He notes that if he finds that his father is dead, he will “give” his mother “to another husband.” (100). Telemachus then declares his intention of going to Pylos to see if he can hear anything about his father. He tells Halitherses to “go home and babble omens to children” (99), and then threatens to lock him up/hurt him if he keeps supporting Telemachus. One of the men in the crowd (Halitherses) reads this as an omen that fortells Odysseus’ return and the bloody defeat of the suitors.Īt this point Eurymachus, another suitor, chimes in. Zeus sends two battling eagles down to fly through the crowd, scratching at people and each other, as a sign of support of Telemachus. ![]() He once again asks the suitors to leave, and lets them know that he will turn to Zeus to help him seek revenge if they do not go. We’ll not go back to our old estates or leave for other parts, not till she weds the Argive man she fancies.” (97) Telemachus refuses to force his mother from her home for “fear” of angering her father (his grandfather) and the gods. Antinous ends by once again blaming Penelope’s “subtle wiles” for the suitors bad behavior, noting that “Great renown she wins for herself, no doubt, great loss for you in treasure. He notes that until that happens, the suitors intend to keep exploiting the palace. ![]() Antinous tells Telemachus to send his mother home (to her own fathers house) and to make her marry whomever her father chooses for her. 96) Antinous then notes that after one of Penelope’s maids betrayed her secret, the suitors forced her to finish her weaving. Three whole years she deceived us blind, seduced us with this scheme… (p. ![]() So by day she’d weave at her great and growing web- by night, by the torches set beside her, she would unravel all she’d done. …despite our pride and passion we believed her. Antinous describes the way in which Penelope avoided having to make a decision regarding the suitors: This was her latest masterpiece of guile: she set up a great loom in the royal halls and began to weave, and the weaving finespun, the yarns endless, and she would lead us on: ‘Young men, my suitors, now that King Odysseus is no more, go slowly, keen as you are to marry me, until I can finish off this web… so my weaving won’t all fray and come to nothing. He then goes on to accuse Penelope of leading the suitors on for three years by “dangling promises” and “dropping hints” but never following through. Antinous responds to Telemachus sharply, saying “It’s not the suitors here who deserve the blame, it’s your own dear mother.” (96). Finally, he bursts into tears, arousing pity in many of the gathered people. He then begs the suitors to stop and to ‘leave alone to pine away in anguish’. He addresses the assembly, and notes as an official ‘problem’ the fact that the suitors are ‘plaguing’ his mother ‘against her will’ and that they are ‘feasting themselves sick’ on the palace’s food and wine (p. THE ASSEMBLY: Telemachus wakes up the next morning and calls up an assembly. The Odyssey Summaries How to Approach the Text Book I - Athena Inspires the Prince - read Book II - Telemachus Sets Sail - summary Book III - King Nestor Remembers - summary Book IV - The King and Queen of Sparta - partial summary Book V - Odysseus - Nymph and Shipwreck - partial summary Book VI - The Princess and the Stranger - summary Book VII - Phaeacia’s Halls and Gardens - summary Book VIII - A Day for Songs and Contests - summary Book IX - In the One-Eyed Giant’s Cave - read Book X - The Bewitching Queen of Aeaea - read Book XI - The Kingdom of the Dead - summary Book XII - The Cattle of the Sun - partial summary Book XIII - Ithaca at Last -summary Book XIV - The Loyal Swineherd - summary Book XV - The Prince Sets Sail for Home - summary Book XVI - Father and Son - read Book XVII - Stranger at the Gates - read Book XVIII - The Beggar King of Ithaca - summary Book XIX - Penelope and her Guest - summary Book XX - Portents Gather - summary Book XXI - Odysseus Strings His Bow - read Book XXII - Slaughter in the Hall - read Book XXIII - The Great Rooted Bed - partial summary Book XXIV - Peace - partial summary THE ODYSSEY SUMMARY: Book 2: Telemachus Sets Sail
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