Description of the Odyssey from Homer's poem. Homer's poem "The Odyssey". Who participated in the war

THE ROLE OF ODYSSEY IN THE TROJAN WAR

Odysseus - in ancient Greek mythology, the king of the island of Ithaca. Odysseus' mother is Anticlea, daughter of Autolycus and granddaughter of the god Hermes. Autolycus is a dexterous robber who received from his father Hermes the gift of trickery, the ability to assume any form and make objects invisible. One day Autolycus stole the flocks of Sisyphus, another notorious trickster. Sisyphus caught Autolycus and in retaliation dishonored his daughter Anticlea, who shortly thereafter was married to Laertes and gave birth to Odysseus. Some ancient authors consider the true father of Odysseus Sisyphus, others - Laertes. The version with the paternity of Sisyphus explains the cunning of Odysseus much better, because. in this case, both on the paternal and maternal lines in the family of Odysseus there were famous cunning people: Sisyphus, Autolycus, Hermes, therefore Odysseus himself was destined to become the most cunning of people. According to the goddess Athena, even the gods find it difficult to compete in cunning with Odysseus. The name "Odysseus" comes from the Greek odyssao - ("I am angry") and indicates the fate of Odysseus to provoke the wrath of the gods (for example, Poseidon), who do not tolerate the fact that a mere mortal can be equal to them in intelligence and cunning.
Odysseus was among the suitors of Elena, but in the end he married her cousin, Penelope, who was given to him as a wife in gratitude for the wise advice on reconciling Elena's suitors: all suitors were required to take an oath to protect the honor of Elena's future husband in the future. However, Odysseus himself was bound by this oath, and when Paris kidnapped Helen, Odysseus, among other Greeks, had to go on a campaign against Troy. Not wanting to leave his beloved wife and newly born son Telemachus, Odysseus resorted to cunning and pretended to be insane. When Palamedes, a messenger from the Achaeans, arrived at Odysseus, he saw the following picture: Odysseus, harnessed to a plow by a horse and a horse, sows salt. Then Palamedes put little Telemachus in the path of Odysseus' plow and Odysseus was forced to give up pretense.

Soon it was the turn of Odysseus to expose the pretense of another hero - Achilles, whom his mother Thetis, not wanting to send to war, hid among the girls on the island of Skyros, dressing Achilles in women's clothes. Odysseus and Diomedes arrived at Skyros under the guise of merchants and laid out jewelry and weapons in front of the girls, after which they staged an attack by robbers. All the girls fled in fear, only Achilles grabbed his weapon and was exposed.
Odysseus arrived at the Trojan coast at the head of an army on 12 ships. In the war, Odysseus proved himself to be a fearless warrior who did not retreat from the battlefield, even when he was alone against many Trojans:

Here Odysseus the spearman will leave alone; from the Achaeans
No one stayed with him: everyone was dispelled by their horror.
He sighed and spoke to his noble heart:
"Woe! what will happen to me? shame, if the crowds are afraid,
I will run away; but worse than that, if the crowd comprehend
I will be alone: ​​the thunderer scattered the other Argives.
But why does my soul worry about such thoughts?
I know that the vile one retreats dishonorably from the battle!
Who in the battles is noble in soul, no doubt, must
Stand bravely, strike him or he strikes!"

(Homer "Iliad", song 11th)

Having captured the Trojan soothsayer Helen, Odysseus learns from him that one of the conditions for victory in the war is the possession of the statue of Athena, located in the temple of the goddess in Troy. Then Odysseus entered Troy and stole the statue (according to another version of the myth, Diomedes helped him in this).

At the games arranged in honor of the burial of Patroclus, Odysseus won the running competition. Also at the games, Odysseus fought with Ajax Telamonides, an Achaean hero second only to Achilles in strength. Odysseus and Ajax could not overcome each other, then Achilles stopped the duel, telling them:

“End your struggle and do not languish with cruel labor.
Your victory is equal; and having taken equal rewards,
Get off the field: let others enter into feats."

(Homer "Iliad", song 23rd)

A new confrontation between Ajax Telamonides and Odysseus happened during a dispute over who would get the armor of the murdered Achilles. Ajax believed that he protected Achilles' body from the Trojans better than Odysseus, however the armor was awarded to Odysseus. The enraged Ajax decided to kill the Achaean leaders at night, but Athena decided to insure her favorite Odysseus against an accident and sent madness to Ajax. As a result, Ajax killed herds of cattle. When reason returned to Ajax, he could not bear the shame and committed suicide. Even in the realm of the dead, Ajax refused to speak with Odysseus, continuing to harbor a grudge.

Thanks to the cunning of Odysseus, the Greeks were still able to take Troy: Odysseus offered to build a wooden horse, hollow inside, hide a small part of the army there, and the rest of the army to sail into the sea, then to return. The Trojans, not listening to the warnings of the priest Laocoon and the prophetess Cassandra, dragged the horse into the city. At night, Odysseus and other soldiers got out of the horse, killed the guards, opened the gates to the returning Achaean army, and the 10-year war ended with the fall of Troy.

The ODYSSEY is a Greek epic poem, along with the Iliad, attributed to Homer. Being completed later than the Iliad, O. adjoins an earlier epic, without constituting, however, a direct continuation of the Iliad. The theme of the Odyssey is the wanderings of the cunning Odysseus, king of Ithaca, who was returning from the Trojan campaign; in separate references there are episodes of the saga, the time of which was timed to coincide with the period between the action of the Iliad and the action of the Odyssey.

