In 5.121, Homer writes that [Odysseus and his crew] outraged Athena. I thought she liked them, but this is her fault entirely? I just thought of that Mood Rings song by Relient K.
In 5.151, Calypso mentions how she offered to make Odysseus ageless and immortal. In the introduction, it mentioned this part, the offer of being ageless. Bernard Knox said how cool that was, because one time, this goddess made her lover immortal, but NOT ageless, and he ended up get older and older and all crippled and decrepit in her bed. That's pretty gross. It's a good thing Calypso is thinking this stuff through.
Odysseus really hard problems are described in 5.170-171: "In the nights, true, he'd sleep with her in the arching cave--he had no choice..." But here's what I'm wondering: does that mean that she raped him every night or something? how else would you not have a choice? I'm sure there was some kind of choice involved. Is it just because she's a goddess? Either way, I think it's wrong, no matter what the Greek mode of thinking was.
5.176-199: Odysseus' distrust in these lines kind of make sense, then, if Calypso was keeping him on as a ravaged victim all this time (he had no choice). This is the only bit that makes sense, but it seems as though his character is slightly inconsistent. One minute he knows when the game is afoot, and other times he has no idea what's going on. I think we need a little character development or something. Where is his tragic flaw?
OF COURSE, she's not really being that nice. "Hardly right, is it, for mortal woman to rival immortal goddess?" Calypso asks Odysseus (5.234-235). What a wench. The distressing part is that we don't know if Odysseus is telling the truth when he responds that Penelope is uglier than the goddess. At least he says he loves her, basically, but Calypso wouldn't understand that. In asking him about the beauty of the two women, it shows she doesn't get real love, which is more of a real God thing anyway. To the Greeks, it's more of a lust deal. In 2.251, "long in each other's arms they lost themselves in love," I'm sure the Greek poem uses 'eros' for love. Not agape or phileo or storge or anything. LAME. Also, can they please refrain? The sun sets, and they have to do it? SERIOUSLY. You have a WIFE. Have some dignity. This is a baby orchestra.
Wait, what's Poseidon's deal again? I don't remember Odysseus doing anything to enrage him.
5.344: "A hero's funeral, then, my glory spread by comrades," means that to them, death can be good or bad. It's a good thing I have K. Wiet to remind me that death is unnatural, but we go to heaven. Those poor Greeks.
Update: Odysseus falls into the sea and it's pretty depressing. 5.470-471 say they he would have died if Pallas Athena would not have inspired him. Whenever something good happens, he's inspired by a god or goddess. This reminds me of Sean's Baptist friend John, who said that if a vase falls on your head, it was the devil. Devil = gravity. Bummer.
By the way, I named my computer Calypso. I might change it, but I don't know yet.
STEL'S TRAGIC FLAW! ...I haven't heard of that since high school. good times.
ReplyDeleteAhh! Lookit that. Odysseus is allowed to sleep around in their morality. It's cool. Don't worry. Their idea of "good" and "rules" were a bit different in this story, right? Yes.
And we, as christians, know that God outlawed that bull. Why? Cos He said so. His laws are universal, and apply everywhere at anytime. Which is why hearing stories of Odysseus running around being Calypso's sex kitten is... disturbing. It should be. It would have even been disturbing Homer's hearers, actually.
So... here's a couple thoughts:
a) Odysseus could sleep with Calypso, and be cool with it, but he didn't want to stay. Why? He wasn't HOME (name/heritage/home). He isn't a god, and couldn't be at home with Calypso, cos he wasn't a god. He wanted Penelope, because she was human, and HIS WIFE. Yes, she's not as hot as immortal Calypso, but that's okay... that's kindof the point.
b) in the ancient world they thought that bloodlines were important, right? And bloodlines were carried by the males, because they were the ones who did the...uhh... yeah. They did it. It was okay to be a dude and very prolific, because it was a sign of your virility and power (kleos). Being a girl and promiscuous was bad because you would dilute the aristocratic bloodline by sleeping around with guys with less kleos than your actual husband. It was all about preserving those bloodlines so your family would have the most kleos ever... which more or less meant being safe, too. If your family is the most able, the most powerful, the most excellent (arete), then you can be the richest and least killed by reavers. that's important.
now, OBVIOUSLY they're wrong on many accounts. sleeping around is bad for everyone, not just for women. but this at least explains why they thought this way. They didn't have access to God's Word, did they?.... DID THEY?
II) poseidon. I don't remember. The greeks pissed him off somehow, and he's pissed for a WHILE. which is a big deal cos
adultery. is gross. all the time. but i'm confused. if it's allowed in their morality rules, why would homer's hearers have been disturbed?
ReplyDeletei was wondering... if they allowed that sort of thing, would it still hurt other people the same way? if you were used to your husband sleeping around, when he came home and you found out, would you still feel like killing yourself or him or whatever?
a) yeah. home and love. i got it.
b) okay, well, what if she slept around and did it with someone who was 25x better than your husband? wouldn't that be good?
WELL, THEY SHOULD HAVE.
II) ...cos why?
just kidding. i know why. because of the book, that's why.
ReplyDeleteb) actually, yeah, it would be mostly okay. because they'd be improving the bloodlines and making your whole family better.
ReplyDeleteBUT IT'S STILL GROSS.
II) it's answered later on, i think. I forgot to finish that thought.
ReplyDelete