The Odyssey Group

Question:

funke
funke
Student
High School - 11th Grade

In The Odyssey how does Odysseus gain access to the underworld?

It's in Chapter 11

Rate question:

Posted by funke on Tuesday December 16, 2008 at 9:39 PM and tagged with chapter 11, character, odysseus, odyssey, the odyssey, underworld.

Answers:


  1. cybil Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    Circe instructs Odysseus to do the following. He must travel to the land of the Cimmerians. He must dig a trench once he arrives and pour into it a drink-offering to all the dead, first with honey and milk, then with wine, and finally with water, and then he should sprinkle with white barley meal. After proper prayers, next he must sacrifice two sheep (one black ram just for Teiresias) and let the blood flow into the trench before burning the animals. The shades (ghosts) in the Underworld will be attracted to the pit to drink the blood, but Odysseus must hold them off to allow Teiresias to drink first. From Teiresias, the blind prophet, Odysseus will learn what he must do to return to Ithaca and to make peace with Poseidon.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/odyssey-text/book-xi
    http://www.enotes.com/odyssey/book-11-summary-analysis

    Rate answer:

    Posted by cybil on Thursday December 18, 2008 at 11:14 AM