Homer's Odyssey translated by Tony Kline (2004)
Ghosts of Erebus
Odysseus Making a Sacrifice
(Source: Wikimedia)
Odysseus put an alter together for the gods. After said his prayer, ghosts from all backgrounds came from the alter. They each died different ways and came from everywhere. Why these specific ghosts? where did they come from? Why did the ghosts scare Odysseus?
The Ghosts of Elpenor and Teiresias
Friends of Odysseus appeared in ghost form. The first one was Elpenor who is Odysseus' comrade. After Elpenor's death, his ghost went down to Hades' House. What is it like down there? Why was he sent there? It was very important that Odysseus bury his comrade. Odysseus agreed to all that Elpenor requested.
The second of Odysseus friends arose, after his own mother. This is where Odysseus learns the truth about his journey. He still has several years left to journey on his way home. He will experience everything on the way.
"He finished, and I replied, saying; Teiresias, no doubt the gods, themselves, have spun this fate for me. Come tell me the truth of this now. Here I see my dead mother's ghost; she sits beside the blood silently, and cannot look on her own son's face or speak with him. Tell me, my lord, how she may know it is I.""
"Swiftly he answered my words: "It is a simple thing to explain to you. Whoever of the dead departed you allow to approach the blood will speak to you indeed; but whoever you deny will draw back.""
Odysseus would be able to choose whom he spoke with. He could learn the truth about many things that concerned him. This could be interesting to play with... learning about things that were secret, and meant to be kept from you.
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