The tale is finished. More and better gifts are ordered for Odysseus, and packed in the ship to take him home. Another feast, with singing by Demodokos. Odysseus getting antsy. The next day, the Phaiakians drop him off in a natural harbor on Ithaka, with all his stuff, while he sleeps. Then they sail for home.
Poseidon: "Wait a minute. What happened to the hardships I promised? Look at all his stuff!" Zeus: "Do what you want." P: "I'll bury the Phaiakians under a mountain." Z: "Just that ship that carried Odysseus." It is done. The Phaiakians see the ship turn to a rock from afar, and Alkinoos is reminded of the prophecy his father had told him, related in Book 8, now come true. Alkinoos: "We're not giving a lift to wanderers ever again."
Athene shrouds Ithaka in fog and secrecy, then Odysseus awakes. O: "Aw, dammit! A new island. Better count my stuff." Athene appears in the form of a herdsman. O: "Where am I?" A: "Hello, um... stranger. You're on Ithaka." O (acting coy again): "Ithaka, eh? I've heard of that. I killed a man in Crete, and the Phoenicians dropped me off here. Don't touch my stuff." A: "It is I, the goddess Athene, who has been protecting you all these years. Now I'll get you home" O: "Wait a minute. What have you done for me the last 15 years?" A: "Well, I didn't want to get in Poseidon's way." Unveils the island.
They hide his stuff in a cave, then plot their revenge against the suitors. O: "Good thing you stopped me from rushing in. Together we can make their blood run freely." A: "Looking forward to it. Disguise yourself as a swineherd, and I'll get your son, Telemachus, back here." O: "Why didn't you tell him how I was?" A: "Don't worry, I protected him on his journey, too. I mean, he's about to sail into an ambush, but he'll be fine." Odysseus's appearance is lessened to that of a tramp.
--------------------------
Was this book supposed to be funny? I thought it was hilarious. The gods look more ridiculous than usual.
No comments:
Post a Comment