The Odyssey
The OdysseyCompleting a Journey
Its been twenty years since Odysseus has been able to go home to his kingdom and family, because Poseidon has a grudge toward him and would not let him leave. Currently his kingdom is slowly falling apart, and Athena, who always liked Odysseus, recognizes this and says that it is time for him to come back to his kingdom. At many points in his journey Odysseus could give up and not try to go home, however, Athena, is there by his side helping him almost every inch of the way. Although he can’t always see her, she is there guiding him, helping him succeed. To help him, she gives him the wisdom, courage, and determination to complete the journey that she helped begin.
By giving Odysseus knowledge about his situation she helps him to make a plan to return. She informs him by telling Hermes to deliver the message that after all of this time he is now able to go home: “order Odysseus home; let him depart “(The Odyssey,V. 35). However the gods don’t want to just let him go home after all this time, they want to make it a challenge for him: “But let him have no company, gods or men,/only a raft that he must lash together” (V.36-37). Although she also has a route planned out for him he must find it himself: “and after twenty days, worn out at sea,/he shall make land upon the garden isle,/Skheria, of our kinsmen, the Phaiakians”(V.38-40). By Athena giving him the wisdom and knowledge to get home he is able to make it to Skheria, where they then send him to Ithaka with many “gifts and garments” (V .43). After he then returns to Ithaka, he is able to regain control from his wife’s suitors; with help from Athena. She, again, tells him where to go and what to do: “But join your swineherd first — the overseer/of all your swine, a good soul now as ever,/devoted to Penelope and your son” (XIII. 506-508). With the help of his swine heard he is able to discover who is loyal and who will help him fight, he can then avenge the suitors by killing them. Through Athena giving him knowledge he is able to successfully complete his journey in returning home and killing of the suitors.
One of the most important things that Athena gives to Odysseus is the courage to come home after twenty years, on a very challenging journey. Only being able to take a raft out to sea Odysseus becomes doubtful: “A raft, you say, to cross the Western Ocean,/rough water, and unknown? Seaworthy ships/ that glory in god’s wind will never cross it” (V.185-187). Although there is doubt in his mind it is quickly replaced with courage: “if anyone has marked me out again/ for shipwreck, my though heart can undergo it” (V. 230-231). With this courage given he makes it to Skheria in one piece where he gets the courage to ask for help in a strange land. “Arete, admiral Rhexenor ‘s daughter, here is a man bruised by adversity, thrown/ upon your mercy and the king your husband’s,/ begging indulgence of this company— But grant me passage to my father land (VII. 156-158;163). Odysseus has to be careful while asking for help because they might not have been fearful of the gods and let him return. However, they are and they help Odysseus return home. Once he arrives home after giving him the knowledge, she gives him the courage needed to fight and kill off his wife’s suitors.
Once Odysseus has the courage to begin something, he needs the determination to follow through with it, which Athena also gives him. On his way home he almost drowns: “A gust of wind , hitting a pile of chaff,/ will scatter all the parched stuff far and wide;/just so, when this gigantic blow struck the boat’s big timbers flew apart. Odysseus/clung to a single beam. . .”(V. 381-385), being in this situation he could have given up, but he holds on until he finds land and washes up on shore. After he starts fighting the suitors where he was greatly out numbered by he could have let them take over but he fight still the death. Athena doesn’t just give him the determination this time, she lets him find it: “Where is your valor, where is the iron hand/that fought at Troy for Helen, pear of Kings/no respite and nine years of war?”(XXII. 250-253) But Athena scolds him, making him think that he has to finish what he stared, to finally kill all the suitors. With the determination she gives him and that he finds in himself he is able to fully complete the tasks that were laid in front of him.
Throughout this book Odysseus has many challenges at which he could give up. His determination, enhanced by Athena, to get home keeps him going. Odysseus is said to be the wisest mortal, and Athena being the goddess of wisdom, has a bond between Odysseus and herself. Odysseus is the mortal equivalent to the goddess. This is why Athena is constantly intervening with his quest. She wants him to get home safely and to glorify his name and country. I think that it is a good thing that Athena helps because no mortal could accomplish the task of returning home and fighting off all of the suitors at once. Although most of the time Odysseus didn’t even know that Athena is with him, she always is. She is there watching over him, helping him the entire journey.