Odyssey Timeline

Polyphemus, Location

Jan 1, 750

The location where the ordeal with Polyphemus occurs is the Island of the Cyclopes, where all of Poseidon’s one eyed sons live. In Polyphemus’s cave he keeps his prized rams. Odysseus uses the rams to escape by tying his men to the underside of two rams, this prevented Polyphemus from feeling the men trying to escape. Odysseus and his men also find the massive wooden pole which they carve into a spike in Polyphemus’s cave. The location provides opportunity for Odysseus to successfully blind and

Polyphemus

Jan 1, 750

Polyphemus, Lessons

Jan 1, 750

Odysseus originally told Polyphemus that his name was Nobody; this would prevent Polyphemus requesting Poseidon to curse Odysseus. Odysseus’s pride took advantage of him and caused him to tell Polyphemus his actual name. This allowed a curse to be put on Odysseus and his crew by Poseidon. It is likely that if Odysseus had learned to control his pride he and his crew could have safely returned to Ithaca in good time.

Polyphemus, Symbolism

Jan 1, 750

This is just one of the many trials Odysseus faces on his journey home to Ithaca. The encounter with Polyphemus leaves the crew shorter on men and Odysseus cursed for the remainder of his journey. The theme of “Life is a Journey” ties into the encounter with Polyphemus because Odysseus and his men must persevere through the remainder of their journey, which is now cursed.

Polyphemus, Events

Jan 1, 750

When Odysseus and his men arrive on the island where the Cyclopes reside they wander into Polyphemus’s cave. There they light a fire and begin to feast and drink wine. When Polyphemus comes back to the cave from gathering fire wood he discovers the intruders in his cave. He devours some of Odysseus’s men. Odysseus remains calm and devises a plan to blind Polyphemus with a heated spike. After the plunge the spike into Polyphemus’s eye Odysseus’s pride causes him to tell Polyphemus his name. Enrag

The Odyssey

Period: Jan 1, 750 to Mar 1, 760

An epic of journey written by Homer

Circe

Jan 1, 751

Circe, Events

Jan 1, 751

Odysseus and his men arrive on Circe’s island starved. Odysseus sends a hunting party to search for food, but the stumble upon Circe’s house. There, they drink her honey and wine, this potion turns them into swine. Odysseus finds Circe’s house himself, but the potion does not affect him and to save his men he goes to be with Circe. Odysseus and his men become comfortable on the island, where they remain for a year.

Circe, Location

Jan 1, 751

The majority of the events occur in Circe’s house. The men become comfortable in the beautiful palace and do not want to leave. The location allows them to feel as if they are comfortable remaining with Circe. It prompts them to remain there for a year.

Circe, Symbolism

Jan 1, 751

Odysseus and his men become extremely comfortable and content at Circe’s palace. It is like a jail in paradise, a place where no one wants to leave, but no one should stay. It represents a trap that hold Odysseus and his men captive for a year of their journey.

Circe, Lessons

Jan 1, 751

During his stay with Circe Odysseus learns that temptation is wicked. Circe tempts Odysseus to stay with her and drink her wine. Odysseus caves into both situations, but if fortunate that he ate the antidote to her potion. If he had not done that Odysseus and all his men, who drank the wine, would be swine on Circe’s island. Odysseus realizes his will to do as he pleases is greater than his intellectual ability.

Underworld

Jan 1, 752

Underworld, Events

Jan 1, 752

Circe tells Odysseus to go to the underworld to consult Tiresias. Tiresias tell Odysseus of Scylla and Charybdis ad how to get past the temptation of Helios’s cattle. While in the underworld Odysseus also sees his mother who took her own life.

Underworld, Location

Jan 1, 752

Odysseus ventures into the underworld, where no living mortal has ever gone. The myth states that any living person who crosses the River Styx soul will burn. The location provides a dangerous and risky situation for Odysseus. He does not let any of his men follow him in fear that they will not survive.

