S8E6 - You Odyssey This: Arrows and A-Rivals

The stories featured in Greaking Out are original adaptations of classic Greek myths.

This week's story features PTSD in action, elaborate disguises, the death penalty, double standards, Agamemnon's ghost, and a test of furniture.

Well, we've officially made it.

We are at the last episode of our series on the Odyssey.

It's been a fun ride, hasn't it, Oracle?

According to recent polls, roller coasters are considered to be the most fun ride at amusement parks.

This podcast series has merely been an enjoyable and informative experience.

Okay, fine.

And to be fair, our buddy Odysseus probably didn't find it fun at all.

It was a bit of a rocky journey for him.

Now, if you're just joining in and have no idea what we're talking about, you're probably going to want to go back to episode one of this season.

Don't worry, we'll still be here when you get back.

Or you can just listen out of order, live your best life, whatever.

It's all good.

But if you've been with us since the beginning, thank you for tuning back in for the grand finale of the Odyssey.

So, at this point in our story, Odysseus is safe and sound on the island of Scyria.

Scyria, maybe be the modern-day island of Corfu in the Ionian Sea, where the late Prince Philip of England was born.

The people that lived there were called the Phaeacians.

They were a kind and generous people, and they were led by the equally kind and generous King Alcinous.

So when Odysseus shipwrecked on their island after escaping Calypso, he was immediately given clean clothes and a proper meal.

And it wasn't long before Odysseus felt safe enough to begin telling the Phaeacians all about his adventures.

And he told them everything, the whole kitten caboodle.

He told them about the Cyclops, the magical sorceress Circe, the giant cannibals, and the sea monster Scylla.

He even told them about the ghost cow.

The Phaeacians were riveted throughout Odysseus' tale.

They laughed.

They cried.

They trembled with fear.

Never had they heard such a remarkable tale, and never had they encountered a sailor as brave or as cunning as the man sitting in front of them.

Odysseus, you have had quite the adventure, King Alcinous said after Odysseus finally finished his tale.

We must help get you home and finish your journey.

I would want nothing more, Odysseus said.

But I am afraid I am cursed.

I do not want to get back into the ocean again.

Bad things tend to happen to me.

Well, that may be true, but we here in Scyria happen to be the best sailors in the world.

We will get you home safely, the king assured him.

The Phaeacians were known for their seamanship and navigation skills.

They were so talented that many believed they had magical ships.

Well, magic ships or not, Odysseus was touched by the Phaeacians' offer.

They'd heard all about Poseidon and his wrath against Odysseus, and the fact that they were willing to risk their safety to help get him home safely was a generous and touching act.

But their generosity didn't go unpunished.

Poseidon was very angry that they chose to help Odysseus.

But as you are fond of saying, that is a story for another time.

Hey, Oracle, you're learning.

Yes, right.

Okay.

Well, at long last, Odysseus walked off a boat and onto the rocks of his beloved beach at Ithaca.

He fell to his knees, sobbing as he collapsed on the shore.

But suddenly, the sky sky grew dark.

The sun was covered by a thick, gray mist.

Odysseus could barely make out his own feet.

What was going on?

Was Poseidon finally getting his revenge?

Just then, Odysseus heard footsteps in the sand.

His knees began to shake.

Did he make it all this way just to be killed by the vengeful sea god on his home beach?

Oh, please, Poseidon, forgive me, he shouted into the mist.

But it wasn't Poseidon who emerged through the mist.

It was a beautiful woman with a somber expression and pale gray eyes.

It was the goddess, Athena.

Odysseus recognized her right away.

Goddess Athena, oh, you have saved me countless times.

I would not be here if it were not for you.

How can I repay my debt?

The only thing you need to do is live and live well, the goddess said.

Well, I've made it to Ithaca.

I'm safe now, right?

Odysseus asked.

You would be surprised by how dangerous your kingdom has become, Athena said.

There is a reason I have to conceal us in this fog.

While Odysseus was away, Ithaca had been overrun by rebellious suitors hoping to marry Penelope and take his place on the throne.

as king.

Odysseus couldn't believe the citizens of Ithaca would betray him like that.

How could they do this to him?

Before he left for Troy, he was beloved by his kingdom, and now they were willing to try to marry his wife and take his title?

