Immortality

Steps to Immortality:
Healthy Diet: there is research out that if you eat healthy foods you will live longer. Fruits and veggies are key to a good diet. This might not make you immortal but it will make your life span longer. People that lead a healthy life and eat good foods are more likely to live longer. Studies show that the difference between an average diet and a very healthy diet could be 20 years of life.

Active Life: If you combine an active life with a health diet your chances of living longer get much higher. From jogging to lifting weights in the gym to participating in a yoga class, it all is very helpful. Not only do you need physical activity but also have a healthy life mentally. Find something that you are passionate about and stick with it.

Taking Supplements: by adding supplements to exercise and healthy diet you will lead a healthy life. This might not bring a bunch of years onto your life but it will help prevent disease and other causes of death.

Rejuvenation therapies: This would be finding mistakes in our body and fixing them one at a time. So in the end we might be able to find something that will make us live 100 more years.

Cryonics: This is putting yourself in ice and preserving yourself until a better time. This is said to be a pretty safe way of keeping yourself for a longer period of time.






This is a video for 60 minutes talking about immortality and the quest to live for 400 to 500 years. Many scientists think this will someday be possible.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/28/60minutes/main1168852.shtml

Tragic Man - Oedipus

A Belief of His Own Freedom:
In King Oedipus, Oedipus is told that the Thebes is going to continue to die if the murderer of Laius stays in the country. Oedipus makes a quick decision and says that they must be banished. He has the courage to accept what happens when he finds out the murderer is him. He believes that the Gods do not control his life. He doesn't believe in fate and thinks that whenever he makes a choice it is with his own free will. He knows that the outcome of his choices might have a negative effect but he knows that his choices are ones that he made not the Gods.
A Supreme Pride(Hubris):
Oedipus shows arrogance when he solves the riddle of the sphinx. He knows that he is the best one of the town because he is the only one who was able to solve the riddle. He becomes king because of his actions. When he finds out that he is the killer of Laius he doesn't believe the blind prophet. He says the man is lying and wants to overthrow his throne. Oedipus believes that he has a power equal to the Gods. He makes decisions like a God would and in the end of the book he tells Creon that the Gods will not make any decisions for him.
Capacity for Suffering:
Oedipus shows a great deal of suffering in the story. He believes that what he is doing is the right thing so when it turns against him he is willing to suffer like anyone else would. Not only is he guilty, he feels ashamed of what he has done and is going to pay for his actions and make sure he suffers the most by piecing his eyes. He has the strength to leave his foster parents even when they have loved him his whole life. He wants them to be safe and wants to overcome the prophecy. He overcomes the road blocks in his life. He has the strength to punish himself even when he is the king and could easily take "king privileges" but instead he faces the consequences. He knows that all people end up dying and he is able to live with the fact that he might die at anytime. He is willing to kill himself to save his country. He questions the accuracy of the Gods and if they are really truthful and know what they are talking about.
A Sense of Commitment:
As soon as he told the townspeople what the consequences were for the person who had killed Laius he stays with them. Even when he is the king and could easily take the consequences away and stay king he punishes himself to a degree that nobody else would have been punished. He is the king, he can stop any action before it happens to anyone but he chooses to let his actions follow their chosen direction. In ways that makes him stubborn because he will not back down even when he knows he could.
Vigorous Protest:
When Oedipus finds out he is guilty of the crime he refuses to believe that he is guilty. He calls the blind prophet a fool and dares him to say it again. He is angered that someone would blame him for something so big. He thinks Creon is trying to overthrow him. At first he tries to reason and say it can't be true. He doesn't accept his fate meekly, he punishes himself and lets the country know that he has made a mistake. He calls everyone a lair and says that it is the Gods fault. He calls out against all the people that put him in this situation.
Transfiguration:
Oedipus is who he is because he has suffered so much in his life. At the end of the story he becomes a human being equal to all of the others. He has no more power than the person standing next to him. He has made mistakes(killing his father and marring his mother) just like any one else would and he faced the consequences(banishment) like anyone else would. He agonizes over what he has done and banishes himself. The reader feels very sorry for him because he experiences all of the human emotions that we feel.Oedipus is not forgotten; his story lives on forever.
Impact:
An author wants their story to have an impact on the reader, they hope that the story can help the reader have a better understanding of the human condition. Oedipus commits these crimes although he doesn't know he is doing them. It makes the reader and the characters think and you wonder if it is really a crime. It makes you see that our actions and decisions aren't always completely right or completely wrong. There is a gray area in the middle. In order to truly understand the decisions or actions that someone makes, you also have to understand all the factors, much like putting pieces of a puzzle together. It is that understanding that gives us compassion for the human condition.

