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Question: How were women supposed to dress after their husbands died?
Answer: The answer to the previous question is relevant, because Thetis seems to be mourning for her son even though he is not dead. The cry of grief and beating of the breasts all seems part of the mourning process. This idea seems to be echoed in a wonderful wall painting from the new Kingdom, Eighteenth Dynasty that depicts wailing women in a funeral procession. It is described thus "With cries of lamentation, arms and hands streching upward in grief, hair hanging, breasts bared, cheaks streaked with tears, the woman mourners... fulfill their sorrowful task." In this picture the gown is white and is gathered just below the breasts and hangs to the ankles. One wonders if such a gown would be required to allow the beating of the breasts described earlier. At the time of the Trojan war mourning would last until the body was burned. In classical times the bodies were buried. If the husband was rich then the wife must prepare for a marriage to the man who would inherit the wealth. Funeral dress in those days was white rather than black.
An image of mouring in the Geometric style: Click here
Question: In the Odyssey, why do women play such an important part in the adventures?
Answer: The main reason why women play an important part is that women are important and will be present in any work that has universal appeal. The particular way they are important in the Odyssey is that Homer lived just after a time when a male dominated religion had just replaced a female dominated one. The male gods filled in the higher roles while the female goddesses were shoved into the lower roles. Scylla and Charybdis are minor female goddesses representing natural processes. Calypso is a similar goddess. She may be the symbol of a cult that traps you with its seductive belief. Such would have been the old goddess worship. Circe was also a seductive power that turned men to pigs. This seems to be a reference to lust. It is interesting that Circe has most of the qualities of a witch, except she is young and beautiful. Her wand seems to be more like the double axe of the Minoans than the star-burst wand of a Disney fairy godmother. If the double axe symbolized a butterfly on a stick then the use of the wand was consistent with the Minoan notion that a butterly symbolized transformation.
Question: How can you compare the roles of women in the Iliad by Homer to the roles of women in the Odyssey?
Answer: I wonder about the 'How can you' part of this question but I will be true to it anyway. The question leads to the question of the difference between the roles but it does not ask it. There are large stylistic differences between the Iliad and the Odyssey to the point that some authors have questioned whether they are both by the same author. The Odyssey is a travel log while the Iliad is tragedy which occurs in one spot. Both do have a very limited actual time frame but a very broad universality. It is the universality that mandates the inclusion of women, many different types of women to match the challenges of the world. To answer this question you should begin with a catalog that documents the types of women in each tale. There are major goddesses and minor goddesses and female creatures that could be goddesses. There are queens and other lady aristocrats, priestesses, courtesans, servants, and slaves. Some of these are wives, daughters, and other relatives. Some are powerful and others weak. A careful catalog will allow you to see the differences and answer the next question.
Question: Do you think you could give me some pictures on the scene of the Iliad I need 8-10 scenes before Friday could you please help me so I don't fail school?
Answer: You will fail school because you cannot ask good questions, not because you cannot find pictures. I assume you mean Book I of the Iliad. Here are some pictures of Book I: Chryses and Chryseis on the left, Zeus and Themis consult before the Trojan war Agamemnon leads Breisis away Ajax, Odysseus plead with Achilles
Here is a reference on the Trojan war:
Author Name: Vermeule, Emily Title: The Trojan War in Greek Art: A picture book City: Boston Publisher: Museum of Fine Arts Date: 1965
Question: Do you have any pictures of the Trojan war?
Answer: The answer to the previous question lists several pictures. Other sources are listed here:
Question: What roles do Hera and Athena play in the Iliad?
Answer: Paris chose Aprhrodite as the most beautiful goddess instead of Hera or Athena, who I would have chosen. As a result Hera and Athena encouraged the Achaeans to attack Troy, the home of Paris. Ultimately the Achaens triumphed with the help of Hera and Athena, and Paris was punished.
Question: can u define dike and its affects on the characters in the odyssey?
Answer: Dike is very similar to natural law. It is a rule that even the gods must obey. An indication of Dike of this reply to Poseidon by Zeus" "The gods are innocent of all irreverence towards you. Indeed it would be an abominabel thing for them to scoff at the eldest and best of their company. As for mankind, in anyone thinks himself powerful enough to slight you, you have all the future to take your revenge." (Odyssey Bk. XIII) Notice that Poseidon can take revenge, but he cannot undo what has been done. This is Dike in action.
Question: What is the role of Greek gods in the story?
Answer: One of the main puposes of the works of Homer is to spell out the proper relation between man and God. So the simple answer to your question is that the gods represent God.
Each different deity has a separate realm. The total sum of those realms constitutes all of man's spiritual needs. You can look at each deity to see how the Greeks met spiritual needs in that realm. This whole system can be compared to current religious spirituality by figuring out how current religion deals with each realm. The Greeks were very intelligent human beings, perhaps more intelligent than we are. For that reason their spiritual needs matched ours in many respects. Their religion had to satisfy those needs.
Question: aphrodite
Answer: Aphrodite plays an important role as goddess of love and beauty in the Iliad. There is a whole page just on her at: Click here
Question: How does Athene, in the story Odyssey, treat Telemachus?
Answer: She helps him frustrate the woers.
Question: How come Athena is the only god that helps Telemachos in The Odyssey?
Answer: When you have Athena on your side you really do not need anyone else. If you have one deity on your side you just need to be sure you do not offend any other one. The trick is to get even one on your side.
Question: What was the Trojan War About?
Answer: The story in the play The Trojan Woman was that the judgement of Paris caused the Trojan War. In this judgement Paris had decided to choose Aphrodite as the fairest goddess and as a reward she promised him to the most beautiful woman in the world. So he stole Helen away from her husband to Troy. In retribution the rest of Greece attacked Troy to recover Helen.
Question: What is the significance of the hero's mother in Gilgamesh, Othello, Achilles, St. Augustus, Beowulf, and Aeneid
Answer: I can only deal with the Iliad and the Aeneid. The mother of Achilles, Thetis and the mother of Aeneas, Aphrodite, were goddesses. Though the goddesses were able to intervene on their son's behalf, it was never enough.
Question: how did the quest of Achilles affect women? consider penelope, elec tra, chrysothemis, hecuba, helen, lysistrata.
Answer: Achilles was not a wonderful blessing for women. Electra and Chrysothemis were the sisters of Iphigenia. Iphigenia was promised as the bride of Achilles so she would go to Aulis where she was sacrificed to Artemis. Helen's husband Paris killed Achilles by shooting him in the heel with an arrow. Hecuba's daughter Polyxena was scrificed on the grave of Achilles to satisfy his ghost. This sacrifice was one of the sacrileges that delayed Odysseus' return to Penepole. Lysistrata was encouraged by the disgusting example of Achilles to stop the war.
Question: In ancient greek lit., who is Hecula?
Answer: Hecuba was the wife of Priam, King of Troy during the Trojan war.
Question: Can you give me character traits of Odysseus in the Odyssey? its very Urgent
Answer: Athene, in Book XIII of the Odyssey, says to Odysseus: "Hardy man, subtle of wit, of guile insatiate..." and listed his character traits.
Question: I was wondering what customs, traditions or values the Odyssey shows the reader. I already have libations, hospitalty, and dependence on the Gods. please email me back with any info you have! THANKS SO MUCH!
Answer: You have only scratched the surface. When you read the Odyssey the first time you get so wrapped up in the adventure that you glide right over the many idiosyncracies. Life was really different then. Homer hints at the difference but he has managed to be very subtle. You have to dig this information out, but when you dig you come up with real treasure. Let us look at the first page, the first sentence even. Who is Pallas? Athena, of course, but why reference Pallas here and Athene later? Why were there wooers to complain about? Of all the adventures why does he only mention the oxen of Helios Hyperion? Is this the same as Apollo or different? Why would a goddess like Calypso want to hold a mortal like Odysseus? Notice that the gods had ordained that he should return home. Now Odysseus has a chance because Poseidon is out of the country. Even on the first page there are many customs and traditions to consider.
The Greeks needed many deities because there were many aspect to life, and each deity incoporated a separate aspect or realm. As time passed some merged and some separated. Pallas Athene is probably the result of the merger of two separates Pallas and Athena. By studying when the different words are used you might figure out the separate aspects that each represents.
Penelope was important to woo because whoever married her was king. They were not wooing because Penelope was lovely. Wooers were considered guests, and guests should be treated well as was customary. These wooers were being treated like guests, but they did not act that way.
If you eat the wrong oxen, you die. Is this a custom or a historical fact. The oxen of the sun may be days of the year and if you waste your days you may be dead. Apollo is the god of reason, but if you follow your reason do you eat the oxen or sacrifice them to the gods.
Is Calypso really a task or a passion. Do we conquer her by going down the straight and narrow or is success the more circuitous route. Does this say someting about how we have to organize our lives.
How do we know what the gods have ordained? Should we cast lots to know? Or can we find a friendly deity to interrogate. Both methods are used.
We can overcome what a god has ordained by getting them on a distant mission and going against their commands. Could we set up a festival to accomplish this?
I have tried to point out opportunities. You, now need to look at the details.
Questions: Could you please give me more information about Odyssey being an allgory of a heroic journey through life?" Can you lists all the life forces Odysseus confronted and what forces each character represents (in detail please)? Thanks.
Answer: The Odyssey has a bit more generality because Odysseus is not always viewed as a hero. The notion of the allegory of life is well developed in the Odyssey in Book IX where Odysseus says: " Verily Calypso, the fair goddess, would fain have kept me with her in hallow caves, longing to have me for her lord; and likewise too, guileful Circe of Aia, would have stayed me in her halls longing to have me for her lord. But never did they prevail upon my heart within my breast. So surely is there nought sweeter tha a man's own country and his parents, even though he dwell far of in a rich home, in a strange land, away from all that begat him." The scenes and their interpretations are as follows:
Question: what is an Odyssey
Answer: An odyssey is a long wandering or series of travels like the journey the Odysseus took on his way home from Troy. An Odyssey does not have an interesting destination; the interest lies in the adventures along the way.
Question: how long a go did homer right these stories?
Answer: The works of Homer were written about 750 BCE. They were for a long time the oldest complete works ever written. Now there may be some works from the Near East that are older.
Question: can we have some pictures of homer
Answer: There were no pictures of Homer mad during his lifetime. Any pictures are merely fantasies. Rembrant painted Aritotle contemplating a bust Homer which is visible at: Click here
Question: What characters in the odyssey reveal greek cultural values?
Answer: It is a peculiarity of the works of Homer that they are about cultural values, so all characters reveal them.
Question: what is zeus so angry about in the odyssey
Answer: At the beginning of Book I of the Odyssey Zeus explains that it is not he, but Poseidon that is angry with Odysseus.
Question: Why is the color purple mentioned so much in the Odyssey? Does it have a significant meaning?
Answer: Purple is mentioned 17 times. Red is mentioned 8 times always as an adjective of wine. Blue is mentioned three times in association with the sea. Green is mentioned 3 times. Violet is mentioned 3 times Yellow is mentioned twice to describe grain. Orange is not mentioned. White is mentioned 25 times. Black is mentioned 65 times.
