THE ODYSSEY
The Odyssey was full of wonder, power, and surprises. It is packed with epic heroes,
creatures, gods, and goddesses. The gods, goddesses, and creatures had supernatural
powers that effected the lives of Odysseus, his crew, and his family. Their actions
proved to be powerful, benificial, and deadly.
The gods, godesses, and creatures in The Odyssey on many occations proved to be
powerful. Zeus, leader of the gods, was a prime example of this. When, "Zeus the lord of
cloud roused in the north/ a storm against the ships, and driving veils/ of
squall"(p.444, 66-68) , many of Odysseus men died. Another account when Zeus was very
powerful was, "Zeus Cronion piled a thunderhead above the ship....then the squall struck
whining from the west, with gale force, breaking both forestays"(p.465, 678-682)
destroying the ship. When Odysseus tells the Cyclops "Poseidon Lord, who sets the earth
a-tremble,/ broke it up on the rocks.....a wind from seaward"(p.450, 254-256) it shows
how Poseidon was very powerful. Also how Aeolus gives Odysseus a bag of winds that his
men unleash that throw them off course.
Although the gods and goddesses were powerful they were also benificial. Zeus was
beneficial in the way that he helped Odysseus, "Then Zeus thundered/ overhead, one loud
crack for a sign."(p.478, 1032-1033), this sign told Odysseus to start attacking the
suitors. The way Circe helps Odysseus in warning him of dangers to come, "Circe forsaw
for us and shared with me,/ so let me tell her forcast: then we die/ with out eyes
open."(p.459, 528-530) She warned of the Sirens, Charybdis, Scylla, and the island of
the sun god. Also Athene help Odysseus fight the suitors and win. She also disguises
Odysseus to hide him from the suitors and Penelope.
In The Odyssey the gods, goddesses, and creatures proved to be deadly. The six-headed
monster, Scylla, killed six of Odysseus' men, "whisking six of my best men from the
ship.....She ate them as they shrieked there."(p.464, 652-662) Not far from Scylla was a
deadly whirlpool called Charybdis, "dire gorge of the salt-sea tide.....all the sea was
like a caldron/ seething over intense fire......when she swallowed the sea water down/ we
saw the funnel of the maelstrom."(p.464, 639-645) Also when Zeus was throwing
thunderbolts at the ship killing all his men "Zeus let fly/ a bolt against the
ship....and all the men were flung into the sea."(p.465, 688-691) Also the Sirens, sea
nymphs, lured men to their death on the rocks with sweat songs.
In The Odyssey the gods, goddesses, and monstrs influenced the lives of Odysseus, his
men, and his family with their supernatural powers. They showed to be fierce, helpful,
and lethal. These episodes in The Odyssey came together to make one of the greatest
epics of all time.
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