Hello, I was reading the Odyssey today for my english class homework. However, I don't understand two parts of it, and I was wondering if any of you had insight on it (both of them are towards the end of the chapter)

Line 535-595: I understand the Odysseus must travel to the Underworld to consult Tiresias. However, I don't understand why. Circe claims that he must go to him to go home, but I don't understand what obstacle is in his way.

Line 605-616: I do not understand the significance of that event. Was Elpenor important earlier in the Odyssey? Am I over thinking this or am I missing a crucial part of the plot?

Thanks for your help in advance, I have re read that section 3 times now, still not sure. We have no essays or anything due for this, so no rush to answer. It's just that I feel like I am missing something in the story or that I am not understanding the writing. Thanks again

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To answer your question, the obstacle that's in his way is Poseidon, who has been his obstacle throughout the whole Epic. Also, i'd be able to help you on 605-616 except i don't have the book with me, i'm also a sophomore and already turned in the essay, i received a 96%, it's not hard you just need to know the basics of the plot.

The reason Odysseus has to talk to Tiresias is because during his life Tiresias was a blind prophet (made such by Athena) and because Odysseus and Circe knew of the challenges that Odysseus must face (remember Zues promised he could return home but he would not return without difficulty under the pact with Posiedon) it would seem fitting to ask Tiresias what steps he should take for the future events.

As for your second question, Elpenor holds little significance for the actual story than to show the continuing kindness and compassion of Odysseus plus to also show how the greeks valued honor.
You see Elpenor being a drunk and falling and breaking his neck shows a man who died young with no honor and vice versa to that much humility. So when Odysseus speaks to him, he displays remorse for his actions on earth and asks for an honorable burial in his homeland but an anonymous burial with his ore to show him as a sailor and not an idiot who died in a pure accident.

tl;dr versions:

1.) Tiresias is the only "person" who can tell Odysseus the way to avoid and overcome the future challenges he will meet.

2.)Elpenor is just a way of showing how highly the Greeks prized valor and honor and not much importance takes place in the actual life story of Odysseus.

(I love how you asked this lol, mythology is my one true knowledgeable subject and since noone usually asks any questions relating to it on here i jumped at the chance to answer this and got out all 3 of my versions of "The Odyssey" lol XD)

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Thank you both for your responses, they really helped clear up things. As I was reading book 11, I kept on wondering why they were going through all this trouble :P.

@trinity- wow thanks for pointing out number two! I completely missed that and it definetly sounds like something my teacher would ask me. I too love Greek mythology in fact, it's really helping me read the book, it's just that I never heard of Tiresias.


Also, would anyone happen to know why Odysseus meets all these princes and heroes after talking to Tiresias and his mother? Why did he not try to leave asap? It seems kinda out of place imo.

Once again. Thanks for your help

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Yeah I can see why you may have never heard much on Tiresias, in fact in alot of the older poems he's simply mentioned as the blind prophet and nothing more, since he doesn't usually play an exclusively important role.
(Lil backstory, he became blind because he saw Athena naked by a spring so she blinded him and felt bad so made it so he could understand the language of the birds which pass the messages of time and gods, so....is seeing a god naked worth that? 0.0)

One thing many people get confused about that I'm not sure you may or may not know is that everything in 'The Odyssey' is pretty much past story, after Calypso's island he goes to the Phoenicians and uses their ship to return to Ithaca, everything else in the tale is before he crashes on Calypso's island. So after his men take and feast on the cattle of the sun god thus causing him to be shipwrecked and all of his men to drown. Then he was on the island for 7 years. After leaving the island, like i said it's a very short return and very simple. (Im sure this probly doesn't apply to you, its just i've come across many instances where people assume its a linear storyline.)

So in the end lol, to answer your question I think i got a lil bit off track but if your talking about the dead princes and heroes, such as Achilles and what not then yeah it doesn't make much sense but hell if you had the chance to talk to them wouldn't you? I mean it's not like your NOT going to talk to Achilles lol. It's primarily used to show people involve in Odysseus's past, such as princes and kings he met over his rule of Ithica, and soldiers he fought with during the war etc.

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Thanks for all your help trinity I had a pop quiz today, and I actually got a perfect score A question about Elpenor did come out too!

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Haha that's good to hear lol =P Congratz on the perfect score.

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