Purple is a special color as the following passage suggests: "And there are great looms of stone, whereon the nymphs weave raiment of purple stain, a marvel to behold,". Purple is often used to describe woven fabric and the suggestions is that it is special. Purple came from a mollusc that was harvested from the sea. Because of the difficulty of collection the dye was rare and expensive. It became associated with royalty. A page on this subject is available at: Click here
Question: What was the significance of the crew members on Odysseus's shipwhile he was on his Odyssey after the Trojan war?
Answer: In the Iliad Odysseus leads 12 ships to Troy according to Homer: "Odysseus led the brave Cephallenians, who held Ithaca, Neritum with its forests, Crocylea, rugged Aegilips, Samos and Zacynthus, with the mainland also that was over against the islands. These were led by Odysseus, peer of Zeus in counsel, and with him there came twelve ships."
Athena was not happy with the pillage that took place of Troy and she was particularly vexed with the rape of Cassandra by Ajax in her very sanctuary. For this she requested a great storm from Zeus which scattered the victors at Troy and cost many Achaen lives. This storm probably destroyed some ships with their crew and bore Odysseus and his ships to the Cicones where he sacked the city so his men could return home with loot. Odysseus commanded his men to leave but his "...men in their great folly hearkened not." The result was that about a third of his men lost their lives.
When Odysseus and his ships visited Aeolus he was kind enough to confine all the winds but the west wind in a bag that he fastened in the hold of Odysseus' ship. This would have assured their return except the company thought the bag contained gold and silver and they opened it and let the winds out. The winds blew them back to Aeolus who declared them "men who the blessed gods abhor".
At the next stop all the other ships moor whithin a sheltered harbor, but Odysseus moors his ship outside the harbor. The Laestergonians throw rocks at the ships in the harbor and all the ships in the harbor are destroyed along with their crew. Odysseus is down to 20 men or so.
The stop with Circe kills one more man who was "...not very valiant in war neither steadfast in mind." He fell off Circe's roof and broke his neck. Later, in Hades he explains that "...an evil doom of some god was my bane and wine out of measure."
While Odysseus and his men watch the horror of Charybdis, Scylla caught 6 of his men and devoured them.
Odysseus had been warned that evil would befall him on the island of Helios, but his crew wanted to stop just one night to rest and not be on the open sea. But foul winds kept them on the island until they almost starved to death.They feasted on forbidden cattle and then put out to sea. There Zeus struck with a lightning bolt, the pilot was crushed by the fallen mast and the rest of the crew was scattered like seagulls off the ship to drown in the ocean. Odysseus had left Ithaca with a fleet of 12 ships and between 240 and 600 men. Now all the men but Odysseus were gone. Most of the men were killed because of their own foolishness. They lost faith either in the gods or in their leader. In many cases it was because their behaviour angerened the gods. In some cases men were lost to punish Odysseus, because of mistakes he made in his relation to the gods. But he was able to perservere because he maintained a favorable enough relation to the gods. The book is about man's relation to the gods in his journey through life. The fate of the crew demonstrates what happens when you ignore the gods too much and make too many mistakes. In general you cannot take the easy road. You have to be smart, tough, and respectful of the gods.
Question: what is the signifigance of Olive Trees in the Odyssey?
Answer: Olive is mentioned in the following contexts:
The olive tree was important to the lives of the Greeks and so it is commonly mentioned. The olive is also sacred to Athena, Odysseus' patroness.
Question: Who was the Goddess of Necessity?
Answer: Themis
Question: how are manly woman regarded?
Answer: I do not think they fared very well. Greek men were plain about what they thought was an ideal women. Even an Artemis was hard for them to deal with. Even though they did not need to use their wives for sex, I doubt they would have wanted such a wife. The sad thing is that women who were not suited to be a wife, really had no place. Fortunately, the emphasis was placed on the family so, if a person could be productive in the family, they would probably be taken care of. Without a supportive family you were out in the street, and you probably could not live long there.
Question: What is the role of Cassandra in The Iliad?
Answer: Cassandra is one of the great tragic characters of Greek literature, but in the Iliad she has only a minor role. She is a daughter of Priam and was promised as a bride to Othryoneus if he defeated the enemies of Troy, but he never did. She also greeted her father when he returned with Hector's dead body.
What is the role of Cassandra in Agamemnon
Answer: She is the tragic heroine, resigned to her fate. She is the symbol of women whose fate depends on men. She is the profetess that nobody believes.
Question: What was a women role in the house
Answer: See the special page on daily life at: Click here
Question: can you please find me info on the kings from the Odyssey, like how they lived, and any info on their family
Answer: The term 'king' is used loosely. All the heroes were kings, plus Alcinous was a typical king. They might more accurately be termed 'aristocrats'. They were landed aristocrats, but they ruled more by influence than law. The Odyssey contains many insights into their lives.
Question: What exactly is the Odessey all about? Can I have a copy of the story?
Answer: The Odyssey is not exactly about anything. It is generally about everything that is important in life. It is very important that you read it. When you read it the first time it seems like an adventure story. When you read it the second time it seems like spiritual development. When you read it the third time whole new worlds open up to you and you get a better understanding of your world and the world of Odysseus. The entire text is available on line at: Click here
Question: Whats the point of Mytholegy?
Answer: Mythology is someone elses religious beliefs. Your religious beliefs are the true religion. In the context of mythology, someone elses religion becomes interesting stories revealing cultural history and attitudes. Study in depth can affect ones own religious attitudes.
Question: what is the role of the women in the Odyessy
Answer: The suggestion is that the Odyssey is the allegory of a heroic journey through life. Many of the women, then, represent the natural challenges that a life faces. Some of the women, such as Syclla and Charybdis are monsters representing natural forces. Other women, such as Circe, Calypso, and Ino are goddesses representing spiritual qualities. These goddesses, as well at Athena, hark back to a time when women held more power. Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, represents an ideal of constancy in mortal women.
A list of women and their roles follows:
Question: penelope
Answer: See above.
Question: What is the role of Penelope, Arete, Kirke, Kalypso, the Seirenes, Nausikaa, Athena in the Odyssey
Answer: See above except the Sirens who were temtresses with their sweet voices. They represent the distractions that keep you from your goal.
Question: How "female" is Athena in the Odyssey
Answer: Athena can take on different shapes and need not appear as a female at all. But when she appears as herself she truely is female: "So spake he and the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, smiled, and caressed him with her hand; and straightway she changed to the semblance of a woman, fair and tall, and skilled in splendid handiwork." (Odyssey, Book XII)
Question: Do you have pictures of Penelope and Helen
Answer: Click on one of the following to see a picture of Penelope:
Other than the fact that Helen of Troy was the most beautiful women in the world, no one really knows what she looked like. She lived about 800 years before anyone thought to paint her picture. But the Greeks provided a number of pictures of what they thought she looked like:
Question: this is urgent...Was the goddess Hestia mentioned in the Odyssey? If so,where and what did she do?
Answer: She is in neither the Iliad or the Odyssey, but she is mentioned by Hesiod and she is in the Homeric poems.
Question: what is the overall synopsis of the Odyssey
Answer: The Odyssey deals with the life and adventures of Odysseus from the time he leaves Troy until he disposes of the wooers and is reunited with his family. His adventures are quite symbolic and are easily applied to ones own life so the work is highly recommended even today.
Question: why id athena important in the odyssey?
Answer: Athena is the goddess of wisdom and wisdom is what allowed Odysseus to survive while his compatriots perished.
Question: How does Athena help Odysseus?
Answer: She helps him by giving him good ideas. She is, after all, the goddess of wisdom.
Question: when was the illiad written
Answer: Scholars guess about 750 BCE. It was not written down until about 500 BCE.
Question: Compare the different standards women were held to in each poem
Answer: One of the interesting facts of Ancient Greek Literature is that the authors took as subjects people long dead. They applied contemporary thought and motive to persons living in a completely foreign culture. This allowed them to use the subjects to set standards, without being hampered by the ancient standards. We know from archeology that the people of Mycenean times were probably as limited by totems and taboos as any primitive peoples, yet there is little mention of these in the Greek literature. The Greeks had a recod of events but they chose to deal with these events in a non-historical context.
Question: How do the different cultures idealize women according to different standards?
Answer: The Greeks idolized women, but many cultures did not. What the culture does is define roles and expectations for its members. These are incoporated in rituals, taboos, stories, and laws. The Greeks went beyond and defined deities that were women. Some societies have removed the female sex from the devine.
Question: where can i find pictures closest to the time that the book (The Odyssey) was written?
Answer: This is the Geometric period of ancient Greek Art. There are a few pieces around:
Question: Helen of Troy
Answer: Click on the Menu Directory below and click on Helen.
Question: What was the role of women in the Iliad
Answer: See the material at the beginning of this page.
Question: do u have anythin about aphrodity the goddess of love and beauty? becasue im doing a project on her
Answer: Click on the Menu Directory below and click on Aphrodite.
Question: homer
Answer: Of Homer nothing is known. He is sometimes refered to as the blind poet, but even this is not certain. It is even possible that he was a women. It has been suggested that the Iliad, in particular, has many qualities of a lament, and originally laments were sung by women. What is certain is the fact that the myths that we know were preserved by a tradition of singing bards that passed the stories from one to another and provided the main entertainment for the Greeks for perhaps a thousand years or more. Such a bard is found in the Odyssey in the court of Alcinous. In Book VIII Alcinous calls for a loud lyre to be given to Demodocus so he can sing about the gods and goddesses. This is a good picture of Homer.
Question: Polyxena what did she look like? (hair colour, dress...?) Her role, aside from being loved by Achilles and slain at his tomb? She was noble, but was she a feminist or a character worth noteing in any way?
Answer: Polyxena was not mentioned by Homer, but she is found in other myths. No one knows what she looks like. All that is known comes from tales the Greek bards passed to one another for over 500 years. These tales were so compelling that they survived wave after wave of invading immigrants. It is like hearing American Indian Stories from an Indian society 500 years before the white man arrived. The Ancient Greeks were socially and economically ahead of the Indians even 3000 years ago. There are old pictures of Polyxena:
Polyxena was the youngest daughter of Priam and Hecuba. Her sacrifice was one of the excesses that grated Athena and she turned on the victors of the Trojan war. Her death was a stab by Euripides against slavery as in the Trojan Women he has Hecuba say: "But now death hath claimed thee, and I to Hellas am soon to sail, a captive doomed to wear the yoke of slavery. Hath not then the dead Polyxena, for whom thou wailest, less evil to bear than I? I have not so much as hope, the last resource of every human heart, nor do I beguile myself with dreams of future bliss, the very thought whereof is sweet."
She is a character worth noting. Much has been made of her life in literature. She is a symbol of the innocent victim. She was the sacrifice with the personality. She is often made to choose death instead of slavery. Achilles may have fallen in love with her. She may have caused his death. She is also the symbol of the macabre equivalence of marriage and death. This is a theme in Victorian literature.
Question: Can you give me information about Circe, Calypso, Penelope, Eurykleia, Leucothea, Nausila and the Sirens?
Answer: These are goddesses or women in the Odyssey. For more information about Circe and Calypso click on the menu directory below and then click on Circe and Calypso. Penelope was the wife of Odysseus. Read above for her. Eurycleia was a nurse of Odysseus in his youth. Leucothea was a goddess who saved Odysseus from drowning. Nausicaa was the daughter of Alcinous, king of Phacia. The sirens were creatures who sang so sweetly that they attracted sailors to their death.
