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Book 01

THE GODS IN COUNCIL—MIVERVA’S VISIT TO ITHACA—THE CHALLENGE FROM TELEMACHUS TO THE SUITORS.

32 passages49 observations · 19 observed placesSHA af0b25945a35

Passage 1

Lines 45

Canonical text · read-only

Source text

Tell me, O Muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy. Many cities did he visit, and many were the nations with whose manners and customs he was acquainted; moreover he suffered much by sea while trying to save his own life and bring his men safely home; but do what he might he could not save his men, for they perished through their own sheer folly in eating the cattle of the Sun-god Hyperion; so the god prevented them from ever reaching home. Tell me, too, about all these things, oh daughter of Jove, from whatsoever source you may know them.

Location presence

1
·Direct

Ulysses had been at Troy when he sacked the town.

See evidence text
that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy

Claims for this passage

6
Hyperion·Deity·Direct

Hyperion prevented Ulysses’ men from ever reaching home after they ate his cattle.

See evidence text
eating the cattle of the Sun-god Hyperion; so the god prevented them from ever reaching home
Hyperion’s cattle·Animal·Direct

Hyperion’s cattle were eaten by Ulysses’ men.

See evidence text
eating the cattle of the Sun-god Hyperion
Muse·Deity·Direct

The Muse, daughter of Jove, is invoked to tell all these things about the ingenious hero and his lost men.

See evidence text
Tell me, O Muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy. Many cities did he visit, and many were the nations with whose manners and customs he was acquainted; moreover he suffered much by sea while trying to save his own life and bring his men safely home; but do what he might he could not save his men, for they perished through their own sheer folly in eating the cattle of the Sun-god Hyperion; so the god prevented them from ever reaching home. Tell me, too, about all these things, oh daughter of Jove, from whatsoever source you may know them.
Troy·Location·Direct

Troy was a famous town sacked by Ulysses.

See evidence text
he had sacked the famous town of Troy
Ulysses·Character·Direct

Ulysses is an ingenious, widely travelled hero who learned many peoples’ customs and suffered greatly at sea while trying to save himself and his men.

See evidence text
that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy. Many cities did he visit, and many were the nations with whose manners and customs he was acquainted; moreover he suffered much by sea while trying to save his own life and bring his men safely home
Ulysses’ men·Character·Direct

Ulysses’ men perished through their own folly after eating Hyperion’s cattle.

See evidence text
they perished through their own sheer folly in eating the cattle of the Sun-god Hyperion

Published summary

The poet asks the Muse to tell of the ingenious hero who travelled widely after sacking Troy, suffered at sea while trying to save his men, and lost them when their own folly led them to eat Hyperion’s cattle, preventing their return home.

Passage preview

Book 1 · Passage 1

Tell me, O Muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy. Many cities did he visit, and many were the nations with whose manners and customs he was acquainted; moreover he suffered much by sea while trying to save his own life and bring his men safely home; but do what he might he could not save his men, for they perished through their own sheer folly in eating the cattle of the Sun-god Hyperion; so the god prevented them from ever reaching home. Tell me, too, about all these things, oh daughter of Jove, from whatsoever source you may know them.