COMPOSITION "O". built on very archaic material. The plot of a husband returning unrecognized to his homeland after long wanderings and ending up at his wife's wedding is one of the most widespread folklore plots, as well as the plot of "a son going in search of his father." Almost all episodes of Odysseus' wanderings have numerous fairy-tale parallels. The very form of the story in the first person, used for the stories about the wanderings of Odysseus, is traditional in this genre and is known from the Egyptian literature of the beginning of the 2nd millennium.

Narrative technique in "O." in general close to the Iliad, but the younger epic is distinguished by greater art in combining diverse material. Separate episodes are less isolated and form integral groups. The composition of the Odyssey is more complex than the Iliad.

The plot of the Iliad is presented in a linear sequence, in the Odyssey this sequence is shifted: the narration begins in the middle of the action, and the listener learns about previous events only later, from the story of Odysseus himself about his wanderings, i.e. one of the artistic means is retrospection .

The "song" theory, which explained the emergence of large poems by the mechanical "stitching" of individual "songs", was therefore rarely applied to "O."; Much more widespread among researchers is Kirchhoff's hypothesis that "O." is a reworking of several "small epics" ("Telemachia", "wanderings", "the return of Odysseus", etc.).

The disadvantage of this construction is that it breaks apart the plot of the “return of the husband”, the integrity of which is evidenced by parallel stories in the folklore of other peoples, which have a more primitive form than “O.”; theoretically a very plausible hypothesis of one or more "proto-dysseys", i.e. poems that contained the plot completely and formed the basis of the canonical "O.", encounters great difficulties when trying to restore the course of action of any "proto-dyssey" .

The poem opens, after the usual appeal to the Muse, with a brief description of the situation: all the participants in the Trojan campaign, who escaped death, returned home safely, only Odysseus languishes in separation from his family, forcibly held by the nymph Calypso. Further details are put into the mouths of the gods, discussing the issue of Odysseus at their council: Odysseus is on the distant island of Ogygia, and the seductress Calypso wants to keep him with her, hoping that he will forget about his native Ithaca,

But, wishing in vain To see at least smoke rising from his native shores in the distance, He prays to Death alone.

The gods do not give him help because Poseidon is angry with him, whose son, Cyclops Polyphemus, was once blinded by Odysseus. Athena, who patronizes Odysseus, offers to send the messenger of the gods Hermes to Calypso with the order to release Odysseus, and she herself goes to Ithaca, to Odysseus' son Telemachus. In Ithaca, at this time, suitors wooing Penelope feast daily in the house of Odysseus and squander his wealth. Athena encourages Telemachus to go to Nestor and Menelaus, who have returned from Troy, to find out about their father and prepare for revenge on the suitors (Book 1).

The second book gives a picture of the popular assembly of Ithaca. Telemachus brings a complaint against the suitors, but the people are powerless against the noble youth, who demand that Penelope choose someone else. Along the way, the image of the “reasonable” Penelope arises, with the help of tricks delaying consent to marriage. With the help of Athena, Telemachus equips the ship and secretly leaves Ithaca for Pylos to Nestor (Book 2). Nestor informs Telemachus about the return of the Achaeans from under Troy and about the death of Agamemnon. Having escaped, thanks to the miraculous intervention of the goddess Levkofei, from the storm raised by Poseidon, Odysseus swims ashore about. Scheria, where happy people live - feaks, sailors who have fabulous ships, fast, “like light wings or thoughts”, who do not need a rudder and understand the thoughts of their sailors. The meeting of Odysseus on the shore with Nausicaa, the daughter of the Phaeacian king Alminoy, who came to the sea to wash clothes and play ball with the servants, is the content of the 6th book, rich in idyllic moments. Alkina, with his wife Areta, receives the wanderer in a luxurious palace (book 7) and arranges games and a feast in his honor, where the blind singer Demodocus sings about the exploits of Odysseus and thereby brings tears to the eyes of the guest (book 8). The picture of the happy life of the feacs is very curious. There is reason to think that, according to the original meaning of the myth, the feacs are death shippers, carriers to the realm of the dead, but this mythological meaning has already been forgotten in the Odyssey, and death shippers have been replaced by a fabulous “gay-loving” people of sailors leading a peaceful and magnificent lifestyle, in which , along with the features of the life of the trading cities of Ionia in the 8th - 7th centuries, one can also see memories of the era of the power of Crete.

Finally, Odysseus reveals his name to the Phaeacians and tells of his ill-fated adventures on the road from Troy. The story of Odysseus occupies the 9th - 12th book of the poem and contains a number of folklore plots, often found in the tales of the New Age. The form of the story in the first person is also traditional for stories about the fabulous adventures of seafarers and is known to us from Egyptian monuments of the 2nd millennium BC. e. (the so-called "story of the shipwrecked").

The first adventure is still quite realistic: Odysseus and his companions rob the city of the Kikons (in Thrace), but then a storm carries his ships over the waves for many days, and he ends up in distant, wonderful countries. At first it is a country of peaceful lotophages, "devourers of the lotus", a wonderful sweet flower; having tasted it, a person forgets about his homeland and forever remains a lotus collector.

Then Odysseus finds himself in the land of the Cyclopes (Cyclops), one-eyed monsters, where the cannibal giant Polyphemus devours several of Odysseus' companions in his cave. Odysseus saves himself by drugging and blinding Polyphemus, and then exits the cave, along with other comrades, hanging under the belly of long-haired sheep. Odysseus avoids revenge from other Cyclopes, prudently calling himself "Nobody": the Cyclopes ask Polyphemus who offended him, but, having received the answer - "no one", they refuse to interfere; however, the blinding of Polyphemus becomes the source of numerous misadventures of Odysseus, since from now on he is pursued by the wrath of Posidon, the father of Polyphemus (book 9).

