1 00:00:04,082 --> 00:00:08,010 When morning comes, Odysseus is luckily still alive. 2 00:00:08,221 --> 00:00:14,039 That ember that fire brand that's tucked underneath the ashes in our simile really 3 00:00:14,039 --> 00:00:18,078 does survive until the next morning and the fire gets going. 4 00:00:19,197 --> 00:00:23,024 Odysseus is off. He comes up out of his leaves and when he 5 00:00:23,024 --> 00:00:26,097 does, he sees this scene in front of amazing beauty. 6 00:00:27,222 --> 00:00:32,045 These young women washing laundry at nearby edge of the river. 7 00:00:32,045 --> 00:00:38,304 And, if you've ever been looking for or, or, in the, in your wider experience run 8 00:00:38,304 --> 00:00:44,652 across a situation where young women are characterized as being exciting, in an 9 00:00:44,652 --> 00:00:50,477 erotic way, around a pond or a river or a spring, this is the archetypical example 10 00:00:50,477 --> 00:00:57,005 of such a thing in western literature. There they are, these beautiful young 11 00:00:57,005 --> 00:01:02,811 girls busy with their laundry during the day and here's this grizzled man who sees 12 00:01:02,811 --> 00:01:09,037 what's happening and is, you know, in congruent situation with them, the flower 13 00:01:09,037 --> 00:01:14,366 of their youth and his own near death kind of situation. 14 00:01:14,673 --> 00:01:20,467 And the transition between Book five and six, we make an important change where, 15 00:01:20,467 --> 00:01:24,053 where we've seen Odysseus suffering through Book five. 16 00:01:24,056 --> 00:01:27,095 We're going to see him through Book six and beyond endure. 17 00:01:28,187 --> 00:01:33,005 There are trials and tribulations that he has been subject to and really the 18 00:01:33,005 --> 00:01:36,257 bottoming hell point is where we just ended in Book five. 19 00:01:36,258 --> 00:01:41,602 This is of a long series of not just what happened on Ogygia or sorry, on yeah, on 20 00:01:41,602 --> 00:01:46,088 Ogygia with Callypso and not just what happened with Poseidon and the storm and 21 00:01:46,088 --> 00:01:49,084 him washing up on the shore of the Island of Scheria. 22 00:01:49,084 --> 00:01:52,089 But, of all the things that happened before that. 23 00:01:52,089 --> 00:01:56,000 It's been, it's been a long, long period of suffering. 24 00:01:56,187 --> 00:02:00,327 Now, Odysseus is going to, we're going to see him endure, bear up from that 25 00:02:00,327 --> 00:02:05,023 suffering, put things back together and then get ready to take back his own 26 00:02:05,023 --> 00:02:10,026 kingdom and take his own rightful place. Well, we got a lot to do before then. 27 00:02:10,222 --> 00:02:15,585 Through Book six, which we're going to have a look at now, he's going to find his 28 00:02:15,585 --> 00:02:20,517 first footing back in human society. In Books seven and eight, he's going to 29 00:02:20,517 --> 00:02:25,085 find his footing more stably in more complex human society. 30 00:02:25,085 --> 00:02:30,476 And then, from Book nine and forward, we're going to see him take the reins and 31 00:02:30,664 --> 00:02:35,028 display his hero-ness in lots of different lots of different ways. 32 00:02:35,225 --> 00:02:41,239 So here, Odysseus has got his life thank goodness, he's made it through the night. 33 00:02:41,479 --> 00:02:47,056 Now, he has to figure out what to do next. Remember, that he is without clothes, he's 34 00:02:47,056 --> 00:02:53,580 got to figure out a way to get clothes and that's going to mean also, he's going to 35 00:02:53,580 --> 00:02:58,054 have to regain his speech. He finds near by him that these young 36 00:02:58,054 --> 00:03:03,099 women are doing laundry, he's in an embarrassing state, I'm actually standing 37 00:03:03,099 --> 00:03:08,096 in between Nausicaa, Odysseus and Nausicaa and in between here's Athena. 38 00:03:09,017 --> 00:03:11,577 Oh, Athena, thanks for keeping an eye on our hero. 39 00:03:11,737 --> 00:03:15,786 And Odysseus is now utterly bereft of everything, including clothes. 40 00:03:15,962 --> 00:03:21,670 And the embarrassment of the situation and the abject position that Odysseus is in, 41 00:03:21,670 --> 00:03:25,348 bedraggled, starving, hungry, pummeled. He, he has nothing. 42 00:03:25,348 --> 00:03:30,284 He's, he's lost everything including his own clothes, now he has to figure out a 43 00:03:30,284 --> 00:03:33,572 way back in. Well, first step is going to be, to find 44 00:03:33,572 --> 00:03:38,189 some clothing to cover himself so he's ready to join human society. 45 00:03:38,189 --> 00:03:44,508 And, in order to do that, he's going to have to have resort to and find back again 46 00:03:44,508 --> 00:03:48,625 his way with words. Words are Odysseus's friend. 