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Summary Nostos in the Odyssey - A* Notes
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ITS ABT NOSTOS
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NostosNostos is the concept of homecoming, often attributed to heroes on their return from war and particularly
to Odysseus. Odysseus’ homecoming is what drives him to continue his journey, and we see throughout the
Epic various different types of nostos displayed.
Type of Nostos Description Examples
Nostos This is where a homecoming goes entirely wrong Agamemnon and Clytaemnestra
Gone-Wrong for a hero – and is only really seen in the (she murders him – yay!)
cautionary tale we get of Agamemnon and
Clytaemnestra.
Nostos as This is where the hero is motivated by their nostos Odysseus in basically everything
Motivation to under-go trials and tribulations, and this can be – but this does wane a little bit
seen in Odysseus (obviously). sometimes (Circe and Calypso)
Nostos in Secret Both Telemachus and Odysseus have to hide their Telemachus arrives back in Ithaca
nostos – which detracts from the Homeric in secret (does not go straight to
element of it, because they aren’t greeted with the palace).
great enthusiasm. Odysseus arrives in disguise.
Loss of Nostos When nostos is lost through folly or wrongdoing. The Crew
In the Odyssey, Homer has nostos being the "return home from Troy by sea."[4] Nostos can be told by those who
experienced it themselves, or there are simply instances in which it is present.[4]Those who told their adventures
on the sea on their journey back home from Troy were Menelaus, Nestor, and Odysseus.[4] Those three recount
their adventures to others in the epic.[4] With Menelaus, in Book Four, he tells of his time in Egypt and other
irregular stops.[4] He did not stop at just his nostos but he told of Agamemnon's fatal nostos in great detail as well
as a small section of Odysseus' journey.[4] Nestor gives more on Menelaus' nostos and his journey home with
Odysseus and Menelaus.[4] In Book Three Nestor said "we pondered our long sea-voyage, whether we should
sail over the top of rocky Chios by the island Psyros, keeping it on our left hand, or else to pass under Chios, by
windy Mimas. We asked the god to give us some portent for a sign, and the god gave us one, and told us to cut
across the middle main sea for Euboia, and so most quickly escape the hovering evil."[5] Here Nestor made it
evident to the audience that his and Diomedes' journey home was a perfect nostos, they had no real issues,
which was quite different from Agamemnon's.[4] This great difference shows how different each hero's journey
home could be.[4] In these instances where nostos is simply present and not told by the individual in The
Odyssey, there is an intention to reach a specific destination and some other force blowing the characters off
course and arrive in unexpected places on their journey to their home.[4]The Odyssey had several different
instances of nostos.[4] One specific instance where Odysseus' companions lost their nostos, was when they
ate Helios cattle and were killed for this since they were specifically told not to.[4] Odysseus warned the men
when he said "Friends, since there is food and drink stored in the fast ship, let us then keep our hands off the
cattle, for fear that something may befall us. These are the cattle and fat sheep of a dreaded god, Helios, who
sees all things and listens to all things."[6] At that point Odysseus warns the men of what will happen if they eat
the cattle, yet they do anyway. This situation took away their nostos because their journey home came to an
end.[4]
Not all Greek heroes experience nostos. Achilles' nostos is unique in The Iliad; this is because he knows himself
that he will not have a nostos, creating a greater difference between him and the other heroes, such as
Odysseus.[4] Achilles knows that he has two options when it comes to the Trojan War - he can either die in the
battle with glory and have a short life, or not participate and live a long yet insignificant life.[4] In the ninth book, he
says "my nostos has perished, but my kleos will be unwilting". In this instance, he has chosen the route of glory
and says he will not now return home because it is destined that he will die in battle.[4]
Odysseus was able to tell his own story of his nostos since he has survived.[4] Odysseus was able to tell part of
his nostos to the Phaeacians, and the length of his journey shows how difficult it can be to achieve nostos.[4] This
arrival and telling of his tales is a big deal, though he has not reached home it is a huge mile marker.[4] After
Odysseus and his companions leave Circe's palace safely his crew members show their happiness by saying
"we rejoice for you saved yourself, nourished by Zeus, as much as if we had reached Ithaca," which shows the
comparison of escaping to returning home.[4]
Nostos meant several different things in this epic, it meant escaping death, safe landings, returning home from
war, and being back home.[4] All of those come through because as the hero returned from war the idea of
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