Themes

Proper Burial of the dead:
Antigone believes her brother should be put to rest the right way. Even if she does go against everything the king has said. pg:127,140
Individual vs. State:
When Antigone goes against the king she is one person against the law and everything that is illegal. pg:127,138
Hubris:
Creon has great pride when he rules. It is partly what brings him to his destruction. He believes that what he says is what you will do no matter what. and if not you will be punished.pg:133,146x3
Purpose of the Prophecy:
The purpose of the prophecy is to let everyone know what is going to happen to them at some point in their life. In King Oedipus, Oedipus is told he is going to kill his father and marry his mother yet he refuses to believe that and does everything he can to try to make it not happen. It doesn't work and the prophecy becomes true. pg:47, theban legend
The Blind See:
Tiresias is the blind man and he is the one who sees everything. He knows what is going on at all times and is the only one who can give and correct information about who everyone is and what they did. pg:37,38
Loyalty:
Antigone is loyal to her brother and wants to give him the burial he deserves. pg:127,128 top
Oedipus is loyal to his country by giving himself the same punishment he would have given a towns person. pg:65-66
Free will vs. fate:
Oedipus doesn't believe that the gods have a say in what he does with his life. He thinks that he has escaped the prophecy but really he ran right into it. He doesn't believe in fate he thinks that he has all the free will in the world. pg:68,62
Ritual:
Proper burial of the dead. pg:128,129
Integrity:
I think that both Oedipus and Antigone show integrity. Oedipus is honest and fair. He punishes himself just as anyone else would do. Antigone has character and is willing to stand up for what she believes in. she is strong in her opinion and doesn't fight but states her opinion with honesty and fairness. pg:141,140 about love. 63

Despair

What is the meaning of "Despair" and how does this theme manifest itself in both plays?

Despair means to to lose hope of give up. In King Oedipus, Oedipus first feels despair when he has to leave his foster parents he is sad that he has to leave what he has always know. He then becomes a very well off king in Thebes until everything comes back to haunt him. He feels despair when he learns that he has killed Laius. He feels despair when he finds out the parents he thought were his are really not his birth parents. He feels despair when he learns that Laius is his birth father and he has killed him. Again when he realizes he has fulfilled the prophecy and married his mother. He feels it once more when he sees his mother has hung herself. He has felt too much despair recently and decides he is finished. He banishes himself after he blinds himself.

In Antigone I don't think you see as much despair until the very end when everyone starts killing themselves. Antigone feels despair because she feels she needs to make sure her brother has the proper burial. When she can't give him what she thinks he needs she kills herself. When Haemon sees her dead he feels despair and kills himself because he loved her. When Haemon's mom hears that her son killed himself she feels despair because she cannot bear to lose a son so she kills herself. In the end Creon feels despair because everyone he loved has just killed themselves. He has not only let the town down but has lost everything.

Ignorance vs. Guilt- GRADE THIS PLEASE

If a person does not know, is that person still guilty of grievous crime?
Consider the plight of Oedipus and a modern day example.
What would you do if you were on the jury at the Oedipus trial?
What would you do if you were on the jury in a modern day trial?
What would cause you to vote one way or another? Values? Beliefs? Evidence? Society Norms? Other information? harm or damage/pain/suffering it doesnt make the crime less it just maks it more tragic

I think that even if the person doesn't know, they are still guilty of grievous crime. If their actions cause pain and suffering in someone's life the person responsible has caused that pain and suffering.

