These two coloured Flaxman's illustrations are for two big fans of Odysseus: @katerinaaqu and @jamescartoon.
Both are depicting Odysseus being helped by the Phaeacians:
The first illustration depicts this scene marked in red:
(Od. 7, 146-67):
But Odysseus made his prayer: "Arete, daughter of godlike Rhexenor, to thy husband and to thy knees am I come after many toils,—aye and to these banqueters, to whom may the gods grant happiness in life, and may each of them hand down to his children the wealth in his halls, and the dues of honor which the people have given him. But for me do ye speed my sending, that I may come to my native land, and that quickly; for long time have I been suffering woes far from my friends.”
So saying he sat down on the hearth in the ashes by the fire, and they were all hushed in silence. But at length there spoke among them the old lord Echeneus, who was an elder among the Phaeacians, well skilled in speech, and understanding all the wisdom of old. He with good intent addressed the assembly, and said: “Alcinous, lo, this is not the better way, nor is it seemly, that a stranger should sit upon the ground on the hearth in the ashes; but these others hold back waiting for thy word. Come, make the stranger to arise, and set him upon a silver-studded chair, and bid the heralds mix wine, that we may pour libations also to Zeus, who hurls the thunderbolt; for he ever attends upon reverend suppliants. And let the housewife give supper to the stranger of the store that is in the house.”
Here we see Odysseus, Alcinous, Arete, three of his sons, and two other men whom I believe to be Echeneus and Pontonous. The one seated is Laodamas, whom Alcinous makes stand up after this fragment.
As for the others, I believe they are the other two sons mentioned by name in the Odyssey, Halius and Cliteneus. However, Nausicaa verbally states that Alcinous has five children, and I do not know if she includes herself in this number, in which case one name would be missing.
(Od. 6, 56-65):
Papa dear, wilt thou not make ready for me a wagon, high and stout of wheel, that I may take to the river for washing the goodly raiment of mine which is lying here soiled? Moreover for thyself it is seemly that when thou art at council with the princes thou shouldst have clean raiment upon thee; and thou hast five sons living in thy halls—two are wedded, but three are sturdy bachelors— and these ever wish to put on them freshly-washed raiment, when they go to the dance. Of all this must I take thought.
Really, is she including herself or not? We are missing two children in here? AHH
The second illustration refers to this scene:
(Od. 13, 116-24):
Then they stepped forth from the benched ship upon the land, and first they lifted Odysseus out of the hollow ship, with the linen sheet and bright rug as they were, and laid him down on the sand, still overpowered by sleep. And they lifted out the goods which the lordly Phaeacians had given him, as he set out for home, through the favour of great-hearted Athena. These they set all together by the trunk of the olive tree, out of the path, lest haply some wayfarer, before Odysseus awoke, might come upon them and spoil them. Then they themselves returned home again.
Artistic justifications:
First illustration:
As I mentioned in a previous post, Odysseus has a beard that is darker than his hair in general.
Arete, as I mentioned in my Marina Berti post, has black hair and light eyes, which I have painted blue in this case. She wears maroon because it is closer to Tyrian purple, but I didn't want everything to be purple because it would have blended in with the covers (LOL). Also Alcinous being a king is not farfetched to dress in lapislazuli blue (although they are a close and isolated society they know places and are great navigators, sure they can commerce to obtain pigments). And the covers had to be purple 100% because they are mentioned so many times in the Odyssey that I couldn't leave them out.
Hc Alcinous has that reddish tinge to his brown hair, Nausicaa has the same hair as him, and so does the other son that I have hc as Halius. Laodamas is just like his mother (hc he's Arete as a man; also is described as the most handsome among the Phaeacians). Halius has his mother's eyes, and Cliteneus has his father's amber eyes.
Od. 8, 15-17:
Euryalus, the peer of man-destroying Ares, the son of Naubolus, who in comeliness and form was the best of all the Phaeacians after peerless Laodamas.
