Book 18 summary Flashcards
Who enters the palace at the start of the book, and what does he do?
- A rude beggar named Arnaeus (Irus for short)
- He insults Odysseus when they meet, and tries to start a fight with him
Who encourages Irus’ fight, and how?
- Antinous encourages them, promising the winner food and a seat at their table
How does the fight between Irus and Odysseus go?
- Odysseus pulls up his rags to reveal a powerful looking body, and Irus is filled with fear
- Odysseus only hurts him a little- he punches him in the neck and flings him outside
- The suitors laugh and invite Odysseus to eat at their table
ANALYSIS:
- Odysseus is in control of emotions, and doesn’t let his anger run wild despite Irus’ insults
- Even when his actions correspond to his emotions, there’s still a degree of separation between the two
Who is kind to Odysseus after the fight?
- The suitor Amphinomus
- When they talk, Odysseus mentions his own past violence and error, advises him to live lawfully, and hints at the suitor’s impending deaths
- Amphinomus feels ill at ease, but there’s nothing he can do as he’s already fated to die
What does Athena do to Penelope?
She inspires her to come down and speak to the suitors.
The queen tells the suitors that if they hope to win her hand they should give her gifts, as is customary
ANALYSIS:
- Although Penelope doesn’t know about Odysseus’ plan, her cunning helps to give the suitors a false sense of security as it appears she’ll soon choose a husband
How does Odysseus feel about Penelope asking the suitors for gifts?
He is pleased with this trick
What does Athena want to do to Odysseus, and how does she do it?
- She wants to rile Odysseus as much as possible
- She inspires Eurymachus to mock him once more, but Odysseus remains calm
- Eurymachus throws a stool at Odysseus, but it hits a servant instead.
- Telemachus scolds all the suitors and sends them to bed
