Odyssey Books 8 & 9

As I read book 8, I was really surprised at how Ulysses still hadn't told anyone his name!!! I know that at the beginning of book 9 he tells his story and all, but it was kind of surprising to know that they went all that time without knowing his name. It seems so different from our culture considering that right when we meet someone, we ask their name and things that we need to know about them, like how old they are. Here, they feed them, and give them comfortable clothes and let them bathe and even go several days without knowing about this person. I think that that would be really weird. . . I was also wondering, does Ulysses know that Minerva was helping him along the way? Like at the athletic field? Overall, I found this book to be really easy to read and it all made sense. I also like the part that reads 'hither and thither'. I think that that is cute and something that you don't see everyday.

In book 9 as Ulysses was telling his story, I was wondering what the Phaeacians thought of him. I think that if I were to hear this story of it happening today, I would be REALLY mad at what he has done. Was this the norm? Was this how you became mighty, noble, powerful, great, etc? I can understand why the gods would want to punish him from his story . . . it seemed like they wanted him to think through what he did and how he killed lots and lots of people. It's almost as if they sent him to timeout by sending him to Calypso and not being able to leave for _ years, (I forgot). And who are the Lotus-eaters? It reminds me of a book I read a while ago. And do they ever get drunk from drinking so much wine? It seems in every book, they are drinking wine like 3-5 times a day! And that's only what they mention! When he is telling his story, it seems like he remembers it like it was yesterday. Ulysses has a lot of detail and it seems that he shouldn't remember it so vividly since it happened a few years ago. I thought that the when Ulysses told Polyphemus that his name was Noman, that it was cleverly thought out for this to happen. 

I realized that while I was reading, that I really hate Ulysses. For one he is arrogant, for example, when they are leaving the island of the Cyclops, Ulysses jeers at them twice, causing Polyphemus to throw the rocks at them.