47 00:03:48,625 --> 00:03:54,603 He is a master of persuasion. He is able to get people to do things for 48 00:03:54,603 --> 00:04:02,107 him and he's able to make good alliances. Odysseus is extremely capable in the arts 49 00:04:02,107 --> 00:04:06,493 of language. So, when he gets started there in, in Book 50 00:04:06,493 --> 00:04:10,317 five, sorry, in Book six, he's got a couple tasks. 51 00:04:10,317 --> 00:04:14,927 First of all, make sure to make a connection with this group of young girls 52 00:04:15,141 --> 00:04:18,775 because he's going to need an ally, someone to help him. 53 00:04:18,775 --> 00:04:22,717 He, in, in this abject position has no way to rejoin human society. 54 00:04:22,717 --> 00:04:26,150 He needs to find a way and needs some help to be able to do that. 55 00:04:26,277 --> 00:04:30,415 The first thing that he's going to need is clothes, in order to get those, he needs 56 00:04:30,415 --> 00:04:34,078 to use his words. So, he for, for, in both of these 57 00:04:34,078 --> 00:04:41,631 situations, it's through Nausicaa and her, her acolytes around her that he's going to 58 00:04:41,631 --> 00:04:47,019 be able to, to get it done. So, she sets a stage for him to regain his 59 00:04:47,019 --> 00:04:52,743 speech and, and is a crucial sort of, first connection with the rest of human 60 00:04:52,743 --> 00:04:56,040 society. Now, he needs to then persuade her. 61 00:04:56,040 --> 00:05:01,812 And this leads us to our second universal law, universal law number two, if you want 62 00:05:01,812 --> 00:05:05,200 to persuade people, you should know your audience. 63 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:09,307 You got to know your audience. You can't just say all the stuff you might 64 00:05:09,307 --> 00:05:14,772 want to say example, a person who was who went through terrible suffering, probably 65 00:05:14,772 --> 00:05:18,913 just wants to say, oh, my gosh, I'm so glad I saw you, I can't wait, you know, 66 00:05:18,913 --> 00:05:23,043 let me tell you all my stuff. Let me unburden you with all the awful 67 00:05:23,043 --> 00:05:27,039 things that I've been through. But Odysseus knows not to do that. 68 00:05:27,039 --> 00:05:32,016 He needs to get inside of the head of his audience, which is this young woman 69 00:05:32,016 --> 00:05:35,031 Nausicaa. And what he does is look for ways to make 70 00:05:35,031 --> 00:05:39,030 her feel good. So, flattery is a great way to start a 71 00:05:39,030 --> 00:05:43,155 persuasive speech, charm. Express yourself in a way that's honest to 72 00:05:43,155 --> 00:05:46,488 your own situation. So, Odysseus doesn't come in with a kind 73 00:05:46,488 --> 00:05:51,883 of swaggering well, you know, hello, I'm this grand guy and maybe you don't believe 74 00:05:51,883 --> 00:05:56,419 me, but I really am. That kind of thing's not going to work, 75 00:05:56,419 --> 00:05:59,304 right? So, he comes in and, and knows this 76 00:05:59,304 --> 00:06:05,469 audiences, this Odysseus learning people's minds and he sets right up with a speech 77 00:06:05,469 --> 00:06:11,050 that he knows is going to help soften her with respect to her ability to make a 78 00:06:11,050 --> 00:06:15,018 connection with him. So, he jumps in with flattery, and an 79 00:06:15,018 --> 00:06:20,010 honest appraisal of his own situation without overplaying what's already a very 80 00:06:20,010 --> 00:06:23,407 weak hand. In our translation pages 173 and 74, here 81 00:06:23,407 --> 00:06:28,000 I am at your mercy, princess. Are you a goddess or a mortal? 82 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:33,277 If one of the gods who rule the skies up there, you're Artemis to the life, the 83 00:06:33,277 --> 00:06:36,015 daughter of mighty Zeus. I see her now. 84 00:06:36,015 --> 00:06:40,242 Just look at your build, your bearing, your lithe flowing grace. 85 00:06:40,429 --> 00:06:46,731 He goes round the speech gets from the flattery to positioning himself, talking 86 00:06:46,731 --> 00:06:51,790 about what a lowly person he is. And then, kinda drops a little hint at the 87 00:06:51,790 --> 00:06:55,086 end of his speech. I hope you get everything you want in 88 00:06:55,086 --> 00:07:00,056 life, and may the gods bring you a husband, a house, and lasting harmony. 89 00:07:00,056 --> 00:07:03,519 Hint, hint. Now, I'm, of course, Odysseus is thinking 90 00:07:03,519 --> 00:07:07,011 no one to be starting making overtures to this young woman. 91 00:07:07,149 --> 00:07:11,072 But, he right away talks to her in ways that in Greek society at the time, Homer 92 00:07:11,072 --> 00:07:14,094 would have assumed a young woman wants to be addressed. 93 00:07:14,094 --> 00:07:19,037 You're beautiful, you must be a goddess, your parents must be very proud, soon 94 00:07:19,037 --> 00:07:21,089 enough you're going to be having a husband. 