Reading Notes: Homer's Odyssey Part B

Bibliography: Prisoners of the Cyclops from "Homer's Odyssey" translated by Tony Kline. Story Source.

Notes:

  • So far, the story of Polyphemus is still the most interesting part.
  • I don't think there is much to change besides making the wording better suited to a modern audience.
  • The culture is very clearly pagan and that would need to be explained for a majority Christian audience I think. Things like offerings, and the relationships of deity and devotee.
  • They call Odysseus "scion of Zeus" is there a more modern word that keeps the connotation?
  • The use of epithets is something that I feel is not used very often in more well-known Christian mythology, so that probably needs explained too.
  • Do Hellenist pagans use epithets like Heathens do? Does calling Poseidon "earth-shaker" in this context signify his anger? 
  • If I felt truly masochistic I might try writing it like a poem. We'll see when I get to the retelling.
  • There really is not much to change plot-wise or character-wise. There are only really two characters and I like their dynamic. The plot is enjoyable as well. 
  • A setting change would be interesting, but I don't think you can change the setting without taking away the charm of the story. It is very distinctly Greek, and very distinctly pagan.
  • The sirens would have been a fun story to do, but the material is too short to work with, and the sirens do not work with the island of cyclopes.  
(Odysseus and the Sirens: Wikimedia Commons)
-A.

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