I feel sorry for Oedipus because he left his foster parents to try to stop the prophecy but unfortunately he ends up killing both his father and he ends up being responsible for his mother's death. "So, without my parents' knowledge, I went to Pytho; but came back disappointed of any answer to the question I asked, having heard instead a tale of horror and misery: how I must marry my mother and become the parent of a misbegotten brood, an offence to all mankind-and kill my father. At this I fled away, putting the stars between me and Corinth, never to see home again, that no such horror should come to pass"(King Oedipus, 47).
A modern day example would be the Parkersburg incident. The trials have started and his lawyers are saying that he was mentally ill and he he didn't know what he was doing. Just because he didn't know what was going on doesn't make the crime less, it just makes the situation more tragic. Ed Thomas is dead. It wouldn't make the crime less if he had been killed by a random kid off the street. What makes it so bad or tragic is that the kid that killed him was one of his previous players. Another example would be a drunk driver. Someone gets drunk in a bar and leaves in their car. They don't know what they are doing but they hit someone and cause pain and suffering to that person and their family. They can't just say they are not responsible because they made the choice to drink in the first place. It's tragic when two cars hit each other but it's even more tragic when the person in one vehicle is drunk. It puts more meaning behind the crash.

If I was on the jury of the Oedipus trial I would have carried out the same procedure as Oedipus did to himself. When he realized that he had really killed his father and married his mother he is shocked and devastated, even though in the end he admits to the crime. If I were on the jury I would punish him with banishment. This is what he has told the townspeople will happen to the guilty one. It doesn't matter if he is the king or one of the townspeople he has committed a crime and will have to pay for it. In the end he pays for it and more. He destroys his sight. "He pierced his eyeballs time and time again, till bloody tears ran down his beard-not drops but in full spate a whole cascade descending in drenching cataracts of scarlet rain. Thus to have sinned; and on two heads, not one-on man and wife-falls mingled punishment"(King Oedipus, 61). He could have just said he was the king so rules didn't apply to him but he doesn't because that is the right thing to do. That's what would have happened in court because in court it doesn't matter who you are. My decision would be based on my beliefs, evidence, and what caused pain and suffering. My belief is that if you commit a crime you should be punished in a fair way no matter who you are. There is definitely evidence in the court that Oedipus committed the crimes. Oedipus caused lots of pain and suffering. It doesn't matter if he meant to or not he is still responsible for his actions.

If I were in a modern day trial and I was on the jury of the Parkersburg trial I would pretty much treat this trial as I did the Oedipus trial. The murderer killed a man. I don't care how he did it or what he was on when he did it. He is still the responsible one and needs to take responsibility for his actions. It was a tragic crime and nothing is going to bring Ed back, but something can be done to prevent the murderer from doing it again. With drunk driving it's the same story all over again. If you committed the crime you are obligated to serve the consequences. You chose to put the alcohol up to your mouth. You were the one who got behind the wheel of the car. It doesn't matter if you didn't know what you were doing because you still caused pain and suffering. I would base part of my vote on the society norms. It used to not be a crime to drink and drive and in some places it's still legal. Now that the law has changed the courts have to uphold the law. My decision would be based on what society thinks is right and wrong. If I voted for the drunk driver I would be going against what society said. I would also base my vote on pain and suffering of the people involved. If someone died in the drunk driving incident I would be considering large pain and suffering for the victim. If there was evidence that the driver was drunk I would base my vote on the true facts presented to me.

Conscientious Objection

What is "conscientious objection"?
In what ways does Antigone demonstrate conscientious objection?
In your opinion, did she do the right thing? Explain your view in terms of how 21st Century citizens might view her actions.

Conscientious objection is when someone refuses to obey the law of do what most people think is right based on their moral believes and values. An example would be not signing up for the draft and refusing to bear arms because of what they believe in.
In Antigone, Antigone shows conscientious objection by refusing to follow the law made by Creon. She believed that her brother deserved a proper burial even if he tried to take down Thebes. She was not going to see her brother be eaten by the birds even if it meant she would be killed. She knew that these were her only brothers and she would do whatever it took to have them leave the earth the right way.

I believe that she did do the right thing. She stood up for what she believed in and she would have wanted the same if it was her. I think that many people now days would stand up for what she did. If I died I would want a proper burial and I would want someone to stand up for me. She didn't care what happened to her just as long as she was able to give her brother what he needed. In today's society it doesn't matter if you are the Queen of England or a pig farmer you are given a burial and not left to rot. If one person is less respected they are still given a burial. That is all Antigone wanted and so I think she did the right thing and I think that most people now would feel the same way because they would want the same for themselves.