I have a plan, Athena said.

I am going to disguise you as an old beggar.

This way, you can talk directly to the people of Ithaca and see for yourself what they think of their old king.

And just like that, Odysseus was turned into a haggard, elderly beggar.

His back was hunched, his clothes were torn, torn, and he walked with a limp.

He looked nothing like the young hero they had known before the war.

I have other business to attend to, but I will see you soon, Athena said.

Good luck, Odysseus, and by the way, welcome home.

And with that, the goddess vanished into thin air, taking the fog and mist with her.

Now, Odysseus wasn't exactly thrilled with this sudden turn of events.

He had planned to march straight into into his palace to see his beloved Penelope.

He didn't want her to see him like this.

He looked like an old man who could barely hold a sword.

But Athena had saved him on numerous occasions.

He had to trust her guidance.

Athena was also the goddess of war strategy and wisdom.

Based on her credentials, I would conclude that she is a trustworthy source.

And a small part of him, a very small part, remembered what had happened to Agamemnon, betrayed by his own wife, murdered in his own bed.

He had faith in Penelope, but, well,

he just wasn't completely sure.

Depending on the source, Odysseus had anywhere from two to ten children at this point.

Only one of those was with Penelope.

Okay, okay, okay.

So Odysseus really had no right to expect Penelope to have waited for him, but this was the expectation in ancient Greece.

The women were supposed to still be there no matter how long or how far their husbands strayed.

Odysseus hobbled along down the beaches of Ithaca in search of someone to talk to and provide more information on what had really been going on all these years in his kingdom.

Luckily, it didn't take too long before Odysseus saw a man in the distance.

Hello there, Odysseus called.

He winced at the sound of his own scratchy voice.

What had Athena done to him?

Hello, kind sir, the man called in response.

Odysseus couldn't believe his eyes.

It was one of his old friends and former servant, Eumaeus, a pig farmer who had lived on Ithaca his entire life.

Odysseus wanted to tell him his true identity right away, but he knew better than to go against Athena's plans, so he simply walked with Eumaeus and asked him questions about the kingdom, touched by the man's kindness towards an elderly beggar.

These suitors have been dooming this island for years, Eumaeus told him.

You would think the men would have loyalty to Odysseus, but they are ignorant, power-hungry fools.

It's despicable.

And you, Odysseus asked.

What do you think of Odysseus?

There has never been a greater king.

Odysseus's cleverness is unmatched.

Odysseus smiled.

Do you think he's still alive?

Oh, I know he's still alive, Eumaeus said with a snort.

A man like that doesn't go down easy.

I'm sure he'll come back sooner or later.

He'll probably make a grand entrance that leaves us all shocked.

The two continued their walk until they reached Eumaeus' farm.

I'll leave you to your work, Odysseus said.

Nonsense.

You look like you need a place to stay, or at least a good meal in your belly.

Come in and let me tell you all about the glory of Ithaca.

Once again, Odysseus was touched.

What a kind soul Eumaeus was.

His devotion to Odysseus was clear, and it took a truly generous man to offer such hospitality when he himself had so little.

One of the themes in the Odyssey is the value of hospitality.

Homer makes it clear that being accommodating and welcoming to guests is an important value in Greek society.

That is very true, Oracle.

And by the way, would you like some tea?

I see what you are doing, and I appreciate the gesture.

But as you very well know, I do not drink tea or beverages of any kind.

Well, okay, all right, fine.

But we should work on that technology.

Because I've been getting really into tea lately and it's it's okay.

Well anyway, um Odysseus inquired about Penelope and Telemachus when the two were inside.

There is no finer queen or wife than Penelope.

She has waited patiently for Odysseus all these years and has managed to refuse the suitors while protecting Ithaca.

And Telemachus?

Well, he left to find out more about Odysseus, but he's turning out to be quite the brave young man, if you ask me.

Yes, Telemachus was...

Wait a second.

What did happen to Telemachus?

We haven't talked about him since like episode...

Episode 2.

Yeah, right, episode 2.

Under Athena's guidance, he had gone to Sparta to speak with Menelaus and Helen about his father, Odysseus.

Right.

And while they were able to tell Telemachus lots of fun stories about Odysseus, they didn't really have the answers to his current whereabouts.

