- Upon reaching the shore, Odysseus sacrificed all the rams that he had won from the Cyclops and upon doing so ghosts of the dead rushed out of Erebus. Fearful, he called upon his men and drew his sword.
The Ghosts of Elpenor and Teriesias
- Odysseus was shocked to see the ghost of Elpenor. He explained how he had become drunk with wine and when he woke, he fell from the roof and died.
- Elepnor and Odysseus talked for quite some time before Anticleia, the ghost of Odysseus's dead mother appeared and he wept.
The Ghost of Teiresias
- The ghost of Teiresias appeared next and advised Odysseus to draw back his sword and he did. He warned him that the god of the dead was angered with him for blinding his son and that he probably would not make it home alive.
The Spirit of Anticleia
- Odysseus explained to his mother how he came to be at the House of Hades and asked her the same. She told him she died from sadness of yearning his return. His father lived alone in the fields yearning for him as well, as well as his wife. He tried to hug his mother, but couldn't because the dead and living cannot touch.
The Ghosts of Famous Women
- This chapter consisted of various stories about famous women and why they had died.
- After the many stories Odysseus went to sleep.
The Ghost of Agamemnon
- Agamemnon explained to Odysseus that Aegisthus had tricked him during a feast with the help of his deranged wife and murdered him and his companions.
- He then warned Odysseus not to trust women anymore for they are treacherous and to return home in secret and not share too much information with his wife. Odysseus asked if he knew if his son was still alive, but he didn't.
The Spirit of Achilles
- Achilles asked why Odysseus had come. He explained that he came to find Teiresias and to see if he could help him find his way to Ithaca. He also told him that about his son, and Achilles happily went on his way rejoicing.
The Ghost of Ajax
- Unlike the other ghosts, Ajax was angered by Odysseus's victory because his weapons had been given Odysseus for winning the battle.
- He would not forget his anger and went on his way despite Odysseus asking him to forget it.
- After being visited by ghost after ghost and gripped with fear, he finally set sail with his men and departed.
The Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis
- They neared the island of the Sirens as Odysseus plugged everyone's ears with beeswax and his men tied him hand and foot to the mast of the ship.
- As they passed the Sirens begged them to stop and he wanted to give into the temptation but they were able to bypass the island by not listening and once they had passed they untied him.
- However as they carried on, Scylla grabbed 6 of his strongest men from the ship, smashed them into the rock and devoured them.
Scylla and Charybdis. Web Source.
Bibliography: Homer's The Odyssey, translated by Tony Kline. Web Source.
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