The Ancient World (HUM 124 - UNC Asheville)/The Ancient World (HUM 124 - UNC Asheville)/BOOK 24

The Odyssey, Book 24

'''Book 24 is the epilogue chapter, tying up any loose ends in the plot. Odysseus had just killed all the suitors in his home. The spirits of Odysseus's suitors were led out of his his house by Hermes to the fields of Asphodel, where they found Achilles, Patroclus, and Ajax, all former Greek war heroes. Agamemnon had just died, along with everyone who was killed by Aegisthus and his men. Achilles remorsed for Agamemnon, saying Zues favored him because he led a great army, and speculating the glory Agamemnon would've had if he'd died in battle at Troy. Agamemnon recalled when Achilles died, saying he died a hero, and that everyone wept for him. He recalled Achilles mother, who had come from the water with her nymphs, dressed Achilles, and sang for him. There then was a funeral ceremony where they set Achilles on fire and later put him in a gold urn the next day. The gods gave Achilles's mother prizes for the best athletes to complete for in an arena. As Agamemnon and Amphimedont talked, Hermes brought in Odysseus's suitors. Agamemnon recognized Amphimedon, his friend's son, and asked how the suitors died. Amphimedon told Agamemnon about their attempt to marry Odysseus's wife, Penelope, and how she tricked them by keeping them waiting on her for 4 years to finish a winding-sheet to be buried with her husband, which she kept unraveling at night to give herself more time. Amphimedon then told how Odysseus and his son came back when Penelope was forced to finish the winding-sheet, and slaughtered the unwelcome guests for trying to take his life away from him. Agamemnon compared Penelope, Odysseus's wife, to his own, who had killed him. As they talked in Hades, Odysseus went to find his father, Laertes. He found him at his farm, unkempt and poorly dressed. Instead of revealing who he was to his father, he asked about himself in 3rd person to test him, asking him why he looked so unkempt. He then said he had a guest who visited him from Ithaca asking where Odysseus went. Odysseus told his father he saw a good omen before Odysseus left, which sent Laertes into tears since he thought Odysseus was dead. Odysseus finally revealed himself as Odysseus, and proved it by recalling all the trees promised to him by Laertes when he was a child. He took Laertes back to his house, where his slaves cleaned and dressed Laertes in immortal clothes, and where Athena made him taller and more muscular. They then sat and ate dinner. Meanwhile, the Cephallenians plotted their revenge since Odysseus killed their children, the men trying to marry his wife. Odysseus, Laertes, Telemachus, and his men fought the Cephallenians until Athena told them to stop and there had been enough bloodshed. Odysseus tried to keep fighting, but a lightning bolt came down in front of Athena and she treatened him with Zeus's power, which convinced him to end the battle. Then Athena made them sign a peace treaty.'''