Set the stage with Athena being a poser again. Is it really so hard for her to be herself? Does she have bad self-esteem? Why can't she show her goddess-ness? It seems to me that that would be a good omen, and she would be able to help Odysseus more efficiently. I suppose the familiarity of her pretend people makes sense, though.
6.70: Lusty bachelors. Yikes.
6.140-142: Odysseus is naked. When I read that, I had to go back and find out when he took off all his clothes (when he was swimming), because I was really confused. It was also really gross because he slept in leaves, and there are always slugs in leaves. Can you imagine sleeping in slugs when you're naked? Gross. Anyway, the interesting bit was that he was embarrassed to be naked, like so many Adams, or really just the one. I thought Greeks were more okay with naked bodies, though. I wonder if I think that because of all those naked Greek statues. Were they okay with it? Although it makes sense that someone wouldn't want their first impression to be a scary, leaf-and-slug-covered naked stranger.
Nausicaa is really nice. She seems like she isn't a wench, and she's bold but rather humble and very kind. She may be my favorite character up to this point.
Oh, my beginning question has been slightly explained, although it's still a little strange. Athena probably dresses upout of fear from Poseidon, because he's part of the Triple Entente or something (6.361-365).
I think you win at analogies for comparing Poseidon to the Triple Entente.
ReplyDeleteAthena disguises herself for a couple reasons: a) she doesn't want to freak people out by being all goddess-form. They might cause riots, and her presence as goddess-form might change events more than the simple message she wanted to bring. b) it's more fun this way. She's not trying to fix everything all at once. The gods aren't about helping people... they're about having fun and messing with people. c) Did... did Homer actually ever SEE Athena? nvm that he was blind. the greek gods don't exist, so he can't report their existence in any godlike way other than "looked kinda like an eagle this time. OP must have been athena again. HAVE SOME DIGNITY."
haha. thank you.
ReplyDeletei mean, i kind of get it. it was also 'cause she was scared of poseidon--the book kind of says that. but a) i guess so. i just think things might go over better if people knew it was from the gods, not just that old guy over there. b) oh. that explains quite a bit. i forgot that part. c) OH MY GOSH you're right. gross. false gods = posers.
c)
ReplyDeleteThis story has a lot of basis in actual historical fact. There was a Trojan war, before which Troy actually existed. There were maybe even people named Agamemnon and Odysseus and Nestor. But there weren't things like Athena or Zeus or Calypso (well, there might have been a calypso, but she wasn't a goddess). So the poets made up some stuff about the gods, because it makes sense when you're telling a story.
obviously, people would remember if Athena showed up all glorious and articulate and stuff, so that's why the poets made the gods use things like eagles. right? what would you do to cover up a totally fake god who didn't exist?
in other news though, each one of those fake gods more or less stood for something. Athena was the goddess of wisdom. So if she shows up and inspires someone, that person is inspired with some kind of wisdom or cleverness. If someone acted cleverly, Athena was involved.
ReplyDeleteOr if some host treated a strange guest well, Zeus was involved. Or if they made something sweet, Hephaistos was there. If they... were a cranky but empowered wife: Hera! Stuff like that. Those gods don't actually do anything directly in human life/affairs, but they do inspire people to do things.