Meta Description: Join Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle in Ad Navseam Episode 32 as Odysseus returns to Circe, survives the Sirens, and finally hits the shores of Ithaca. Discover the “Eumaeus look,” the mystery of the noble swineherd’s name, and why Xenia is the moral fulcrum of the entire epic.
Introduction: The “Eumaeus Look” in the Vomitorium
Welcome back to the “Vomitorium,” listeners! It is Episode 32 of the Ad Navseam Podcast, and your hosts, Dr. Jeff Winkle and Dr. David Noe, are back in the booth.
The mood is jovial, though sartorial choices are front and center. Dr. Noe has arrived sporting a new aesthetic: the full beard is gone, replaced by a rugged “5 o’clock shadow.” Dr. Winkle immediately dubs this the “Eumaeus look,” an homage to the swineherd they will be discussing today. Dr. Noe admits he has no coherent “beard philosophy”—he just puts it on and takes it off as the spirit moves him. However, he does drop a hint that the podcast is open to “big foam money” from sponsors like Barbasol.
As for the weather in Grand Rapids, it is bright and sunny, though it started with a crisp low of 19 degrees Fahrenheit this morning. While Dr. Winkle wouldn’t say spring is in full bloom, he can see a few buds and shoots coming up over the lake, full of promise.
Shout-Out: A Dutch Vowel Mystery
Before we dive into the pig pen, we owe a massive shout-out to Hannah Griffoien. A former student of both Dr. Noe and Dr. Winkle at Calvin, Hannah is now a high school Latin teacher in Michigan.
The hosts discuss the unique spelling of her last name, noting that Dutch is a “strange vowel-y language”. Dr. Noe remembers Hannah fondly as a bright, inquisitive student who “soaked it up” during her studies. To Hannah and all the magistrae shaping young minds: Gratias tibi agimus!
The Opening Quote: Eumaeus Rustles Up Dinner
Dr. Winkle brings the opening quote, chosen largely for the title of the article it comes from: “Eumaeus Rustles Up Dinner” by Rick Newton.
“Although Eumaeus in his hut clearly contrasts with the suitors in the hall, his protracted hospitality… exhibits features suggesting that he is more than a pious observer of Xenia.”
Newton cites a scholar named Reese, who apparently identified 38 distinct components in the Homeric hospitality sequence. Dr. Noe finds this level of detail exhausting, joking that Reese must be counting the “pickle fork” and the “salad fork” as separate components. Dr. Noe prefers a simpler 4-part definition of Xenia: offer a place to sleep, something to eat, something to drink, and conversation—all before you ask for their name.
Book 12: The Trap of Knowledge
Before reaching the swineherd, the hosts recap the end of the flashback in Book 12. Odysseus returns to Circe’s island (Aeaea) to bury the tragic Elpenor.
Dr. Winkle suggests that Circe acts as a “doublet” for Penelope—she is crafty, curious, and a match for Odysseus. She warns him of the dangers ahead, specifically the Sirens.
The Sirens are famous, but their method of entrapment is often misunderstood. They don’t lure Odysseus with beauty; they lure him with knowledge. They promise to tell him “everything that the Greeks and Trojans suffered” and “all that happens on the teeming earth”. This appeals to Odysseus’s greatest weakness: his insatiable curiosity. As Dr. Noe notes, if Xenia is the fulcrum of the epic, this dangerous thirst for knowledge is the trap.
The crew then faces Scylla (the woman with a pack of dogs from the waist down) and Charybdis (the whirlpool/vorago). Finally, they land on the island of Helios, where the crew—led by the troublemaker Eurylochus—makes the fatal mistake of barbecuing the immortal Cattle of the Sun. The result? A shipwreck that leaves Odysseus as the sole survivor.
Book 13: The End of the Fantasy
The Phaeacians finally deliver Odysseus to Ithaca. They drop him off while he is in a deep, death-like sleep. But there is a price to pay. Poseidon, angry that his nemesis has been given safe passage, turns the Phaeacian ship to stone just as it returns to harbor.
This marks a major shift in the epic. The “never-never land” of the Phaeacians is walled off. The age of miracles is over. Odysseus wakes up in the real world of Ithaca, where he must rely on grit and guile rather than magical ships.
Athena appears, disguised as a shepherd, and reveals herself in a scene Dr. Winkle calls a “love fest”. She praises Odysseus for his skepticism and craftiness, seeing a reflection of herself in him. She disguises him as an old beggar and sends him into the countryside.
Enter Eumaeus: The Noble Swineherd (Book 14)
This brings us to Eumaeus, the swineherd. Dr. Noe admits Eumaeus is his favorite character—so much so that he wanted to name his youngest child Eumaeus (a plan thwarted only by the child being a girl).
They discuss the etymology of the name. Is it related to maia (midwife/nurse)? Or Maia the mother of Hermes? Regardless of the name’s origin, Eumaeus represents the moral center of Ithaca.
- Industry: He is a builder and a craftsman, maintaining the estate while the suitors destroy it.
- Loyalty: He pines for his lost master, wishing death upon “Helen and all her race” for taking Odysseus away.
- Hospitality: Despite his poverty, he welcomes the “beggar” (Odysseus) with open arms, proving that true Xenia often comes from those with the least to give.
The Cretan Liar & The Cloak Trick
Odysseus, never one to drop a disguise, invents a sprawling backstory for himself. He claims to be a Cretan veteran of the Trojan War.
He also tests Eumaeus with a passive-aggressive story about a “cloak.” He recounts a tale of a freezing night at Troy where Odysseus tricked a man into giving up his cloak. Eumaeus immediately gets the hint and lends the beggar his own heavy cloak for the night. It is a moment of shared cunning and generosity that proves Eumaeus is worthy of his master.
Sponsors
This deep dive into the mud and mire of Ithaca is brought to you by:
- Hackett Publishing: Dr. Noe recommends Hans Ørberg’s Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata, available through Hackett. Use code AN2021 for 20% off and free shipping at hackettpublishing.com.
- Ratio Coffee: Dr. Noe loves his Ratio 8 in oyster with walnut accents. It banishes CO2 to the corners of Tartarus. Use code ANCO for 15% off the Ratio 6 at ratiocoffee.com.
- Ad Astra Roasters: Based in Hillsdale, Michigan, roasting beans like the Tenebris blend (Dr. Winkle’s favorite) and the Las Lajas Microlot. Use code ANAA for 10% off at adastraroasters.com.
Conclusion: The British Lawnmower Racing Association?
As the hosts prepare to leave, they are interrupted by the BLMRA—the British Lawnmower Racing Association. Founded in 1973, this group has spread “like crabgrass” to places like Luxembourg and the Czech Republic . They need the Vomitorium for a race, so the hosts must flee.
Next Week: We move into Books 15-17. Telemachus returns, father and son reunite, and the tears will flow.
The Gustatory Parting Shot
Dr. Winkle leaves us with a quote from the famous humorist Will Rogers:
“An onion can make people cry, but there’s never been a vegetable that can make people laugh.”
Valete!
