Stole My Thesis

For those asking how it compares today

David Rumsey Map Collection

Artist: Michael Whelan (b. 1950, American) Space Viking (1977) by H. Beam Piper

Thanks and rest in peace, Emmanuel.

Jacques Callot French Publisher Israël Henriet French 1636

St. Mary Magdalene (oil, 2009) by Jim Vogel

that's hot

2 pics. no caption

The gods are still there. Most of the actions attributed to them in the poem are still attributed to them here*. But it's covert instead of overt. Polyphemus is still a son of Poseidon and we still understand Poseidon to be opposing Odysseus and his crew after that point, we just don't see Poseidon. There's the suggestion that Mentor is Athena in disguise, it's just not confirmed. Athena and/or Zeus does guide Odysseus back to Ithaka. Etc. Even though you don't see them there isn't much room for doubt left by the movie that they're real and active. And by doing it that way there's a surprising element of faith (and fate and piety) in the story. It's not that the gods are taken out of the story, they're just veiled. And I think that's a fascinating take which approaches some of the actual themes of the Odyssey but from a different angle.