Question: i need a picture from the book the odyssey
Answer: When Homer first published the Odyssey in 750 BCE, over 2700 year ago there were no books, let alone pictures. Homer sang the Odyssey to whoever would listen. And many did, including other bards who committed it to memory. Later artists illustrated it, but Homer and Odysseus were long dead. Here is a picture of Odysseus and the sorceress Circe: Click here. This picture was made 2500 years ago.
Question: explain how they had sex with the women
Answer: This is described in the Odyssey in the interaction between Odysseus and Circe: "Verily thou art Odysseus, ready at need, whom he of the golden wand, the slayer of Argos, full often told me was to come hither, on his way from Troy with his swift black ship. Nay come, put thy sword into the sheath, and thereafter let us go up into my bed, that meeting in love and sleep we may trust each the other."
'So spake she, but I answered her, saying: "Nay, Circe, how canst thou bid me be gentle to thee, who hast turned my company into swine within thy halls, and holding me here with a guileful heart requirest me to pass within thy chamber and go up into thy bed, that so thou mayest make me a dastard and unmanned when thou hast me naked? Nay, never will I consent to go up into thy bed, except thou wilt deign, goddess, to swear a mighty oath, that thou wilt plan nought else of mischief to mine own hurt."
Question: I just finished reading your web article. Great reading. I recently finished reading The Iliad and The Odyssey. I am curious as to what the conversation between Odysseus and Achilles means when Odysseus went to the underworld, in particular, Achilles' words.
Answer: Odysseus says: "...For of old, in the days of thy life, we Argives gave thee one honor with the gods, and now thou art a great prince here among the dead. Wherefore let not thy death be any grief to thee, Achilles."
And Achilles responds: "Nay, speak not comfortably to me of death, oh great Odysseus. Rather would I live on ground as the hireling of another, with a landless man who had no great livelihood, than bear sway among all the dead that be departed....For I am no longer his champion under the sun, so mighty a man as once I was, when in wide Troy I slew the best of the host, and succored the Argives. Ah! could I but come for an hour to my father's house as then I was, so would I make my might and hands invincible, to be hateful to many an one of those who do him despite and keep him from his honour."
Obviously Achilles is not happy that while dead, he must watch his father suffer in old age. Peleus did not end his life in quiet retirement and this may be a reference to his termoil. Some indication of this turmoil is given in the following passage: Click here
Question: In what ways does athena help Odysseus in the Odessey?
Answer: Athena always helps Odysseus with his wisdom. This also meant his stealth and sneakiness.
Question: athene,penelope,nausicaa,calypso,circe,roles in the odyssey
Answer: Athene is the goddess of wisdom who provides Odysseus the where with all to survive his ordeal. Penelope is his wife who serves as the goal of his journey. Nausicaa rescues him. This is a feminine role. Calypso and Circe are temptresses that try to make him forget his goal and his heroism.
Question: What is the importance of women in the Iliad?
Answer: The discussion at the beginning of this page should be helpful.
Question: Women as slaves in the epics
Answer: Some, but not all women were slaves. When women were captured by warriors they were often enslaved. Many did housework while others were kept for sex. Some were treated like family, while many were forced to do drudgery. A female slave could be elevated to a wife or she could purchase her freedom.
Question: what is the role of Penelope in the Odyssey
Answer: Click on the menu directory below and click on Penelope.
Question: who were the important women in the iliad
Answer: The goddesses Athena, Hera, Aphrodite, Thetis, Artemis, Ate, Demeter, Dione, Eileithyia, Hebe, Iris, Leto, Persephone, Eris; the captives Chryseis and Briseis, The wife of Hector Andromache, Helen, Hecuba, Cassandra, Theano.
Question: Some words on the process of enslavement?
Answer: Enslavement occurred by force. Once enslaved a slave was taken to be a part of a new family. Escape was useless because outside of a family a person would be treated as a threat. If the slave was attached to a work- gang then there were guards to make the slave work. Slaves that did not cooperate could be killed at the whim of the head of the family or work gang. Men could be forced to do dangerous work, such as mining, and women could be forced into prostitution. Some slaves were treated quite well so they would be loyal and productive. Educated slaves were given the right to buy their freedom.
The process is described in the Odyssey: "'"From out of Sidon I avow that I come, land rich in bronze, and I am the daughter of Arybas, the deeply wealthy. But Taphians, who were sea-robbers, laid hands on me and snatched me away as I came in from the fields, and brought me hither and sold me into the house of my master, who paid for me a goodly price."
Question: Can you tell me about the differnece of how Helen was portrayed in The Iliad than in The Odyssey. IF you could answer this as sonn as possible I would greatly apperciate it. Thanks!
Answer: In the Iliad Helen is Troy with the husband that she has chosen, while in the Odyssey she is with the husband that her father chose for her. In the Odyssey she says (Book IV) "Then the other Trojan women wept aloud, but my soul was glad, for already my heart was turned to go back again even to my home: and now at the last I groaned for the blindness that Aphrodite gave me, when she led me thither away from mine own country, forsaking my child and my bridal chamber and my lord, that lacked not aught whether for wisdom or yet for beauty."
In the Iliad (Book III) there is: "...and Helen's heart yearned after her former husband, her city, and her parents."
And (Book III)"...would that I had chosen death rather than to have come here with your son, far from my bridal chamber, my friends, my darling daughter, and all the companions of my girlhood. But it was not to be, and my lot is one of tears and sorrow."
And finally (Book III): 'With these words she moved the heart of Helen to anger. When she marked the beautiful neck of the goddess, her lovely bosom, and sparkling eyes, she marvelled at her and said, "Goddess, why do you thus beguile me? Are you going to send me afield still further to some man whom you have taken up in Phrygia or fair Meonia? Menelaus has just vanquished Alexandrus, and is to take my hateful self back with him. You are come here to betray me. Go sit with Alexandrus yourself; henceforth be goddess no longer; never let your feet carry you back to Olympus; worry about him and look after him till he make you his wife, or, for the matter of that, his slave- but me? I shall not go; I can garnish his bed no longer; I should be a by-word among all the women of Troy. Besides, I have trouble on my mind."'
Question: scylla
Answer: Scylla was a sea monster. An illustration of Scylla is as follows: Scylla, Europa, and Triton. The Argo encountered Scylla and Charybdis, but was guided past by Thetis and the Nereids. Odysseus also encountered Scylla and she gobbled up six of his men. In the Odyssey she is described in the following passage: "And therein dwelleth Scylla, yelping terribly. Her voice indeed is no greater than the voice of a new-born whelp, but a dreadful monster is she, nor would any look on her gladly, not if it were a god that met her. Verily she hath twelve feet all dangling down; and six necks exceeding long, and on each a hideous head, and therein three rows of teeth set thick and close, full of black death. Up to her middle is she sunk far down in the hollow cave, but forth she holds her heads from the dreadful gulf, and there she fishes, swooping round the rock, for dolphins or sea-dogs, or whatso greater beast she may anywhere take, whereof the deep-voiced Amphitrite feeds countless flocks."
Question: what role does Panope have
Answer: Click on the menu direstory below and click on Penelope.
Question: how are women treated in the Illilad
Answer: In spite of the Iliad being a very martial tale, women are referenced in great abundance, as though they were very important. In some cases they are simply prizes of war and literally sex slaves, but in other cases they are queens, princesses, wives and daughters that really matter. The Iliad is surprising in the breadth of roles that women are portrayed.
Question: Critique the differences between the women of both stories
Answer: Mortal women come across better in the Odyssey, while goddesses are more important in the Iliad. Both stories include many women in many different roles.
Question: what is the signifigance of Helen, Andromache, chryseis, Briseis
Answer: These are important women of the Iliad. Helen is the face that launched a thousand ships; the reason for the war. Click on the menu directory below to read more about Helen. Andromache is the wife of Hector, the tragic hero of the Iliad. She and Hector have a conversation which is a real condemnation of war and its effects. Chryseis and Briseis were both captured during the war. Chryseis was given to Agamemnon as a prize and Briseis was given to Achilles. But the gods will not let Agamemnon keep Chryseis, so as compensation he takes Briseis from Achilles. This causes Achilles to stop fighting and the Trojans are able to take advantage of this situation. Eventually Achilles wins Breisis back and she shares his bed.
Question: Is there a difference between homers treatment of mortal and immortal women in the iliad and the odyssey and if so why
Answer: Homer treats immortal women as willful, active, powerful, beautiful and wealthy. Mortal women are rarely treated this way and usually they are more passive. Sometimes they are just female objects. The reason for this is not clear but it has been suggested that it reflects an earlier time when women were regarded as more important.
Question: Will you please help me, and find pictures of the main charactes in "The IIiad" (about 40 of them)?
Answer: Yes. Use your Edit-Find in page function to find many of them on this page. Then enter the names in Search Perseus to find most of the rest. You will find the Perseus tool and others by clicking on the menu directory and going to the resources page. Then request of me the images you cannot find yourself.
Question: I have been told that Lauralie was one of the Sirens in the Odyssey. Is this true? If so could you please comment? (This is my daughters name.)
Answer: I do not find Lauralie among the Greek Sirens. Laura comes from Latin and means Laurel. Now Lorelei or Lurlei is a siren who haunts the Rhine. She is the subject of German mythology and seems a more likely association. This picture shows lorelei to be a mermaid: Click Here In a page on Stephen Foster I found the following quote: "Beautiful Dreamer was published posthumously and advertised as the last song Foster wrote, although it seems actually to have been composed in 1862. Written in an unusual 9/8 meter, its melody evokes Foster's love of Italian opera, but the mermaids in Foster's lyric are German-Heine's famous "Die Lorelei," whose siren song lures sailors to their ruin. Beneath the song's rippling arpeggios lies an ominous undercurrent of suggestion that Foster's beautiful dream is the dissolution of death." reference: Click here. The Greeks thought the Sirens were daughters of one of the Muses and were perhaps related to Hera, but Aphrodite was clearly the first mermaid.
Question: what view did women have of women?
Answer: Unfortunately few women chose to leave a record. And worse yet much that was left was destroyed by the poor intentions of censors. But of the little that remains Sappho does not complain of her lot:
'You dishonor the good gifts of the buxom Muses, chil- dren, when you say "We will crown you, dear Sappho. best player of the clear sweet lyre." Know you not that my skin is all wrinkled with age, my hair is turned from black to white, my teeth are but few remaining, and the legs can scarce carry the body you used once to join in the dance, to foot it as nimbly as the little fawns, nimblest of living things? Yet I cannot help it. Not even God him- self can do what cannot be; and surely as starry Night follows rosy-armed Dawn and brings us darkness unto the ends of the earth, Death tracks everything living and catches it in the end, and even as he would not give his beloved wife to Orpheus, so he ever thinks to keep prisoner every women that dies, for all he should let her follow the song and string of her spouse. But I, be it known, love soft living, and for me brightness and beauty belong to the desire of the sunlight; and therefore I shall not crawl away to my lair till that needs must be, but continue loved and loving with you. And now it is enough that I have your love, nor would I pray for more...'Sappho To her Pupils translated by Edmonds
Question: what kind of woman was Penelope supposed to represent?
Answer: The beautiful, intelligent, and loyal wife of Odysseus. She is often referred to as the constant Penelope. More about Penelope can be found by clicking on the menu directory below.