Antigone

Antigone and Ismene are disusing what Creon has said; that if someone decides to bury their brother they will be killed. Creon has become the king and Antigone's two brothers have died in battle. One had the proper burial but the other one is supposed to be left for the birds. Creon doesn't believe he deserves the proper burial. Antigone then asks Ismene to help her bury him against Creon's orders. Ismene tells Antigone that even though she will love both her brother and hes sister she can not give up her life for the burial of her brother. Antigone tells her that the pride is more important but Ismene still refuses. Creon enters and tells the people that order has been restored into the Thebes and one of the brothers will be given a hero's burial while the other will go to the birds for he tried to take down Thebes. A guard enters and tells Creon that someone has tried to bury the brother and they have no idea who has disobeyed the king. Creon declares that the guard was paid to and the chorus believes that the Gods did it. Creon believes that the Gods would not be traitors and sentences the guard to death if he cannot find the person who committed the crime. The chorus sings about men and how they are very powerful but they need to follow the lead of the Gods because they are the ones with the real power. Later the guard comes back with Antigone. They call Creon and tell him that Antigone is the person who illegally buried the brother. When they were uncovering the body a dust storm came up and they could not see anymore. When it cleared they saw Antigone trying to bury the body again. The guards seize her at once and when Creon asks her if she denies it she does not. He asks her if she knew of the law forbidding it and she says she did but that was not going to stop her from burring her own brother. Creon brings in Ismene and tells them they will both be put to death. Antigone tells Creon that being put to death to save her brother will give her great joy! Antigone tells Creon that she acted by herself and that she is the only one that should be put death. Creon doesn't believe her and orders them to be ties up and taken away. Once again the chorus sings of the death that has come upon the house of Oedipus and they hope it will be saved this time. Haemon comes in and talks to Creon. He tells him that the town has said Antigone should not die for trying to do a good deed for her brother. Creon is angered that the village is telling him how to rule. Haemon believes that Creon is a stubborn man. Creon becomes mad and Haemon tells Creon that the death of Antigone might cause the death of others. Creon want Antigone to be brought out and killed in front of Haemon. Finally Creon decides not to kill Ismene and put Antigone alive in a cave for her life. The chorus talks about how love will cause a man to be driven insane. When Antigone comes back in the chorus believes that her death will only be because of he pride not because she is noble. She is angered and as the guards are leading her away to her cave she tells Creon that she is only doing this because a sibling cannot be replaced. She cries out that Thebes is ruled by nothing but cowards and she is glad to be gone. Later when Tiresias comes in Creon swears to follow all directions he has. He tells Creon that because he did not bury the brother and is now going to put Antigone to death the Gods are putting a curse on all of Thebes. Creon does not agree with the prophet at first but then decides to let Antigone free but it is too late. She has hung herself and when Haemon sees her dead he stabs himself. When Haemon's mother hears of what has happened she is devastated and leaves to kill herself because of the grief of her son. The messenger tells Creon that his wife cursed him for his own stupidity. Creon asks to be killed and he is taken into the palace. The chorus sings one last time of how if one is too proud the Gods will find a way to bring him down.

