Homer brings up Tiresias' prophecy after Odyseeus is once again King of Ithaca for two reasons:
1. To remind us readers and listeners about the prophecy, because at this point in the epic, Odysseus’ problems have been resolved: Odysseus has returned home, defeated the suitors, and got his wife, son, and home back. We need this reminder that there is still more to come for Odysseus.
2. Odysseus is talking with his wife, Penelope, and...
Homer brings up Tiresias' prophecy after Odyseeus is once again King of Ithaca for two reasons:
1. To remind us readers and listeners about the prophecy, because at this point in the epic, Odysseus’ problems have been resolved: Odysseus has returned home, defeated the suitors, and got his wife, son, and home back. We need this reminder that there is still more to come for Odysseus.
2. Odysseus is talking with his wife, Penelope, and she, like us, thinks that all of their problems have been resolved. Odysseus tells her that there is still one more labor he must complete. Then he tells Penelope of Tiresias’ prophecy, which is not only of his death, but also that he must go on a quest to find a race of people who know nothing about the sea, and once he finds them, he must plant an oar in the ground and sacrifice a ram, a bull, and a wild boar to Poseidon. Then he must return home and make offerings to all the gods in order. Only after all of these activities will Odysseus die a peaceful death of old age. Wise Penelope’s response is, “If the gods will really grant a happier old age, there’s hope that we’ll escape our trials at last” (lines 327-328).
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