Question: can you compare and contrast hecuba in the illiad and penelope in the oddysey
Answer: You can, but there is little to compare. Hecuba is a fairly passive character in the Iliad, while Penelope is quite active in the Odyssey. What Hecuba does is not effective, while Penelope is very effective. Both women suffer loss, but Hecuba continues to suffer, while Penelope lives to see a glad fruition to her suffering when her husband returns.
Question: What was the main role of women in the Iliad and the Oddessy?
Answer: They actually play the different roles of women in real life. Even thought the Iliad is essentially a description of a battle, still there are a wide variety of women discussed. This is a tribute to the importance of women. There are goddesses, queens, wives, maidservants and concubines. Each of these different women have a different role to play.
One of the joys of Homer is his universality, and one aspect of that is the relevance of what he says to life in general. And this is still true. It is odd that he would include so many women characters in what is on the face of it a battle story and an adventure story, but this oddness gives him more universality. The fact is that women are important in life and they act in many different ways and yet it is important to know how they act. Homer has helped us to deal with that fact by including in his stories many different kinds of women that portray the many roles that women play in life.
Question: phaeacia
Answer: Phaeacia was the last country visited by Odysseus in his travels. It was the home of King Alcinous, Queen Arete, and their daughter Nausicaa. More information can be found at: Click here
Question: What was the life of women in Ancient Greece?
Answer: Click on the Menu directory below then click on daily life.
Question: Who are the main characters in the Iliad?
Answer: Achilles and Hector.
Question: I am writing a paper on a charecter in either the Iliad or the Odessey and am really stuck- the paper is to argue a charecter is or is not a hero in todays society, can you help me please?
Answer: Consider Circe. Circe turns men into pigs. Is this good or bad? She knows about potions. What about women today who know about potions. She tries to seduce Odysseus. Is this horrible or heroic? She is conquered by a show of force. Is this proper for women? She entertains Odysseus and his men for a year and sends them on their way. Is this heroic. So people think Circe is a witch, but she is not. She knows nothing of the Devil. She is a goddess and comes by all her power naturally. Or is Homer wrong?
Question: why does Odesseus pick penelope over the goddess?
Answer: Odysseus rejects two goddeses, Circe and Calypso. Both goddeses would have given him oblivion. Penelope gave him eternal fame.
Question: The Role of Women in Gilgamesh
Answer: The Epic of Gilgamesh was a story from Ancient Babylon, not ancient Greece. More information is available at:
Question: How were female slaves treated?
Answer: Loyal slaves were treated like members of the family. Disloyal slaves could be sold off or killed.
Question: Feminist views?
Answer: Because women are so important in the Iliad and Odyssey, in spite of the overall masculine sujects, feminists have not been that critical of Homer. I have discovered a book that seems to present a feminist view of the Odyssey: Houston, Jean The Hero and the Goddess Ballentine, 1992, ISBN: 0-345-36567-4.
Question: what did thetis do for zues before the illiad
Answer: She saved Hephaestus when he was cast down from heaven, She steared the Argo through the wandering rocks, and Dionysus took refuge with her in the sea. It was a favor for her to marry the mortal Peleus because she was destined to bear a son who outshone his father. It would have not been good to have a son that outshone Zeus.
Question: what were some of the speaches the women made
Answer: There are a number of speeches made by women. My favorite is one by Athena where she responds to Odysseus' doubts: 'O hard of belief! yea, many there be that trust even in a weaker friend than I am, in one that is a mortal and knows not such craft as mine; but I am a god, that preserve thee to the end, in all manner of toils. And now I will tell thee plainly; even should fifty companies of mortal men compass us about eager to slay us in battle, even their kine shouldst thou drive off and their brave flocks. But let sleep in turn come over thee; to wake and to watch all night, this too is vexation of spirit; and soon shalt thou rise from out of thy troubles.' (Odyssey, Book 20)
Question: what is aegilips
Answer: An island near Ithaca
Question: Why?
Answer: No one has been able to explain why Homer has such universl appeal.
Question: do you have a good picture of cyclops
Answer: Click here
Question: role of women cultaraaly
Answer: In most cases women=culture.
Question: The role of women, children, and men
Answer: Men work so women can take care of the children.
Question: Where can I find info. on the city of Ithica?
Answer: Ithaca is an island, not a city. What little information there is is in the Odyssey. The archeology of Ithaca has found nothing.
Question: Why does Athena decide to help Achilles?
Answer: Achilles is opposed to Troy who is backing Paris. Paris was given Helen by Aphrodite because he named her the most beautiful instead of Hera or Athena.
Question: What would be a good argument in the odyessy based on the role of religious beliefs with gods and human beings
Answer: The Odyssey is about the relation between men and gods. Much of the material is valuable even though the Greek gods are no longer worshipped.
Question: cultural values
Answer: Homer expressed the ideal cultural values for the classical period.
Question: What was Penelope's role in Greek society?
Answer: Penelope was the ideal faithful wife.
Question: Analyze Achilles' point of view with reference to the Iliad
Answer: Any king would find Achilles difficult to deal with because he was talented and hot-headed. Agamemnon was no exception.
Question: How were women portrayed in the Iliad?
Answer: A work on the glories of war might exclude women all together, but the Iliad includes them in many and varied roles. This suggests that Homer thought women were very important.
Question: Why is the Odyssey so carefull with Kirke
Answer: Circe is a goddess. You only need the favor or disfavor of one goddess to determine the success or failure of your life.
Question: What sexual roles did the women in these poems play?
Answer: It is remarkable that in poems of military adventure, women should play so prominent and diverse a role, but that certifies the universality of these poems.
Question: explain tbe role of athena in the Odyssey
Answer: You are more likely to survive a challenging adventure if you have wisdom on your side.
Question: What is Athena's particular energy as a goddess in the Odyssey?
Answer: Wisdom. Her energy is entirely intellectual.
Question: How did the mortals and the goddesses of the Odyssey differ in their beliefs on marriage?
Quotes from the Odyssey on marriage follow:
The advice of Athena (Book I): "and for thy mother, if her heart is moved to marriage, let her go back to the hall of that mighty man her father, and her kinsfolk will furnish a wedding feast, and array the gifts of wooing exceeding many, all that should go back with a daughter dearly beloved."
(Book IV): "Menelaus. Him they found giving a feast in his house to many friends of his kin, a feast for the wedding of his noble son and daughter. His daughter he was sending to the son of Achilles, cleaver of the ranks of men, for in Troy he first had promised and covenanted to give her, and now the gods were bringing about their marriage. So now he was speeding her on her way with chariot and horses, to the famous city of the Myrmidons, among whom her lord bare rule. And for his son he was bringing to his home the daughter of Alector out of Sparta, for his well-beloved son, strong Megapenthes, {*} born of a slave woman, for the gods no more showed promise of seed to Helen, from the day that she bare a lovely child, Hermione, as fair as golden Aphrodite. So they were feasting through the great vaulted hall, the neighbours and the kinsmen of renowned Menelaus, making merry; and among them a divine minstrel was singing to the lyre, and as he began the song two tumblers in the company whirled through the midst of them."
Athena speaks to Nausicaa (Book VI):'Nausicaa, how hath thy mother so heedless a maiden to her daughter? Lo, thou hast shining raiment that lies by thee uncared for, and thy marriage day is near at hand, when thou thyself must needs go beautifully clad, and have garments to give to them who shall lead thee to the house of the bridegroom! And, behold, these are the things whence a good report goes abroad among men, wherein a father and lady mother take delight. But come, let us arise and go a-washing with the breaking of the day, and I will follow with thee to be thy mate in the toil, that without delay thou mayst get thee ready, since truly thou art not long to be a maiden. Lo, already they are wooing thee, the noblest youths of all the Phaeacians, among that people whence thou thyself dost draw thy lineage. So come, beseech thy noble father betimes in the morning to furnish thee with mules and a wain to carry the men's raiment, and the robes, and the shining coverlets. Yea and for thyself it is seemlier far to go thus than on foot, for the places where we must wash are a great way off the town.'
(Book VI): "This she said, because she was ashamed to speak of glad marriage to her father;..."
(Book VIII): "Now as the minstrel touched the lyre, he lifted up his voice in sweet song, and he sang of the love of Ares and Aphrodite, of the fair crown, how at the first they lay together in the house of Hephaestus privily; and Ares gave her many gifts, and dishonoured the marriage bed of the lord Hephaestus."
Penelope states (Book XVIII): "But furthermore this sore trouble has come on my heart and soul; for this was not the manner of wooers in time past. Whoso wish to woo a good lady and the daughter of a rich man, and vie one with another, themselves bring with them oxen of their own and goodly flocks, a banquet for the friends of the bride, and they give the lady splendid gifts, but do not devour another's livelihood without atonement."
Penelope states (Book XX): "It should be even as when the stormwinds bare away the daughters of Pandareus. Their father and their mother the gods had slain, and the maidens were left orphans in the halls, and fair Aphrodite cherished them with curds and sweet honey and delicious wine. And Here gave them beauty and wisdom beyond the lot of women, and holy Artemis dowered them with stature, and Athene taught them skill in all famous handiwork. Now while fair Aphrodite was wending to high Olympus, to pray that a glad marriage might be accomplished for the maidens,--and to Zeus she went whose joy is in the thunder, for he knows all things well, what the fates give and deny to mortal men--in the meanwhile the spirits of the storm snatched away these maidens, and gave them to be handmaids to the hateful Erinyes."
Telemachus states (Book XX): "I bid her be married to what man she will, and withal I offer gifts without number. But I do indeed feel shame to drive her forth from the hall, despite her will, by a word of compulsion; God forbid that ever this should be."
Question: what do the female characters(mortal or immortal)tell us about greek culture and the place of women in greek society?
Answer: The stories tell a lot about women at the time of the Trojan war and during the classical period. The problem is that you do not always know which is which. The women at the time of the Trojan war were freer to act, but they also had to submit to violence. They were more involved with religion and ritual, but these details were left out of the stories. The classical women served as the models for the characters developed by the classical authors. But details like the segregation of the sexes were not brought out because it clashed too much with the lives of the ancient women. One fact is constant. Woman were seen as important in both societies, but their role change a lot during the interval.
Question: "pictures of sirens" + "homers the odyssey"
Answer: For sirens click on the links above. The entire Odyssey can be downloaded from: Click here
Question: what is the role of women in the odyssey
Answer: Read above.
Question: Penelope's role/relations to the Odyssey
Answer: Click on the Menu Directory below, then click on Penelope.
Question: Can you compare and contrast Helen and Andromakhe and their roles in the Iliad. This is urgent
Answer: Andromache is the dutiful wife of Hector and mother of his son. Helen is the not-very-dutiful lover of Paris who is ashamed of what she has done.
Question: Can you tell me about the disguises Athena adopts? What exactly do these transformations allow her to do? How do they connect to the larger themes in the odyssey?
Answer: Athena can be entirely invisible or she can selectively reveal herself to one or more in a crowd of people. She can also change into the guise of someone known to a person. If she changes into an animal or bird she obtains some power of that animal, for example, if she changes into a bird she can fly away. In most cases of her disguises she is planting an idea in someone. Sometimes she manipulates them, and sometimes she tests them. In the larger shpere of the Odyssey, she is the personification of wisdom as Homer knew it.