Telemachus was discouraged by the lack of information, but one night he was visited by the goddess Athena.

Telemachus, your father is alive and will soon return home to Ithaca.

You must head home so that you can meet him there.

So, of course, Telemachus left immediately, thanking the Spartan king and queen for their hospitality.

And because he was just a normal person who had no beef with the gods, he made it back to Ithaca rather quickly.

Now, there was a little incident where all the suitors ambushed him and tried to kill him, but Athena made sure he made it out of that alive and led him straight to Eumaeus' door.

Telemachus knew Eumaeus and decided to stop in and see if he had any news on Odysseus' return.

When the pig farmer heard the knock and opened the door to find Telemachus standing there, he dropped to his knees.

Telemachus, you have returned.

Praise the gods.

Telemachus embraced Eumaeus.

I'm back, thanks to the goddess Athena.

She told me my father has come home.

Have you seen him?

Odysseus is home as well.

Oh, the gods have answered our prayers at last.

I haven't seen him, but maybe my guest has.

He was out on the beach.

Odysseus was still disguised as a beggar, but he could barely contain his joy at seeing his son.

Telemachus was all grown up.

Odysseus felt like his heart was beating out of his chest.

Telemachus,

I've heard so much about you, Odysseus said, swallowing back the lump in his throat.

Telemachus, to his credit, took the time to smile kindly at the old beggar.

Thank you.

Welcome to Ithaca.

Have you seen my father?

He's a a great hero who just returned from the war.

Odysseus shook his head.

I have only seen Eumaeus since arriving in Ithaca, but I can assure you that you would make any father proud.

This Odysseus fellow is lucky to have you for a son.

Telemachus stared at the man.

Suddenly, Odysseus was worried he might have said too much, but luckily, Eumaeus blurted something out.

Penelope!

Oh, we should tell the queen that her son has returned.

Telemachus continued to stare at Odysseus.

You go, he said to Eumaeus.

I'm going to stay here and welcome our new guest.

Tell mother that my father has come home as well.

Eumaeus agreed and urged his guests to make themselves at home.

Stay as long as you like, he said to Odysseus.

We'll get you all settled in when I return.

The moment Eumaeus left, Telemachus asked the beggar,

who did you say you were again?

And just like that, Odysseus' body began to shake.

It wasn't from fear or even happiness at being reunited with his son.

No, this was the work of Athena.

Odysseus' back straightened and he felt the strength return to his body.

Athena had transformed him back into his true form.

Telemachus could barely believe his eyes.

He recognized his father immediately.

Father, he said with a gasp, you're home.

I am.

Athena thinks it's better if I remain in disguise for a while, but I am home at last.

I can't believe how grown up you are.

The two men embraced one another and cried tears of joy as they reconnected.

Odysseus filled him in on his crazy adventures, and Telemachus told Odysseus all about what had been happening in Ithaca since he had been gone.

Odysseus was upset that so many of his friends had betrayed him by becoming suitors, but it was nothing compared to the rage that he felt when Telemachus told him about their plans to kill him.

They tried to kill you?

Odysseus asked in disbelief.

They forced you from your own home and tried to kill you?

They are as good as dead.

These men are smart, father, Telemachus said.

We have to come up with a plan.

And so, father and son sat around the fire in deep discussion of revenge.

You know, father and son stuff.

Catching up on lost time, talking about sports, plotting ways to get vengeance on a courtyard full of traitorous vagabonds, you know, bonding.

Now, at this point, Odysseus was so angry that Telemachus started to get worried that his wrath would destroy the entire kingdom.

For his part, Odysseus was planning to do whatever it took to rid the palace of these freeloaders, and Athena was behind him 100%.

We need to gather information before we do anything, Odysseus said.

Neither of us know how things are going in the palace right now.

Telemachus agreed.

They needed to know what the current situation was.

For all they knew, the suitors had left Penelope alone completely.

But he doubted it.

They'd get information and then they'd take revenge against the people who were disloyal to their family.

Though taking revenge is something that happens a lot in Greek mythology, this logically leads to an endless cycle of violence.

Revenge leads to more revenge.

Change back into your disguise, Telemachus said to his father.

When Eumaeus returns, we will head into town.

