Meta Description: Join Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle as they navigate the Odyssey Books 5-8. Discover why Odysseus is a proud liar, why the gods caught in flagrante delicto are laughing, and how a “Polar Creepy Vortex” set the stage for this epic discussion.
Introduction: The Polar Creepy Vortex
Welcome back to the “vomitorium,” listeners! In Episode 24 of the Ad Navseam Podcast, hosts Dr. Jeff Winkle and Dr. David Noe are braving the elements. Recorded during an “Arctic blast” (or “Polar Creepy Vortex”), the temperature outside is a frigid 7 degrees Fahrenheit, but the intellectual fire inside is burning at a comfortable 69 degrees.
This week, the hosts return to Homer’s Odyssey, specifically Books 5 through 8. After spending four books with Telemachus, we finally meet the man himself: Odysseus. But before we find him weeping on a beach, we must address a fundamental question of character: Is it okay to lie?
Achilles vs. Odysseus: The Ethics of the Lie
The episode opens with a quote from Bernard Knox, contrasting the two greatest heroes of the Greek canon: Achilles and Odysseus.
- Achilles: For the hero of the Iliad, a lie is abhorrent. He famously says, “Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is the man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another.” He demands authenticity, even if it is brutal.
- Odysseus: For the hero of the Odyssey, lying is second nature—a point of pride. He is known for his craft (or guile).
As Dr. Winkle notes, Odysseus is the man who “says one thing and hides another in his heart.” While modern students often find him “two-faced” compared to the straightforward Achilles, the ancients viewed his ability to deceive successfully as a mark of heroism. He is always in a tight spot, and his dolus (trickery) is his survival mechanism.
Ogygia: Calypso and the Gilded Cage
We finally encounter Odysseus in Book 5, but he isn’t fighting monsters. He is weeping on the shores of Ogygia, the island of the nymph Calypso.
Calypso (whose name means “The Hider”) has kept Odysseus as her “love slave” for seven years. When Hermes arrives with a decree from Zeus to release him, Calypso delivers a blistering critique of divine double standards.
“You gods are the most jealous bastards in the universe, persecuting any goddess who ever openly takes a mortal lover to bed…”
Dr. Noe points out the tragedy of Calypso. She offers Odysseus immortality and eternal youth—the very things humans crave—yet he rejects it for a mortal life with Penelope. It highlights the central theme of the epic: the drive for nostos (homecoming), or what a Latin speaker might call reditus.
In Flagrante Delicto: The Gods Behaving Badly
After leaving Calypso on a makeshift raft and surviving a storm sent by his nemesis Poseidon (with help from the “White Goddess” Ino and her magic veil), Odysseus washes up on the island of the Phaeacians.
Here, the hosts discuss one of the most famous—and scandalous—scenes in the epic: the song of the bard Demodocus.
Demodocus sings of the affair between Ares (the god of war) and Aphrodite (the goddess of love). The two are caught in a trap set by Aphrodite’s husband, Hephaestus. An invisible net falls upon them while they are in bed, trapping them in flagrante delicto (in blazing crime/caught in the act).
The Reaction of the Gods:
Instead of being horrified, the male gods gather around and laugh. Hermes even jokes that he would happily trade places with Ares, chains and all.
- The Lesson: Dr. Winkle suggests this story serves as a foil. Hephaestus (the clever but physically unimpressive husband) outwits Ares (the handsome but dim lover), mirroring how Odysseus must use his brain to defeat the brawn of the suitors back in Ithaca.
Nausicaa: Laundry and the Princess
Before the scandals of the gods, Odysseus meets Nausicaa, the Phaeacian princess. In a stark contrast to the blood and gore of the Iliad, we find the princess… doing laundry.
Prompted by a dream from Athena, Nausicaa takes the “good clothes” to the river to wash them. It is a scene of domestic normalcy that grounds the epic. When the naked, brine-encrusted Odysseus emerges from the bushes, her maids flee, but Nausicaa stands her ground—a testament to her noble character (and Athena’s bolstering).
Sponsors
This episode of Ad Navseam is supported by friends of the classics and the Latin language:
- Ad Astra Coffee Roasters: A new sponsor with a perfect Latin name (To the Stars). Based in Hillsdale, Michigan, they roast beans that grade 84+ (an “A” in the coffee world).
- The Deal: Visit adastraroasters.com and use code ANAA for 10% off.
- Hackett Publishing: Whether you need the Odyssey or Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata, Hackett has you covered.
- The Deal: Visit hackettpublishing.com and use code AN2021 for 20% off and free shipping.
- Ratio Coffee: For the “Ratio 8” or “Ratio 6″—Latin precision in your morning brew.
- The Deal: Visit ratiocoffee.com and use code ANCO for 15% off.
Gustatory Parting Shot
Dr. Winkle wraps up the episode with a quote from the inimitable Yogi Berra, proving that even baseball legends struggle with fractions:
“When the waitress asked if I wanted my pizza cut into four or eight slices, I said four. I don’t think I can eat eight.”
Valete! (And stay warm in the vortex!)
Resources for the Latin Learner
- The Moss Method: Want to read Homer in Greek or the Vulgate in Latin?
- Special: Valentine’s Day sale! Get $50 off Module 1 or $75 off Modules 1 & 2 at mossmethod.com.
Latin Per Diem: Join Dr. Noe for daily Latin lessons using the natural method. Visit latinperdiem.com