The folklore of navigators is characterized by a legend about the god of the winds Eol living on a floating island. Aeolus amiably handed Odysseus a fur with unfavorable winds tied in it, but not far from their native shores, Odysseus' companions untied the fur, and the storm again threw them into the sea. Then they again find themselves in the country of the cannibal giants, the Laestrigons, where "the paths of day and night converge" (obviously, distant rumors about the short nights of the northern summer reached the Greeks); the lestrigons destroyed all the ships of Odysseus, except for one, which then landed on the island of the sorceress Kirka (Circe).

Kirka, like a typical folklore witch, lives in a dark forest, in a house from which smoke rises above the forest; she turns Odysseus' companions into pigs, but Odysseus, with the help of a wonderful plant indicated to him by Hermes, overcomes the spell and enjoys Kirk's love for a year (book 10). Then, at the direction of Kirk, he goes to the realm of the dead in order to question the soul of the famous Theban soothsayer Tiresias.

In the context of the Odyssey, the need to visit the realm of the dead is completely unmotivated, but this element of the story contains, apparently, in naked form, the main mythological meaning of the entire plot about the husband’s “wanderings” and his return (death and resurrection; cf. p. 19). on Ithaca and the journey of Telemachus, and from the 5th book attention is concentrated almost exclusively around Odysseus: the motif of unrecognizability of the returning husband is used, as we have seen, in the same function as the absence of the hero in the Iliad, and meanwhile the listener does not lose Odysseus out of sight - and this also testifies to the improvement of the art of epic storytelling.

Homer was born around the 12th-7th century BC, the exact years of his life are not known. He is credited with such famous works as the Iliad and the Odyssey. Ancient legends say that the poet was a blind wandering singer, and also knew these two poems by heart. But we will analyze only the second book, which tells about the adventures of the cunning Greek king, the lucky favorite of the gods Odysseus.

The plot of the Odyssey is built with the help of such artistic means as retrospection. The story begins in the middle, and the reader will learn about all the events later, from the stories of the protagonist.

The story is based on the story of the return of the king of Ithaca to his homeland after the victory in the Trojan War. The cunning ruler spent ten years in the war, and he sailed home for the same amount of time. From the revelations of the wise warrior, we learn that at the beginning of his journey he fell into the hands of the Cyclops Polyphemus, who devoured travelers. In order to get out of the clutches of the one-eyed villain, Odysseus got him drunk and pierced his eye, which caused the wrath of the Cyclops. The enraged giant appealed to Poseidon and begged him to take revenge on the offender.

The king of Ithaca also tells how he got to the island of Kirki, who turned all his friends into pigs. The hero had to be Kirk's lover for exactly a year. After that, he descends into the underground Hades to speak with the soothsayer Tiresias.

Odysseus sails past the Sirens, who are trying to destroy the sailors with their singing. It also passes between Scylla and Charybdis. Soon the hero loses the ship and swims up on the island of Calypso, which he was forcibly captured for seven years.

History of creation

The poem was written in hexameter - this is the size of the heroic poetry of ancient Greece. It is divided into 24 songs, according to the number of letters in the Greek alphabet. It is believed that this book did not have ancestors, but before the creation of the work, many legends and songs had already arisen, on the basis of which the Odyssey was created.

The language of the work is not similar to any dialect of the Greek language. Often there are inflectional forms that were never used in the living ancient language.

Main characters

1. The main character of the poem is Odysseus, the king of Ithaca. The main features of his character, oddly enough, are considered not heroism and courage, but intelligence, cunning and resourcefulness. His only desire is to return home to his beloved wife and son, whom he has not seen for about 20 years. Throughout the story, the hero is patronized by the goddess of wisdom - Athena.
   Odysseus appears before the reader in different roles: a navigator, a robber, a brave warrior, a beggar wanderer, etc. However, whoever he is, he still longs to return home, sincerely suffers for his fallen friends.
2. Penelope is the faithful wife of Odysseus, sister of Helen of Troy. She is modest and restrained, her moral character is impeccable. He loves needlework and home comfort. It is distinguished by cunning, as it manages to deceive suitors for more than one year. An exceptionally decent woman.
3. Telemachus is the son of Odysseus. A brave and courageous fighter, a man of exceptional honor. He loves his family, honors the duty of heir to the throne.

Mythology about Odysseus

Based on the myths, we learn that the hero was the son of King Laertes and the companion of Artemis Anticlea. He was also the husband of Penelope and the father of Telemachus.

Being one of Elena's suitors, he preferred her cousin Penelope to the most beautiful earthly woman.
He became famous for his participation in the Trojan War. In addition, he was one of the key characters not only in the Odyssey, but also in the Iliad. He was not only brave, but also cunning, in honor of which he was given the nickname "cunning". Thanks to his resourcefulness, he manages to escape from all troubles.

The birthplace of Odysseus is Ithaca - these are islands in the Ionian Ocean. There he was born and raised, and soon replaced his father, becoming king instead of him. While the hero was swimming in the sea, trying to return home, the suitors who wooed his wife captured the city. They constantly ravaged his palace and arranged feasts.

The son of the king, unable to bear such a long absence of his father, prompted by Athena, goes in search of him.
Returning to his homeland, the cunning warrior learns what happened in the city during his wanderings.

main idea

The cunning and dexterous fighter was too arrogant, which angered the Gods, or rather Poseidon. In a fit of narcissism, he exclaimed that he himself could choose his own fate. This Deity was not forgiven him. Thus, the meaning of the work lies in the fact that one cannot indulge in pride and follow its lead. As mentioned above, the ruler of Ithaca deprived the son of the sea ruler of sight, and was very self-confident, believing that the mercy of fate was based on his merits and imaginary superiority. His conceit crossed all the lines, for which God sent a curse on him and forced him to swim in the sea until he realized his guilt.