Question: why is athena helping telemakhos
Answer: Telemachus is intelligent because he is the son of Odysseus and Penelope, both intelligent.
Question: how to give directory
Answer: Click on the directory link below and then copy the link.
Question: How do Circe and Calpso compare and contrast in their techniques of trapping Odyssesu?
Answer: They are similar. Calypso was more effective because when Odysseus arrived he had lost all his men.
Question: what is the difference in the women
Answer: There are many different women with different lives and morals. They range from very good to very bad.
Question: what role does Briseis play
Answer: Briseis is an object that illustrates the argument between the king and the prince. Neither man considers her feelings which makes the argument more intense and stupid.
Question: How did Homer view women?
Answer: Homer viewed women as an important force that must be constantly attended to.
Question: In comparison to the men, what are the roles, positions, responsibilities, representations, powers etc. of women in the Odyssey??
Answer: What is surprising is that in what is outwardly a military story and an adventure story, that Homer would include so many women in so many roles.
Question: Sirens?
Answer: Click on the Menu directory below then click on Sirens.
Question: Looking at Penelope, Kirke, Kalypso, and Helen, define feminine identity in the Odyssey. What does that model say about Homeric Culture? How has that model influenced other cultures? PlEASe Help ASAP!!!
Answer: Circe, Calypso, and Helen serve to define feminine as a sex-object mainly in terms of masculine desires. Penelope is more complicated. Odyseus turns down the goddess Calypso for Penelope. Penelope is a goal, while Circe and Calypso are diversions from that goal. Penelope may seem to be a sex object to the wooers, but she is a queen who acts like a queen. Her loyalty to her husband consists of manipulating the wooers so they cannot destroy her husband's estate. Women often have to manipulate men to get their ends.
Question: How does Odysseus's relationship with women in the Odyssey reveal things about his character?
Answer: The roles of women in the Odyssey are many and varied and often present challenges. How he responds to the challenges reveals his character.
Question: What is the role of women in the Odyssey
Answer: The role of women in the Odyssey is to demonstrate the many and varied roles that women play in the lives of men.
Question: Analyze the women in the Iliad
Answer: This is a doctoral thesis but see above.
Question: What are the roles of Athena, Penelope, and Calyso in respect to Odysseus?
Answer: Athena was his wise guide. Penelope was his goal. Calypso was his distractor.
Question: In the story the Odyssey, Penelope waits faithfully for Odysseus where as he sleeps with Calpos, I want to know if by him not being faithful, does that relate/tie in to greek sculptures where men/gods tend to be nude as where woman/goddess most of the time tend to be clothed at least from the waist down? By doing this are they showing that it is alright for a man to sleep around since they reveal all, as were a woman is to be faithful thus is the reasoning behind covering her lower features?
Answer: No, Men were not shown nude because it was OK to sleep around. It was an athletic convention. Women were clothed because they preffered it. Men and women were expected to be faithful. But men could sleep with hetaerae, and not with other men's wives or daughters.
Question: In Book 19 of the Iliad, lines 282-300(ish), can you help me understand what Briseis' speech means in terms that are easier to understand?
Answer: Briseis is a prize of war, won by Achilles when he killed her husband, father, mother, and three brothers. Patroclus was obviously considerate of women and soothed her when her family was killed by explaining that Achilles was quite a big prize that she would get as husband.
Question: how were the sirens created?
Answer: Click on the Menu directory and click on Sirens.
Question: what are the patterns and characteristics of marriage in the dyssey? Iliad?
Answer: The families want their men to marry high status women, but sometimes they want to marry beautiful, sexy women. Often real marriages tend to end up as political arrangements, but the partners can also truely love one another.
Question: what is the importance of the highly detalied sacrafises to the gods?
Answer: The sacrifices to the gods serve several purposes. One purpose is to please the deities with a ritual that they are satisfied with. This can be a challenge because their are many thousands of deities to satisfy. But the reality is that you need only please one but you must not offend any. There is a further aspect of thanks for the bounty that is present at the sacrifice. Finally the sacrifice is a social gathering where people eat, sing and dance.
Question: did the role of the fathers in the Odyssey have anything to do with the way the women were treated?
Answer: I am not sure you can distinguish the role of men from fathers. Especially perplexing is the role of Laertes in the Odyssey. Probably Penelope inherited her position as queen from her mother. Odysseus became king when he married Penelope. Penelope strongly respected her husband's father Laertes, but Laertes seems to have had little influence on Penelope. Though Penelope was queen she had little power over the woers. She was able to manipulate them but not eliminate them. Nor did her society help her much. Even her son could not wield much power.
Question: Compare and Contrast Penelope an Odysseus
Answer: Odysseus was a wise king and Penelope was his loyal queen.
Question: does death and dying have a natural place in Homers universe because of the deaths of Odysseus's companions, Penelpope's suitors and all thos whom odysseus visits and because of the funeral rites
Answer: Ultimately what the Odyssey is about is a spiritual journey where one finds his place in the universe and is reconciled to life and death. Odysseus demonstrates a proper relation to the deities that allows one to survive and make a name for oneself. The characters that die demonstrate less promising paths. Death and dying is something that everyone has to be reconciled to. This is indeed one of the goals of Homer.
Question: if Odysseus's name means "pain", how is his experiences an overriding element in the epic with the suffering of him and all whom he meets along the way
Answer: Homer is saying that pain is a part of life. What you need to do is understand the ways of the deities and the nature of things so you can make good choices in your life. After all it is not the ultimate goal of your life, death, that is important. What is important is the spiritual journey along the way.
Question: In what way could Helen be seen as at fault for the Trojan war?
Answer: In so far as she was responsible for her own beauty, she could be seen as responsible. It was Aphrodite that made her go with Paris. She was really treated more as a stolen possesion after that. But it was her beauty that drove men to do what they did.
Question: how did telemchus mature?
Answer: With the help of Athena.
Question: Select one personality trait of Helen from the Iliad and tell how the trait influences the character's destiny.
Answer: For Helen her beauty is everything.
Question: Penelope's role as a weaver in the odyssey?
Answer: In the Odyssey (Book XXI) Telemachus makes plain that the role of his mother is with her loom when he says: "But do thou go to thine own chamber and mind thine own housewiferies, the loom and distaff...." This must be an activity fit for a queen.
But she also performed the following deceit: "She set up in her halls a mighty web, fine of woof and very wide, whereat she would weave, and anon she spake among us:
'"Ye princely youths, my wooers, now that goodly Odysseus is dead, do ye abide patiently, how eager soever to speed on this marriage of mine, till I finish the robe. I would not that the threads perish to no avail, even this shroud for the hero Laertes, against the day when the ruinous doom shall bring him low, of death that lays men at their length. So shall none of the Achaean women in the land count it blame in me, as well might be, were he to lie without a winding-sheet, a man that had gotten great possessions."
'So spake she, and our high hearts consented thereto. So then in the daytime she would weave the mighty web, and in the night unravel the same, when she had let place the torches by her. Thus for the space of three years she hid the thing by guile and won the minds of the Achaeans; but when the fourth year arrived and the seasons came round, as the months waned and many days were accomplished, then it was that one of her women who knew all declared it, and we found her unravelling the splendid web. Thus she finished it perforce and sore against her will. " (Book II)
There is also a reference to the Fates who spin and weave the fortunes of man. Just as Penelope wove the shroud and unwove it, so the fates of the woers were made and undone by her actions.
Question: what is the symbol of scylla
Answer: Click here
Question: Athena and Odysseus relationship in depth anaylssis
Answer: Athena is the the goddess who protects and guides Odysseus. Odysseus must resolve himself to life in a world where he must worship Athena and live with the consequences.
Question: Who was Achilles mentor and what important attributes did Achilles aquire from him/her? (Phoenix)
Answer: In the Iliad Homer has the following to say:
It was I, Achilles, who had the making of you; I loved you with all my heart: for you would eat neither at home nor when you had gone out elsewhere, till I had first set you upon my knees, cut up the dainty morsel that you were to eat, and held the wine-cup to your lips. Many a time have you slobbered your wine in baby helplessness over my shirt; I had infinite trouble with you, but I knew that heaven had vouchsafed me no offspring of my own, and I made a son of you, Achilles, that in my hour of need you might protect me. Now, therefore, I say battle with your pride and beat it; cherish not your anger for ever; the might and majesty of heaven are more than ours, but even heaven may be appeased; and if a man has sinned he prays the gods, and reconciles them to himself by his piteous cries and by frankincense, with drink-offerings and the savour of burnt sacrifice. For prayers are as daughters to great Jove; halt, wrinkled, with eyes askance, they follow in the footsteps of sin, who, being fierce and fleet of foot, leaves them far behind him, and ever baneful to mankind outstrips them even to the ends of the world; but nevertheless the prayers come hobbling and healing after. If a man has pity upon these daughters of Jove when they draw near him, they will bless him and hear him too when he is praying; but if he deny them and will not listen to them, they go to Jove the son of Saturn and pray that he may presently fall into sin- to his ruing bitterly hereafter. Therefore, Achilles, give these daughters of Jove due reverence, and bow before them as all good men will bow. Were not the son of Atreus offering you gifts and promising others later- if he were still furious and implacable- I am not he that would bid you throw off your anger and help the Achaeans, no matter how great their need; but he is giving much now, and more hereafter; he has sent his captains to urge his suit, and has chosen those who of all the Argives are most acceptable to you; make not then their words and their coming to be of none effect. Your anger has been righteous so far. We have heard in song how heroes of old time quarrelled when they were roused to fury, but still they could be won by gifts, and fair words could soothe them."
Question: We are reading the book The Odyssey and we have to do a project. The one I have is to do research on Bows (like bows & arrows). I am looking for information about an ancient greek bow. Could you tell me where I could find this at, or could you email me information about this? I would appreciate it and if you could send some pictures, that would be great too!
Answer:
Question: Are women today portrayed in the same point of view as they were in the Iliad?
Answer: No.
Question: How do the themes in the sirens episode relate to the rest of the Odessey?
Answer: The sirens were creatures who sang so sweetly that they attracted sailors to their death. The Sirens are a threat because they give the choice of hearing about life instead of experiencing it. Sirens were temtresses who with their sweet voices represent the distractions that keep you from your goal. The Greeks thought the Sirens were daughters of one of the Muses and were perhaps related to Hera. Odysseus brought about their destruction by listening to them while he was tied to the mast. Their fate was only to live as long as they were successful in their lure. Odysseus listened but was not lured. They ceased to exist as a result.
Question: who killed Argos
Answer: Argos was Odysseus' faithful dog. He lived just long enough to recognize the return of his master. Then, at 20, he died of old age.
Question: Was there a woman named "Lavenia" in the Iliad or Odyssey?
Answer: No! Lavinia became the wife of Aeneas in the Aeneid by Virgil.
Question: HOW ARE WOMEN SEDUCTIVE IN THE ODYSSEY
Answer: Here is how Circe does it: First "...they heard Circe singing in a sweet voice, as she fared to and fro before the great web imperishable, such as is the handiwork of goddesses, fine of woof and full of grace and splendour." (Odyssey, Book X) Then "And straightway she came forth and opened the shining doors and bade them in, and all went with her in their heedlessness....So she led them in and set them upon chairs and high seats, and made them a mess of cheese and barley-meal and yellow honey with Pramnian wine, and mixed harmful drugs with the food to make them utterly forget their own country." Then to Odysseus she says: "put thy sword into the sheath, and thereafter let us go up into my bed, that meeting in love and sleep we may trust each the other."