Oedipus the King

In Oedipus the King Oedipus is standing in front of his fellow people. The priest tells him that the country is suffering from a great plague and they need someone to stop it. Oedipus has sent Creon his brother-in-law to find the cause of the plague and he should be returning at anytime now. When Creon arrives he tells Oedipus that the killer of Laius is in Thebes and must leave Thebes before the town is to be well again. Creon tells of the kings passing and how he was killed on the road and only one of his men survived. The chorus asks the God's to help save Thebes. Oedipus comes back in and asks the people if they know who killed Laius. He tells them that if they confess the only punishment will be to leave the country. When nobody answers he is angry and says that even if it was someone in his own family it would be the same punishment. The chorus tells Oedipus to call upon the great blind prophet, Tiresias. When Tiresias comes Oedipus tells him to reveal the killer at once. Tiresias at first refuses because he knows it will be upsetting. When the murderer is finally revealed Oedipus can not believe it is him he tells Tiresias that he is wrong but he repeats himself and says it is true. Oedipus still does not believe him and believes that Creon and Tiresias are trying to overthrow him. Tiresias then goes on to say that Oedipus doesn't even know his own parents and the killer of Laius is also the son of his wife and brother of his children. The chorus becomes confused and doesn't know who to believe. They finally agree to not believe anything unless they see proof. Oedipus accuses Creon of trying to overthrow him and he wants Creon put to death. Jocasta comes into the scene and tells Oedipus not to kill anyone. She tells him that all prophets are false because there son was supposed to kill his father and marry his mother but the son was put to death and Laius was killed by thieves. She tells Oedipus that Laius was killed at a road where three roads meet up. Oedipus tells Jocasta that when he heard he was going to kill his father and sleep with his mother he fled his home and on his way he met travelers that made him mad so he killed them in self defense. He thinks it could have been Laius. Oedipus then sends for the shepherd that survived the attack by Oedipus. A messenger comes and tells him that his father Polybus is dead and Oedipus is to come rule there. They are glad because they believe that the prophecy was wrong. Oedipus is stilled worried about sleeping with his mother but the messenger tells him not to worry because they were not his real parents. The messenger explains that when he was a shepherd he found a baby on the mountain. The messenger says that this baby is Oedipus and a servant of Laius was told to take the baby and kill it. Oedipus then sends for the shepherd to find out who his real parents are. Jocasta tells him to stop the search but he refuses. The shepherd refuses to talk but Oedipus threatens to torture him. He tells Oedipus that Laius and Jocasta gave up their son because of the prophet. But the shepherd could not kill him. He gave the baby to another shepherd to be raised as a prince. Oedipus now realizes who his real parents are and screams. The messenger comes back and tells the chorus that he has more bad news. Jocasta has hung herself in her own room. She has wept for Laius and for her bad fate. Oedipus walks into Jocasta's room and when he sees her hanging he takes her gold broaches from her clothes and repeatedly gouges out his eyes. Oedipus walks onto the stage and is covered in blood and moaning about his bad fate and the horrible life he has. He says he must be banished from Thebes at once for he cannot bear his life anymore. Creon comes in and agrees to banish him from the town only if the Gods agree with everything that has happened. He tells Creon that his sons will be fine and act like men but he asks for Creon to take care of his girls and if he could see them one more time. His daughters, Antigone and Ismene, come onto the stage crying and Oedipus prays that their life will be better than his. Creon takes the girls away and Oedipus is taken down from the throne. The chorus comes in and says that one of the greatest men has fallen and that means that all life is miserable and the only way to feel better is to die.

The Theban Plays Intoduction

The purpose of the chorus is be the commentator of the play. This is a real person and they represent the elders or community in the play. They tell of the themes in the play and comment on what is going on at that certain time in the play. They sometimes discuss the issues or conflicts in the play.
Dramatic Irony
Dramatic Irony is in the play when the audience knows what is going on but the people in the play have no idea. In King Oedipus when the audience knows that he killed his father and married his mother but nobody in the play knows until the blind prophet tells them.

The Odyssey Book XV

Athena tells Telemachus that he must return home at once because the suitors are taking over his house and his mom will soon be married without Telemachus' permission. She tells him that he must get permission to leave but he must leave at once. She also warns him that he is to take a different route home. He must make sure his ships stay far from shore and he is to visit Eumaeus and tell Penelope of his return. His ships are to continue to the mainland after he drops him off. This was all said to him in a dream and so when he wakes up he gets ready to leave soon. Telemachus declines the offers to prepare a big farewell party. As he is leaving he is offered many gifts to take with him. As he was ready to leave a eagle came down and snatched a goose. Helen says that this is an omen that when he gets home he will return to his house have revenge on the suitors. As he was leaving he met a stranger wanting to stow away on his ship. Telemachus trusts him and agrees.
The next day Odysseus is eating breakfast and tells Eumaeus that he will leave and go to town to beg. Maybe he can see Penelope and meet some of the suitors. Eumaeus says that he should not get mixed up with the suitors for they are mean and should not be mixed with. Breakfast goes on and they tell each other stories. Eumaeus tells of his childhood and how he came to be in Ithaca. He lived in a rich house, son of a king, when his nurse took him one night and stowed him away on a pirate ship. Toward the end of the story the pirates kill the nurse and sell him as a slave. Odysseus' father buys him and has treated him well ever since and treated him like a son.
Telemachus makes his men let him off so he can walk to Eumaeus' house just as Athena instructed. The rest of his men go on into shore with he stranger as the guide. As he is leaving the ship a eagle flies by with a dove. This is a good omen and Telemachus's house will be the most Kingly of the country.

