The Homeric Odyssey takes some time to describe to us the construction of an improvised craft that will carry Odysseus on an eighteen-day journey from Ogygia. The story tells how Kalypsō selects the trees. Odysseus then cuts the trees and axes them smooth. He bores holes in them. He configures them into a raft that is as wide “as the beam of a large vessel.” We compare the description of… Read more
In this segment Douglas Frame, Leonard Muellner, and Gregory Nagy read, translate, and discuss Odyssey 1.213–220, focusing on the synchronic and diachronic etymologies and meanings of Telemachus' epithet pepnumenos, "breathed-in." Read more
"When she [= Kalypsō] had thus spoken she led the way rapidly before him, and Odysseus followed in her steps; so the pair, goddess and man, went on and on till they came to Kalypsō’s cave, where Odysseus took the seat that Hermes had just left." What is the significance of this line? After all, to sit in Hermes’ seat implies, to me, that Odysseus is taking Hermes’ place within… Read more
The Book Club readings for this month are from Casey Dué's recent book, Achilles Unbound: Multiformity and Tradition in the Homeric Epics, which is available to read for free on the CHS website. Discussion will start and continue in the forum, with the Google Hangout meetings on Tuesday, April 30th. Read more
In this segment Douglas Frame (CHS), Leonard Muellner (CHS), and Gregory Nagy (Harvard University) discuss Odyssey 1.203–212, part of a speech by Athena (disguised as Mentes) to Telemachus. Topics include how to translate tosos ["τόσος] so great" in context; and the use of the particle dē [δή]. Read more
