Helms

Meghan Helms

Western Heritage

Fall 2017

Homers the Odyssey Simile Analysis

In Book IV, lines 791-794 of his Odyssey, Homer offers the following simile: "And as

much as a lion caught in a crowd of men turns about in fear, when they have made a treacherous

circle about him, so she was pondering, when the painless sleep came upon her and all her joints

were relaxed so that she slept there reclining." In this paper, I will argue that although the surface

meaning of this simile is that Penelope is just like a trapped lion among its hunters, the deeper

meaning of the simile is saying that Penelope remains calm and wise when the suitors are near,

unlike the lion that is fearful around hunters.

Before Homer offers the simile, Penelope is worried about Telemachus going on a

journey to find his Father, Odysseus. Penelope did not know Telemachus was leaving for this

journey, if she did she would not have let him go, For if I had heard that he was considering this

journey, then he would have had to stay, though hastening to his voyage, or he would have had

to leave me dead in the halls. (IV. 732-734). Penelope is also troubled about her husbands

absence, Hear me, dear friends. The Olympian has given me sorrows beyond all other who were

born and brought up together with me, for first I lost a husband with the heart of a lion..(IV.

722-724).
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The surface meaning of this simile is that Penelope is just like a trapped lion among its

hunters, the deeper meaning of the simile is saying that Penelope remains calm and wise when

the suitors are near, unlike the lion that is fearful around hunters. This simile causes you to go

into deep thinking about how Penelope is represented in the lion. Homer causes you to

immediately think about how you think a lion reacts, calm courageous bold and full of pride.

When the hunters surround the lion, it becomes fearful, unlike you would expect. When

Penelope is surrounded by the suitors, she remains calm, wise and full of pride.

The analogy is Penelope: painless sleep came upon her: relaxed and pondering :: Lion:

caught in a crowd of men: fearful. In this simile, Penelope is the tenor and the lion is the vehicle.

Penelope is being compared to a lion. The painless sleep that came upon her is being compared

to being caught in a crowd of men. The feelings do not exactly match up. Penelope is feeling

relaxed and pondering, as the lion is fearful. If Penelope was fearful, she would be awake all

night, worrying about what is going to happen next. Instead, Penelopes muscles are relaxed a

Many people overlook Penelopes wisdom. Penelope has many suitors in her house,

begging for her hand in marriage, since her husband, Odysseus has been in war for roughly

twenty years. She does not want to marry any of the suitors, she is waiting for Odysseus to come

home to her. Penelope is very loyal to her husband and does not want the suitors in her house,

but has to remain calm to make sure she will not start conflict. Penelope shows her wisdom by

telling the suitors she will marry one of them, but she must finish weaving the loom before

getting married, Thereafter in the daytime she would weave at her great loom, but at night she
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would have torches set by, and undo it. (II. 104-105). By weaving her loom in the day, the

suitors could see that she was working on it all day. Setting torches by it in the night means that

the suitors do not know she is undoing it. After three years of weaving and unweaving the loom,

the suitors figured out why it was taking so long. Penelope was very wise to come up with this

solution, so she would not have to marry any of the suitors. Penelopes wisdom helps her remain

calm when around the suitors.

In addition to having a lot of wisdom, Penelope has a lot of pride, which also helps her

remain calm. Homer provides many examples of Penelopes pride. Penelope says, Eurymachos,

all my excellence, my beauty and figure, were ruined by immortals at that time when the Argives

took ship for Ilion, and with them went my husband, Odysseus. If he were to come back to me

and take care of my life, then my reputation would be more great and splendid. (XVIII. 251-

255). By saying she would become more great and splendid, implies that she is already great.

Even though Odysseus has been at war for roughly twenty years, Penelope still must live her

own life, and not depend on her husband to come home. Penelope is able to overcome many

tragedies that have come into her life, because of the amount of pride she has in herself and with

Odysseus. Penelopes pride helps her remain calm when around the suitors.

Aside from Penelopes pride and wisdom, Penelope has her own thoughts about living

her life, Human beings live for only a short time, and when a man is harsh himself, and his

mind knows harsh thoughts, all men pray that sufferings will befall him hereafter while he lives;

and when he is dead all men make fun of him. But when a man is blameless himself, and his
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thoughts are blameless, the friends he has entertained carry his fame widely to all mankind, and

many are they who call him excellent. (XVIIII. 328-334). Penelope is saying that you do not

live forever. As human beings, life will end and there is no telling when it will end. The Greeks

worry a lot about fame, and having a good reputation. Penelope remained calm around the

suitors, to keep a good reputation, and to have a life to live, waiting for her husband to come

home.

In Book IV, lines 791-794 of his Odyssey, Homer offers the following simile: "And as

much as a lion caught in a crowd of men turns about in fear, when they have made a treacherous

circle about him, so she was pondering, when the painless sleep came upon her and all her joints

were relaxed so that she slept there reclining." In this paper, I have argued that although the

surface meaning of this passage is that Penelope is just like a trapped lion among its hunters, the

deeper meaning of the passage is saying that Penelope remains calm and wise when the suitors

are near, unlike he lion that is fearful around hunters.