Journal Book 11 : Elpenor
Compare and Contrast : In The Odyssey, by Homer, many of Odysseus’ men die during the journey. They die from monsters and gods. One of the men that dies is Elpenor at Circe’s house. When Odysseus reached the underworld, souls of people come and talk to him, in which included Elpenor. He says “After I went to sleep on Circe 's house, I did not notice how to go down again by the long ladder, but fell headlong from the roof; my neck was broken in its socket, and my soul same down to the house of Hades” (Homer 132). This man says that he did not know how to climb down the ladder and fell of the roof. This is mainly because they were having a celebration, and he was drunk. In the Theoi website, this story is slightly different, …show more content…
During Elpenor’s talk with Odysseus, he tells him that Odysseus has to go back to Aeaea and bury his body, because they did not (Homer 133). This would cause Odysseus to stay with Circe with one more night, and then Circe would tell Odysseus what he has to do next. Homer included Elpenor as a gateway bridge for that to happen. Another reason that I think Elpenor was brought up again was to end the confusion on what actually happened to him. It was never stated in the book what happened to Elpenor after he died. I think that Homer wanted to end his contribution to the book there.
Connection: “Souls on the Banks of the Acheron” by Adolf Hirémy-Hirschl
I believe that this picture somewhat resembles Odysseus went he is speaking to the souls of the underworld. The person standing in the cloak parallels Odysseus in this chapter. The souls that are reaching for the man are the souls that Odysseus meets. In The Odyssey, one common feature of all the conversations that Odysseus had with the souls were that they asked for something. Here, the souls are pleading to the man, as if they want something from …show more content…
Circe tells Odysseus and his men to be aware of these sea creatures. After Odysseus and Circe talk, he tells his men, “She warns us first against the marvelous Sirens, and bids us flee their voice and flowery meadow. Only myself she bade us flee their song; but bind me with galling cords...” (Homer 150). It should be noted that Odysseus does not say that he should also not hear the voices, like his men, but he wants to be the first person to hear there voice, and come back alive. He feels that the Sirens are really amusing because of the powers they possess and the importance that others put on them. That really shows the importance of what people thought of the Sirens. In the Theoi website, it says, “An oracle had said that the Seirenes would die if a ship ever made it past them; and indeed they died” (Theoi). This was never stated in The Odyssey, and if that was true, then the Sirens would have died after Odysseus escapes from their singing, which was also never stated (Homer 151). It is also relevant that the spelling of Sirens was different in Theoi then the
Compare and Contrast : In The Odyssey, by Homer, many of Odysseus’ men die during the journey. They die from monsters and gods. One of the men that dies is Elpenor at Circe’s house. When Odysseus reached the underworld, souls of people come and talk to him, in which included Elpenor. He says “After I went to sleep on Circe 's house, I did not notice how to go down again by the long ladder, but fell headlong from the roof; my neck was broken in its socket, and my soul same down to the house of Hades” (Homer 132). This man says that he did not know how to climb down the ladder and fell of the roof. This is mainly because they were having a celebration, and he was drunk. In the Theoi website, this story is slightly different, …show more content…
During Elpenor’s talk with Odysseus, he tells him that Odysseus has to go back to Aeaea and bury his body, because they did not (Homer 133). This would cause Odysseus to stay with Circe with one more night, and then Circe would tell Odysseus what he has to do next. Homer included Elpenor as a gateway bridge for that to happen. Another reason that I think Elpenor was brought up again was to end the confusion on what actually happened to him. It was never stated in the book what happened to Elpenor after he died. I think that Homer wanted to end his contribution to the book there.
Connection: “Souls on the Banks of the Acheron” by Adolf Hirémy-Hirschl
I believe that this picture somewhat resembles Odysseus went he is speaking to the souls of the underworld. The person standing in the cloak parallels Odysseus in this chapter. The souls that are reaching for the man are the souls that Odysseus meets. In The Odyssey, one common feature of all the conversations that Odysseus had with the souls were that they asked for something. Here, the souls are pleading to the man, as if they want something from …show more content…
Circe tells Odysseus and his men to be aware of these sea creatures. After Odysseus and Circe talk, he tells his men, “She warns us first against the marvelous Sirens, and bids us flee their voice and flowery meadow. Only myself she bade us flee their song; but bind me with galling cords...” (Homer 150). It should be noted that Odysseus does not say that he should also not hear the voices, like his men, but he wants to be the first person to hear there voice, and come back alive. He feels that the Sirens are really amusing because of the powers they possess and the importance that others put on them. That really shows the importance of what people thought of the Sirens. In the Theoi website, it says, “An oracle had said that the Seirenes would die if a ship ever made it past them; and indeed they died” (Theoi). This was never stated in The Odyssey, and if that was true, then the Sirens would have died after Odysseus escapes from their singing, which was also never stated (Homer 151). It is also relevant that the spelling of Sirens was different in Theoi then the