The Odyssey Quotes Explained

The Odyssey Quotes Explained The Odyssey, an epic poem by Homer, tells the tale of war hero Odysseus and his long journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Odysseus is known for his wit, craft, and cunning, traits he uses to escape danger and eventually return to Ithaca. The quotes that follow contain some of the most important examples of Odysseus cunning, as well as the importance of other key characters and the significance of poetry and storytelling throughout the text. â€Å"Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turnsdriven time and again off course, once he had plunderedthe hallowed heights of Troy.Many cities of men he saw and learned their minds,many pains he suffered, heartsick on the open sea,fighting to save his life and bring his comrades home.But he could not save them from disaster, hard as he strove  - the recklessness of their own ways destroyed them all,the blind fools, they devoured the cattle of the Sunand the Sungod wiped from sight the day of their return.Launch out on his story, Muse, daughter of Zeus,start from where you will  - sing for our time too.†(1.1-12) These opening lines provide a brief synopsis of the plot of the poem. The passage begins with an invocation of the muse and a request for the story of the man of twists and turns. As readers, we learn that we are about to hear the tale of Odysseus- â€Å"the man of twists and turns- who went on a long, difficult journey and attempted (but failed) to bring his comrades home.   The unidentified narrator then requests, â€Å"Launch out on his story, Muse, daughter of Zeus, / start from where you will.† Indeed, The Odyssey starts not at the beginning of Odysseus journey but in the middle of the action: 20 years after his initial departure from Ithaca. By jumping forward and backward in time, Homer provides important details at crucial moments without interrupting the narrative flow. â€Å"Odysseus, master of many exploits, praised the singer:I respect you, Demodocus, more than any man alive - surely the Muse has taught you, Zeus’s daughter,or god Apollo himself. How true to life,all too true . . . you sing the Achaeans’ fate,all they did and suffered, all they soldiered through,as if you were there yourself or heard from one who was.But come now, shift your ground. Sing of the wooden horse.Epeus built with Athena’s help, the cunning trap thatgood Odysseus brought one day to the heights of Troy,filled with fighting men who laid the city waste.Sing that for me - true to life as it deserves - and I will tell the world at once how freelythe Muse gave you the gods’ own gift of song.†(8.544-558) In these lines, Odysseus asks the blind bard Demodocus to regale him with his own story- the story of the Trojan War. Odysseus praises Demodocus for his skill as a storyteller, which surely the Muse has taught [him], and his ability to express powerful, true to life emotions and experiences. Later on in this scene, Odysseus himself weeps as he listens to the tale Demodocus tells. This scene offers insight into the performance of epic poems during Homers era. Poetry was considered a divine gift, bestowed upon storytellers by the muses and capable of inspiring powerful emotions. At the same time, poetic activity was also considered a type of rote work, as storytellers had vast repertories of tales that listeners could request. These lines convey the power and importance of storytelling in the world of The Odyssey, which is itself one of the most famous epic poems in world literature. â€Å"So, you ask me the name I’m known by, Cyclops?I will tell you. But you must give me a guest-giftas you’ve promised. Nobody  - that’s my name. Nobody  - so my mother and father call me, all my friends.But he boomed back at me from his ruthless heart,‘Nobody? I’ll eat Nobody last of all his friends  - I’ll eat the others first! That’s my gift to you!†(9.408-14) In this scene, Odysseus uses his wit to escape death by telling the cyclops Polyphemus that his name is â€Å"nobody. After Polyphemus falls asleep, Odysseus and his comrades stab and blind him. Polyphemus cries for help, shouting that Nobodys killing me now by fraud and not by force, but the other Cyclopes misunderstand the statement, believing that Polyphemus is not being killed at all. This scene is representative of Odysseus characteristic trickery. Unlike other classical heroes who overpower their antagonists through brute force, Odysseus uses wordplay and clever schemes to escape danger. The scene is also significant because it provokes the wrath of Polyphemus father Poseidon, who serves as Odysseus primary antagonist for the remainder of his journey. â€Å"Any man - any god who met you - would have to besome champion lying cheat to get past youfor all-round craft and guile! You terrible man,foxy, ingenious, never tired of twists and tricks - so, not even here, on native soil, would you give upthose wily tales that warm the cockles of your heart!Come, enough of this now. We’re both old handsat the arts of intrigue. Here among mortal menyou’re far the best at tactics, spinning yarns,and I am famous among the gods for wisdom,cunning wiles, too.Ah, but you never recognized me, did you?Pallas Athena, daughter of Zeus - who alwaysstands beside you, shields you in every exploit:thanks to me the Phaeacians all embraced you warmly.And now I am here once more, to weave a scheme with youand to hide the treasure-trove Phaeacia’s nobleslavished on you then - I willed it, planned it sowhen you set out for home - and to tell you allthe trials you must suffer in your palace...†(13.329-48) Athena speaks these lines, revealing her identity, after Odysseus has finally returned to the shores of Ithaca. Athena defines herself as Odysseus helper, ally, and protector; as the goddess presiding over intelligent warfare and the crafts, she is eager to â€Å"weave a scheme† in order to get rid of the suitors threatening Odysseus domain over Ithaca. During the reunion, Athena is full of admiration, categorizing both herself and the cunning Odysseus as â€Å"old hands at the arts of intrigue. â€Å"Give the boy the name I tell you now. Just as Ihave come from afar, creating pain for many - men and women across the good green earth - so let his name be Odysseus...the Son of Pain, a name he’ll earn in full.†(19.460-464) These lines, spoken by Odysseus grandfather Autolycus, offer insight into the origins of Odysseus name. We learn that Autolycus named Odysseus when the hero was an infant. The passage includes another example of word play: the name â€Å"Odysseus† is associated with the Greek verb odussomai- to feel anger toward, to rage or hate. True to his own name, Odysseus both causes and experiences pain throughout his travels. Strange man,wary Penelope said. â€Å"I’m not so proud, so scornful,nor am I overwhelmed by your quick change...You look - how well I know - the way he looked,setting sail from Ithaca years agoaboard the long-oared ship.Come, Eurycleia,move the sturdy bedstead out of our bridal chamber - that room the master built with his own hands,Take it out now, sturdy bed that it is,and spread it deep with fleece,blankets and lustrous throws to keep him warm.(23.192-202) At this point in the poem, Penelope has already tricked the suitors by weaving and unweaving Laertes’ funeral shroud, as well as by making them compete in a rigged game of bow and arrows that only Odysseus could win. Now, in these lines, Penelope tests her very own husband. Odysseus has returned to Ithaca, but Penelope does not yet believe that its really him. As a test, she slyly asks the housekeeper Eurycleia to move their marital bed from her chambers. This is an impossible task, as the bed is built out of an olive tree and cannot be moved, and Odysseus immediate reaction confirms to Penelope that he is indeed her husband. This final trial proves not only that Odysseus has returned at last, but also that Penelopes cunning equals that of her husband.