Question: Does The Odyssey celebrate heroic virtues of female characters as well as those of men?
Answer: Certainly. Penelope is a heroine, as is Euryclea. Athena is the embodiment of heroic virtue in Odysseus.
Question: Comparison between men and women
Answer: Men fight and women have babies and take care of children. Men are often agents and women prizes and victims. But this is only at the superficial level. Part of the greatness of Homer is his ability to integrate women at more basic levels. On the surface the stories are for heroic men, but ethics and morality creap in and the relations between men and women are explored at some depth. Briseis is a prize, but Chryseis must be given up at great cost. Men can act impulsively, but they must please Athena.
Question: what circumstances made it possible to unite leading young menof greeks against troy?
Answer: Cick on the Menu Directory below, then click on Judgement of Paris.
Question: How would you compare the perfect marriage in the Odyssey--Odysseus' and Penelope's--to the marriage of Hektor's and Andromache's marriage, the perfect marriage in the Iliad?
Answer: Penelope inspired Odysseus to endure a long and treacherous journey. Hector lunged into war in spite of the likely destruction of his family.
Question: what was the role of Cassandra in Agamemnon?
Answer: Since Cassandra was an innocent victim, she illustrated the evil nature of Clytemnestra's act.
Question: Can you compare the role of seductive women in The odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh?
Answer: Yes you can, but you need to read both works. This is beyond the scope of this page.
Question: Which charater in the Iliad most emobides the ideals and attributes of an epic hero?
Answer: The Iliad can also be titled the Tragedy of Hector.
Question: What is the definition of an epic hero?
Answer: A hero is a man who struggles against overwhelming odds and achieves a physical or spiritual victory. Usually a hero has remarkable resources, but he must also be failable and not perfect, otherwise we would learn nothing from him. He must have choices to make and he must struggle with these choices. What is heroic is his effort and attitude in the face of a dangerous adversary.
Question: what were the attitudes toward women in the cultures that produced them
Answer: Unlike Athena, women are not born full-grown from the head of Zeus. They are the result of a nurturing process. They are the result of the physical equipment and abilities they are born with, the experience of their own mother and other women, and how they are treated by the men of the culture. Most cultures value women for their ability to give birth and to raise children. Some value their ability to give pleasure in a sexual way. Some cultures value women for the work that they can do. A few cultures have even valued women for political contributions and martial skills. Which of these were emphasized depends upon the nature and traditions of the culture.
Question: What are Homers definitions of a good and bad wife as portrayed in the Iliad? Thank you!
Answer: A good wife raises a man's children and maintains his home. A bad wife murdersrs her husband and run off with another man.
Question: What is Homer's definition of a woman as seen in the Iliad?
Answer: Homer does not define a woman but portrays women in a wide variety of roles.
Question: Please give a list of potencial questions and answers on the Odessey books 1-24. I am a ninth grade honors student so I would appreciate highschool level question.
Answer: I will work on this as soon as I get some time.
Question: what human lessons can be interpreted as timeless truths found in the Iliad and The Oddysey
Answer: These are among the greatest works ever written because they are full of timeless truths. The first sentence of the Iliad contains such truth: "Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles, first fell out with one another."
Question: What is the role of Arete in the Odyssey?
Answer: Arete is the mother of Nausicaa and queen of Phaeacia. It is her favor that Odysseus returns home. Notice that Phaeacia may be a dream land. Ocysseus is washed ashore and falls asleep. He awakes and is in Phaeacia. But when he leaves a bed is prepared on the ship and he is put ashore asleep. When he finally awakes he is in Ithaca.
Question: What are some examples of poor treatment of women in the Iliad and the Odyssey?
Answer: Hector says that his wife will be captured and enslaved if he is killed. It is obvious from the behavior of Agamemnon and Achilles that the pretty women are made into sex slaves. That Agamemnon will make his slave into a wife seems little consolation. Out of context the following seems to put women in their place: "Then wise Telemachus answered her, saying: 'My mother, as for the bow, no Achaean is mightier than I to give or to deny it to whomso I will, neither as many as are lords in rocky Ithaca nor in the isles on the side of Elis, the pastureland of horses. Not one of these shall force me in mine own despite, if I choose to give this bow, yea once and for all, to the stranger to bear away with him. But do thou go to thine own chamber and mind thine own housewiferies, the loom and distaff, and bid thine handmaids ply their tasks. But the bow shall be for men, for all, but for me in chief, for mine is the lordship in the house.'" (Odyssey, Book XXI).
Question: where is the passage located where penelope admits to unraveling what she has weaved for Laertes
Answer: The following passage tells of this (Odyssey, Book II): "'Telemachus, proud of speech and unrestrained in fury, what is this thou hast said to put us to shame, and wouldest fasten on us reproach? Behold the fault is not in the Achaean wooers, but in thine own mother, for she is the craftiest of women. For it is now the third year, and the fourth is fast going by, since she began to deceive the minds of the Achaeans in their breasts. She gives hope to all, and makes promises to every man, and sends them messages, but her mind is set on other things. And she hath devised in her heart this wile besides; she set up in her halls a mighty web, fine of woof and very wide, whereat she would weave, and anon she spake among us:
'"Ye princely youths, my wooers, now that the goodly Odysseus is dead, do ye abide patiently, how eager soever to speed on this marriage of mine, till I finish the robe. I would not that the threads perish to no avail, even this shroud for the hero Laertes, against the day when the ruinous doom shall bring him low, of death that lays men at their length. So shall none of the Achaean women in the land count it blame in me, as well might be, were he to lie without a winding-sheet, a man that had gotten great possessions."
'So spake she, and our high hearts consented thereto. So then in the day time she would weave the mighty web, and in the night unravel the same, when she had let place the torches by her. Thus for the space of three years she hid the thing by craft and beguiled the minds of the Achaeans; but when the fourth year arrived and the seasons came round, then at the last one of her women who knew all declared it, and we found her unravelling the splendid web. Thus she finished it perforce and sore against her will."
Later Penelope speaks (Odyssey, Book XIX): "But I waste my heart away in longing for Odysseus; so they speed on my marriage and I weave a web of wiles. First some god put it into my heart to set up a great web in the halls, and thereat to weave a robe fine of woof and very wide; and anon I spake among them, saying: "Ye princely youths, my wooers, now that goodly Odysseus is dead, do ye abide patiently, how eager soever to speed on this marriage of mine, till I finish the robe. I would not that the threads perish to no avail, even this shroud for the hero Laertes, against the day when the ruinous doom shall bring him low, of death that lays men at their length. So shall none of the Achaean women in the land count it blame in me, as well might be, were he to lie without a winding sheet, a man that had gotten great possessions." 'So spake I, and their high hearts consented thereto. So then in the daytime I would weave the mighty web, and in the night unravel the same, when I had let place the torches by me. Thus for the space of three years I hid the thing by craft and beguiled the minds of the Achaeans. But when the fourth year arrived, and the seasons came round as the months waned, and many days were accomplished, then it was that by help of the handmaids, shameless things and reckless, the wooers came and trapped me, and chid me loudly. Thus did I finish the web by no will of mine, for so I must. And now I can neither escape the marriage nor devise any further counsel, and my parents are instant with me to marry, and my son chafes that these men devour his livelihood, as he takes note of all; for by this time he has come to man's estate; and is full able to care for a household, for one to which Zeus vouchsafes honour. "
Question: comparison of both the illiad and the odyssey (books 1 & 2 only)
Answer: Both works detail spiritual journeys of great breadth compressed into a surprisingly short period of time.
Question: what importance did Helen have in the Iliad?
Answer: She was the cause of the war, and its continuance.
Question: What do the Sirens teach Odysseus, about the role of women, or his journey?
Answer: The Sirens teach that it is better to live life than to hear about it.
Question: Greek means of survival
Answer: Wisdom and hard work.
Question: Can you please give me a quote from the book where Homer uses personification? If you could reply quickly i would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!!
Answer: In Book II, Homer personifies dreams: Now the other gods and the armed warriors on the plain slept soundly, but Jove was wakeful, for he was thinking how to dohonour to Achilles, and destroyed much people at the ships of the Achaeans.In the end he deemed it would be best to send a lying dream to King Agamemnon; so he called one to him and said to it, "Lying Dream,go to the ships of the Achaeans, into the tent of Agamemnon, and say to him word to word as I now bid you. Tell him to get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for he shall take Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods; Juno has brought them to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans." The dream went when it had heard its message, and soon reachedthe ships of the Achaeans. It sought Agamemnon son of Atreus andfound him in his tent, wrapped in a profound slumber. It hovered over his head in the likeness of Nestor, son of Neleus, whom Agamemnon honoured above all his councillors, and said..
Question: What happened between Breisis and Achilles?
Answer: Briseis was Achilles' war prize and sex slave. There is little indication that he made her is wife, nor did he have a children by her. We do not know what happened to her after Achilles was killed. At the time of his death, less than a year after the events of the Iliad, Achilles seemed to be more interested in Polyxena, and for this reason Polyxena was sacrificed on the grave of Achilles.
Question: How did Achilles get Breisis back?
Answer: He refused to fight against the Trojans until she was returned.
Question: Why did the Greeks paint Gods and Goddesses
Answer: Their motivation was to please the deities. Not only did they decorate with them, but they also decorated more colorfully. We associate somber grey and white tones to the ancient Greeks but they actually painted their satures in lifelike colors.
Question: What about scyila and charybdis?
Answer: Scylla and Charybdis provide a symbol of life's usual choices, face certain trouble from a monster or be swallowed by a maelstrom.
Question: What is the importance of the use of personification in Greek Mythology?
Answer: Some deities are merely personifications: Themis is justice, Helios is the sun, Eris is strife. This is a convenient literary tool which is still useful. But it does little to clarify the basic theology. Though we can still use Athena as the personification of wisdom, this only helps a little the understanding of the challenges that Ulysses faces. The notion of personification helps to define the realm of Athena, but it is not adequate to understand her various activities. Athena can be worshipped as a true deity and this goes beyond personification.
Question: Was Helen really the reason for the war on Troy
Answer: Probably not, but it makes a good story. But you should not think that the ancient Greeks thought it was just a story. To them it was the word of god and the believed it.
Question: Waht did Calypso do in the story The Odyssey
Answer: She helped Odysseus realize that it was better to stick to your goal than to disappear into the arms of a goddess.
Question: WHAT ROLE DOES HELEN PLAY IN BOTH POEMS? HOW DOES HER STORY RELATE TO THE OVER STORIES OF ACHILLES AND ODYSSEUS?
Answer: In the Iliad Helen is the tool of Aphrodite. She is the face that launched a thousand ships and the pride of the Trojans. In the Odyssey she is full of regret as to what has happened.
Question: What is Hecuba role in the Iliad
Answer: Hecuba is the wife of Priam and the mother of Hector. Her role is to suffer a lot.