Homer in his poem showed that a person who considered himself the arbiter of his fate and the crown of creation could suffer from this, and quite seriously. Even the king did not stop having an inflated ego. In addition, the religious motive is strong: the poet, like all people of his time, believed that nothing in this world depends on the subject, everything is predetermined in advance.

Subject

1. Homer reflected many themes in his heroic epistle. The main theme of the work is an adventurous journey full of adventures - the return of the king of Ithaca from the Trojan battle. The colorful stories of Odysseus completely immerse the reader in the atmosphere of the book.
2. Stories about his arrival on the island of Calypso, about how he sailed between Scylla and Charybdis, Sirens and other stories of Lord Ithaca are saturated with the theme of love. The hero sincerely loves his family and does not agree to change it to a paradise island with a goddess as a mistress.
3. Also, the power of feeling is expressed in the image of Penelope. With it, the author reveals the theme of marital fidelity. She was cunning with all her might so as not to get to another. The woman believed in his return, even when no one believed.
4. The theme of fate appears in every episode of the work. Homer shows the rebellion of the individual against destiny, against the gods, tending to think that he is useless and criminal. Fatum foresees even these movements of the soul, all of them have already been calculated and deduced by moira in the form of a thread of life.
5. Honor and dishonor is also a topic for the poet to think about. Telemachus considers it his duty to find his father and restore the former grandeur of the house. Penelope thinks that moral decline is a betrayal of her husband. Odysseus believes that it would be dishonorable to give up and not try to return to his homeland.

Issues

• Since the poem tells about the ten-year wanderings of the protagonist, his countless exploits, courageous deeds and, finally, a successful return home, the first place in the work is fabulously adventurous issues: the arbitrariness of the gods, the pride of Odysseus, the crisis of power in Ithaca, etc. d.
• Ten years have passed after the king sailed from Ithaca to Troy, all the participants in the battle returned home, and only he alone still does not come. He becomes a hostage of the deep sea. His problem is that he loses faith in his strength and comprehends despair. But no matter how deep it is, the hero still goes to his goal, and the thorns on his way only kindle excitement in him. The exploits and adventures that are described in the poem occupy a large part of the narrative and are its core basis.
• The problem of divine intervention in the fate of people is also acute in the work. They control people like puppets, depriving them of their self-confidence. The inhabitants of Olympus also resolve conflicts between themselves through a person, so sometimes he becomes a hostage of a situation, the fault of which is not at all him.

Composition and genre

A poem is a large work written in verse form. It combines the lyrical and epic principles. Homer wrote "Odyssey" in this genre - a lyrical epic poem.

The composition is based on old techniques. A very typical story for that time about how a husband returns home, unrecognized by anyone, and ends up at his wife's wedding. There are also widespread stories about a son who went looking for his father.

The Iliad and the Odyssey differ in construction: for example, in the first book the story is presented sequentially, while in the second this sequence is shifted. It was previously mentioned that this artistic method is called retrospection.

What ended?

After ten years of sailing Odysseus, the Gods had mercy and decided to let him go to land. But the king of Ithaca, before returning home, asks the Gods to turn him into an old man in order to find out who was waiting for him.

The hero meets his son and plots with him against Penelope's suitors. The cunning ruler's plan is working. The faithful wife recognizes in the old man her husband, who tells her a secret known only to them. After that, Telemachus and his father brutally crack down on those who had the courage to dare and arrange, in the absence of the king, chaos in his palace.

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The Adventures of Odysseus (Odysseus' Travels) (legend)

Odysseus at Kikons and Lotus Eaters

Odysseus sailed with twelve ships and his squad from the destroyed walls of Troy, but a strong wind separated his ships from the Achaean fleet and drove them to the Thracian coast, where the city of Ismar was located. Odysseus had to engage in battle with the inhabitants of Ismar, and he destroyed part of the city with his companions; many inhabitants were killed, the Achaeans spared the women and, taking the spoils of war, divided it among themselves.
Odysseus suggested that his companions hastily leave the city, but they rejected his advice and feasted all night, slaughtering many rams, sheep and bulls with strong horns.
At that time, the inhabitants of Ismar, who managed to flee, called for help from their neighbors, warlike and numerous kikons, and entered into battle with the Achaeans. They appeared suddenly in the morning and were as numerous as leaves on trees or spring flowers in meadows.
The whole day the Odyssey army fought with the enemies, keeping close to the ships, and only at sunset they had to retreat before strong kikons.
Leaving six dead from each ship on the battlefield, the Achaeans retreated and escaped on their ships; and Odysseus called three times to each of those who fell in the battle - such was the custom - and then sailed with his squad, mourning for the dead and rejoicing in his heart that the rest managed to escape.
But suddenly the Thunderer Zeus, gathering the clouds, sent the mighty north wind Boreas to them and overlaid the sea and the earth with black clouds, and a dark night descended from the formidable sky.
The ships of Odysseus rushed, plunging into the waves with their noses; thrice and four times the sails were torn on them, and, quickly folding them, the Achaeans began to rule with oars to the near shore. When they reached it, they stayed there for two whole days and two nights, weary, waiting for the storm to subside.
On the third day, at dawn, the sea calmed down, and again raising the sails, Odysseus's companions boarded their ships and headed, obeying a fair wind, to the south.
When they rounded Cape Malea, the north wind Boreas again knocked them astray, moving them away from the beautiful Cythera. For nine days they were carried by a fierce storm through the dark, abundant waters of fish, and on the tenth day the wind drove them to the shore of the country of the lotophages that lived in northern Africa.
Odysseus landed on the shore; having made supplies of fresh water and quenched hunger and thirst, he sent three of his squad to find out what kind of people live in this region.
They were warmly welcomed by peaceful lotophages and given to them to taste the lotus on which they ate.
After tasting this sweet food, the messengers forgot about everything and, seduced by the delicious lotus, decided to stay in the land of lotophages.
But Odysseus brought them by force to his ships and, tying them to the ship's benches, immediately ordered everyone else to board the ship, and, holding the oars together, churning the dark waters, they sailed away from the country of the Lotus-eaters.

