The Odyssey Book Sixteen: Father and Son

Ascend - The Great Books Podcast

Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by independent scholar and friend of the podcast Mr. Thomas Lackey to discuss book 16 of the Odyssey: Father and Son.

Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our written guide!

From the guide:

83. What happens in book sixteen?

Telemachus arrives at the home of the Swineherd and, the Swineherd greets him like a father welcoming “home his darling only son” (16.19). Telemachus meets Odysseus disguised as a beggar, and the three men discuss the problem of the suitors (16.100). Telemachus tells the Swineherd to tell Queen Penelope he is back in Ithaca (16.148), and to have one of her servants tell Laertes the same (16.172). After the departure of the swineherd, Odysseus sees Athena outside the house under the guise of a woman “beautiful, tall and skilled at weaving things” (16.179). Odysseus goes to meet her, and she says now is the time to reveal himself to his son, Telemachus (16.189). She transforms him back into Odysseus the hero, and Telemachus is “wonderstruck” and believes some god has entered the house of the Swineherd (16.194). Odysseus tells Telemachus he is his father (16.212) and, after some disbelief, the father and son embrace and weep together (16.243). The two then discuss the slaughter of the suitors and form a plan in which Odysseus, disguised again as a beggar, will go into his own home with the suitors until Athena tells him the time is right (16.298). Meanwhile, the suitors are told that Telemachus escaped their ambush and is back in Ithaca (16.382). Antinous, one of the suitors, calls for the murder of Telemachus (16.401), and Penelope overhears the plot and chastises Antinous (16.453). The book ends with the Swineherd returning home and feasting with Telemachus and Odysseus—who is once again disguised as a beggar by Athena (16.505).

84. What do we see in the reunion of Odysseus and Telemachus?

It seems fitting that Odysseus, who has been testing everyone, would in turn be tested by his son upon his grand reveal (16.220). Notably, the concern that a spirit or god would attempt to trick Telemachus with an imposter Odysseus (16.220) is a concern that Penelope shares and will later voice—but it is only the latter who has devised a test to avoid that fate. Telemachus seems to eventually simply trust Odysseus’ testimony (16.243). Telemachus still appears unexperienced with the gods, as he confuses his father for one (16.202) and doubts Athena’s plan (16.273). It is hard not to read Odysseus’ response about whether Athena and Zeus will be adequate as sarcasm (16.291). Telemachus, however, has grown into his own wit as shown by his retort: “off in the clouds they sit” (16.299). He has also grown in confidence of his own strategic thinking (16.342).

Odysseus shares with Telemachus he’ll return to his home in disguise and bear whatever he must until Athena says it is time (16.303). The strategy behind Odysseus’ return seems patterned off the Agamemnon narrative, but the problem itself seems patterned off his episode with the cyclops. He will come home to find guests of malintent within his home and then consume them.

The YEAR WITH HOMER continues!