Question

What effect does the song sung by the harper Demodocus have upon Odysseus? Demodocus sings again later in the book - again, with what effect on Odysseus? Is the latter's response different from what we would expect of modern-day "heroes"?

Answer 1

Answer:

In the book Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus weeps when Demodocus sings his songs about the Trojan War.

When the blind harper Demodocus entertains the court of Alcinous, the assembly enjoys the tales he tells and appreciates his beautiful singing. Unfortunately, the subject of the first and third performance is Odysseus himself during his time in Troy. The tales bring up hard memories for him and he's overwhelmed. In response, he covers his face with his cloak and weeps.

The second song Demodocus sings is about Ares and Aphrodite, and it doesn't have any sad effects on Odysseus. He enjoys it with everyone else.

Odysseus's weeping is consistent with what we would expect of a modern hero. It depicts modesty and an acknowledgement of the sacrifices of others in ensuring the achievements for which the hero is being praised. It also depicts an acknowledgement of his own imperfections and mistakes on the journey to becoming a hero.