Cyclops Polyphemus

Odysseus soon arrived with his companions in the country of wild, unknowing Cyclopes. These one-eyed giants lived without knowing labor, without plowing the fields with a plow and without sowing anything; the rich land itself gave birth without sowing rye, barley and wheat.
The Cyclopes do not have ships, and they do not know how to build them; but there is a convenient pier in that country where ships could be moored.
The Cyclopes of the people's assemblies did not know; they lived in dark caves, in the mountains.
Near that land is a small deserted and wild island, wild goats are found on it, vines grow in abundance.
A spring flowed from the island into the sea, which flowed from a mountain cave, around which poplars grew. Odysseus entered this convenient bay with ships, a good demon showed them the way, the moon did not shine in the sky at that time, covered with a thick cloud, and it was difficult to distinguish the island in the darkness.
Landing on the shore, the sailors rolled up their sails and fell into a deep sleep, waiting for the morning to come.
When the purple Eos stood up in the sky, they walked around the deserted flowering island and looked at it with surprise. They noticed herds of mountain goats, which were sent to them by kind nymphs for food. Taking flexible bows and well-aimed hunting spears, they began to hunt goats, and they had great luck in this hunt - for all twelve ships they received enough food - nine goats went to each of them. The companions of Odysseus ate delicious meat all day long, washing it down with sweet wine.
During a feast on the land of the Cyclopes, they saw thick smoke and heard voices, the bleating of goats and sheep. At this time, it was already evening, and everyone fell asleep.
When morning came, Odysseus called his companions to the council and said to them:
- You, faithful companions, stay here without me, and I will go with my ship and people to find out what kind of people live here.
And Odysseus sailed on a ship to the land of the Cyclopes.
Coming to the shore, they saw a cave entwined with laurel near the sea, and in front of it was a courtyard fenced with roughly hewn stone, and pines and oaks grew there. A wild-looking giant of gigantic growth lived in this cave, his name was Polyphemus; He was the son of Poseidon and the nymph Phoose. He herded goats and sheep on the mountains, lived alone and did not look like a man, but rather looked like a mountain top overgrown with forest.
Odysseus set off, taking with him twelve brave and reliable companions, to that cave, and left the rest to guard the ship. Odysseus took with him on the road some food and a full skin of precious sweet wine.
When Odysseus approached the cave, there was no one in it at that time - the cyclops was not at home - he was grazing his goats and sheep in the meadow.
Odysseus entered with his companions into a large cave and began to look at it with surprise. Goats and young sheep, rams, and many cheeses were hidden in cane baskets; there were vats and bowls full of sour milk. The companions of Odysseus wanted to take with them more cheeses, sheep and rams, and then quickly return to their ships and go further.
But Odysseus wanted to first look at the Cyclops and receive gifts from him. They lit a fire in the cave, took out cheese and, having satisfied their hunger, began to wait for the return of the cyclops.
He soon appeared with a huge bundle of firewood on his shoulders, and out of fear they hid in a dark corner of the cave. Then the Cyclops Polyphemus drove his flock and, blocking the entrance to the cave with a huge stone, began to milk the goats and sheep.
Having finished the work and lighting a fire, he suddenly noticed the Achaeans and rudely asked them:
- Tell me, strangers, who are you and where did you come from by the sea route? On business, or are you wandering back and forth across the seas, causing misfortune to peoples?