They Odyssey Book XIV

Odysseus returns to Ithaca disguised as a weary old man. He is disguised because he doesn't want anybody to know his has returned. He goes to the house of Eumaeus. Eumaeus is the swine herder. Odysseus is the master of Eumaeus but Eumaeus doesn't realize that he is talking to his master. Eumaeus feeds Odysseus and tells him about his old master and how he is so sad that it is hard for him to talk about it. He tells Odysseus about the suitors and how they are so greedy and horrible to each other and people in the town. Eumaeus wonders who Odysseus is and where he came from. Odysseus goes into a false story of how he is from Crete and he fought with Odysseus in Troy. He says he made the trip from Troy home safely but he made a trip to Egypt and that was when he became a poor man. He says that when he went to Egypt he heard that Odysseus was still alive and would be returning to Ithaca quite soon. Eumaeus sees right through the lie and wonders why someone like him would tell such a lie. Eumaeus tells Odysseus that he stays at his own house unless Penelope calls and has been in such pain since his master did not come back. They ate a big meal that was prepared because of the arrival of Odysseus. Odysseus tells Eumaeus that if Odysseus does not come back soon his servants can through him out to sea. Odysseus then goes on to tell another false tale. Eumaeus sees through the lie again and tells Odysseus he will have to wear his rags again for telling the lie. At the end of the day Odysseus goes to sleep at Eunaeus's house.

The Odyssey Book XI

Odysseus is told by Circe that he must preform this ritual to be able to talk to the dead spirits that he wants to. He used his knife and dug a ditch about a foot by foot. Around the pit he poured milk and honey for the dead. Then he poured wine and pure water. He scattered white barley meal over the top. He pledged that when he got home he would sacrifice a heifer and give many other gifts. After he had prayed he took the sheep and slit its throat over the pit. When he does this crowd of dead people rise up and cry out random things to him. He first meets with Elpenor. He begs Odysseus to come back and give him a proper burial for he was foolish and did not use the ladder to get off the roof. The most important people he talks to are Tiresias, and his mother-Anticleia. Tiresias tells of his future and that his trip home will be hard and long because Poseidon is mad at him for blinding his son. He will return home but it will be on a different ship and he will be alone. He warns him that when they come to Thrinacia not to kill and eat the grazing cattle. He tells Odysseus that when he returns home his house will have been taken over by the suitors and he will have to kill all of them when he gets home. He must travel to a far away land to please Poseidon and give Poseidon many gifts and hopefully Poseidon will forgive him. Next he sees his mother and she tells him what has happened in Ithaca since he left. She tells him that she died waiting for him to return. Odysseus learns that it will be a long time before he gets home and he will return alone to a house full of lazy suitors that he will have to kill. He then meets with many wives and daughters of great Gods and Kings. He met with many and can not name them all. He then asks the King of Phaeacians to let him sleep for he is tired but the king and queen want him to tell them more. He next spoke with Agamemnon and Odysseus was told of his death from his wife and to be careful when he gets home for he is lucky that he is still welcome and people are still waiting his return. He then speaks to Achilles who wants to know about his son. He attempts to speak to Ajax but he will not speak because he killed himself after he was beat by Odysseus in a fight. He then speaks to Heracles and sees Tantalus try to get food and water but every time he reaches for either they slip out of reach. He sees Sisyphus struggle to push a rock off a cliff. Soon there are crowd of dead people wanting to talk to Odysseus and Odysseus gets frightened and scared that they will take over him. He runs to his ship as fast as he can and orders his crew to leave the island immediately.

