Friends,
Good work on finishing the first four books of the Odyssey, the “Telemachy,” the story of Telemachus’ maturation. Now we turn to our protagonist, Odysseus, whom we find weeping on a beach on the island of Calypso in Book Five—but Odysseus’ response to Calypso’s offer of immortality is one of the most important passages in the Western canon. It is worth a close, careful read. We then move into the story of Odysseus and his journey from Calypso to the island of Phaeacia. Homer sets us up for Odysseus to tell his story, Books Nine through Twelve, which contains some of the most famous passages in the Homeric text, e.g., lotus eaters, cyclops, Scylla, Charybdis, etc.
Remember that Homer is a teacher—and in these subtle images he offers you lessons on the perennial truths, especially in Book Five, on immortality and the nature of man.
The Odyssey is worth reading—and you can read it well with Ascend.
Be sure to wrestle with the truths of Homer by reading our 115 Question and Answer Guide on the Odyssey.
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The Odyssey Books 5-8
One of the most important passages in the Odyssey and arguably in the Western canon is why Odysseus can deny Calypso’s offer of immortality in Book Five. It is a text you need to take seriously. For a deep dive, check out Why Odysseus Refused to Become God. If you do, it will open an entire exploration on anthropology, a pre-Christian reflection on the human condition.
Good work! You are ready to move on to Books 9-12, which contain some of the most famous passages in this entire Homeric corpus. Odysseus will step into the role of the bard and tell his story—but be careful… is Odysseus a truthful man? Can we take a story from Odysseus at face value? Always take seriously who is speaking in the Homeric writings. Keep up the good work.
The Ascend Book Club is here to help you read the Odyssey.
Dcn. Harrison Garlick lives in rural Oklahoma with his wife and five children. He serves as a deacon at Holy Family Cathedral and as Chancellor & General Counsel for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa. Follow him on X at Dcn. Garlick or Ascend.