The Odyssey - Summary of all Books continued

Book 12
1. After leaving the kingdom of the dead, he tells the Phaecians how he passed the isle of the Sirens with their beautiful song, which attracts all who hear it.
2. Odysseus told his men to plug wax into their ears and made them tie him to the mast so that he could hear the song himself, telling them to row away whatever he says or does
3. They escaped this peril and past between Syclla and Charibydis
4. They stayed clear of Charybdis and her whirlpool, and rowed past Scylla's cave
5. Scylla is a monster with 6 heads at the end of 6 long necks and she caught up 6 men but the rest escaped
6. They reached the Island of the Sun God and Odysseus' crew offended the sun god by killing his cattle
7. When they sailed away, as a punishment, Zeus struck the ship with a thunderbolt and all were drowned except Odysseus.
8. That brought him to Calypso and then to Phaecia where he is now.
Book 13
1. The Phaecians convey Odysseus to Ithaca (Poseidon turns the returning vessel into stone because he feels like he has been betrayed by his own people)
2. Athene meets Odysseus in on the shores of Ithaca and tells him what has been going on.
3. She disguises him as a beggar so as to infiltrate Ithaca without arousing suspicion and tells him to first visit his old, but loyal swineherd, Eumaeus.
Book 14
1. Odysseus does what Athene asks and then there is a description of this faithful old man and their talk together (he shows extremely good xenia and loyalty to his master)
2. Then they go to sleep and Homer takes the opportunity to carry us to Sparta with Telemachus
Book 16
1. Telemachus makes his way to the swineherd's hut, and there father and son meet. Telemachus describes the goings-on of the suitors who are courting his mother.
2. Odysseus reveals his true identity to his son and Telemachus is complete shock and awe at his father.
3. The suitor's learn that Telemachus has returned from his journey meaning their plan to kill him has failed.
Book 19
1. In the evening Odysseus tells his son to remove all the armour and the arms from the hall.
2. Odysseus, now disguised as a beggar again is questioned by Penelope. He tells her of his past, some of it true and other parts a cleverly invented lying tale - he cannot reveal himself to her yet.
3. Penelope then tells Eurycleia to wash his feet. The nurse feels a scar on his leg and recognises it as an old wound of Odysseus. She recognises him for she nursed him as a baby and knew him well.
4. He warns her to say nothing and his wife does not notice. Penelope then asks Odysseus to interpret a dream and tells him of plan she had to put an end to the suitors power of this house. She would set them a shooting match with her husband's great bow
Book 21
1. Penelope brings down her husband's great bow and the quiver full of arrows, and Telemachus sets up a row of 12 axes in the floor, each with an opening in the blade.
2. Penelope tells them that if they can shoot an arrow through the 12 axes then she will marry them
3. Telemachus tries first, almost strings the bow but with a nod from his father, he lets the other suitors try
4. While the others are trying to sting the bow, Odysseus goes outside and reveals himself to the drover and swineherd, who promise to stand by him.
  1. They return to the hall and find that no-one could string the bow. Odysseus asks if he may try (still in the form of a beggar) and with the greatest of ease he strings the bow, and shoots the first arrow through all twelve axes
Book 22
1. Odysseus' true identity is now revealed to everyone
2. He grabs another arrow and shoots Antinous, the leader of the suitors
3. Odysseus shoots them one by one while Telemachus goes to fetch armour from the storeroom for him, his father and the other two men.
4. A terrible fight follows and all of the suitors are slain.
Book 23
1. The old nurse is sent for Penelope and tells her that her husband has returned and all the suitors are dead.
2. Penelope is in shock and cannot believe that this is her husband. Even when she sees him she tests him by mentioning their bed, which Odysseus made.
3. She tells the maids to lay him a bed on his old bed-stead outside the door of the chief room. He says "Who has moved my-bed! That could hardly be done, for the bedpost was a tree rooted in the ground!" Then his wife is convinced that it is him and falls into his arms.

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The Odyssey - Summary of all Books continued

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