Answer: The best example of supplication is the following (Iliad, Book I): "Thetis was not unmindful of the charge her son had laid upon her, so she rose from under the sea and went through great heaven with early morning to Olympus, where she found the mighty son of Cronus sitting all alone upon its topmost ridges. She sat herself down before him, and with her left hand seized his knees, while with her right she caught him under the chin, and besought him, saying- "Father Zeus, if I ever did you service in word or deed among the immortals, hear my prayer, and do honour to my son, whose life is to be cut short so early. King Agamemnon has dishonoured him by taking his prize and keeping her. Honour him then yourself, Olympian lord of counsel, and grant victory to the Trojans, till the Achaeans give my son his due and load him with riches in requital."
Notice that it is a rational appeal to a superior and more powerful being.
Question: Why don't the gods just transport odysseus back home to troy?
Answer: One of the fascinating qualities of the Greek deities is their limits. Though they can see all, and know all, they cannot do all. Each is limited to their own realm and they must arrange favors with the other gods to get some things done. And they are always limited by Fate and Right. What is not so obvious is that the laws and properties of the deities are discovered, while the laws of man are published and enforced. Odysseus could have been transported by the gods if it had been fated, but it was not. What was fated was that he would wander and suffer, but ultimately his wisdom would prevail and he would return home a hero. If the gods had just transported him he would not be an inspiration to suffering humans, nor would he have been a hero. Notice though that his last journey has the character of a deific transportation, but it also has the character of a dream. It is really his apothosis as a hero.
Question: were was Hera born?
Answer: My guess is that she was born in Tyre with Aphrodite.
Question: compare the homecoming experience of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra with that of Odyessus and Penelope
Answer: This is a good term paper topic. Odysseus himself is aware of the fate of Agamemnon because he visits him in Hades.
Question: Will you please provide me with quotes from the Iliad and Odyssey pertaining to the portrayal of women in a negative way?
Answer: Helen says to Aphrodite: "Go sit with Paris yourself; henceforth be goddess no longer; never let your feet carry you back to Olympus; worry about him and look after him till he make you his wife, or, for the matter of that, his slave-" (Iliad, Book III)
Telemachus says to his mother Penelope: "Howbeit go to thy chamber and mind thine own housewiferies, the loom and distaff, and bid thy handmaids ply their tasks. But speech shall be for men, for all, but for me in chief; for mine is the lordship in the house." (Odyssey, Book I)
Question: how are Helen and Andromakhe portrayed in the Iliad
Answer: Favorably. But you should read the Iliad to find out the details.
Question: We meet Helen in both of these 2 poems. How is she an intriguing character? How does her story relate to the over stories of Achilles and Odysseus? How does she change from The Iliad and then to the Odyssey? Please email me back I'm having a hard time with this paper. Thanks.
Answer: Helen is more pitiful than intriguing. She is plainly an unhappy tool of Aphrodite in the Iliad. In the Odyssey she is more of a respected wife with much experience. Helen is more of a man's heroine. She drives men crazy with her beauty, but she cannot then control them. Compare Helen to Hector's wife in the Iliad and Penelope in the Odyssey. But it is interesting that Helen is not quite the seductress of a Circe or a Calypso even though she has Aphrodite on her side.
Question: Can you email me with a website of where I can get a picture of the new armor that is made for achilles? Book 19. I also would like to know if Both Book 19 in both the iliad and the Odyssey have any thing in common?
Answer:Here is the best I can do: Click here But you should realize that the armor of Achilles cannot really be pictured. If you read the description carefully you will realize that the image depicted on it is not static, but changes with time.
As to the two books Odysseus is in both. And Penelope cries in the one while Briseis cries in the other. You would do well to read both carefully for other comparisons.
Question: If you could please, Explain what is happening in this quote from the first Book of the Iliad (about line 127) : "Now, again, you divine god's will for the armies, bruit it out, as fact, why the deadly Archer multiplies our pains: because I, I refused that glittering price for that young girl Chryseis. Indeed, I prefer her by far, the girl herself, I want her mine in my own house! I rank her higher than Clytemnestra, my wedded wife -----" I know that women were basically passed around like playing cards in a game of Go Fish for war prizes and status perposes, but could you please elaborate on that quote? Thank You
Answer: Since Agamemnon was king he received as prize a very beautiful and talented girl, whose father turned out to be a powerful priest of Apollo. The girl's father offered Agamemnon a fine prize for the return of his daughter, but Agamemnon refused it because he liked the girl better than his own wife. The priest then prayed to Apollo who in turn started killing Agamemnon's warriors with sickness. At least that is what Agamemnon's advisors said. Agamemnon is mad at his advisors and at the priest of Apollo. I suppose the priest has insulted Agamemnon for not thinking he was a suitable husband. The girl may be lucky that Agamemnon was not forced on her, but her father may wish to force someone else on her.
Will you please provide me with quotes from the Iliad and Odyssey pertaining to the portrayal of women in a negative way?
Answer: Helen says to Aphrodite: "Go sit with Paris yourself; henceforth be goddess no longer; never let your feet carry you back to Olympus; worry about him and look after him till he make you his wife, or, for the matter of that, his slave-" (Iliad, Book III)
Telemachus says to his mother Penelope: "Howbeit go to thy chamber and mind thine own housewiferies, the loom and distaff, and bid thy handmaids ply their tasks. But speech shall be for men, for all, but for me in chief; for mine is the lordship in the house." (Odyssey, Book I)
Question: how do you describe a woman hero in the Oddysey?
Answer: Loyal, trustworthy, helpful. Specific women include: Pelelope, Eurycleia, Nausicaa.
Question: Is there anything information about Nausicaa not included in the Odyssey
Answer: All I can find are some artworks that were probably inspired by the Odyssey. Pausanius does refer to a painting on the topic of Nausicaa and Odysseus by Polygnotus.
Question: who died during the odyessey
Answer: The actual time-frame of the Odyssey starts when Odysseus leaves Ogygeia and ends after Odysseus defeats the relatives of the suitors. In that time-frame first the Phacian sailors get turned to stone, then the dog of Odysseus, Argo, dies. Then Odysseus kills the suitors and a traitorious man-servant. He then kills several traitorious maid-servants. Finally he kills several relatives of the suitors who were seeking vengeance.
Question: a picture of odysseus's bed
Answer: The ancient Greeks did not like to make pictures of furniture and I do not find any pictures of Odysseus's bed.
Question: What does Athena symbolize in The Odyssey?
Answer: wisdom
Question: where can i find information on Eileithyia
Answer: In the Theogony Hesiod says: (ll. 921-923): "Lastly, he(Zeus) made Hera his blooming wife: and she was joined in love with the king of gods and men, and brought forth Hebe and Ares and Eileithyia." but she is mentioned nowhere in Homer.
Both Pausanius and Apollodorus mention her quite a bit: Click here
She seems originally to have been a Mycenaean mother goddess who was later identified with Artemis and Hera. Typically she is the goddess of childbirth and sometimes is addressed in the plural.
Question: In which books of the Oddysey does Penelope appear?
Answer: Penelope's name appears 101 times: Book I, II, IV, V, XI, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII, XXIV.
Question: I am looking for negative role on women in the Odyssey
Answers: A lot of the monsters are women: Scylla, Charybdis, Sirens. Circe and Calypso seem quite selfish. Women seem stuck with serving and cleaning.
Question: Is it fair to say that Andromache and Penelope are Homer's ideal wives? in which ways do they differ? Could their roles be reversed? Penelope is shrewd and cunning as her husband is, ANdromache is brave and valiant, as her husband is. Did greeks expect their women to be reflections of them?
Answer: Penelope is the ideal. Odysseus rejects both the goddesses in favor of Penelope. Penelope gave him a life's heroic journey while both goddesses promised only a sort of living death. Hector chose death instead of life with Andromache. Andromache was good, but not that good. As to the reflection idea I like what Lysistrata says: "...; a man gets not joy if he doesn't get along with his wife." (line 165)
Question: where can i get an excerpt from Homer's The Oddessy
Answer: Project Gutenberg
Question: were there any greek godds who were woman
Answer: These are called goddesses and there were literally thousands of them.
Question: What was the purpose of Odysseus stay with Kalypso?
Answer: He learned that his life had a purpose, and that was to return to his wife. If he was distracted from that goal, he would live in oblivion.
Question: How did Leucothea save Odysseus from drowning?
Answer:"But the daughter of Cadmus marked him, Ino of the fair ankles, Leucothea, who in time past was a maiden of mortal speech, but now in the depths of the salt sea she had gotten her share of worship from the gods. She took pity on Odysseus in his wandering and travail, and she rose, like a sea-gull on the wing, from the depth of the mere, and sat upon the well-bound raft and spake saying: 'Hapless one, wherefore was Poseidon, shaker of the earth, so wondrous wroth with thee, seeing that he soweth for thee the seeds of many evils? Yet shall he not make a full end of thee, for all his desire. But do even as I tell thee, and methinks thou art not witless. Cast off these garments, and leave the raft to drift before the winds, but do thou swim with thine hands and strive to win a footing on the coast {*} of the Phaeacians, where it is decreed that thou escape. Here, take this veil imperishable and wind it about thy breast; so is there no fear that thou suffer aught or perish. But when thou hast laid hold of the mainland with thy hands, loose it from off thee and cast it into the wine-dark deep far from the land, and thyself turn away.'"
Question: were there any greek gods who were woman
Answer: Woman gods are called goddesses and the ancient Greeks believed in thousands of goddesses.
Question: Compare and contrast The Odessey and Mythology, Whats different in both and what the same
Answer: The Odyssey is a myth to us but literally the truth to the ancient Greeks. The ancient Greeks were fairly generous about the truth, but they were quite serious about their religion.
Question: how does the greek epic iliad compare with the indian epic mahabharata
Answer: Indian epics and Greek epics may share a common ancestor in the Indo-european language, so this may be a valuable study, but I am not familiar with Indian epics.
Question: How will you group the women in the Odyssey depending on the role they play and how they are potrayed?
Answer: A grouping of women in the Odyssey:
Major Goddesses
Minor Goddesses, Nymphs, etc.
Monsters, Sorceresses, Temptresses
Queens, Princesses
Citizens
Loyal Servants, Slaves
Disloyal servants and slaves.
Question: similarities in anti-fate in Odyssey and Aeneid
Answer: The Aeneid was written by the Roman Virgil.
Question: what is the roll of Athene? how does she effect the personality of oddysseus?
Answer: Athene personifies the wisdom that Odysseus needs to survive.
Question: Why do some mothers become players in Greek mythic narrative while others are little more than a set of names. Is there a common set of circumstances within which mothers might become significant?
Answer: Good women commonly achieve fame through the exploits of their children, usually the male children. These are the names you read. The other women are exceptional. But this is often not good. Exceptional women can be victims, as is the case with Europa and Io. Or they can be powerful as was Medea and Clytemnestra. They can even be devoted as was Antigone and Penelope. But they are often miserable.
Question: WHAT DOES ATHENA REVEAL TO TELEMACHUS ABOUT THE POWER OF THE GODS
Answer: "Therewith grey-eyed Athene departed in the semblance of a sea-eagle; and amazement fell on all that saw it, and the old man he marvelled when his eyes beheld it. And he took the hand of Telemachus and spake and hailed him:
'My friend, methinks that thou wilt in no sort be a coward and a weakling, if indeed in thy youth the gods thus follow with thee to be thy guides. For truly this is none other of those who keep the mansions of Olympus, save only the daughter of Zeus, the driver of the spoil, the maiden Trito-born, she that honoured thy good father too among the Argives...." (Odyssey, Book III)
Question: The role of women in odyssey, please tell me something about Penelope ( i read the Menu directory( but I need some more info, for ex how to compare her with Helen, and Sthena. Thank you so much!!!