The Odyssey Book X

As Odysseus continues telling his story he tells of going to Aeolia home of Aeolus. Odysseus asks for help getting back to his home. Aeolus gives him a bag of winds and only lets out one wind. He tells Odysseus to take the bag but do not open it for there are some bad winds. They sailed with good winds for nine days. Odysseus decided to sleep and his men sure that he was holding gold and silver in the bag opened the bag just as they could see the shore of Ithaca. Out came the bad storm winds and a hurricane was quick to come up. They sailed back to Aeolia and asked Aeolus to give them another bag. Aeolus was sure that the God's were against them and sent them away at once. Next they came to the land of the giants. Odysseus sent his men out to find out who lived there. The men found the giants and one was eaten. The others got away but they were to late when they got to the ships. Odysseus and his men were in sad shape. They tried to escape but the giants stoned the men and the ships until all the ships but Odysseus's were lost. Odysseus's ship set out to the island of Circe. Odysseus sent 22 of his men to check out the island against their will. They found the house of Circe where they were given a drink that was poisoned. All the men turned into pigs except Eurylochus who saw the trap and didn't drink the poison. When Eurylochus gets back to the ship Odysseus says he must go save his men. Eurylochus does not want to go back but decides to help Odysseus find the house. Odysseus meets Hermes on his way to the house and Hermes tells him what to do when he gets to the house. He tells Odysseus to eat a herb and then the poison will not work on him. When Circe pulls out he wand he is to take out his sword. Circe will then ask him to stay in bed with her and he must agree. He does all that Hermes tells and Circe is shocked that he does not turn into a pig. At first she thinks he is a God but soon realizes that he is just a mortal with Gods behind him. Circe helps Odysseus get cleaned up and makes him look very handsome. She also releases his men. Odysseus and his men stay with Circe for a year. She promises Odysseus and his men that he will support and take care of them. At the end of the year Odysseus's men ask to leave. He agrees to ask Circe and she tells them they must go to Hades, then Tiresias the Theban. The next morning when they are about to leave they see Elpenor fall off the roof. He fell asleep drunk and fell off the roof and broke his neck. Odysseus told his men where they must go and that they are to take a black ewe and a ram to use as sacrifices for the spirits they are to visit.

The Odyssey Book IX

By this time Odysseus has gotten to the King of the island and is now telling the king, Alcinous, his story from when he left the Trojan War. He tells of his journey from Troy to Ismarus. When they went got to Ismarus they took the treasures, the wives, and massacred the men. Odysseus told his men to get back to the ship but they were foolish and drank wine and killed their animals. By the time they got back to their ship the island's men that had escaped came and attacked Odysseus' men. By the time they were able to escape six men from each ship had been killed. As they sailed away Zeus got mad and decided to bring a big storm upon Odysseus and his men. They are in the storm for many days but in the end they end up on the island of the Lotus-Eaters. Odysseus sends some of his men to get food and drink for the others. The men are offered lotus fruit and when they eat it all they can think of is eating more. They have to be dragged back to to the ship and locked up so they don't eat anymore fruit. Next they traveled to the land of the Cyclops. Odysseus and his men hunted the island and 12 ships kill 9 goats each. The next day Odysseus and 12 of his men set out to see if they can get some goods from the Cyclops Polyphemus. While he is gone the men make themselves at home and decide to wait until the Cyclops gets home. When the Cyclops gets back he seems nice at first. But soon after they tell them who they are he snatches up two of Odysseus's men and eats them. The next morning he at two more men and locked the remaining men up for the day. Odysseus formed a plot against the Cyclops. Odysseus sharpened a log and got ready for the Cyclops to return. After the Cyclops had eaten two more men Odysseus offers him wine. When he is drunk Odysseus says his name is "No-One." After the Cyclops is passed out Odysseus and his men thrust the burning stake into the eye of the Cyclops blinding him. When other Cyclops hear the commotion and ask what is going on Polyphemus says that No-One is killing him. The next morning when Polyphemus takes his goats out Odysseus and his men tie themselves to the bottom of the sheep. When Polyphemus feels the top of the sheep there is nothing there. The men are able to escape with sheep from the Cyclops. As they sail away from the Cyclops Odysseus gets cocky and shouts back to Polyphemus. He tells him his name is Odysseus. Polyphemus starts throwing stones at the ships. Polyphemus says that Poseidon his father will make his journey horrible. He prays to Poseidon to make the sure Odysseus doesn't get home and hopes he will finish him off before he gets home.

The Odyssey Book V

At the beginning of Book V most of the God's are sitting down and talking about Odysseus' future and what should happen with him next. Athena tells Zeus that he has been with Calypso long enough and it is time for him to get home to his wife. Zeus agrees and sends Hermes to tell Calypso to let Odysseus get home. He must travel alone but she can give him the help he needs to start the journey. Hermes tells Calypso that she must let Odysseus go back to his home. Calypso is not happy to be told that. She wonders why God's can have any mortal human they want and it will not be taken away but if a Goddess wants to have a mortal they are always taken away. Calypso finally agrees and tells Odysseus to chop down trees to make a ship. Odysseus doesn't believe her and thinks that after he leaves on the ship she will kill him at sea but she promises him that she will make sure he gets started safely and will do him no harm. Once more she gives him the chance to become immortal but he declines. He says that although Calypso is much prettier than Penelope, Penelope is however smarter and he declines her offer. As he put a ship together Calypso gets supplies ready for Odysseus's journey. The next day Odysseus sets out and Calypso gives him the winds needed to start home. Poseidon seeing that the God's let Odysseus go without his permission is very mad. He decides to make Odysseus's journey hard and maybe even kill him. He strikes up a huge storm that makes Odysseus lose his control of his ship. Just as Odysseus was about ready to give up and drown Ino a sea Goddess gives him a shawl that will help him stay alive. He is to find a shore and then throw the shawl back to sea to Ino. By the time makes it to the shore of Scheria he is close to losing consciousness and can barely climb on shore. He sends the shawl back to Ino and crawls to shore covering himself with leaves and falling to sleep with help from Athena.

