Wisdom from The Odyssey

The Odyssey is a fundamental text, one every high school student ought to read, and while most studies engage with the monsters and exotic islands, no one talks about the most compelling theme: the healing of the soul.

When Odysseus leaves the shores of Troy, with victory still reverberating in every plank of his black ship, the first thing that he and his companions do is to sack the city of the Kikonians, dividing up the spoils and the women. The spirit of Ares still inhabits Odysseus; he is in no condition to return home to cleanse his home of evil. Who is worthy to bring judgement on the wicked suitors? Only he who has a pure soul.

This is why he is destined to spend ten years seemingly wandering his way home. Each island he encounters purges a passion, readying him to be the king he must become. Slowly he changes from a monster to a man.

Finally, in humility, taking on the form of a vagabond, he returns to the shores of his own home. In disguise he judges his servants, observing who has been faithful to him in his absence and who has not. After Odysseus gives each of the suitors and faithless servants an opportunity to repent, Athena then transforms him into a glorious state, making him more handsome and stronger than ever before. He who was thought dead is now alive again, bringing judgement on his faithless servants.

Is it going too far to say that Odysseus is a Christ-like character? He who comes to his people in the form of a humble servant, he who was thought dead comes seemingly back to life, he who is transfigured into a glorious state, he who brings judgement upon the wicked, he who cleanses his house with fire and brimstone: this is Odysseus. I leave the judgement to you.

We do not believe that The Odyssey is prophetic in the sense that it tells of the forthcoming of Christ, the Savior. However, we do acknowledge the words of Christ who said, “I tell you that if these [disciples] should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” This means that the Truth will not remain silent, and even The Odyssey, verily a stone, unwittingly declares the Truth.

These and many other themes will be explored in Scriptorium Wisdom: The Odyssey, the first in the high school series of guidebooks for thinking about and writing about great literature.