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The Odyssey

Book 12: The Cattle of the Sun


Circe’s Insight
 Go past the island of the Sirens (ln. 44)
 Sail between Scylla and Charybdis (ln.95 &
115)
 Don’t land on Helios’ island (ln. 138)
The Sirens
 Sing an enchanting song to bring sailors to
their ruin (ln. 50)
 The key:
 Odysseus plugs the ears of his men with wax
 Men bind Odysseus up so that he can hear but
not come to his demise
The Sirens
 “and the heart inside me throbbed to listen
longer” (ln. 209)
 Not even Odysseus can endure their power
 Even though he knows it is evil he still
desires them
 Play on human morality

 Gives an encouraging speech to his men


which shows his care
Scylla and Charybdis
 Scylla
 12 legs, 6 necks, 6 heads with 3 rows of fangs
in each
 In a cave

 Charybdis
 Massive whirlpool that swallows everything
and then throws it back up

 Both challenges are only yards apart


Scylla and Charybdis
 Odysseus shows great wisdom in not telling
his men what they are about to face (ln.
243)
 They realize there is a monster along with
the whirlpool
 Six heads come swooping down and eat six
men
Helios’ Island
 Sailors see a beautiful island and want to
rest there
 Odysseus orders NOT TO EAT any cattle that
you see
 Run out of supplies after a long time of
unsuitable winds
Temptation
 Eurylochus recites his own “Siren Song” to
make the sailors want to eat Helios’ cattle
 Attracts everyone but Odysseus, who is
sleeping
 Gods send a terrible sign (ln. 425)

=
Changing Winds
 The men leave and Zeus punishes them
 Ship is destroyed and the whole crew is killed
 All but Odysseus

 Odysseus floats back to Charybdis (ln. 460)


 Stays alive by clinging to the fig tree

 Eventually comes to Ogygia, Calypso’s


island
Odysseus’ Sleep
 “I struck inland, up the island, there to pray
to the gods… but soon as I’d prayed to all
the gods who rule Olympus, down on my
eyes they poured a sweet , sound sleep…as
Eurylochus opened up his fatal plan to
friends” (ln. 281)
 Why did a god put him to sleep?
 Zeus favors Odysseus
 If he was asleep, he could not have possibly
been guilty
Zeus and Odysseus
 The fig tree saves his life (ln. 460)
 One of Hera’s symbols

 Zeus offers to kill the “guilty ones” (ln. 417)


 Does not kill Odysseus

 Zeus saves him from the Scylla (ln. 285)

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