Okay, so things look like they're about to go down here, so let's take a quick break for an ad and come back.

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All right, we're back.

Okay, so

on the way into town, Telemachus got an idea.

When they got to the great hall, he pulled Odysseus to the side.

All of these suitors are here.

Why don't you pretend to be a beggar and ask each of them for charity?

That way, you can see who helps you and who doesn't.

It'll be sort of a test of character.

Odysseus agreed and surveyed the suitors in the hall.

He couldn't believe how many there were.

Penelope had 108 suitors at the end of Odysseus' journey.

That's a lot of men who want to marry your wife, kill your son, and take over your job as king.

But Odysseus did his best to honor Telemachus' wishes and gave everyone a chance to prove their character.

He went up to each and every suitor and asked for charity.

You have anything you can spare?

Food or water?

I have no money, he said to each suitor he came across.

Most of them did not pass this test.

In fact, some were outright cruel.

But none were worse than Antinous, the leader of the suitors and the one who was still plotting to kill Telemachus.

Antinous was the not-so-nice suitor that disrespected Telemachus and Penelope at the assembly Telemachus called back in episode one.

Right.

And when Odysseus approached Antinous to ask for food, he laughed in the beggar's face.

Ha!

Go do something useful and earn your food like the rest of us, he snarled.

Why would I ever help someone so pathetic?

The crowd laughed as Antinous continued his mocking.

Why don't you go roll around in the mud with your pig friend over there?

Maybe he has some slop you can share.

Odysseus was about to respond when Telemachus approached.

Leave them alone, he said to Antinous.

We treat people with kindness here in Ithaca.

Or have you forgotten?

Telemachus, I didn't realize you had returned.

What a pleasant surprise.

Telemachus simply smiled.

Antinous would get what was coming to him once Odysseus revealed his true identity.

I think we've had enough fun for tonight.

Dinner is over.

Everyone needs to leave the great hall so that we can prepare for tomorrow's feast.

The Feast of Apollo is an annual holiday that honors the god of light and archery.

The men grumbled as they left for the night.

When everyone had gone, Odysseus turned to Telemachus.

I have learned everything I need to know.

I need you to gather up all the weapons in this palace and hide them away from the suitors.

Tomorrow, I will take action.

Telemachus was about to reply, but they were interrupted by the sound of the door shutting behind them.

Telemachus, a voice called from across the room.

Odysseus would recognize that voice anywhere.

He heard it every night in his dreams.

Penelope was here.

Telemachus ran to his mother and embraced her in a long hug.

Are you hurt?

She asked him.

No, no, I'm fine.

But then he remembered his father.

This is a new visitor to our land, he said, gesturing to Odysseus.

And with that, Odysseus was facing his bride for the first time in 20 years.

Your Majesty, Odysseus said as he walked over to his queen.

Everything in him wanted to reveal his true identity.

He wanted to hug and kiss his wife and tell her everything that had happened to him.

He could have.

Maybe he should have.

But he couldn't help but remember Agamemnon's angry ghost roaming the underworld.

He decided he needed to wait a little longer and trust in Athena's plan.

Oh, I'm sorry, Penelope said.

I didn't realize anyone else was here.

Have you had enough food, drinks?

Odysseus smiled.

Of course, Penelope would care about the well-being of a lowly beggar.

I did, thank you, he said with a pause.

It seems like you have a lot of men here vying for your attention.

Forgive me for asking, but will you be choosing a suitor soon?

Penelope stopped and stared at the beggar.

Something about his voice, his inflection, was strangely familiar to her.

Penelope knew it was Odysseus.

She does not know.

She does.

How could she know?

She hasn't seen him in like 20 years.

Intuition is a strange thing.

I would not have pegged you as someone who believed in intuition, Oracle.

It is theorized that humans can unconsciously use indicators such as heart rate and muscle tone to make intuitive decisions.

Okay, well,

maybe Penelope chose to act like she did not know who the man was.

I love my husband, she replied.

But unless he comes back soon, I will have to choose someone else to marry.

I have devised a contest for tomorrow.

The winner will become my betrothed.

Penelope told Odysseus all about the challenge she made up to choose a suitor to marry.

It will be an archery competition.

