Fred K MLLL 3043: Week 3 : Reading Diary : Homer's Odyssey continued

Regardless of my interest in rewriting story, I like this part when Odysseus met Elpenor, fellow comrade of Odysseus who arrived the land way before Odysseus. He found the ghost of Elpenor, who was deceived by Circe and eventually died. He wanted Odysseus to burn his body.

He said "Burn me, with whatever armour I own, and heap up a mound for me on the grey sea’s shore, in memory of a man of no fortune, that I may be known by those yet to be. Do this for me and on my mound raise the oar I rowed with alive and among my friends.”

I love the word "a man of no future."

Also, when Odysseus talked to the ghost of Teiresias, he called Odysseus with many titles. "Then the ghost of Theban Teiresias appeared, carrying his golden staff, ad he knew me, and spoke: “Odysseus, man of many resources, scion of Zeus, son of Laertes, how now, luckless man? Why have you left the sunlight, to view the dead in this joyless place? Move back from the trench and turn aside your blade so I may drink the blood, and prophesy truth to you.” The funny thing is that even the ghost of Elpenor used same titles for Odysseus. Elepnor said "Odysseus, man of many resources, scion of Zeus, son of Laertes some god’s hostile decree was my undoing, and too much wine"

I am not sure why they refer him with so many titles, but it could be some sort of rituals or rules for the ghosts to talk to him. I think it is very exciting for heroes to have many titles, and be called along with their names.

This make me wonder what kind of titles other heroes might have.

The most favorite part of my story is, without doubt, when the ghost of Agamemnon appeared in front of Odysseus. He was killed by his wife and her lover. The ignorant and arrogant king deserved his fate.

Also I loved the part where Odysseus passed Siren with his body tight. He was smart enough to not to trust his own strength which kept him away from the song of Siren.