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A Journey to the Land of the Dead: Odysseus' Encounter with the Shades, Study notes of Poetry

Leeds Beckett University (LBU)Poetry

In this excerpt from homer's odyssey, odysseus and his crew make their way to the underworld to offer sacrifices to the dead. Upon arriving, they encounter various shades, including elpenor, antikleia, and teiresias. Odysseus engages in conversations with these spirits, learning about their fates and receiving important prophecies for his journey home. Valuable insights into ancient greek beliefs about death and the afterlife.

Typology: Study notes

2021/2022

Uploaded on 09/27/2022

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Book$11:$The$Land$of$the$Dead$
$
Odysseus'and'his'crew'set'out'for'the'land'of'the'dead.'They'arrive'and'find'the'place'to'
which'Circe'has'directed'them'to'go.'
'
Then$I$addressed$the$blurred$and$breathless$dead,$$
vowing$to$slaughter$my$best$heifer$for$them$
before$she$calved,$at$home$in$Ithaca,$
and$burn$the$choice$bits$on$the$altar$fire;$
5$ as$for$Teiresias,$I$swore$to$sacrifice$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
a$black$lamb,$handsomest$of$all$our$flock.$
Thus$to$assuage$the$nations$of$the$dead$
I$pledged$these$rites,$then$slashed$the$lamb$and$ewe,$
letting$their$black$blood$stream$into$the$wellpit.$
Now$the$souls$gathered,$stirring$out$of$Erebus,$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
10$brides$and$young$men,$and$men$grown$old$in$pain,$$
and$tender$girls$whose$hearts$were$new$to$grief;$
many$were$there,$too,$torn$by$brazen$lanceheads,$
battle-slain,$bearing$still$their$bloody$gear.$
From$every$side$they$came$and$sought$the$pit$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$&
15$$$$with$rustling$cries;$and$I$grew$sick$with$fear.$
But$presently$I$gave$command$to$my$officers$
to$flay$those$sheep$the$bronze$cut$down,$and$make$
burnt$offerings$of$flesh$to$the$gods$below—$
to$sovereign$Death,$to$pale$Persephone.$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
20&Meanwhile$I$crouched$with$my$drawn$sword$to$keep$$
the$surging$phantoms$from$the$bloody$pit$
till$I$should$know$the$presence$of$Teiresias$
$
One$shade$came$first—Elpenor,$of$our$company,$
who$lay$unburied$still$on$the$wide$earth$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
25$$ as$we$had$left$him—dead$in$Kirke’s$hall,$
untouched,$unmourned,$when$other$cares$compelled$us.$
Now$when$I$saw$him$there$I$wept$for$pity$
and$called$out$to$him:$
$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$‘How$is$this,$Elpenor,$
how$could$you$journey$to$the$western$gloom$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
30&swifter$afoot$than$I$in$the$black$lugger?’$$
$
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Download A Journey to the Land of the Dead: Odysseus' Encounter with the Shades and more Study notes Poetry in PDF only on Docsity!

Book 11: The Land of the Dead Odysseus and his crew set out for the land of the dead. They arrive and find the place to which Circe has directed them to go. Then I addressed the blurred and breathless dead, vowing to slaughter my best heifer for them before she calved, at home in Ithaca, and burn the choice bits on the altar fire; 5 as for Teiresias, I swore to sacrifice a black lamb, handsomest of all our flock. Thus to assuage the nations of the dead I pledged these rites, then slashed the lamb and ewe, letting their black blood stream into the wellpit. Now the souls gathered, stirring out of Erebus, 10 brides and young men, and men grown old in pain, and tender girls whose hearts were new to grief; many were there, too, torn by brazen lanceheads, battle-slain, bearing still their bloody gear. From every side they came and sought the pit 15 with rustling cries; and I grew sick with fear. But presently I gave command to my officers to flay those sheep the bronze cut down, and make burnt offerings of flesh to the gods below— to sovereign Death, to pale Persephone. 20 Meanwhile I crouched with my drawn sword to keep the surging phantoms from the bloody pit till I should know the presence of Teiresias One shade came first—Elpenor, of our company, who lay unburied still on the wide earth 25 as we had left him—dead in Kirke’s hall, untouched, unmourned, when other cares compelled us. Now when I saw him there I wept for pity and called out to him: ‘How is this, Elpenor, how could you journey to the western gloom 30 swifter afoot than I in the black lugger?’

He sighed, and answered: ‘Son of great Laertes, Odysseus, master mariner and soldier, bad luck shadowed me, and no kindly power; ignoble death I drank with so much wine. 35 I slept on Kirke’s roof, then could not see the long steep backward ladder, coming down, and fell that height. My neck bone, buckled under, snapped, and my spirit found this well of dark. Now hear the grace I pray for, in the name 40 of those back in the world, not here—your wife and father, he who gave you bread in childhood, and your own child, your only son, Telemachus, long ago left at home. When you make sail and put these lodgings of dim Death behind, 45 you will moor ship, I know, upon Aiaia Island; there, O my lord, remember me, I pray, do not abandon me unwept, unburied to tempt the gods’ wrath,3 while you sail for home; but fire my corpse, and all the gear I had, 50 and build a cairn for me above the breakers— an unknown sailor’s mark for men to come. Heap up the mound there, and implant upon it the oar I pulled in life with my companions.’ He ceased, and I replied: 55 ‘Unhappy spirit, I promise you the barrow and the burial.’ So we conversed, and grimly, at a distance, with my long sword between, guarding the blood, while the faint image of the lad spoke on. Now came the soul of Antikleía, dead, 60 my mother, daughter of Autolykos, 90 dead now, though living still when I took ship for holy Troy. Seeing this ghost I grieved, but held her off, through pang on pang of tears, till I should know the presence of Tiresias. 65 Soon from the dark that prince of Thebes came forward

The spot will soon be plain to you, and I 105 can tell you how: some passerby will say, “What winnowing fan5 is that upon your shoulder?” Halt, and implant your smooth oar in the turf and make fair sacrifice to Lord Poseidon: a ram, a bull, a great buck boar; turn back, 110 and carry out pure hekatombs at home to all wide heaven’s lords, the undying gods, to each in order. Then a seaborne death soft as this hand of mist will come upon you when you are wearied out with rich old age, 115 your country folk in blessed peace around you. And all this shall be just as I foretell…” Odysseus speaks to the shade of his mother. She tells him that Penelope and Telemachus are still grieving for him and that his father, Laertes, has moved to the country, where he, too, mourns his son. Odysseus’ mother explains that she died from a broken heart. Odysseus also speaks with the spirits of many great ladies and men who died, as well as those who were punished for their earthly sins. Filled with horror, Odysseus and his crew set sail.