The men must string Odysseus' bow and shoot an arrow through a row of 12 axes.

Odysseus smiled.

That used to be his favorite party trick.

No doubt Penelope had chosen it to honor him.

There is debate about what this means.

Some people argue the challenge is to put the arrow through the holes in the axe heads where the handle would go.

And others believe this challenge is to to send an arrow through the wood of the handle of the axe.

Yeah, well, either way, it's not easy.

We're going to go with the axe-handle thing, as that seems to make more sense.

That sounds nearly impossible, Odysseus replied as the beggar.

Odysseus could do it in his sleep, Penelope said.

My new husband should be able to do the same.

Oh, indeed, Odysseus replied.

She totally knows.

She does not know.

And with that, Odysseus bowed to his queen and bid her goodnight.

Perhaps I will see you tomorrow, she said with a smile.

Perhaps you will, he replied.

Do I need to say it again or?

Okay, fine.

She knows.

Anyway, the next day was the festival of Apollo.

Now, this was a big deal for the kingdom of Ithaca and was more or less a national holiday.

Everybody in the kingdom was there to celebrate, including all of the suitors.

Once again, they mocked Odysseus and Eumaeus, and once again, Odysseus felt his blood boil.

Stay calm, Telemachus whispered to him.

We just have to stick to the plan.

Finally, the trumpets blew and Queen Penelope took the stage.

Thank you all for coming to this wonderful celebration.

To honor the god Apollo, I have decided to hold an archery contest for all of my potential suitors.

The person who can shoot an arrow through all 12 of these axe handles will officially become my betrothed.

The crowd gasped.

About time you picked someone, Antinous jeered.

Hold your tongue, Telemachus ordered.

That is your queen.

Penelope continued on.

And to honor my late husband, each archer will use Odysseus' bow.

The crowd murmured as the suitors began to approach.

Good luck, Penelope said with a smile, her eyes somehow finding beggar Odysseus in the crowd.

What's the plan if someone actually wins this contest?

Telemachus whispered to Odysseus.

One of these fools?

Not a chance, Odysseus remarked.

And once again, he proved to be correct.

None of the suitors could even string Odysseus' bow, let alone send an arrow through 12 axe handles.

Even Antinous couldn't do it, though he tried for a long time.

Finally, all of the suitors had finished, and none managed to get it done.

This is just another clever ruse of yours, Penelope, shouted Antinous.

No one could possibly complete this contest.

It's impossible.

My father has performed this feat time and time again, Telemachus called.

It's not my mother's fault that all of you are weak.

The men started to come after Telemachus when Odysseus cleared his throat.

Still dressed like a weak, poor beggar, he stepped forward.

Your Majesty, he called, might I have a chance?

Penelope looked at the beggar while the crowd of suitors began to laugh.

Go home, old man!

They called.

Silence, Penelope ordered.

Anyone who wants to participate can take a turn.

Good luck, sir, she said as Odysseus picked up the bow.

And even though it had been years, decades even, since Odysseus had used that old bow, he strung it easily without a second thought.

Muscle memory occurs when a certain motion is embedded in your brain.

allowing you to perform the motor skill without thinking about it.

He picked up the bow, eyed up his target, and let the arrow fly.

It was a straight shot, splitting the wood of all 12 handles.

A silence fell over the crowd.

Everyone was stunned.

How had the old beggar managed to pull that off?

Odysseus slowly turned and faced the crowd with a slow, small smile on his lips.

Suddenly, he began to change.

A gust of wind blew around him as he was once again transformed back into the warrior they all knew and recognized.

Odysseus grinned at a small owl flying off in the distance.

Athena is also depicted as an owl.

Incidentally, the owl is seen as a symbol of wisdom in many cultures.

It's good to be home, Odysseus said to the stunned crowd.

Telemachus walked to his side and clapped clapped his father on the shoulder.

But you'll imagine my surprise when I found so many of you vying for my throne.

Not to mention the fact that you have been mocking my wife and attempting to kill my son.

The crowd slowly began to back away.

Odysseus was suddenly among them, and he was also armed with a bow, which he was very, very good with, as they had all just seen.

So as my first declaration to Baptist King, I will punish those who disrespected my home and my family.

And although it had been a while since he last fought in a battle, Odysseus moved like a man possessed.

