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1245 BCE
Bag of wind
In "The Odyssey," the "bag of wind" is a gift given to Odysseus by Aeolus, who is the god of the winds. Aeolus gives Odysseus a bag that has all the winds, but not the west wind, to help him sail home to Ithaca. Although, Odysseus's curious crew opens the bag while he is sleep, having the winds leave and blowing the ship off course, making their journey home even further. -
1245 BCE
Bag of wind analysis
This episode of odyssey highlights the topics of trust, leadership, and the consequences of disobedience. The bag of wind also metaphorically represents the trials and tribulations that test the crews mindset and leadership, showing the themes of trust, leadership, and unseen challenges that the crew faces. -
1200 BCE
Sirens
The sirens are mythical creatures that are known for their enchanting songs that lures sailors to their death on the rocky shores. -
1200 BCE
Scylla and Charybdis analysis
Scylla and Charybdis connect to Odysseus because he has to find his way between these two issues that get in his way, and choosing to pass closer to Scylla to minimize losses, even though he knows he will lose some of his men through and during the journey. -
1200 BCE
Helios’ cattle analysis
They connect because Odysseus and his men were warned and told not to mess the cattle, but despite the warnings, his starving and idiotic crew slaughters and eats them while Odysseus is asleep. Helios being mad, asks Zeus to punish them. Zeus then strikes their ship with a thunderbolt, killing all of Odysseus' crew and leaving Odysseus as the only survivor. -
1200 BCE
Suitors/home
The suitors are a group of men who have taken over Odysseus's home in Ithaca during his long absence. They are dying for the hand of his wife, Penelope, believing Odysseus is dead. The suitors are disrespectful and wasteful, consuming Odysseus's wealth and resources. They also have a plan to kill Odysseus's son Telemachus, to eliminate any competition for the throne. -
1200 BCE
Lotus Eaters
The Lotus-Eaters were a group of people living on an island that was located around North Africa. They were visited by Odysseus and his men during on their way back home from the Trojan War. The Lotus-Eaters would the lotus plant, like it was a kind of drug. The plant caused them to forget their desire to go home. -
1200 BCE
Lotus Eaters analysis
The story of the lotus eaters and the odyssey connects and shows how temptation and how satisfaction can lead you wrong. The lotus plant symbolizes the temptation to give in to what you desire at that specific moment and forget your responsibilities and goals. They both show a lesson that real strength and winning comes from perseverance and the thought to not fall into temptations that take you further from the correct path. -
1200 BCE
The Cyclops
Cyclopes are mythical creatures from ancient Greece, known for having a single eye in the middle of their forehead. According to research Cyclopes are mythical beings that are characterized by their strength, single eye, and their roles in both creative weapon creation and epic adventure stories. -
1200 BCE
The Cyclops Analysis
The encounter with Polyphemus is a test of Odysseus' mindset, strength, more importantly his resourcefulness. While Odysseus was in the Cyclops' cave, he had created a clever plan to escape, showing his use of intelligence and leadership. -
1200 BCE
Circe
Circe is a powerful enchantress and the daughter of the sun god Helios and the ocean nymph named Perse. Circe is mostly known for her power to transform people into animals using potions that have magic in them. -
1200 BCE
Circe analysis
In the "Odyssey” Circe turns Odysseus's crew into pigs but later helps Odysseus after he overcomes her magic with help from also known god Hermes. Circe's story explores topics of transformation, power, and the connections of the humans and the powerful. -
1200 BCE
Helios’ cattle
Helios owns sacred cattle on the island of Thrinacia. The cattle are sacred to Helios, and them being untouched shows the respect that mortals must show to the gods and Greek. -
1200 BCE
Siren’s analysis
The way the sirens and odysseus connect is because Odysseus, aware of the danger ahead, he prepares by plugging his crew's ears with beeswax and having himself tied to the mast so he can hear the song without being drawn in. With this, they safely get past the sirens and continue with their journey. -
1200 BCE
Scylla and charybdis
Scylla and Charybdis are two sea monsters that pose huge important threats to sailors. Scylla is a six-headed creature that eats and destroys sailors who get too close to her. Charybdis is a massive whirlpool that swallows huge amounts of water and anything in its way and or path. -
1200 BCE
Suitors/home analysis
Penelope has a great plan to delay choosing a suitor by making a challenge and claiming she will choose a suitor once the challenge is finished. When Odysseus finally returns home in disguise as an old dirty beggar, he and Telemachus also make a plan to get their home back. Odysseus reveals his identity and with the help of Telemachus and a few other loyal servants, he kills all the suitors, then restoring order and getting his home and family. Though Penelope doesn’t accept love immediately. -
1194 BCE
Trojan war
The Trojan War was a huge fight and or conflict between the Greeks and the city of Troy. It began when Paris who was a Trojan prince, kidnapped Helen the wife of the Spartan king Menelaus. The Greeks came together and torture Troy for ten years. They managed to enter the city using the famous trick of the Trojan Horse, a large wooden horse that held multiple soldiers inside. -
1194 BCE
Trojan war analysis
The Trojan War and Odysseus's both connect in lots of ways like the war represents the the struggle, while the travels represents the struggle for sense of identity, mindset, and peace. Odysseus has address his own fears, what he desires, and his weaknesses to get back to himself and home.