Ella Of Surda

Prior to this point, when Odysseus tries to exercise Xenia (ancient Greek guest rites/hospitality code), he did what he was supposed to do. (Well, we think so anyway — notably, the most famous books of the Odyssey are told by Odysseus, who isn’t exactly a reliable narrator.)

But when Polyphemus kills and eats some of the men, the game changes. The Cyclops makes it clear he has no intention of abiding by Zeus’s laws, and will cannibalize the lot of the men. So, Odysseus responds in kind — he breaks Xenia and lies. He introduces himself under a false name as part of a trick. Polyphemus then breaks Xenia again — he tells Nobody he’ll be eaten last, and that is the Cyclops’ guest gift to him.

Odysseus’ transgression is clearly the lesser one. The Nobody trick works. It gets Odysseus and most of his crew out of the cave alive.

But, crucially, before leaving Odysseus sheds his disguise. He admits his true identity, in detail, so he can boast of his achievements and add vanquishing a Cyclops to the list. And it bites him in the ass spectacularly.

The only reason why Polyphemus can curse Odysseus, can bid his father Poseidon to curse the man who blinded him, is because he now knows who did it. If Odysseus had kept his mouth shut, he might have safely made it home from there. But while a big part of why the Nobody disguise vs. real name reveal is showing Odysseus’s hubris, it’s not just about that. It’s also about the start of a pattern that hurts him more than it helps him.

From this point in the Odyssey on, Odysseus lies about his identity constantly. And sometimes it protects him, but more often it’s a detriment or at least unnecessary. He’s lying about his identity primarily to people who are on his side — a kindly loyal swineherd, his son, his faithful wife, his ailing father.

The last one is especially damning, because happens when Odysseus has already killed the suitors and returned home and reunited with the rest of his family sans disguises. He knows from everyone else that Laertes never betrayed him or his legacy, but was mourning his son and heartbroken for almost a decade. Odysseus has publicly declared his return to everyone else — his father doesn’t know because he’s living in squalor remotely. But Odysseus doesn’t tell his father who he is. He makes up a fake identity and tells a story implying Laertes’ son is dead. And when Laertes bursts out crying, then Odysseus drops the charade and finally admits who he really was.

There was no utility to that lie. No loyalty to test. No hidden threats to worry about. But Odysseus still instinctively lies to his beloved father about who he is, only dropping the charade when he sees the damage it’s doing to his relationships.

Because at this point, lying is pathological for Odysseus. He can’t seem to stop doing it. Because with Polyphemus, a lie protected him and the truth hurt him. That is the point of the “ Nobody” disguise.

A social media post by Matt Lillywhite. It reads:

Everytime I walk into a library I think, "Wow, this is what society looks like when it's actually doing its job."

Free heat.

Free seats.

Free internet.

Free knowledge.

If aliens landed tomorrow, I'd take them to a library first just to prove we're capable of getting one thing right.

hey friend

dont kill yourself tonight ok

you have a really pretty smile and i know its not always easy to manage one but itd be a bummer if we never had the chance to see it ever again

I am in fact qualified to talk about this (so don’t lie about what the Homeric canon actually says just because you liked Nolan’s movie)

The meaning and importance of “Nobody” (reblog)

The Significance of the Phaeacians (and why cutting them was a fatal error)

Why Does Christopher Nolan Hate Dogs

For the Record Greeks Thought the Nubians Were the Hottest People Alive So Lupita Being Helen Works Perfectly

The Actual Meaning and Importance of Xenia (“Zeus’s law”)

Related: THE TROJANS BROKE XENIA FIRST. THAT STARTED THE WAR.

Christopher Nolan Would Have Been Happier And Done a Better Job If He Just Adapted the Iliad Instead

(Related) Helen and Menelaus vs. Paris

Even Emily Wilson Hated That

Selectively Applying Modern Morals Depending On Who You Sympathize With — The Melantho Litmus Test

Circe keeps being done wrong (ask)

Why people always get Greek gods wrong (ask)

You Can’t Adapt A Greek Epic and Make Your Protagonist, a Greek King, Constantly Scorn Greek Faith And Culture.

You Can’t Cut the Gods (Because the Odyssey is a Story of Hubris, Which Means Offending the Gods, Dipshit)

Historical accuracy?

Somehow Removing Odysseus’ Existing Culpability While Also Focusing on His Grief and Sin

The Privilege of Kings, AKA Why Odysseus Gets Off Scot-Free in Canon

Why borrow an Aeneid character when Odysseus already screwed someone over for self-advocating in the Iliad?

The Bloody Revenge Was Fully Half The Plot, Don’t Sanction It

NERFing of Telemachus (and Eumaeus)

The Sea Peoples Shit Did Not Work

Hey Maybe Mention the Pact Between Helen’s Suitors if you’re gonna make Ody angst about going to war

You Don’t Need to Make the Suitors Worse (part of the point is that we also meet kind of honorable ones)

Christopher Nolan Hates Women (Penelope, Helen, Clytemnestra, Circe, Calypso, Melantho)

The Meaning of the Marriage Bed, Penelope, and Homophrosune

How Do You Villainize Agamemnon That Hard and Still Not Give Clytemnestra Any Focus???

is to make more disabled

art without ai