The Phaeacians once lived near the Cyclops but moved to Scheria to avoid the lawless brutes. The Cyclops, whom the wanderers visit next, contrast most vividly with the Phaeacians. This time, Odysseus' judgment prevails, and he manages to get his men back to sea before too many are seduced by the honey-sweet fruit that wipes out ambition and memory. The Lotus-eaters have no interest in killing the Greeks the danger is the lotus and the forgetfulness it causes. Homer has touched on a universal theme, the lure of oblivion through drugs. Students familiar with some of the legends of The Odyssey but new to the epic itself might be surprised to see that the section on the Lotus-eaters is only about twenty-five lines long (9.92-107). (Homeric geography is suspect, but some scholars place this at or near Libya.) Nine days later, he reaches the land of the Lotus-eaters. As he rounds Cape Malea (near Cythera, north and slightly west of Crete), he needs only to swing north by northwest 300 miles or so to be home. Odysseus escapes, but storms and a strong north wind drive his ships off course. Odysseus loses six men from each of his ships and is lucky to get away by sea. ![]() His men, on the other hand, drink and feast as the Cicones gather reinforcements, skilled warriors who eventually rout the Greeks. Having gained victory and considerable plunder, Odysseus wants to be on his way. At question is not the raid but Odysseus' men's foolish disregard for his advice. Certainly piracy and marauding were legitimate professions for Ithacans. Others conclude that he sacks the city simply because it is there. Some scholars suggest that Odysseus raids Ismarus because the Cicones are allies of the Trojans. If Odysseus is to survive, he must ultimately become wise as well as courageous and shrewd. Many critics see Odysseus' wanderings as a series of trials or tests through which the hero attains a certain wisdom and prepares to be a great king as well as a great warrior. Phemius, the renowned Ithacan bard, outlines the tale early in The Odyssey (1.375-76) when he performs "The Achaeans' Journey Home from Troy." The details are not articulated there either, but the story of Ajax's attempted rape of Cassandra in Athena's temple and the lack of punishment meted out to him by the Greeks would have been well known by Homer's audience. Odysseus does not discuss, at this point, why he was blown off course and unable to return directly to Ithaca. The next four books (Books 9-12) deal with the hero's wanderings and are the most widely known in the epic. But his pride in his name foreshadows Odysseus' questionable judgment in identifying himself during the escape from Polyphemus. Reputation is of paramount importance in this culture. When Odysseus states that his "fame has reached the skies" (9.22), he is merely stating fact, identifying himself. One's name and reputation are crucial in the Homeric world. Readers should not confuse Odysseus' pride in identifying himself to the Phaeacian hosts with vanity. Only the Greek hero's wily plan allows escape. One of them, Polyphemus, traps Odysseus and a scouting party in his cave. ![]() The next stop is the land of the Cyclops, lawless one-eyed giants. The inhabitants are not hostile however, eating the lotus plant causes Odysseus' men to lose memory and all desire to return home. Storms blow the ships off course, but they finally arrive at the land of the Lotus-eaters. The Cicones gather reinforcements, counterattack, and eventually rout the Greeks. Odysseus advises his men to leave immediately with their riches, but they ignore his warnings. With apparent ease, they sack the city, kill the men, enslave the women, and enjoy a rich haul of plunder. Following the victory at Troy, he and his men sail to Ismarus, the stronghold of the Cicones. After identifying himself to the Phaeacians at the feast, Odysseus tells the story of his wanderings.
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