The Achaeans were frightened when they saw the Cyclops and heard his thundering voice; but Odysseus took heart and answered him thus:
“We are Achaeans and we are sailing from distant Troy. We were driven here by a storm, we lost our way, returning to our homeland. We serve in the army of King Agamemnon, who destroyed the great city. Fear the great Zeus and accept us homeless and give us gifts in parting.
But the one-eyed Cyclops Polyphemus angrily answered him:
“You, a stranger, are perhaps insane if you think that I am afraid of Zeus and your other gods. We Cyclopes do not need your Zeus and your other gods! I will do with you as I please. Tell me where is your ship, is it far or near?
But the cunning Odysseus understood the plan of the Cyclops and answered him:
- God Poseidon destroyed my ship, and we managed to escape.
Without answering him, the Cyclops grabbed with his huge hands two companions of Odysseus and, striking them on the ground with a swing, killed them. He immediately prepared a supper for himself from the dead Achaeans and ate them together with the bones.
The Achaeans were horrified, raised their hands to heaven and stood full of sorrow. And the Cyclops, having washed down his terrible food with milk, carelessly lay down in the cave among the goats and rams.
Then Odysseus, drawing his sword, went up to Polyphemus and wanted to hit him, but, remembering that the cave was littered with a huge stone, he stopped and decided to wait for the morning.
It was just beginning to dawn when the one-eyed Cyclops got up, kindled a fire and began to milk the goats and sheep, and again grabbed two Achaeans for his terrible food. Having eaten them, he drove the herd out of the dark cave and, leaving, filled it up again with a heavy stone.
Then Odysseus began to think about how he could take revenge on the Cyclops, and that's what he finally came up with. In the corner of the cave stood the club of the Cyclops - a felled trunk of a wild olive tree, as high and thick as a whole mast; Odysseus took the trunk of an olive tree, cut off a part of it three cubits long and ordered his companions to hew a stump; then he sharpened it, burned the sharp end on smoldering coals, and the Achaeans hid it in dung and began to draw lots, whom to help Odysseus when he would thrust this sharp stake into the eye of a sleepy cyclops; the lot fell on the four strongest and most courageous Achaeans.
By evening, the Cyclops returned to the cave and drove his entire herd into it. Having again blocked the entrance with a rock and milked the goats and sheep, he seized two Achaeans and devoured them.
Then the cunning Odysseus approached him, holding a full cup of wine in his hand, and said:
- Drink, Cyclops, sated with human flesh, golden wine. I saved it for you, so that you would show us mercy.
The Cyclops took the cup of wine and drank it to the bottom; he liked the sweet drink and asked for more.
“Pour me another drink and tell me your name so that I can prepare a rich gift for you,” said the Cyclops.
After drinking a second cup of wine, he then asked for a third; Polyphemus became drunk with wine, and then Odysseus said to him:
"If you want, I'll tell you my name." I'm called Nobody, that's what my mother and father call me, and my comrades call me that.
The Cyclops answered him:
- Know, Nobody, that you will be the last to be eaten, here is my gift to you! - and he fell back, drunk with wine, and immediately fell asleep, sprawled on the ground.
Quickly taking out a hidden stake from a dunghill, Odysseus and his companions thrust it with a point into the fire, and then proceeded to a dangerous business; when the stake caught fire, they took it out of the fire and, gathering courage, plunged it into the eye of the sleeping cyclops. Then they began to twirl the stake, as a shipbuilder twirls his drill, making a hole in a thick board.
The cannibal howled wildly, and the cave filled with howling.

The poem "Odyssey" by Homer was written in the VIII century BC. e. It tells about the amazing adventures of the fictional hero Odysseus, who returned to his homeland after the end of the Trojan War. The characters in the book are not only people, but also mythical creatures.

Main characters

Odysseus- the ruler of Ithaca, a brave, wise hero, also possessing such qualities as resourcefulness and cunning.

Penelope- the faithful wife of Odysseus, an intelligent and resourceful woman.

Telemachus son of Odysseus and Penelope.

Other characters

Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Hermes, Helios- the gods who take the most active part in the fate of Odysseus.

Polyphemus- one-eyed cyclops-giant, son of Poseidon.

Calypso- a nymph whose prisoner was Odysseus for a long time.

Antinous, Evryakh- the most persistent suitors of Penelope.

Menelaus and Helen- the rulers of Lacedaemon, good friends of Odysseus and his family.

Alcinous and Arete- Theakian rulers who gave shelter to Odysseus.

Nausicaa- the daughter of Alcinous and Areta, a beautiful kind girl.

aeolus- Lord of the winds, who helped Odysseus.

Circe- the queen who turned the warriors of Odysseus into pigs.

Evmey- a shepherd, an old servant of Odysseus.

Eurycleia- an old maid, the nurse of Odysseus.

Laertes father of Odysseus.

Canto One

At the meeting of the gods of Olympus, Athena convinces Zeus the Thunderer to enable Odysseus to return home. The hero is forced to constantly hide from Poseidon, who is angry with him for "that the Cyclops Polyphemus, the god-equal, is deprived of his eyes." In retaliation, Odysseus, the lord of the seas, "does not kill, but drives away from his dear homeland."

Athena appears to the son of Odysseus - Telemachus, to advise him to expel all suitors of his mother, the beautiful Penelope, from the house of Odysseus. Telemachus fulfills the order of the goddess. Firmly and persistently, he reminds his mother of the long-vanished Odysseus and her conjugal duty to him, and puts all her admirers out. "Grooms biting their lips with annoyance" are forced to leave the house.

Canto two

The next morning, Telemachus convenes a meeting in the square, and complains to the inhabitants of Ithaca about the suitors, who "eternally feast and drink sparkling wine without calculation, they plunder everything." He publicly demands that the suitors immediately leave the house of Odysseus, but two of them - Antinous and Eurymachus - do not agree with this decision. They accuse Penelope of cheating: not wanting to choose a new husband for herself, she weaves clothes for Father Odysseus, and at night she deliberately unweaves her work in order to put off an unpleasant decision.

Thanks to the patronage of the goddess Athena, Telemachus manages to find a ship and sail to Pylos to meet with Nestor, one of the participants in the Trojan War.

Song Three

Athena instructs Telemachus to go to King Nestor to find out "what kind of thoughts he keeps in his chest." The young man is trying to find out the news about his father - "Tsar Odysseus, persistent in troubles", and learns about all his misadventures.

Nestor advises Telemachus to go to Lacedaemon to visit King Menelaus. With the young man, “and Nestor’s son Pisistrat, the ruler of husbands” sets off on the road.

Canto Four

Arriving "in low-lying Lacedaemon surrounded by hills", Telemachus and Peisistratus visit King Menelaus in his fine palace. He invites guests to a sumptuous feast arranged in honor of the wedding of his children.

Menelaus and his wife Helen recognize Telemachus and tell him about the exploits of Odysseus in Troy. The king of Lacedaemon tells the young man what he heard from the sea elder Proteus - Odysseus is a prisoner on the island of the nymph Calypso.

