recognition

• if a hero is not recognised and celebrated after his journey, then kleos doesn't follow
• his 1st recognition scene, after Phaeacians have delivered Ody, is his own of Ithaca
• Athene has shrouded it in mist to prevent him from being put at risk before he has a strategy for destroying the Suitors
• he fails to recognise that the young shepherd he is asking is Athene
• the irony of his words 'I pray to you as I would a god' is not lost on the audience, who are in on the joke
• he is being tricked, but when it is by Athene, it is a compliment
• Athene gives him a series of clues about his location about its orientation, terrain, agriculture, climate and natural resources
• finally, she mentions the name Ithaca
• he launches himself into a fictitious autobiography
• see the same pattern later on when he reveals his identity to P and she gives him the bed test
• by the end of her tale, Athene transformed herself into a beautiful woman, and teases him for not recognising her
• they behave like rather old friends with a history of playing practical jokes on each other
• they then plot how Ody can regain his power in the palace
• there is a brief period during which T laments the absence of Ody
• T first reacts with disbelief on seeing Ody, but is finally convinced and there is much sobbing and joy
• Ody has proof that his disguise is effective
• Eumaeus lamented his absence, but not recognised him
• T didn't recognise him until Athene's beautifying treatment
• recognition in bk 17, by Argus, is signalled by wagging tail and dropped ears
• the emotion when faced with such loyalty of Thus is expressed by a turning of the head and a tear brushed away
• the brevity and understatement give this scene its extreme poignancy
• next recognition scene in Eurycleia happens because Odysseus acts with uncharacteristic naveity
• he refuses the offer of having his feet washed, unless P can provide an 'old trusty woman'
• comes in 2 phases: observation from Eurycleia that she has never seen a stranger that has reminded her so much of Ody and the recognition when she sees the scar
• Ody then has to use desperate threats to silence her
• the scene with Eumaeus and Phil is long overdue
• Eumaeus proved his loyalty by his open hatred of the Suitors and his fatherly care for T
• it's not until the very moment before the bow challenge that he reveals his identity
• might be expected that a cry of recognition would go up from the Suitors to the moment the beggar strings the bow
• Antinous has recognised the bow-stringer, and is reaching out for his gold cup when an arrow pierces him
• he does so by revealing the crimes they have committed against him
• stealing his wealth, raping his maids and courting his wife
• at the moment they recognise him, he pronounces their death sentence
• Homer skilfully kept P out of the way to the point - emphasis to the final recognition
• Eurycleia, bursting with excitement, is sent to tell P the news
• she is met with accusations of being tricked by a god, and again with threats
• her relish in recounting the scene is met with rebuke
• P is partially swayed by Eurycleia's account of the scar
• prelude to P's recognising her husband brings together elements of previous scenes, making this the culmination of all previous recognitions
• Homer focuses on family dynamics before they embrace each other