Book 7 - The Palace of Alcinous Flashcards
Book 7
How does Athena help Odysseus to the palace
- Odysseus is stopped by a young girl who is Athena in disguise.
- She offers directions
- and shrouds him in a protective mist that keeps the Phaeacians, a kind but somewhat xenophobic people, from harassing him.
- She also advises him to direct his plea for help to Arete, the wise and strong queen who will know how to get him home.
- Once succesful in delivering him to the Palace, she departs back to Athens, trusting him
Book 7
When Odysseus arrives at the Phaecian palace, which god is a festival being held in honour of
Poseidon
Book 7
How can the Phaeacian palace be described
As a display of Phaeacia’s wealth & opulence
Book 7
What happens when Odysseus approaches Queen Arete
As soon as he sees the queen, he throws himself at her feet, and the mist protecting him dissipates
Book 7
How does Odysseus quickly dispel the rumours that he is a God
- He hastily declares he is a mortal
- & then explains his predicament, critically without revealing his identity & relation to Ithaca
Book 7
After explaining his predicament, the king and queen gladly promise to…
see him off the next day in a Phaeacian ship
Book 7
What does the wise Arete later notice when the King & Queen are alone with Odysseus
She recognizes the clothes that he is wearing as ones that she herself had made for her daughter Nausicaa
Book 7
How does Odysseus cunningly justify wearing Arete’s clothes
- While still withholding his name, Odysseus responds by recounting the story of his journey from Calypso’s island
- and his encounter with Nausicaa that morning, which involved her giving him a set of clothes to wear.
- To absolve the princess, Odysseus claims that it was his idea to come alone to the palace, nobly protecting Nausicaa
Book 7
Give evidence that the King of the Phaeacians, Alcinious, is impressed by Odysseus
He offers Odysseus his daughter, Nausicaa’s, hand in marriage
