Odyssey- book 6 Flashcards
where does Athene travel to whilst Odysseus sleeps?
the city of the Phaeacians, where Nausicaa, the daughter of king Alcinous lies sleeping.
who is nausicaa?
The daughter of king Alcinous, the king of the Phaeacians
what does Athene disguise herself as?
A girl of nausicaa’s age
what does Athene say to Nausicaa?
Athena scolds her for the poor conditions of her clothes, and suggests that they go to the shore to wash them in preparation for marriage
what happens in the morning?
Nausicaa asks her father if she can go to the shore to wash her clothes and the king gives her a wagon with a couple of mules, and the queen packs her food and wine along with some olive oil that she can use to rub herself with after bathing.
whilst nausicaa and the maids wait for the clothes to dry what do they do?
Play a ball game- but Athene controls the direction of the ball and drops it, to which the girls scream and wake Odysseus up.
what does Odysseus do when he wakes up?
Odysseus wakes up and attempts to walk up to the girls-
He’s a little apprehensive at first but he walks out toward them, shielding himself with leaves. All the girls except Nausicaa run away at the sight of the naked, sea-brimy man, but Athene installs courage in nausicaa’s heart. Odysseus stands at a respectful distance, compliments her beauty, and begs her for help.
how does nausicaa respond when Odysseus asks her for help?
The princess responds that Zeus must have destined Odysseus for pain, but agrees to lead him to town, because it is customary to be friendly to strangers and beggars. Odysseus bathes, oils, and clothes himself, and Athena makes him very beautiful. The girls are amazed at the transformation; they give him food and drink.
where does nausicaa invite odysseus?
Nausicaa invites Odysseus to ride into town with her, but on second thought asks him to enter the town alone, to avoid giving the townspeople cause for gossip. On the way to town, she says, Odysseus should turn into a grove near her father’s estate and wait for the girls to reach town. Then he should walk into the palace, find the king and queen, and beg the queen for mercy. Odysseus does as she says; in the grove, he prays for Athena’s protection. She hears his prayers, but she is too frightened of Poseidon to appear to Odysseus undisguised.
how do we see the role of the gods in book 6?
-Athene appears in Nausicaa’s dream as her friend, daughter of Dymas, and puts the idea of marriage into her mind by claiming she must wash her and her brother’s clothes in preparation for marriage.
how do we see the conflict between civilised society vs wild nature?
the beach is shown as more of a wild place, whist the city is more civilised- odysseus going from the beach to the city shows his reconnection with society after years of being trapped on the wild island of Ogygia- this is his first step to reconnecting with Ithaca.
what is the effect of describing odysseus as a ‘mountain lion’?
-Odysseus appears wild and uncivilised and far less majestic than most heroes are portrayed as- comparing him to a ‘mountain lion’ could also be used of homeric humour by Homer
what does Hauser say about ‘the role of women’ in the Odyssey?
she focuses on the numerous roles that women play, and the fact that women tended to lack having a voice throughout the poem and how women often play the role of being ‘possessions’ that bring honour to their ‘owner’
what does Wilde say about book 6?
mentions how book 6 can be viewed in multiple different ways, with the mountain lion metaphor possibly being how the young girls view Odysseus rather than the way he sees himself. The source also mentions the conflict between the wild and civilisation, hinting that his interaction with the Phaeacians are his first steps to returning to civilisation and returning to Ithaca after being trapped on the wild island of Ogygia for 7 years. It also focuses on the worry that Odysseus may pose to Nausicaa, and the possible idea of him raping her, however these ideas are quickly dealt with after he simply asks her for supplication.
