2nd+Zeus'+Eagles+Bk+12

**Important People** : Odysseus, Scylla, Charybdis, Circe, Helios, Elpenor, Zeus, The Sirens, Eurylochus This is a picture of Odysseus, for more information on
 * //Odyssey of Homer Book XII (Book 12)//**

him, click on the picture.

Key Location -The island of Aeaea (home of Circe), The island of the sun god

Summery of the Book : In this book, Odysseus is continuing his story of his enduring odyssey back home to Ithica. At the beginning of this book, Odysseus and his crew return to Circe's island to give funeral rights for their comrade Elpenor. While there, Odysseus recieved instructions fom Circe on the best way to return home. She informs him that he will have to make his way past the Sirens and then decide upon the better course to take. Odysseus can either choose a route that only one ship has passed through and remained intact, or he can choose a better but still daunting task of taking on Charybdis and Scylla. Odysseus chooses to pass through the straight between Scylla and Charybdis even though he knows this brings a grim prospect of losing some of his men. Odysseus ends up losing only six men to Scylla, but otherwise okay. Because his men plead him to allow it, Odysseus and the crew anchor their ship on the island of the sun god to rest for the night. Due to bad weather, the men were not able to take their ship back out to sea, and they were forced to eat all of their provisions. Even though Odysseus told them not to, the crewmen could not appease their hunger and eventually ended up killing some cattle that was owned by the sun god. In search of retribution, Helios went to Zeus. Zeus agreed with Helios, and sent a lightening bolt at Odysseus' ship while they were back at sea. This destroyed the ship, and killed everyone except Odysseus because he didnt eat the cattle of the sun god. Odysseus survived by hanging on to a part of the ship. He went on to survive another encounter with Charybdis and then washed up on Ogygia.

Vocabulary from Book 12 Azure-of or having a light, purplish shade of blue, like that of a clear and unclouded sky. Stores-a supply or stock of something, esp. one for future use. Portents-an indication or omen of something about to happen, esp. something momentous

Major Themes in Book 12 :
 * 1) Hospitality-Circe took Odysseus and his men back to her home and gave them provisions for the next leg of their trip. Hospitality apperas many times throughtout the Odyssey and is very
 * 2) Sacrifices- The men claimed that they would make sacrifices to the gods as soon as they reached Ithaca as long as they ate from the flocks of Helios' cattle to survive.
 * 3) Justice of the Gods-The gods saved Odysseus from the same fates as his shipmates because he did not eat from the flocks of Helios' cattle.
 * 4) Importance of Prophecy- Both Circe's and Tiresias' phrophecies came true that the crew would die and that they wouldn't make it home.

Greek Funeral Rituals: Ancient Greeks took every step in life as an important event, one major one being death. Once one died, there was said to be a burst of wind, one's spirit, that came out of the body. This spirit would go to roam the earth, almost as a second life. As when Elpenor dies, his spirit comes out. Then, the relatives of the deceased were to prepare for the funeral ceremony. They were to do a three part procss; prothesis (laying of the body), ekphora (funeral procession), and the burial. During the ekphora, people came to mourn the deceased. The body was anointed with oil, dressed, and set in a bed on top of a table with many flowers surrounding it. At dawn the next morning, the body would be brought to the cemetary to be laid to rest. Usually the body would be placed in a tomb, mound, or small building to remember them. As seen to the right, there was a mound used to remember the one who lies there. Statues and other monumental features would be set on top of where the body lay. Lastly, it has been said that mourners would come to the grave regularly to honor the deceased and pay their respects. Ancient Greeks took the burial ceremony as a major event in one's life.

Ancient Greek Vessels: The voyages across the Mediterranean were alone very dangerous, especially given the type of ship that was used to complete these journeys. At the beginning of the Greek times, they used papyrus ships to travel. As time evolved, the means for transportation got more and more elaborate. We arrive at the time that Odyseuss is using his vessel to cross waters. These ships were made of a timber base with a strong stern and bow post to support the hull. Thwarts held the side of the ship, also they created a seat for the oarsmen. The 90-100 foot ship was powered by a combination of men and sails to make the journey across the sea. One of the more common types of ships for that time was the Homeric Ship, which was described.