The Odyssey Book 4: The King and Queen of Sparta pp. 124-151 Book 4: Reading Comprehension Quiz 1. What ceremony is going on at Menelaus' palace when Telemachus and Pisistratos arrive? 2. How does Menelaus respond when he hears that two strangers have arrived on such an important day? 3. What story does Helen tell of Odysseus at Troy? 4. What story does Menelaus tell of Odysseus at Troy? 5. How did Menelaus capture and subdue Proteus, the old man of the sea? 6. What does Proteus tell Menelaus about Odysseus? Extra Credit: What is embarrasing to Helen about the wedding ceremony? In what form does Athena visit Penelope in her dream? Book 4 Menelaus and Helen in Sparta 1. The Double Wedding (4. 1-22) 2. Menelaus' Xenia (4. 23-85) 3. Telemachus Awe at Menelaus' Wealth (4 .79-85) 4. Menelaus' Return from Troy (l. 88-132) - the fabulous journey (4. 88-98) - the murder of his brother (4. 100-198) - sorrow for the dead at Troy (4. 108-116) - particularly Odysseus (4. 116-126) - Telemachus weeps. (4. 126-132) 5. Helen's Entrance (4. 133-150) 6. Helen Recognition of Telemachus (4.150-170)  7. Pisistratus' Tact (twice!) (4. 172-239) - first to give Telemachus a chance to collect himself (4. 175) - next to prevent his hosts from losing their own composure remembering absent friends and lost dreams (4. 211- 239) 8. Helen's Drugs (4. 240-262) 9. At The Dinner Table (4. 263- 331) - Helen's Tale: Penetrating Odysseus' Disguise as a Beggar (l4. 268-296) - Menelaus' Tale of Odysseus in the Trojan Horse (4. 297- 325) - Telemachus' Tactful Intervention (4. 326-331) 10. Telemachus eloquently explains the reason for his visit. (4. 352- 369) 11. Menelaus' simile: Odysseus' revenge (4.375-80) 12. Menelaus' Tale of Proteus (4. 391-642) - Eidothea, the sea nymph (4. 408-444) - the seals (4. 444-478) - the wrestling match (4. 488-521) - Proteus tells Menelaus how to get home. (4. 521- 540) - The Death of Ajax (4. 560-573) - Agamemnon (4. .575-605) - Odysseus is still alive! (4. 625-630) - Menelaus' Destiny (4. 631-642) 13. Telemachus' Leave Taking: Xenia (4. 559-702) - tactful suggestion of a different gift 14. Meanwhile Back in Ithaca (4. 703-952) - the suitors learn of Telemachus' trip - plan to ambush him - Penelope learns of her son's trip and the plot against him. - Penelope's prayer to Athena. - The suitors lay their ambush….Athena reassures Penelope in her dream. Book 4: Telemachus Earns Kleos in Sparta/ Menelaus Nostos - While he is in Pylos, Telemachus is taught by Nestor, who provides him explicit advice but also models the behavior of a civilized man of the world. In Sparta Telemachus must put what he has learned to the test in difficult social situations. Telemachus travels to Sparta without Athena, indicating his developing maturity. His confidant is Pisistratos who continues to model appropriate behavior for him, but Telemachus is eventually able top stand on his own feet.  - The test for Telemachus is not some feat of strength; rather it is a feat of sensitivity, insight and tact: in short, good manners. Telemachus must negotiate the strained emotions in Menelaus' household without allowing the festive mood of the wedding to degenerate into ill feeling. It is not coincidental that upon achieving success in this test of manhood Telemachus hears hopeful, firm news of his father - Menelaus is, of course, the husband of Helen, the most desirable woman on earth, the beauty who launched a thousand ships thus bringing devastation to Troy and confusion, death and sorrow to everyone in Greece. Menelaus' return from Troy was a fabulous journey which lasted eighteen years, nearly as long as Odysseus' adventure. He was driven off course en route home by a great hurricane and spent years in exile in exotic lands where he achieved great wealth. (Egypt: the doldrums, dreamland) - A goddess of the sea, Eidothea aids Menelaus in his return home; he must overcome a sea god's wrath to successfully achieve his goal. He must subdue Proteus, the Ancient One of the Sea. Following Eidothea's advice Menelaus tricks Proteus with a disguise, grabs on to him and just holds on for dear life!  - (Wrestling with Proteus: the sea- a symbol of change in people's lives. Emotional trauma caused by the fluidity of identity- our tendency to shapeshift in time. The secret to living is to accept life as it is, to celebrate change and go with the flow, and recognize that eventual death brings meaning to our actions and relationships: it makes fame possible.) - Menelaus perseveres and subdues Proteus. The parallels between his journey and Odysseus' adventure are profound. Once Proteus has been wrestled, Menelaus is given news, not only of Ajax and Agamemnon's deaths and Odysseus' shipwreck, but he also hears a prophecy of his own destiny. He has earned an understanding of life and therefore the meaning of destiny and death.  - The parallels to Odysseus' situation continue even when Menelaus has returned home to Sparta. "Living happily ever after" is difficult if there is suspicion and mistrust between husband and wife. Telemachus' arrival spurs many memories for both Helen and Menelaus- many unhappy memories. By adroitly negotiating these strained moments with Pisistratos' help, Telemachus earns kleos: the confidence to handle himself amid the complexities of adult situations- just like his father.