Underworld, Symbolism

Jan 1, 752

The Underworld symbolizes a despicable place where living mortals are not allowed to be. Odysseus should not have been allowed to enter the underworld and consult Tiresias about his journey ahead. Odysseus defies what is expected to occur when a living mortal enters the Underworld.

Underworld, Lessons

Jan 1, 752

Odysseus learns, from Tiresias, the perilous journey that is still ahead. Including Scylla, Charybdis, the Sirens, and Helios, the sun god’s, prized cattle. He tells Odysseus how to survive each of these. Odysseus learns to plug his men’s ears with wax and tie himself to the mast of his ship to save them from the Sirens. He is also notified not to touch Helios’s cattle, but his men do no obey and that causes them problems.

Scylla and Charybdis

Jun 1, 752

Scylla and Charybdis, Symbolism

Jun 1, 752

Scylla and Charybdis represent a situation where there is no good outcome. Odysseus thought he was going to successfully row past Scylla, but she struck down and consumed three of his men. Although this was better than their entire ship being lost to Charybdis, it still is not a good outcome.

Scylla and Charybdis, Events

Jun 1, 752

Odysseus encounters Scylla, a six headed sea monster, and Charybdis, a swirling whirlpool after he leaves Circe’s island for the second time. Odysseus does not want to tell his me what they will encounter to prevent the fear it would cause. The men are told to row as fast as possible to reach their destination. Scylla consumes six of Odysseus’s men as then row past her. Odysseus thinks this outcome is better than losing the whole ship to Charybdis.

Scylla and Charybdis, Location

Jun 1, 752

The location of Scylla and Charybdis is what makes them so potent. The expression, “Between a rack and a hard place” refers to the duo. The cave of Scylla leads to the location of the swirling location of Charybdis, who three times a day sucks in water creating a massive whirlpool. The location allows for the situation Odysseus and his men are in to be dangerous.

Scylla and Charybdis, Lessons

Jun 1, 752

Odysseus learns that even if his pride leads him to believe he will safely escape danger he can still lose some men. This incident greatly saddens Odysseus, due to the devouring of six of his men. Odysseus realizes he can be shaken emotionally and it can affect him.

Calypso

Jan 1, 753

Calypso, Sybolism

Jan 1, 753

Calypso symbolizes the negativity of paradise. She offers Odysseus immortality and eternal youth if he marries her. Calypso is a beautiful sea nymph living on island, but Odysseus remains miserable, because he is away from his wife, Penelope.

Calypso, Events

Jan 1, 753

Odysseus drifted onto Calypso’s Island as the only surviving member of his crew. She seduces him to the point where he stays there, away from his wife, for seven years. She longs to make Odysseus her immortal husband, but he refuses. She keeps him captive until Athena intervenes and Odysseus is set free.

Calypso, Lessons

Jan 1, 753

Odysseus realizes how much he desired to be with Penelope. He becomes overwhelmed and saddened, to the point he cries on the beach. For the first time Odysseus shows that it is possible for him to be affected by the absence of his wife. Prior to this he remains a great hero who shows no emotion on this level.

Calypso, Location

Jan 1, 753

The location of Calypso’s island is isolated. This makes the fact the she seduces Odysseus more relevant. She seduces him on an isolated island where there is no one to help him. This allows her to hold Odysseus in her home for seven years. Without the isolation of her island, someone, other than the gods, could have intervened with Calypso seducing Odysseus.

Odysseus Returns to Ithaca

Jan 1, 760

Calypso releases Odysseus and his is rowed back to Ithaca by the Phaeacians.

Bibliography

Mar 1, 760

Homer, and Ian C. Johnston. The Odyssey Abridged. Arlington, VA: Richer Resources Pub., 2008. Print. "The Odyssey: Scylla & Charybdis." The Odyssey: Scylla & Charybdis. N.p., 2001. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. http://members.tripod.com/shs_odyssey/scyllachribdis.htm.