In the meantime, the suitors, having learned that Telemachus left Ithaca to "find out about his father", decide to "kill with sharp copper" the young man upon his return home. Penelope calls on the gods to save her son from cruel reprisals.

Song Five

On the advice of the gods, “Zeus, the most powerful, the most powerful,” decides to help Odysseus, and orders the nymph Calypso to immediately release the hostage into the wild.

Having built a raft, Odysseus sets sail, having received from Calypso everything necessary for a long journey. According to the decision of the gods, "he is destined to see his loved ones and return to his house again." However, Poseidon, who is still angry with Odysseus, sends a strong storm towards him, destroying the raft. Only thanks to the participation of Athena and the beautiful sea nymph Ino, the hero manages to safely reach the shores of the island of Scheria.

Song Six

In a dream, Athena appears to the daughter of the Phaeacian ruler Alcinous - Nausicaa - and encourages the girl in the company of her friends and slaves to go "to wash at dawn". After washing their clothes, the girls begin to play ball near the place where Odysseus slept. Ringing girlish laughter awakens the hero. He tells Nausicaa of his misadventures and asks for clothing and shelter. The merciful princess invites the stranger to follow her to her father's palace.

Canto Seven

Odysseus enters the city and heads for the palace of Alcinous. "Athena, taking care of Odysseus", hides him in a thick cloud so that he can achieve his goal without being noticed by anyone.

Without giving his name, Odysseus asks Alcinous and his wife Areta to help return home. The hospitable king invites the guest to share a meal with him. Odysseus tells the spouses how much he “suffered from the gods of the Uranids”, how he traveled from the island of Calypso to Scheria for twenty days, and how he met their daughter Nausicaa on the shore, which gave him her mercy.

Alcinous really likes a smart and tactful guest. He invites him to marry Nausicaa, but at the same time he assures him that in case of refusal, “no one here will dare” to keep him. Odysseus thanks the king for his generosity, and informs him that he intends to return to his homeland.

Canto Eight

In honor of the upcoming departure of Odysseus, Tsar Alkina arranges a magnificent feast, and sends people "for the singer, the divine Demodocus."

Alkinoy invites Odysseus to become a witness to how much the Scherians are superior "in fistfight, in jumping, in wrestling and fast running." After sports, everyone returns to the palace, and Alkinoy generously presents his guest.

During the feast, Demodocus sings about the Trojan horse, which involuntarily brings tears to the courageous face of Odysseus. Noticing this, the king stops the singing and asks the guest to tell the reasons for his grief.

Canto Nine

Odysseus calls his name and begins to talk about the adventures that have befallen him. He colorfully describes the sailing from Troy, the attack on the Kikons and the death of many associates, suddenly distraught.

Further, he tells how, after a severe storm, the course was again taken to his native Ithaca, but “the wave, and the current, and the north wind” sent the ships “to the land of lotophages”. After tasting the dishes of local residents, many of Odysseus's companions forgot about the house. The hero had no choice but to gather the most loyal people and continue the journey on the same ship.

Having landed on an unknown shore, the daredevils ended up in the possession of "Cyclops who do not know the truth, proud and evil." Being unwitting captives in the cave of the bloodthirsty Cyclops Polyphemus, Odysseus and his comrades found themselves in a death trap. The Cyclops ate half of the warriors, while the rest managed to escape from the cave, having previously drunk and stuck into the only eye of the Cyclops "a stump from a wild olive with a pointed end." Enraged, Polyphemus appealed to his father Poseidon to avenge him.

Canto Ten

Odysseus and his warriors managed to swim to the island, which was ruled by Eol - the lord of the winds, whom Zeus endowed with the ability to "excite or curb them at will".

Eol ordered Zephyr to accompany the wanderers all the way to Ithaca. He also handed over a bag to Odysseus, in which there were other winds, designed to help the hero if necessary.

The members of the Odyssey team, seeing a tightly stuffed large bag, thought that there were treasures inside. When the ship was already approaching the shores of Ithaca, they untied the bag, and thereby released the winds. As a result, the ship was again near the possessions of Eol, but he refused to help the unfortunate travelers a second time.

After long wanderings, the ship of Odysseus moored to the lands owned by Circe - "a terrible goddess with human speech." She turned Odysseus' companions into pigs, and intended to poison him. Only thanks to the patronage of the god Hermes, Odysseus managed to outwit Circe and rescue his soldiers. They had to live on the island for another year before the opportunity presented itself to continue their journey. Before sailing, Circe ordered Odysseus to first of all visit the kingdom of the dead and find out his fate from the soothsayer Tiresias.

Canto Eleven

Once in the realm of the dead, Odysseus met Tiresias. The elder warned him to touch the herds of the sun god Helios. There, the hero found the shadow of his dead mother, Anticlea. He told Alcinous how he met the shadows of Agamemnon, Patroclus, Achilles, Ajax and other heroes.

At some point, succumbing to a sudden fear, Odysseus left the realm of the dead and returned to the ship.

Canto Twelve

Odysseus and his companions returned to the island of Circe. She promised to help them on their journey, "so that someone's deceit, bringing misfortune, does not cause misfortune." During the voyage, Odysseus had to face sweet-voiced sirens, "who seduce people with their singing." To save the crew members, he had to tie them to the mast.

Against his will, Odysseus was forced to moor to the shores of Trinacria, where, under the influence of severe hunger, his people violated the order and slaughtered the bulls of the sun god. Enraged Helios demanded revenge from Zeus. He sent a strong storm that killed everyone except Odysseus, who managed to get to the island of Calypso. This concludes the story of Odysseus.