95 00:07:21,089 --> 00:07:25,730 And, well, you know, I'm this eligible guy, just washed up on shore and let me 96 00:07:25,730 --> 00:07:30,820 just speak to you about all those things that some foreign man like me sees in this 97 00:07:30,820 --> 00:07:34,342 beautiful young person like you, and goes to that long list. 98 00:07:34,342 --> 00:07:39,634 And he instantly wins over some affection from her where her guard is dropped a 99 00:07:39,634 --> 00:07:42,868 little. She wants to help him, she's ready to give 100 00:07:42,868 --> 00:07:45,795 him some clothes. And notice that he doesn't come on real 101 00:07:45,795 --> 00:07:51,032 strong, he just does it in a kind of meek way, playing his weak hand in a way that's 102 00:07:51,032 --> 00:07:55,063 appropriate to that weak hand. And interestingly, that last little hint 103 00:07:55,063 --> 00:07:59,070 that he tossed in on the marriage. Remember, Athena herself, had planted a 104 00:07:59,070 --> 00:08:03,844 seed of marriage in Nausicaa's mind when he stirs her up to go wash her clothes, 105 00:08:04,041 --> 00:08:08,499 page 196 in our translation. Time for you to go out there, bring your, 106 00:08:08,682 --> 00:08:14,243 bring your handmaids and go wash those clothes, you're going to need them you 107 00:08:14,243 --> 00:08:18,029 know, weddings around here. We need to make sure we have clean 108 00:08:18,029 --> 00:08:21,534 clothes. So, the idea is already to plant Athena's 109 00:08:21,534 --> 00:08:26,470 planting in Nausicaa's mind the idea that, you know, some eligible man may someday 110 00:08:26,470 --> 00:08:30,830 wash up on shore, that softens her heart and makes her to ready to receive 111 00:08:30,830 --> 00:08:34,056 Odysseus. Now, when she does, this is the crucial 112 00:08:34,056 --> 00:08:39,023 first step in Odysseus's design. He needs to make an alliance to get 113 00:08:39,023 --> 00:08:43,451 himself in to human society. But that first alliance is itself a 114 00:08:43,451 --> 00:08:46,341 microcosm of what human society's all about. 115 00:08:46,498 --> 00:08:50,935 We need people to need things. As a great leader, as a great hero, the 116 00:08:50,935 --> 00:08:55,675 hero provides those things to the people that, that the hero meets. 117 00:08:55,675 --> 00:09:01,381 And in doing so, carrying other people's water that hero gets a chance to do other 118 00:09:01,381 --> 00:09:06,438 kinds of things, to work themselves into the kind of position of exultation in the 119 00:09:06,438 --> 00:09:09,524 society that a hero should actually receive. 120 00:09:09,524 --> 00:09:15,182 But it's only because the hero earns it by performing in a social situation the way 121 00:09:15,182 --> 00:09:18,096 the hero is supposed to. So, using his words, he's on his way 122 00:09:18,096 --> 00:09:23,015 getting something back, he's been able to clothe himself now with rudimentary 123 00:09:23,015 --> 00:09:24,636 clothes. He's made a quick alliance with, with 124 00:09:24,636 --> 00:09:29,695 Nausicaa in such a way that will help her, and now he's going to be on his way to his 125 00:09:29,695 --> 00:09:33,065 next stages on his journey. The scene that we have just witnessed with 126 00:09:33,065 --> 00:09:37,089 Odysseus washing up on shore is one that we're going to learn as something that is 127 00:09:37,089 --> 00:09:41,501 common in Odysseus's experience. When we go and hear the back story, all 128 00:09:41,501 --> 00:09:45,800 the adventures he's already been through by the time he makes it to Nausicaa, a 129 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:49,500 very standard part of this is Odysseus washing up on an unknown shore. 130 00:09:49,500 --> 00:09:54,770 And, he may well wash up on that shore in a terrible situation with no, almost no 131 00:09:54,770 --> 00:09:58,101 life left in him. He may wash up with a scout boat, he may 132 00:09:58,101 --> 00:10:01,549 wash up with a whole tribe of men trying to conquer a land. 133 00:10:01,549 --> 00:10:06,755 But Odysseus arriving on an unknown shore is a way that many of his, his adventures 134 00:10:06,755 --> 00:10:10,069 are going to start. And then, the next piece we are going to 135 00:10:10,069 --> 00:10:14,500 see in looking forward to Book seven, Odysseus is going to now make his journey 136 00:10:14,673 --> 00:10:19,718 from the far reaches, far away from a city center, he's going to make his journey 137 00:10:19,718 --> 00:10:23,485 into a city center. Another standard and type of the kind of 138 00:10:23,485 --> 00:10:27,095 action we see Odysseus undertake. Movement from the periphery into the 139 00:10:27,095 --> 00:10:30,056 center. That's something that we'll see in our 140 00:10:30,056 --> 00:10:51,039 next lecture and I look forward to talking with you about it at that time.