The Odyssey: Books II-XI

Trust and Fate

     “Ah how shameless – the way these mortals blame the gods. From us alone they say come all their miseries yes but they themselves with their own reckless ways compound their pains beyond their proper share.” ― Homer, [The Odyssey, Book I, Lines 37-40]

    Trust plays a major factor in people’s lives and feelings. And in the end, you have to choose whether or not to trust your fate. In the first twelve books of The Odyssey, by Homer, the idea of trust and fate were exhibited throughout the book. Trust was interpreted as more of a damnation than a gift from the gods. It was used to test the characters and trial them and their decide their fate.

    Odysseus and his crew were sailing for months, barely surviving countless atrocities and roadblocks on the way. Finally they reached the island of the Sun. Odysseus wanted to avoid the island, however Eurylochus insisted that the crew was too tired and needed rest so Odysseus made the men swear an oath not to eat any cattle because if they did, Helios, the sun god, would punish them as they were his cattle. Odysseus and his crew stayed at the island for a month and eventually ran out of the stored food they had on their ship so they began to starve. One night Eurylochus convinced the men to eat the cattle of the sun and betraying Odysseus’s trust. Odysseus and Zeus felt deeply betrayed and which enraged them.

“Father Zeus! the rest of you blissful gods who never die —you with your fatal sleep, you lulled me into disaster. Left on their own, look what a monstrous thing my crew concocted!’ Quick as a flash with her flaring robes Lampetie sped the news to the Sun on high that we had killed his herds and Helios burst out in rage to all the immortals” [The Odyssey, Book XI, Lines 405-409]

Odysseus was enraged with the actions of his crew mates and even though they received justice in the form of the wrath of Zeus, he may never trust anyone again. His whole journey is recurrent with mutiny and betrayal. The story also exhibits the theme of forgiveness and mercy, especially from Odysseus. Throughout the book, Odysseus forgives and shows kindness to his crew mates when in return only given disrespect and betrayal. The effects of this exchange take a toll on Odysseus and it is shown as Odysseus changes throughout his journey.

     After Odysseus had journeyed for eighteen days across the endless sea, he caught sight of a distant island hoping to find asylum. Suddenly Poseidon, god of the sea, sees Odysseus who he has seething rage for. Poseidon sends monstrous waves obstructing his way. Poseidon knows he can’t kill Odysseus because it against the will of Zeus. Odysseus swims to the island for two days in the harshest of storms. He finally collapses on the sand. 

    “A heavy sea covered him over, then and there unlucky Odysseus would have met his death—against the will of fate—but the bright eyed one inspired him yet again.” [Lines 479-482–The Odyssey book five].

While Odysseus was close to death, the power of the gods and fate saved him and inspired him to survive. This event shows that the gods are always looking over us and influencing our fate and future. The gods threw hardships at Odysseus and helped him out during hard times as well. The gods have a plan for Odysseus even though they can’t see the future. 

    Even though the gods can’t generally be trusted, you can still decide the mortals who to trust which will predominantly determine your fate. Trust can often be deadly, and as shown in The Odyssey; who you trust can ultimately determine your fate. 

How Wrestling Shaped My Life

Connor Soukup

“This is a sport (wrestling) that has turned many boys into men and many men into leaders. And it is a sport in which you can be a giant regardless of how big you are.”- Carl Albert, former Speaker of the House

    Many people believe wrestling to be a cruel or dangerous sport. Or that it’s for people who are troubled. This isn’t just false, but people who wrestle tend to be more developed mentally and physically than any other sport. Wrestling has been widely misunderstood for generations. It isn’t any more your backyard sport as soccer or football. Wrestling matches require various equipment and referees. It is a very organized sport that is appreciated by many types of athletes. 

    Wrestling is known as one of the oldest sports in history. Referenced in the Iliad and depicted in 15,000-year-old cave drawings in France. Early Egyptian and Babylonian reliefs show wrestlers using most of the holds known in the present-day sport. This fact  can be off putting to some people. Thinking that since it is old it is wrong and barbaric because of its heritage being around when gladiator arenas, lion or bull fighting, and other sports of that nature. It is actually won of the tamer sports, having evolved over time to be more safe and more responsible. 

