7th+Helens+Bk+11

__Helens - Book XI __

​ **Key Characters:**

Achilles Agamemnon Aanticleia Ajax Hades Odysseus Persephone Theban Tiresias


 * Key Vocabulary: **

** Stupefied ** ** - ** To stun as with a narcotic
 * Lionhearted -** Exceptionally courageous or brave
 * Seer -** A person who prophesies future events
 * Usurp -** To seize and hold by force and without legal right
 * Scrupulous- ** Punctiliously or minutely careful
 * Audacious-** Extremely bold or daring
 * Dauntless-** Not to be daunted or intimidated
 * Obstinate-** Firmly or stubbornly adhering to one's purpose

** Key Locations: **
 * The Land of the Men of Winter
 * Hades House

In Book XI, Following the instructions provided by Circe, Odysseus arrives at Hades where he makes a sacrifice of a ram and a black ewe. The blood attracts the dead souls out of Hades and eventually Tiresias arrives, the blind seer. After drinking some of the blood, he tells Odysseus that he has dangers still to face and that when he arrives at Ithaca, he will be unknown and friendless. In order to live out a tranquil life, he will need to appease Poseidon. Odysseus then converses with other dead souls, including his mother who had died after he left for Troy, Agamemnon, and Achilles. There were many other dead souls there, but this oppressive place caused Odysseus to retreat back to his ship.
 * Summary & Important Events: **

**Themes:**

**Hospitality-** The hospitality in Book XI is shown to Odysseus by the Phaeacian people. Odysseus stays with these people while in the River of Ocean in the land of the Cimmerians 
 * Sacrifice-** In the beginning of Book XI, Odysseus offers the blood of a ram and ewe. He pours libations, first milk and honey, then wine, and last pure water. He then littered white barely meal over the offering. After that, Odysseus proclaims to the dead people that after returning to Ithaca, he would offer another sacrifice for them. The throats of the animals were cut letting the blood drip into the pit. The pit erupted with souls of dead people. One of the men who came out was Odysseus’ friend Elpenor who had died after falling and breaking his neck. The precise acts done during the sacrifice show how important they were to the people.


 * Justice of the gods-** When the Achaeans blind Poseidon’s son Polyphemus, Poseidon becomes angered. Then after the Theban prophet Tiresias foretells Odysseus’ future, he realizes that he cannot touch the flocks of the Sun, otherwise he will endure more suffering and his crew will not return home. This shows how influential the gods are in //The Odyssey of Homer//.

**Detective ** : In Book 11, Odysseus talks about his experiences in Hades House or the Netherworld. According to Greek mythology Hades, [|Poseidon], and Zeus are all brothers and after the war between the Olympians and the Titans they split up the universe. Zeus got the sky, Poseidon got the sea and Hades got the underworld. Hades lives with his wife Persephone in his palace which is separate from the other realms of the underworld. There are five rivers flowing through the underworld; Acheron (Woe), Cocytus (Wailing), Lethe (Forgetfulness), Phlegethon (Fiery) and Styx (Abhorrence). You must cross all five rivers before you can be judged and reach your final resting place. Charon would ferry you across the river of Styx for a toll of one coin. There are two main regions in the underworld, Erebus, the upper region, and Tartarus the lowest region. Tartarus is where Zeus threw all of the Titans that opposed him. In the underworld there are three minor gods who act like judges, Minos, Rhadamanthys and Aeacus. Only a few mortals were able to enter the underworld while they were alive: Theseus, Peirithous, Heracles, Orpheus, Psyche, Aeneas, Adonis, Sisyphus and Odysseus.