The Odyssey Book II

The next morning Telemachus gets up and is calls a meeting with the elders and the suitors telling them that he is going to find his father. Telemachus says that a curse has fallen on his house. Odysseus has been gone for over 19 years and his house is in ruins because of the suitors trying to marry his mom. The suitors take all of his food and crowd his house. He tells them that if they don't leave the God's will help him destroy them. The one suitor Antinous thinks he is foolish and stupid. He says that Penelope doesn't want to be married but she is leading them one by offering them hope and promise. She says she will get married after she finishes the burial shawl. But she is cheating them by working on the loom all day and then by undoing the whole thing by night. She has done this for three years and the maid finally caught her and so she had to finish it against her will. The suitor tells Telemachus to send his mother to her father and have him marry her to one of these suitors. Telemachus again tells the suitors to leave the halls of his house or they will die. He says go to each others house in turn or eat on big feast at each house but they must leave his house. Telemachus now has the help of Zeus and Zeus sends down two eagles and they fight in mid air and fly away. A wise man tells the men to follow directions because the eagles were a sign from the God's. The wise man says that Odysseus will be back soon and they will not be able to outsmart him. The suitors say that even if Odysseus was to come back he would be no match for the many suitors to kill him. Telemachus says that he is going to go get a ship and crew. He will travel and if he hears that his father is alive he will wait one more year. If he is dead he will come back and marry off his mother. The meeting is over and Telemachus goes alone and prays to Athena. Athena appears as Mentor and tells him not to worry about the suitors for they are fools and will all die some day. Telemachus then goes to his father's storeroom and gathers all the needed supplies for his journey. Eurycleia, Odysseus and Telemachus' nurse, sees Telemachus and he tells her where he is going but he tells her not to tell his mother for she will not be able to stop him if she does not know. Meanwhile Athena goes to town and gets the ship and crew he needs for the trip. She also stocks his ship with all needed supplies. Athena set sail the ship helping guide it the whole way.

The Odyssey Book I

Odysseus has been gone for 19 years. He went to the Trojan War and has not returned. In Book I the Gods are together talking about Odysseus's fate. Odysseus is in a Sex Goddess's cave. Her name is Calypso and she lives on Pylos and she has told Odysseus that she will make him immortal if he will stay and become her wife. He refuses immortally because he believes that he will get back to his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus. Calypso is keeping him in her cave and he has been there for about ten years. All the God's except Poseidon, God of the Sea, are at the meeting talking about letting Odysseus get home. Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and War and daughter of Zeus, says that he has been there long enough and suffered through enough. Athena then goes to Telemachus' house disguised as Mentes a friend of Odysseus and tells him that she has heard that his father is still alive and he needs to to different places and find if what she said was true. She says that the God's must be in charge of what happens to him but if he goes and asks these people if his father is still alive then Telemachus can save his mother from being married. Telemachus tells Athena that he is sure his father is dead and if he was still alive he would be back. He claims that his house has become ruins for all the suitors that his mother will not get married to. His mother says that she will not get married until she finishes the burial shawl for Laertes father of Odysseus. Athena says not to lose hope and that when Odysseus does return the suitors will either leave running or be killed by Odysseus. She tells him he must go and find a ship and crew. He is to sail to Pylos and visit Nestor, then to Sparta's king. Then when he has finished and come home if he has heard that Odysseus is still alive wait one more year. If he is dead then make Penelope get married to one of the suitors. After Athena leaves he stands up to the suitors and tells them to leave by the next day. If not they would be killed. Telemachus then goes to sleep. His nurse and maid Eurycleia assist him as he gets ready. He falls to sleep thinking about his journey.