    My experience with wrestling has shaped my life. I started wrestling in third grade at a local high school. My older brother was on varsity wrestling team there and It was my goal to one day make the varsity team in the many years to come when I would be in high school. That goal was deserted when I changed schools in sixth grade. I joined my new schools wrestling team at The Fenn School in concord MA, I started on the middle school team which I quickly didn’t feel like I belonged. I was wrestling first time wrestlers when I had already been wrestling for three years prior. I couldn’t practice the moves I liked and I felt like wasn’t reaching my potential. It wasn’t until my next year that I got to try out for the varsity team at Fenn. I worked hard and was determined to work my very best and learn the most from the experience. My first couple of matches on varsity went pretty well. The coach put me up against new wrestlers who I got to practice my new moves on. When the season progressed I started going up against harder and harder opponents. I started losing and I felt really bad for myself. I was going from winning most of my matches to winning few of them. I became discouraged and was ready to give up. It wasn’t until I realized the reason I loved wrestling. It was because of hardships and vicissitude that came with it. Because you need to experience sadness and failure to appreciate success and happiness. It is one of the main reasons why I love sports. You gain strength from your failures and it shapes you as a person. I have become who I am today because of wrestling. 

Power of Pity

Connor Soukup

“Do not pity the dead, Pity the living, and above all those who live without love.” - J.K Rowling

    Pity can be stronger than you think. In the Odyssey, book seven, Oddesius gains a lot of help from Narcissa and queen Arete’s through the form of pity. It helps him find asylum and food as well as a ship to journey home in. And even though it somewhat damaged his reputation, he found all the help he needed and more.

    While reading this book, I found pity as a way to get what you want or to get people to help you. Like when Oddesius comes to the city begging queen Arete’s for help. He debates whether to use the strategy of confidence to get her help, or the strategy of pity and sadness. Go goes with sadness and self-pity which works well enough for him. This encounter plus when Oddesius meets Narcissa and he gets her to help him, are some great examples of how people use pity to benefit themselves.

    While reading this book, I found pity as a way to get what you want or to get people to help you. Like when Oddesius comes to the city begging queen Arete’s for help. He debates whether to use the strategy of confidence to get her help, or the strategy of pity and sadness. Go goes with sadness and self-pity which works well enough for him. This encounter plus when Oddesius meets Narcissa and he gets her to help him, are some great examples of how people use pity to benefit themselves. 

    Pity, however an important aspect of human life, can’t always be depended on. This book of the Odyssey displays when and how it can be used to your advantage.

The Power of Fate

Connor Soukup

                        “You often meet your fate on the road you take to avoid it” - French Proverb

     Since the dawn of man, people have believed that something out of their control determines their future. In the Odyssey, the gods have complete dominion over mortals lives. As Telemachus sails to find his father and oddesius attempts to journey home. The gods influence their fortune at every turn. 

    After oddesius had journeyed for eighteen days across the endless sea, he caught sight of a distant island hoping to find asylum. Suddenly Poseidon, god of the sea, sees oddesius who he has seething rage for. Poseidon sends monstrous waves obstructing his way. Poseidon knows he can’t kill oddesius because it against the will of Zeus. Oddesius swims to the island for two days in the harshest of storms. He finally collapses on the sand. 

    A heavy sea covered him over, then and there unlucky oddesius would have met his death—against the will of fate—but the bright eyed one inspired him yet again. (Lines 479-482–The Odyssey book five). 

While oddesius was close to death, the power of the gods and fate saved him and inspired him to survive. This shows the gods are always looking over us and influencing our fate and future. The gods throw hardships at oddesius and help him out during hard times as well. The gods have a plan for oddesius even though they can’t see the future. 

    The gods have dominating control over the lives and fate of mortals. Like the gods you can’t decide you fate but you can influence it.