Odysseus's Life in a Timeline

Suitors/Home

1220 BCE

Its at this point where Odysseus finally returns home, but he disguises himself as an old beggar as he sees the situation with Penelope, his wife. The suitors were a big group of people, each wanting to take the throne and the marriage of Penelope. The only way they can become the king(according to Penelope), though is if they can string a bow, something only Odysseus can do, so Penelope mad a smart decision there. Odysseus reveals himself in secret to people he can trust(ex:Telemachus) to plan.

Suitors/Home Analysis

1220 BCE

With Odysseus's plan, he eventually kills all of the suitors for the pain they have caused Penelope, and the two finally reunite. Throughout the Odyssey, Penelope didn't give up on Odysseus yet, because she knew that he would return, and still and hope for it. Antinious is the first suitor to die, and he was the most arrogant one. Eurymachus is another suitor who is the leader of the group, but doesn't act like one. Unlike Odysseus, he is more of a coward. Odyssey ends with Odysseus reunited.

Scylla and Charybdis

1213 BCE

As another part of the warning Circe gives to Odysseus before he leaves her again, she talks about Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla is described as a literal nightmare, with tentacles and "gullets of black death", who always requires sacrifices. Charybdis is a god that lurks below the sea to swallow the dark tides. Odysseus wants to know how he can defeat the two gods, to which Circe replies that the two cannot be beat, and his only hope is to flee. Odysseus leaves and sees Scylla and Charboydis.

Scylla and Charybdis Analysis

1213 BCE

Sadly Odysseus's men don't survive the two gods. They and the ship get destroyed and Odysseus only escapes by holding on to a tree before a raft arrived. It's unfortunate because Odysseus's main goal was to get home with himself and his men, because he values all of them, even more than himself. Still, Odysseus was able to calm his men down before the encounter with the Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis. After the incident, Odysseus finds a way to safety.

Sirens

1212 BCE

The Sirens are another part of Greek mythology that try and slow Odysseus and his crew down. The Sirens are a group of partly female people that lure people in with their irresistible singing. On their way back home, they encounter the Sirens, who were apparently expecting him since they immediately start singing once they see him, but he has a plan. He orders his men to put wax in their ears and fasten him to the ship so they can't hear. The plan works and they eventually escape the issue.

Sirens Analysis

1212 BCE

The whole event takes place after they leave the underworld and return to Circe only to head off once again. Circe gave Odysseus the plan to have himself tied down so that he could still hear the song safely, and everything ended up working out. The Sirens aren't the main focus of Book 12, though, as their next trial(Scylla and Charybdis), are described as nightmares, but they are incorporated into the world today. Sirens today are on police, which nobody can resist, just like back then.

Circe

1211 BCE

Circe is shown as a really attractive, as the story describes her voice, clothes, and her singing. She is known as the goddess of heaven, but soon turns Odysseus's men into pigs. He's hit hard by this news, as all Circe cares about is her relationship with Odysseus. While laying in bed, Circe sees Odysseus crying and asks him why he hasn't eaten or drink anything. He says that he won't eat or drink until his men are back to normal, so she grants him his wish. He also asks to go home, so she says

Helios's Cattle

1211 BCE

One of the other warnings Circe gives Odysseus is about Helios. Helios is the god of the sun, and Odysseus is warned not to eat his cattle, or he is going to come back for revenge. While passing by his island on the way home, his men get too hungry and Odysseus eventually lands on Helios' island. Despite Odysseus warning them about the cattle, his men eat them anyway, which angers Helios and forces him to stop the Sun from shining. In order for the Sun to shine again, he demands payment.

Helios's Cattle Analysis

1211 BCE

This is unfortunately another weakness that Odysseus's men show, how stubborn and tempted they are. Despite his warning about the cattle, his men still eat Helios's cattle, which cause Odysseus's ship to be struck down as part of payment for Helios after the death of his cattle. With no ship, Odysseus drifts off to another island.

Lotus Eaters

1210 BCE

The Trojan War is now over after 10 years of battling. The problem now is Odysseus getting home to Ithaca with a crew of 12 ships of men with him. One of the problems he experiences are the Lotus Eaters. The Lotus Eaters are a group of people that eating a lotus tree. When people eat the Lotus tree, they forget about their homeland, and never want to return back to it, but instead stay there forever. Odysseus knows this and keeps as many people away from the Lotus as possible.

Aeolus- Bag of Wind

1210 BCE

After the encounter with the cyclops, Odysseus and his men then land on the island of Aeolus, the god of wind that is king of the island. They stay with Aeolus for a month, and Odysseus becomes friends with the god as well. Before they leave, as a gift understanding his situation, Aeolus gives Odysseus's ship a strong wind blowing them toward Ithaca. However, he also gives him a bag with all the stormy winds. On the way back, his men think that the bag has riches, so they open it back to Aeolus.

Cyclopes

1210 BCE

After some trouble with the Lotus, Odysseus and his men arrive upon the next land, where they encounter Cyclopes. He doesn't respect Cyclopes because he thinks that they have "no muster and no meeting, no consultation or old tribal ways" according to him. On the third day of exploring their current territory, he goes to the Cyclopes to see if they are friends or foes.

Aeolus- Bag of Wind Analysis

1210 BCE

This is a crucial moment in the story. Odysseus has been away from Ithaca for years now, and his loved ones are drastically affected physically and mentally by this. He's obviously happy that Aeolus was able to blow ship ship on the course back to Ithaca, but his men unfortunately display their weakness, their curiosity. What makes the whole thing worse is that Aeolus decides to no longer help because he thinks that their journey is now cursed. They soon get help from a god named Circe, though.

The Trojan War

1200 BCE

The Trojan War is where Odysseus's journey begins. He is sailed away to Troy where he meets lots of other soldiers and kings from across Greece. The Trojan War started when a prince of Troy kidnapped the most beautiful woman in the world from her husband, Menelaus. After ten long years of battling, Odysseus is able to come up with a plan to finally defeat the Trojans.