Answer: Click on the names Penelope, Athena, and Helen, and read the articles.
Question: how do you think the relationships between mothers and sons are portreyed in The Iliad and The Odyssey?
Answer: They seem to represent the reality of the time.
Question: could you please tell me about the exclusions of the non Greek characters in the Odessey. Thank you
Answer: One of the odd things about the Odyssey is that where ever Odysseus goes in the world he seems to find Greeks.
Question: arete's importance
Answer: Homer treats Arete ambiguously. She could be a queen or she could be a goddess. Odysseus enters her homeland by waking up on a beach and he leaves by waking up on a beach. She could be a part of his dream. But he does have to gain her favor, like she was the one with power.
Question: who wrote the aenid
Answer: The Roman author Virgil wrote The Aenead.
Question: AMPHITRITE
Answer: Amphitrite was a Nereid who became the wife of Poseidon. She was also goddess of the Mediterranean Sea. Amphitrite was a faithful wife in spite of Poseidon's infidelities. Images of Amphitrite:
Question: I read somewhere that odysseus' father was cursed as a punishment for causing chrysippus to commit suicide... is that so? is there any mention of that in the odyssey? any quote about it? thanks!
Answer: Laius was the father of Oedipus. Laertes was the father of Odysseus. It was Laius who kidnapped Chryssippus.
Question: why is athena chosen as odysseus' guide?
Answer: Wisdom is always a good guide.
Question: Why are Odysseus and Penelope a perfect match for each other?
Answer: They are both wise.
Question: what is the relavance of the 3 women in Book 24 of the Iliad mourning the death of Hector?
Answer: Cassandra, his sister; Andromache, his wife; and Helen. Helen said it all: "It is from you that I never heard a spiteful word." Women, in those days required the protection of a noble man, and Hector was one of these men. All women would suffer because of his death. The fact that there are three women may be because the process of mourning required three steps. Many religious ceremonies did because of the magical properties of the number three.
Question: What are some of the values addressed in the Odyssey and are these values still the same in today's society? My main focus is on loytalty.
Answer: Wisdom was stressed in the Odyssey and is still stressed today. Loyalty is part of the Circe episode and its virtue is also stressed today. They are many other values discussed as well. In fact the Odyssey is about values.
Question: The olive tree
Answer: Olive trees are mentioned a number of places in the Odyssey:
Olive sleeps under olive trees: "So he crept beneath twin bushes that grew from one stem, both olive trees, one of them wild olive." Book V.
Where Odysseus lands at Ithica: "Now at the harbour's head is a long-leaved olive tree, and hard by is a pleasant cave and shadowy, sacred to the nymphs, that are called the Naiads." Book XIII.
Then there is the matter of the bed of Odysseus: "for a great token is wrought in the fashioning of the bed, and it was I that made it and none other. There was growing a bush of olive, long of leaf, and most goodly of growth, within the inner court, and the stem as large as a pillar. Round about this I built the chamber, till I had finished it, with stones close set, and I roofed it over well and added thereto compacted doors fitting well. Next I sheared off all the light wood of the long-leaved olive, and rough-hewed the trunk upwards from the root, and smoothed it around with the adze, well and skilfully, and made straight the line thereto and so fashioned it into the bedpost, and I bored it all with the auger. Beginning from this bedpost, I wrought at the bedstead till I had finished it," Book XXIII.
Question: I NEED A TIME LINE OF ODYSSEUS JOURNEY.
Answer: Approximately:
Question: Where can I find information about what Homer's life would have been like in the time and place where he lived - Iona, 700 BC. Thanks!
Answer: There is no information about Homer. That he lived in Ionia is only conjecture because this is where the first flowering of Greek civilization took place after the Greek Dark Ages which lasted from 1050 to 750 BCE. More information is known about Hesiod, who probably was Homer's contemporary. You probably should study Hesiod to learn about life at this time.
Question: how does the role of women in the illiad compare or contrast to the role of women in Lysistrata
Answer: This is a good topic for a research paper.
Question: comparison between the illiad and the odyssey
Answer: This is a good topic for a research paper.
Question: What are some of the examples of the power of women in the Odyssey?
Answer: Penelope serves as a goal for Ulysses through all his travels. Arete is remarkable as Homer discloses: "While Rhexenor had as yet no son, Apollo of the silver bow smote him, a groom new wed, leaving in his halls one only child Arete; and Alcinous took her to wife, and honoured her as no other woman in the world is honoured, of all that now-a-days keep house under the hand of their lords. Thus she hath, and hath ever had, all worship heartily from her dear children and from her lord Alcinous and from all the folk, who look on her as on a goddess, and greet her with reverend speech, when she goes about the town. Yea, for she too hath no lack of understanding. To whomso she shows favour, even if they be men, she ends their feuds." (Odyssey, Book VII) Then there is Circe who turns men into swine.
Question: What is the role of destiny in The Odessey?
Answer: You have to be wise to take advantage of what destiny has provided for you.
Question: In what ways were women depended on in the Odyssey?
Answer: Women had many assigned jobs, but the best example is Penelope's situation. When Odysseus left, Penelope had to manage all his affairs including the care and education of his son. She even had to take care of the delicate situation of the wooers who could unite at any time and do her in. She did very well.
Question: can i get pictures of scylla and charybdis
Answer: For Scylla click on the menu directory below and the click on Scylla. For Charybdis image links follow:
Question: can you vompare toe role of Ancient greek women to the goddesses of greek mythology?
Answer: In ancient Greece most women did woman's work. This included some wives, but some had supervisiory duties over other women. Goddesses are not so domestic. Each have a realm to rule over like a queen with true political power. The realms were not necessarily feminine in nature, nor did they isolate women from men.
Question: what is andromache's role in the iliad
Answer: Andromache is Hector's loyal wife who makes an impassioned speech against war.
Question: Do you feel that Achilles characters personality and strengths change between the Iliad and the Odyssey?
Answer: Achilles is not a character dreamed up by Homer. He is a real person whose life is reported by Homer. In the Iliad he is dynamic and alive. In the Odyssey he is dead, and he does not like being dead.
Question: how successful hae Homer been in presenting these stereotypes has genuine individuals
Answer: In most regards Homer is one of the most successful arthors who ever lived.
Question: what are some quotes that show the role of women in the Oddessy?
Answer:
Question: What does the cleverness of man verses the treachery of women have to do with the odysesey
Answer:
Question: Of all the monsters odysseyes faces in books 9-12, which is most dangerus and why?
Answer: Circe who says: "Nay come, put thy sword into the sheath, and thereafter let us go up into my bed, that meeting in love and sleep we may trust each the other." If he gives into her he loses not his body but his soul. All the other monsters threaten just his body.
Question: where can i find information about Homer's life? like Occupation / thoughts/ ideas/ major works
Answer: No one knows anything about Homer's life. His name is just attached as the author of two works. It is even possible that the Iliad and the Odyssey are by two separate artists, since they are so different. Ancient authors refer to him as a blind poet, but even this fact cannot be proved.
Question: Do you have a picture of Cyclops?
Answer: nude giant Polyphemos
Question: mules
Answer: Mules are mentioned 17 times in the Odyssey and 33 times in the Iliad.
Question: did artemis ever die during the trojan war
Answer: Artemis is an immortal goddess and will never die.
Question: What do the greeks value in the Odyssey?
Answer: The Ancient Greeks thought the Odyssey was a literary masterpiece and a moral guide to wisdom and religion.
Question: What was the significane of Penelope's loom? What was she creating?
Answer: Weaving was an appropriate activity even for a queen. Penelope wove because she liked it and it was appropriate. She wove cloth that was appropriate for many purposes: clothes, shrouds, curtains, towels, blankets, rugs, etc.
Question: what do you think of the idea that odysseus' adventure in The Odyssey was not to return home, but to do so with a "softer" attitude toward his wife?
Answer: Penelope was the goal of Odysseus and it was a goal that grew on him. Absence made his heart grow fonder. Homer seemed to think that a wife should be a man's goal. This is a softer side toward a wife.
Question: who is the cyclops mother
Answer: Gaea
Answer: This quote will help you realize that you are on the wrong track: "Nought feebler doth the earth nurture than man, of all the creatures that breathe and move upon the face of the earth. Lo, he thinks that he shall never suffer evil in time to come, while the gods give him happiness, and his limbs move lightly. But when again the blessed gods have wrought for him sorrow, even so he bears it, as he must, with a steadfast heart. For the spirit of men upon the earth is even as their day, that comes upon them from the father of gods and men. Yea, and I too once was like to have been prosperous among men, but many an infatuate deed I did, giving place to mine own hardihood and strength, and trusting to my father and my brethren. Wherefore let no man for ever be lawless any more, but keep quietly the gifts of the gods, whatsoever they may give." Iliad, Book XVIII
Question: information on charybdis
Answer: Charybdis was a goddess in the form of a whirlpool that could swallow whole ships. A whirlpool is caused by a cavern at the tidal level that belches water as the tide goes out and sucks in water when the tide comes in. When it sucks in the water the water whirls in a circular motion before it goes down into the cavern.
Question: pictures of trojan war scenes
Question: a picture of a ship in the story
Answer: Ship Fresco (or Miniature Fresco) from Room 5 of the West House at Akrotiri Click here
Question: who was the god of the sea
Answer: Poseidon
Question: A picture of the wind god
Answer: Aeolus is the wind god in the Odyssey but here is a picture of Boreas, another wind god: Click Here
Question: where can i get a free translation of Odssey?
Answer: Click Here
Question: What do the roles of Athene, Penelope, and Calypso in the Odyssey show abotu Homeric tradition/culture? Are they portrayed similarly/differently? How do these characters relate to the male characters?
Answer: This is the topic of a lengthy essay that could be constructed from the articles about Athene, Penelope, and Calypso that can be found in the menu directory that you click on below.
Question: How does Odysseus's encounter with Circe demonstrate his heroism?
Answer: It was brave oh him to try to rescue his men after the report of their capture.
Question: what do gods and goddesses eat and drink
Answer: Hesiod,THE THEOGONY (ll. 617-643) "But when he had provided those three with all things fitting, nectar and ambrosia which the gods themselves eat, and when their proud spirit revived within them all after they had fed on nectar and delicious ambrosia, then it was that the father of men and gods spoke amongst them:"`
Question: What are two postive and two negative aspects about Penolope
Answer: She was a good wife and a good mother, but she was a woman who cried a lot.
Question: summary of homer's oddysey
Answer: Click here
Question: olive tree
Answer: Olive trees were important in ancient Greece and are mentioned numerous times in the work of Homer. Olive wood was used as weapon handles. Olive oil was used as a food and a body oil. In the Iliad Homer states: "As one who has grown a fine young olive tree in a clear space where there is abundance of water- the plant is full of promise, and though the winds beat upon it from every quarter it puts forth its white blossoms till the blasts of some fierce hurricane sweep down upon it and level it with the ground-...". Calypso gave Odysseus a bronze double-edged axe with a handle of olive wood. Olive trees sheltered Odysseus after he came from swimming in the sea. Olive trees were common in the gardens of the time. The great club of the Cyclops was of green olive wood