Canto thirteen

Alkina, delighted with the story of Odysseus, richly endows him and supplies him with everything necessary for the journey. The Phaeacians deliver the hero safely to Ithaca. Poseidon, angry at Alcinous for his help, turns the Phaeacian ship into a rock.

Odysseus does not immediately realize that he found himself in his homeland. He regrets that he did not stay with the hospitable Alcinous, but at this moment Athena appears before him. The goddess warns the hero that he will still have to endure many hardships, whether you like it or not. She advises how to take revenge on Penelope's insistent suitors. She herself turns him into a poor old man, and safely hides the treasures donated by the Phaeacians in a grotto.

Canto Fourteen

Odysseus finds the house of his faithful servant Eumeus, an old swineherd. He assures that his master will soon return to Ithaca, but Evmei does not believe the wanderer. Odysseus tells a fictional story about himself: how he fought in Troy, then traveled to different countries.

Canto fifteen

Meanwhile, Athena appears in Lacedaemon, "so that the son of King Odysseus will be reminded of his return home." Telemachus, generously gifted by Menelaus and Helen, accompanied by Pisistratus, leaves Sparta and is on his way to Ithaca.

Odysseus shares his plans with Eumeus - to go to the city and enter the service of Penelope's suitors. The old man dissuades him from this undertaking and asks him to wait for the return of Telemachus.

Telemachus, moored on the shores of Ithaca, sends a ship to the port, and he himself goes to Eumeus.

Canto Sixteen

Seeing Telemachus, Eumeus begins to kiss him, "as if he had escaped death." The young man sends an old servant to inform his mother of his return.

Obeying the instructions of Athena, Odysseus reveals himself to Telemachus, and together they decide how best to get rid of the suitors. The latter, in turn, plot against the son of Penelope, whom they want to kill. Having learned about their insidious plans, the woman tries to prevent the murder of her son.

Canto Seventeen

Telemachus goes to the city, ordering Eumeius to accompany the elder there as well. When Penelope met, "the head of her son, her clear eyes began to kiss." She begins to question Telemachus about his adventures. The grooms of Penelope “everyone said good things, nourishing evil in their hearts” to Telemachus, who they hated.

Meanwhile, Odysseus, disguised as an old man, appears near his house. His old dog Argus, recognizing the owner, dies. Odysseus asks for alms from the suitors of his wife. Antinous - the main contender for Penelope's hand - throws a stool at the old man.

Chapter Eighteen

Penelope complains about her bitter fate, about the fact that many great "troubles have been sent down by the deity" to her. She understands that she is forced to choose a groom and then "the hated marriage will come true." At the feast, which arranged the suitors, a fight breaks out.

Canto nineteen

After waiting for the suitors to leave the house of Penelope, Odysseus and Telemachus begin to take armor and weapons out of the hall. In a conversation with Penelope, Odysseus tells a fictitious story about himself and assures that he will soon return home. In a frank conversation, a woman confesses to a wanderer that she yearns for her beloved spouse with a “torn heart”, but can no longer resist, and is forced to marry another.

When the old nanny Eurycleia begins to wash the old man's feet, she notices how he "is similar in voice, and feet, and appearance" with Odysseus. Seeing "a scar once inflicted by a boar", the faithful maid recognizes her master and almost betrays him.

Penelope shares her decision to compete with Odysseus' bow and marry the winner.

Canto Twenty

Suitors gather in Penelope's house. Seeing the sign, they abandon their idea to kill Telemachus. Their mood finally deteriorates when Theoclymenes predicts their imminent death.

Song twenty-one

Penelope announces the competition to the assembled suitors, and brings into the hall a bow "large and resilient, along with a quiver full of groaning arrows." Telemachus sets up poles for shooting. One by one, the suitors try to shoot Odysseus with a bow, but all their efforts are in vain.

Odysseus asks to be allowed to take part in the competition. The suitors are against this, but Telemachus gives the wanderer a mighty bow. Odysseus pulls it on with ease and pierces his target.

Song twenty two

At this moment, Odysseus throws off his rags, kills Antinous and opens himself to those present. He threatens with terrible punishment all the suitors who have ruined his house all these years and forced Penelope to marry. "Pale horror seized the suitors at the words of Odysseus." Their attempt to resolve the issue peacefully is rejected by the owner of the house. With the help of Athena, all suitors are defeated. Faithful servants begin to hug and kiss their beloved master, who has returned home.

Song twenty-three

Penelope learns of Odysseus' return, however she is suspicious of the news. Eurycleia tells her mistress about the scar on her leg, which she is so familiar with. Penelope does not know how to behave - "should she speak from a distance with her husband or, coming up, take his hands and head, kiss them." She decides to test Odysseus, and he dismisses all her doubts when he tells her a secret known only to both of them. The couple talk all night, and in the morning Odysseus goes to his father Laertes.

Song twenty-four

"The souls of the husbands of the grooms killed by Odysseus" go to the gloomy kingdom of Hades, where they are met by the shadows of the dead heroes and tell them about their unenviable fate.

Odysseus reveals himself to his father, but the old man does not believe him and asks to bring "any sure sign" as evidence. The hero reports facts that convince his father to believe in the safe return of his son, whom he has already mentally buried.

At this time, the news of the murder of Penelope's suitors causes a mutiny. Odysseus is forced to accept a battle in which he remains victorious. Thanks to the assistance of Athena, a truce is soon concluded between the warring parties.

Conclusion

Homer's work is rightfully considered one of the best examples of ancient epic poetry. The incredible adventures of Odysseus had a great influence on the development of European literature, enriching it with fabulous and fantastic motifs.

After reading a brief retelling of the Odyssey, we recommend reading Homer's poem in its full version.

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