The Odyssey Summary:Book 8
An anonymous Odysseus is the guest of honor at a huge feast thrown by Alkinoos. The prince arranges a new ship with a new crew for Odysseus’ safe return to his home after the party, and the city sets to partying. A minstrel is called in, and sings the tale of Odysseus and Achilles, and, Odysseus, as the stranger, is seen crying by Alkinoos. The hero skillfully hides his grief, but Alkinoos notes the stranger’s poignant reaction. After the meal, the men compete in all manner of skills, and Alkinoos’ son Laodamas challenges Odysseus. Odysseus refuses at first, but after several piercing words from the young prince, he agrees to compete in the discus throw. Of course, our hero wins by a long shot and claims his superiority in all manners of physical prowess, with the exception of sprinting. His long stay on a boat has weakened his running skills, he claims, and in this alone may he be beaten. Alkinoos apologizes for his son’s affront to their guest and calls in the minstrel to sing another song.
The minstrel sings the tale of the affair between Ares and Aphrodite, and Odysseus’ loses himself in the tale of Hephaistos’ cunning in creating a net of fine chains to capture the two lovers in a most compromising position. After a few sniggering comments from the gathered gods, Poseidon speaks for Ares, promising Hephaistos compensation if Ares fails to make up for sleeping with his wife. Hephaistos agrees and the lovers are set free, Ares returning to his home in Thrace and Aphrodite to her secret grove on Kyphros Isle.
The song ends and Alkinoos announces a display of dancing which leaves Odysseus considerably impressed. After being complimented, Alkinoos offers Odysseus’ a number of gifts, among which a wondrous broadsword to make up for the insult done him during the competitions. Odysseus is given a bath and the woman who originally found him, Nausikaa, asks if he will remember her in his homeland. He leaves her promising that he will invoke her as a goddess every day for saving his life when he reaches his destination. The men eat again, and the minstrel sings another song of the Trojan War, again moving Odysseus to tears. Alkinoos asks the minstrel to stop singing due to Odysseus’ grief, and asks our hero why the War moves him so much. Book VIII ends with a long passage from Alkinoos asking Odysseus who he is.