I find yellow to be a very cheerful colour, as is orange. In a previous post, I said that I associated them with weddings, so I have made those two characters the children of Alcinous who are married and are mentioned by Nausicaa.
The blue cloak is not specified as any particular colour in the Odyssey, but it is the one given to him by Nausicaa and later recognised by Arete (That only makes me love her more, but tbh, I don't think this is so strange bc I would also recognise any of my handicrafts in the most surreal context LOL).
Od. 6, 227-8:
But when he had washed his whole body and anointed himself with oil, and had put on him the raiment which the unwedded maid had given him.
Od. 7, 234-5:
Then white-armed Arete was the first to speak; for, as she saw it, she knew his fair raiment, the mantle and tunic, which she herself had wrought with her handmaids.
Second illustration:
I find it very funny to see the Phaeacian on the right wearing trousers, and the one with the sash on the left also makes me laugh. Here, the colours of the Phaeacians are very random.
There is no hc, well, only Odysseus' hair.
The gifts that the Phaeacians give to Odysseus are mentioned, those made by Alcinous, those made by the leaders of Scheria (at Alcinous' command) and those made by Arete. Quite a few are missing from the illustration, but we're not complaining... John Flaxman, keep it up (LMAO).
I know I'm obsessed with bridal colours, but I can't help it😂. Orange is for being a "new suitor", but also is for being returned to the wife "new wedding", I had both motifs in my head when I painted it (ofc everything is related to Penelope). And HOW COULD I NOT INCLUDE A PURPLE CLOAK? Don't you know me????🤪
Mentions to the gifts:
from Alcinous + from the other Phaeacians: (Od. 13, 7-23)
And to each man of you that in my halls are ever wont to drink the flaming wine of the elders, and to listen to the minstrel, I speak, and give this charge. Raiment for the stranger lies already stored in the polished chest, with gold curiously wrought and all the other gifts which the counsellors of the Phaeacians brought hither. But, come now, let us give him a great tripod and a cauldron, each man of us, and we in turn will gather the cost from among the people, and repay ourselves. It were hard for one man to give freely, without requital.”
So spake Alcinous, and his word was pleasing to them. They then went, each man to his house, to take their rest; but as soon as early Dawn appeared, the rosy-fingered, they hastened to the ship and brought the bronze, that gives strength to men. And the strong and mighty Alcinous went himself throughout the ship, and carefully stowed the gifts beneath the benches, that they might not hinder any of the crew at their rowing, when they busily plied the oars
from Arete: (Od. 13, 66-75)
And Arete sent with him slave women, one bearing a newly washed cloak and a tunic, and another again she bade follow to bear the strong chest, and yet another bore bread and red wine. But when they had come down to the ship and to the sea, straightway the lordly youths that were his escort took these things, and stowed them in the hollow ship, even all the food and drink. Then for Odysseus they spread a rug and a linen sheet on the deck of the hollow ship at the stern, that he might sleep soundly; and he too went aboard, and laid him down in silence.
As for the background, this is my first attempt at adding one. I know that the olive tree is missing and that the port of Phorcys doesn't necessarily have to be exclusively beach, but I really enjoyed adding that background and maybe later I'll improve it and get it right so I don't end up with a nonsense collage. The beach photo is taken from Ithaca😆😆, where the red pin is.
Καλή χρονιά και καλά Χριστούγεννα σε σένα, Κατερίνα, και σε όλους τους ορθόδοξους χριστιανούς!🤩🤩
Feliz año nuevo para ti también, Santiago, y te deseo un feliz día de la Epifanía😍🤩.
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Alcinous: so odysseus, here are the 52 most prized and valuable young men of pheacia, but before you depart why don't you tell us a bit about your travels so that we can be assured of our sons safety?
Odysseus: sure, how about the time i got six guys killed for entering a cyclops' cave for literally no reason and then endangered the rest of my crew by getting him to throw mountaintops at my ship because i couldn't keep my mouth shut?
Alcinous: ...
Odysseus: oh and it's also the reason poseidon is so mad. you see the cyclops is his son and i kinda fucked up his only eye.
