The Odyssey Book 11 Reflection

The Odyssey Book 11 Reflection

This passage is taken from lines 499-518 of Book 11, from Homer's epic, The Odyssey. At this point in the story, Odysseus has travelled to the underworld and met the ghost of Agamemnon, the commander of the Achaeans, who was murdered by his wife Clytemnestra upon his return home from Troy. Agamemnon is naturally bitter about his murder, especially since he wasn't able to see his son. Agamemnon then warns Odysseus about the dangers of women and instructions on how to enter Ithaca on his return home.

Odysseus has already endured countless tasks set upon him, but his greatest fear is not being able to return home to his beloved wife and son. Agamemnon warns him though, not to trust Penelope, and that he should "never indulge her too far" and to "never reveal the whole truth" of his story about his return home. Agamemnon goes on to ensure Odysseus that his wife probably won't murder him because "her feelings run too deep". He also gives Odysseus instructions on how to return to the port of Ithaca, by guiding his vessel "into port in secret". Agamemnon then leaves Odysseus with the words that "the time for trusting women's gone forever!" Throughout the passage, Agamemnon switches the diction