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What advice does Tiresias give Odysseus in the underworld?
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Odyssey: A Reader’s Guide to Homer’s Epic
Engraving of Homer by Hieronymus Wierix, 16th century; in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus consults the blind prophet Tiresias in the underworld to seek guidance for his journey home. Tiresias provides several critical warnings and prophecies regarding Odysseus's future:12
- Poseidon’s Wrath: He warns that the sea god Poseidon will continue to hinder his journey as retribution for the blinding of his son, the Cyclops Polyphemus.12
- The Cattle of Helios: He explicitly instructs Odysseus not to harm the sacred cattle of the sun god Helios on the island of Thrinacia.12
- Future Hardships: He foretells that Odysseus will lose all his companions and return home to find his house plagued by Penelope’s suitors, whom he must kill.23
- Final Fate: Tiresias predicts that after dealing with the suitors, Odysseus must undertake an inland journey with an oar to appease Poseidon, eventually meeting a mild death in extreme old age.23