He had faced war, giants, and the wrath of gods.

These measly suitors were not going to stand in the way of him and his kingdom.

Before he knew it, the suitors had all been defeated.

This story is rooted in the ideals and morals of the time period.

Odysseus kills all the suitors and the enslaved servants who helped them.

In modern times, this punishment would be considered a very big overreaction.

Yeah, we can't really say this is a good thing that he did.

I mean, they were rude and disrespectful, but did they really deserve to die?

Eh, probably not.

But just like when Odysseus invaded the island of the Kikonese, he'd been dealing with constant danger and and war for 20 years.

It's kind of hard to move from fighting for your life to peaceful and diplomatic solutions really quickly.

But at long last, the hall had been cleaned, the crowds had left, and Odysseus was left alone with Penelope for the first time.

Odysseus pulled her into his arms.

You waited for me, he said.

Of course I did, she said back.

The two embraced, but Penelope was still skeptical.

This man reminded her of her husband, yes, but he was also different, harsh, jaded.

A bit of the light had gone out of his eyes and was replaced with something else, something wilder.

And maybe Penelope was also a little jaded.

After all, she hadn't exactly had an easy time herself.

So she decided to test Odysseus to make sure it was really him and not some really talented imposter.

Because stranger things had happened and she was not in the mood for any more shenanigans.

She told Odysseus that she had moved their bed down the hall when he was gone and waited to see what his reaction would be.

You moved the bed?

He asked.

Yes, she replied innocently.

It's not possible to move that bed.

I should know.

I made it myself.

Odysseus carved the bed out of the stump of an olive tree, making it a permanent piece of furniture in the bedchambers.

It was impossible to move.

Exactly.

And because Odysseus was the only person who would know that, Penelope was now convinced that her husband was indeed home at last.

The two embraced again, and Penelope apologized for testing him one last time.

I just had to make sure, she said.

I would expect nothing less of my brilliant, clever queen, he said.

The pair spent the rest of the night together, and Athena even delayed the dawn a bit to give the couple more time to catch up and discuss everything that had happened since they had last seen each other.

When the sun finally came up, the couple was so happy to be reunited.

Odysseus was finally home, king of Ithaca once more, and Penelope was thrilled to have both her husband and her son safe and healthy at home.

Athena even calmed the hearts of the families of the suitors so they wouldn't come seeking revenge, because typically violence like that brings on more violence.

The Odyssey revolves around cycles of violence and revenge, from Troy to the Kekones to Poseidon's rage.

Athena puts a stop to it in order for Odysseus and his family to have a peaceful life.

That's right.

And they lived happily ever after.

False.

They did not live happily ever after.

Our episode on Circe.

Sparkle!

No spoilers!

But we've already discussed what happens to Odysseus on the podcast before.

It is not a spoiler if we have already covered the information at length.

Oh, okay, okay, fine.

Technically, it's not a spoiler.

You can listen to our Circe episode for the rest.

But let's just end this on a high note, okay?

Odysseus had a heck of a journey.

It's the least we can do.

But happily ever after is misleading and factually incorrect.

I cannot support the spread of misinformation.

Okay, how about this?

Because Ithaca was an island, Odysseus knew he needed to make amends with Poseidon.

He took the oar from his ship, the one he'd managed to hang on to through the various shipwrecks, and planted it in the middle of the island in tribute to the god of the seas.

This was how Tiresias had suggested he pay tribute to Poseidon, and the god's rage was quieted.

And he lived happily with his family.

For now.

Better?

It will suffice.

Well, thanks for tuning in to our series all about the Odyssey.

But don't worry, just because this series is over doesn't mean this season is.

We're back next week and we still have four more episodes to go.

Breaking Out.

We hope you enjoyed listening to these episodes as much as we enjoyed sharing them.

Come back next week for a field trip to somewhere new.

It's Greaking

Ouch.

National Geographic Kids Greaking Out is written by Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes and hosted by Kenny Curtis, with Tori Kerr as the Oracle of Wi-Fi, audio production and sound design by Scotty Beam, and our theme song was composed by Perry Gripp.

Dr.

Diane Klein is our subject matter expert.

Emily Everhart is our producer, and Becky Baines is our executive producer.