7th+Athena's+Accolytes+Bk+15

An eagle swoops down, in an omen, to grab a goose and fly away with it, predicting that Odysseus will return home safely.

Telemachus Athena Pisistratus Menelaus Eurymachus Helen Theoklymenos Odysseus Eumaius Laertes



**__Part I: Athena's Prophecy__** · Telemachus and Nestor are staying at Sparta in Menelaus' home. · Nestor is sleeping while Telemachus is paranoid with the thought of his father and cannot sleep. · Athena comes to Telemachus to warn to go home to Ithaca to protect his mother from marrying off to one of the suitors. · Eurymachus is a prime contender for Penelope to marry as he gives the most gifts to her out of all of the suitors. · Athena also tells Telemachus to choose one trusted handmaid to look after his possessions when he gets home until he finds a wife. · She also tells Telemachus of the suitors who are camping out in ambush on the straights separating Samos and Ithaca. As such, she tells him to travel all through night and day without rest (when at sea). · She then tells him to stay hidden when he reaches Ithaca with the swineherd but to let Penelope know of his return. · At dawn, Telemachus asks Menelaus to send him back to Ithaca. · Reluctant at first, Menelaus is ready to send Telemachus home when he learns that Telemachus needs to go to protect his assets. · Menelaus then sends for his servants to give Telemachus a silver mixing bowl and a two- eared cup. Helen then gives Telemachus her finest robe for Telemachus' bride to wear on their wedding day. · They then have a feast from Menelaus' rich stores in preparation for the journey and Telemachus thanks Menelaus for the hospitality. · An eagle holding a white goose then flies near Telemachus and Helen then interprets this as Odysseus' return to Ithaca. · Telemachus and Nestor then leave and stay a night at Diocles. · At dawn, they leave Diocles and reach the port. · As Telemachus is offering sacrifice to the gods, Theoclymenus the seer comes to him. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Theoclymenus was running from his Argos for he had committed murder and he wished to join in Telemachus’ journey to Ithaca. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Telemachus agrees and Athena blesses them with a westward wind as they sail off.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">__ Part II: Telemachus’ journey __ **

· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Odysseus is with Eumaeus, the swineherd, at Ithaca. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Eumaeus tells Ody what has been happening in Ithaca such as telling that Telemachus is off looking for Ody and he tells of the suitors’ position within Ithaca. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Ody then learns that his father, Laertes, is still alive yet depressed over the loss of his wife. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Eumaeus then tells Ody the sad story of how he came to Ithaca.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">__ Part III: Odysseus at Ithaca __ **

· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">At dawn, Telemachus arrives at Ithaca. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Telemachus and his crew make a meal to appease their hunger. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">As Telemachus and Theoclymenus are deciding where Theo should stay, a hawk holding a dove flew past them and plucked the feathers off of the bird. Theo interpreted this as a sign to stay at Telemachus’ house. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Peiraeus then agrees to take Theo into his own home for however long it was needed. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">They then rowed to town and went to Eumaeus
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">__ Part IV: Telemachus at Ithaca __ **



· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Prophecy is important as Athena starts this book by telling Telemachus that he should go home to protect his assets and his mother. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">It warns Telemachus of the suitors’ ambush and of Eurymachus’ desire to take Penelope. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Telemachus is also eventually told that Odysseus is already at the town and getting ready to take back Penelope from the suitors. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">At Sparta, Telemachus is given a place to sleep and when he leaves, he is given a silver mixing bowl, a two-eared cup, and an ornate robe for his future wife on their wedding day. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">These gifts are so that Telemachus does not forget Menelaus. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Odysseus is taking refuge at Eumaeus’ home while he plans his retake of power in the town from the suitors. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">When they get home, Theoclymenus expects hospitality from Telemachus in his house but Peiraeus ends up taking him in. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">When Telemachus is about to go to sea, he makes sacrifices to the gods for a safe voyage. · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">When the daughter of Arybas stole from her former home, Zeus brought on day and the archer Artemis struck her down.
 * __Importance of prophecy:__**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">__Hospitality:__ **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">__Sacrifice to the gods:__ **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">__Justice of the gods:__ **




 * Tenacious**-holding fast; characterized by keeping a firm hold
 * Conjure**-to affect or influence by or as if by invocation or spell.
 * Gewgaw**-something gaudy and useless; trinket; bauble
 * Moored**-to secure a sea vessel in a particular place, as by cables and anchors or by lines
 * Anchorage**-that to which anything is fastened



Apollo is mentioned giving the gift of prophesy. "And when Amphiaraus died, Apollo\ bestowed the gift of prophesy upon\ the ardent Polypheides;" (XV 304). Apollo is the god of prophecies. This is important because its a major theme. He is also the god of music (especially the lyre), medicine, poetry and intelectual inquiry amongst other things. The aviairy creature that is synnonymous with Apollo is the swan. Apollo was born from Zeus and Leto. Hera, Zeus' wife, was jealous and prevented Leto from giving birth on land or an island, so Leto gives birth to Apollo and Artemis in a cave. Surrounding the cave are swans, which is why they are sacred to Apollo. Apollo is depicted as a young man, shaven and shorn, carrying a lyre and arrows. He was known for his golden, curly locks of hair. Later Apollo became a god of light when he took over from Helios as the sun god.