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Why does Odysseus travel to 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 travels to the underworld to consult the shade of the Theban seer Tiresias.12
Acting on the instructions of the sorceress Circe, Odysseus seeks guidance for his journey home to Ithaca. Specifically, he needs to learn how to expiate the wrath of the sea god Poseidon, which was incurred after Odysseus blinded Poseidon’s son, the Cyclops Polyphemus. During this encounter, Tiresias provides crucial prophetic advice, warning Odysseus about the challenges ahead and advising him not to harm the sacred cattle of Helios.1324