Question

part 3: discussion: discuss these questions with a partner and write your answers below

1. read this quote from the bottom of page 91: “the suitors were terrified now. eurymachus alone was able to speak. “if you really are odysseus, i don’t blame you for hating us,” he said. “it was all antinous’ fault. he made us do it. i swear we will raise a tax on our lands. we will pay you back for everything” erymachus was the next man to die” (91).

a. do you think the other suitors deserved to die even though they expressed some remorse for their actions? why or why not?
b. what message does it send that the gods were ok with odysseus killing erymachus?

1. the simplified version of these books leaves out a lot of death/killing. in the full version, “when the massacre is complete, odysseus summons the overjoyed eurycleia, and she says that twelve of the fifty slave - girls have been disloyal and became the suitors’ lovers. eurycleia sends the twelve disloyal slave - girls (including melanthius) to help the men clean up after the slaughter. all the other slaves remain locked in the inner part of the palace with the sleeping penelope. when the work is complete, telemachus hangs the twelve slave - girls in a single big noose, the two herdsmen chop melanthius apart, and odysseus cleanses the hall with smoke” (randall)

a. do you think slave girls deserved to die? why or why not?
b. what message is homer sending about loyalty with these characters’ deaths? do you agree with him? why or why not?

discussion stamp
both partners are seen and heard having the discussion. while presenting the summary, both partners are able to answer questions from the teacher.

Explanation:

1a

The suitors' actions (taking over Odysseus' home, consuming his goods, mistreating others) were long - term and severe. Their last - minute remorse may seem insincere, as they only apologized when facing death. Justice in the epic's context (Greek heroic code) also plays a role; they violated hospitality and Odysseus' rights. So, they might deserve death as their remorse was likely self - serving and their prior actions were egregious.

In Greek mythology, gods' approval (or lack of punishment) for Odysseus' action sends a message about justice and loyalty. Odysseus was avenging his home and honor, and the gods' acceptance shows that vengeance for such violations (of hospitality, loyalty) is justified. It reinforces the idea that those who wrong a hero (especially with divine - favored status) will face retribution, and loyalty to one's home and family is highly valued.

The slave girls' actions (being disloyal) were wrong, but death is an extreme punishment. They were slaves, with limited agency; their choices were constrained by their status. Also, their “disloyalty” (being suitors’ lovers) was in a context of coercion or lack of better options. Punishment should match the crime, and death for consorting with suitors (when they had little power to resist the suitors’ advances) is unjust.

Answer:

The other suitors may have deserved to die. Their remorse seemed insincere, coming only when facing death. They had long - term, severe misdeeds (taking over Odysseus’ home, wasting his resources, mistreating others), violating hospitality and Odysseus’ rights. The Greek heroic code context also supports that such violations could be met with death, and their last - minute apology lacked true repentance.

1b