The Odyssey: Book 12

Question 1

Themes:

Answer 1

• danger
• fate
• prophecy
• disrespect
• bravery
• sympathy

Question 2

Summary:

Answer 2

Leaves ocean river and reaches Aeaea where he retrieves elpenors body and gives him a funeral as requested. He and his men then feast with Circe and she warns them about the sirens and that they will spellbind him and he won’t make it home. After the sirens they have a choice of what route to take - tall rocks or the Scylla in a cave - both very bad, they must also watch out for Charybdis (whirlpool)

Says you can’t fight the Scylla you must flee and warns them not to touch the sun gods cattle on the island of thrinacia or the ship and everyone will be destroyed and Odysseus will return home a broken man.

Odysseus leaves, Circe gives them wind and Odysseus tells the crew the prophecy and they tie him up so he won’t go near the sirens. The Scylla eats some of the men but Odysseus inspires them with a speech and they rest. They then become hungry and eurylochus persuades them to eat the sun cattle while Odysseus’ sleeping. Helios then gets Zeus to send killer-squalls after they finish eating for 6 days to kill them. The ship is destroyed, Odysseus makes a raft and is blown back past the Scylla and Charybdis and on the tenth day after drifting the gods cast him onto ogygia