women’s’ voices and begs them to help him. Nausicaa agrees and leads him back to the city, where she leaves him in a grove dedicated to Athene.

By the order of Zeus, Calypso allows Odysseus to leave her island to return home to Ithaca. He builds a raft which is destroyed by a storm on the rocks near another island where Odysseus tries to find shelter for the night.

Book IV (2nd Half): Telemachus a Pesistratus awake in the morning and learn from Menelaus that Odysseus is being held with no escape by Calypso on an island.

One of the suitors, Antinous gathers a crew and sets sail from Ithaca to find Telemachus and stop him from returning home with his father. Penelope learns of Telemachus’ plan and is distraught, only being consoled when Athene told her Telemachus would return

Book IV (1st half): Telemachus, guided by Peisistratus, son of Nestor arrive in Lacedaemon, home of Menelaus, who is hosting two wedding feasts for his children. Although they do not immediately identify themselves, Menelaus and his wife Helen quickly identify Telemachus as the son of Odysseus and offer him shelter and information about his father in the morning.

Book III: Telemachus, Athena, and the crew arrive in Pylos to the welcome of Nestor during an offering ceremony and feast. Telemachus asks what Nestor might know of his father. Nestor says they had split apart from a group that had previously split at Troy so he does not know. Nestor also tells of a similar situation where Orestes took the house and killed the family of Menalaus, who he should speak to in Lacedaemon.