Book Five
Read the story of Aurora and Tithonos (289-90). Notice that Book 5 opens with a colloquy between Zeus and Athena, as Book 1 did. What do you make of Zeus's response to Athena's complaint? Is what he says true? It is he who sends Hermes (messenger of the gods) to get the action going (you've seen him in the FTD florist's ads, with a wand and wings on his hat and heels--hence the expression). Notice the lack of suspense in this epic: we know from the beginning that Odysseus will get home safely. Look up "ambrosial."
Notice the "smoke of thyme" at Kalypso's hearthstone. Thyme is a woody little plant, and if you have enough of it I imagine it make an awfully fragrant fire. Kalypso weaves, just as Penelope does. Weaving is a very important image in the poem. Notice Homer's love of detail: owls, falcons, grapes, violets, parsley--delightful. Now feel the contrast with the figure of Odysseus.
You always offer hospitality to a guest before you quiz him. (Remember the wonderful graciousness of Telemakhos [to "Mentes"], Nestor, and Menelaos?) Is that what Kalypso does? What is his response? Do you get the feeling that these two aren't great friends?
The Greek culture is very unlike ours in that great men are free to weep. Longing for home, grieving for the loss of a companion or parent--heroes often cry hot tears. It is a sign of their nobility and honor. Notice how quickly Odysseus becomes suspicious of Kalypso's offer of help (he's a crafty one). Notice, too, that any hero worth his salt ought to be able to build a seaworthy vessel with his own hands and few tools. Crafty, too, in the way he turns aside her questions about Penelope ("my quiet Penelope").
Homer--ready for this?--lived in the Bronze Age. No iron. All the weapons and tools are made of bronze. If you don't have an amphora handy, you can transport wine in an animal skin, sealed with pitch. Skin makes a good bag, too. Odysseus is a master mariner, as he is a master of nearly everything ("skilled in all ways of contending").
Heroism (bravery) doesn't mean never being afraid; it means being mightily afraid and still keeping your wits about you and sticking it out. Watch for the phrase "clear-headed." Oh, Odysseus, always suspicious (that's one good reason why he's such a superb survivor). On page 92: like a father to children, so the land to Odysseus; land and water; Odysseus (and Athena) and Poseidon: watch the pattern. How does "grey-eyed Athena" instruct him in the middle of p. 93? (She's nowhere around.) Odysseus addresses the stream (the river god) as a guest and suppliant (look it up) addresses a host. Peace after turmoil. Exhaustion beyond exhaustion gives way to hope. Look at the peaceful, domestic simile (look it up) the book closes with.
Book Six
Phaiakia is modern day Corfu. On your map, it is the island of Corcyra, up the coast from Ithaca. Thesprotia is the mainland opposite Phaiakia.
Nausikaa is one of Homer's most wonderful creations. Young (how old, do you think?), beautiful, obedient, smart, clever, yet simple--she saves Odysseus's life. Enjoy the descriptions of simple events: the activities of these households, the means of transportation, the picnic fare, the outing. Who is Artemis?
Odysseus must have been a sight! but Nausikaa waits. She is a king's daughter, no peasant girl. One measure of a hero is his way with words, his eloquence. How can he convince Nausikaa that he is no outlaw or scoundrel? Listen to him!
She knows the rules of hospitality--and how to guard her reputation. Look up the word "uncouth." What is the specialty of the Phaia'kians? Notice the role of Nausikaa's mother in this episode.
Book Seven
Enjoy the joke of Athena hiding her presence from Odysseus, yet helping him by appearing as a little girl in pigtails who calls him "grandpa." In the process she manages to tell him all he will need to know to succeed. [N.B.: Do not confuse Alkinoos with Antinoos.] How does Alkinoos's palace differ from Menelaos's? (Phaiakia is in many ways the most perfect place in the poem. Why? It is probably not accidental that the queen's name is Arete.) Notice the great respect for the old people in the poem: Nestor, Ekheneos, and at the end of the poem, Laertes, Odysseus's father. They are the wisest of men.
You never know when a guest might be a god in disguise. Always beware. It is very dangerous to deal with the gods. Notice "the great tactician's" very careful answer to Arete's question. Balance, reason, nothing in excess--this is Alkinoos's land.
Book Eight
A kind of interlude from all the tensions of the previous three books, relax and enjoy it. Watch the singer of tales closely. Homer loves him (he is Homer). Singers deserve honor. What is Odysseus's favorite weapon? Modest, Odysseus is good at everything, of course.
The dance, always a symbol for order, has fixed steps, is communal, and always ends harmoniously. Often a symbol for the universe itself, which runs according to a plan, the dance is here a perfect metaphor for the culture of the Phaiakians--balanced and therefore peaceful.
Enjoy, too, the wonderful story of Ares and Aphrodite. What is the response of the other gods to Aphrodite's predicament? See how old the story of the tortoise and the hare is?
Why do the Phaiakians give Odysseus such rich gifts before they even know who he is? Look at the wonderful way the book ends on the concerned questions of Alkinoos, which are so wide of the mark.