#homeric epics

[1000cavalry]

So I was reading some reviews of a translation of the Odyssey because I was bored.

Here is a gem I found:

This person is complaining about *checks notes* the use of Homeric Epithets, while reading the Odyssey.

They also seem quite surprised that this c.8th century BC story has characters who are ‘morally questionable’ by modern standards.

In all seriousness, classical literature isn’t for everyone and I get that it is probably harder to enjoy without background and context. They get points for the funny heading.

I’m still slightly pissed off that they called the characters two dimensional.

[katerinaaqu]

The Greeks: We just wanna go home at this point!

(Probably) Neoptolemus at his first battle:

Odysseus: Diomedes...what have we unleashed!?

[restlesskeychains]

My oc alexandros? He’s another telestratus fan kid I made:)

Here he is! Another cutie patootie :3

[ditoob]

face of a future war criminal

[two-bees-poetry]

twenty years across the sea

[official-english-major]

Telemachus's life post-Odyssey has the potential to be so funny bc bro is suddenly going from the son of, essentially, a single mom to the son of two VERY in-love middle aged sweethearts who never had to learn boundaries about what is/isn't appropriate to say around their kid.

Penelope: I knew that "beggar" was you the whole time, you know.

Odysseus, laughing: Oh, really?

Penelope: You can disguise a lot of things, but I'd know that ass anywhere.

Telemachus: I am begging you guys to keep it in your pants for ONE family dinner.

[vor-leser]

"Didn´t you say that ruthlessness is mercy?"

[miyetko]

I know I messed up the lyrics a little but oh well

[miroana]

Achilles: I-

Odysseus: I think I know more about having ideas than you do, genius

[sloanslone]

Naiad Telemachus (au comes from my beloved anon yet again-they can cook fr)

Close ups:

I CANNOT draw seafood :D

[helpmeimblorboing]

You know what ? The idea that Odysseus discovered his mother's death by finding her ghost in the Underworld gains a new, even more sad dimension if you assume that Epic follows the canon prescribed by some interpretations of the Odyssey, because according to some version of the story, she didn't just die of grief - she died by walking into the sea after seeing Aeolus' storms blow Odyseus' ships away from shore

Not only did Odysseus' crew get him lost at sea yet again, but they also killed his mom

[katerinaaqu]

Odysseus's fixation upon his son could possibly be explained by the timeline.

A small thing that needs to be said is that according to Homer Odysseus left Telemachus a "newborn" (or at least so Menelaus says in the Odyssey). Interestingly is hard to tell how long Odysseus and Penelope have been married before they had Telemachus because the time line is not cut and clear.

It seems like their marriage took place during the oath of Tyndareus period when Odysseus was at Sparta as a suitor to Helen. From the Oath till Helen's infidelity or abduction or forced seduction by Aphrodite we see there were around 10 years of difference (quite frankly according to some accounts Helen mentions she was 20 years in Troy). That means that he and Penelope were potentially married at least a decade (which makes sense given that he made a wedding bed for her from scratch making it seem that their palace was also being rebuilt at that time)

But if Telemachus was newborn or almost newborn (like let's say about 1 year old tops) that means that Odysseus and Penelope were childless for almost a decade. Either that means they were having some issues aka Odysseus running errands in the kingdom or that they were trying very hard to have children and somehow they couldn't

Do you imagine what this means?

Odysseus potentially had to leave behind a son he wished for for almost a decade full and not to mention that Palamedes nearly killed him, that very son that he potentially tried so hard for and wished for so much!

Hell no wonder he names himself "Father of Telemachus" and quite frankly one can understand why he would hold a grudge against Palamedes (be it Higenius you follow where he frames him or be it Pausanias who says he drowned him) one can imagine why his brain would snap like that! If this hypothesis is correct that is.

[room-temperature-orange-juice]

“Men don’t cry”

WRONG

Odysseus cried every morning of his 7 year stay with Calypso. He sobbed on he beach for 2555 days in a row. Do you know how much of a commitment that is?

And do you know how MANLY Odysseus is? The man who was a soldier for ten years, killing for his family. The man who fought giants. The man with muscles so impressive the author had to describe his ‘boxers build’ and ‘rippling thighs’ constantly? The man who easily strung a bow with a 300 pound draw weight, then shot it perfectly? And then proceeded to easily slaughter 100+ grown men?

Never say men don’t cry. Be like Odysseus.

[ditoob]

“Showing Athena around the Greek Camp”

Recorded by Odysseus Laertides (1700 b.C.)

[risetherivermoon]

i think people should implement the fact Odysseus cries CONSTANTLY in the Odyssey into their epic stuff more...cuz the sentence 'I then began to weep" is said so much itd take me forever to tally it up,

[official-english-major]

Athena calling odysseus and telemachus her friends and saying she can't sleep at night after how she handled things?!?!!?!?!?!