Grand Theft Auto VS The Power-Go-Round Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Grand Theft Auto VS The Power-Go-Round - Essay Example In this case, what Finn is trying to emphasize is the fact that most of the agencies responsible for the monitoring and regulating of video games (in Australia, the Office of Film and Literature Classification), especially on video games with a violent and interactive content, usually fall short in properly classifying games that is to be played and not to be played by the Australian public; given that the game GTA3 has already been generating much sales on the video game playing public, and have already become one of the most popular games played by video game enthusiast before it was banned by the said agency (Finn 2006). The fact here is that the violent game Postal 2 also shared the same experience, and even worse, wherein despite being involved with controversy due to its violent content, even gaining opposition from the American politician Senator Joe Lieberman, who decried in it Congress (Wolpaw 2003), the game was not banned in the United States (although it was banned in oth er countries) (Wolpaw 2003). Another important concept that was revealed by Finn in his essay is the fact that the reason why the Office of Film and Literature Classification actually bans video games is because if the fact that it actually â€Å"exceeded limitations† of how games are going to be classified; that is, according to â€Å"the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults; the literary, artistic or educational merit (if any) of the publication, film or computer game; the general character of the publication, film or computer game; the persons or class or persons or who amongst whom it is published or intended or likely to be published† (Finn 2006) From the said standards, it can be seen that the game Postal 2 certainly exceeds the limitation of these classificatory descriptions. With regards to the â€Å"the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults† (Finn 2006), Posta l 2 ultimately fails, given that the game actually shows and encourages players to â€Å"†¦drop-kick grenades and whip scythes at unsuspecting civilians if they refuse to participate in your everyday life story (which is, after all, the plot behind the game). Of course, this includes using cat carcasses as silencers on your gun, hitting people with anthrax-laden cow heads and playing ‘fetch’ with dogs using the severed heads of your dismembered victims† (Chomick n. d.). Of course, such kind of behavior does not pass any standard of morality or decency of reasonable adults, given that such kind of behavior, which expresses and encourages cruelty, murder and defamation are considered totally unreasonable and unacceptable. In no way can drop kicking grenades and whipping scythes to â€Å"

Constructions of cultural memory Research Paper

Constructions of cultural memory - Research Paper Example My research questions are: How is the cultural memory of Tiananmen Square Protests represented in the chosen resources and what are the changes that these memories seem to anticipate and argue for? How does the event continue to make history? Witty and Calhoun both represent the event’s cultural memory by describing some of the most critical turning points of the Tiananmen Square protests, although Witty emphasizes rebellion against autocracy through the Tank Man’s photo, while Calhoun analyzes the actions and thoughts of people who were in the midst of shaping democratic ideals in their own terms. Figure 1: Widener’s Photo of the Tank Man Source: Widener (1989 in Witty) In the article, â€Å"Behind the Scenes: Tank Man of Tiananmen,† Witty uses four photos of the Tank Man to represent different perspectives of the Tiananmen Square Protests, where these images try to underline that this man symbolizes the struggles of all ordinary people against government repression and corruption, but because of lack of violence of some photos, it somehow hides the gruesome effects of the government’s crackdown on the protesters. ... The cultural memory focuses on four tanks that are ready to crush all those who oppose and criticize the state and one man who will not be crushed at all. The light post represents urban space through manifesting technology and modernity. The action of the man against the tanks and the cropped lamp post together signify that non-violent action is light in the darkness because rationality meets irrationality. Standing tall like the lamp post, the Tank Man symbolizes democracy and hope for the people. The photo further shows that the tanks are approaching and one man with his shopping bags stand before them. Like others before him, the Tank Man stands in front of the state’s military tools, a memory which argues that he, as well as other ordinary people like him, will fight for democracy anytime and he will not even need tanks to do it. He only needs his resolve and principles, which hundreds to thousands others already offered when they died the night of the Chinese governmentà ¢â‚¬â„¢s crackdown. The photo argues that the state does not have absolute power because the people have power to fight for what is absolutely right for them- the right to oppose and to replace a corrupt and oppressive government. Furthermore, from Witty’s article, the Tiananmen Square protests continue to make history because it portrays an ordinary man’s greatest act of courage and integrity against symbols of oppression. The photo shows that the Tank Man seems to be an office employee with his white shirt and black pants. He is an ordinary man with two white shopping bags, the image of an urban dweller that the state wants to control. The photo argues that he is one man against the state’s violence, and yet because he has had enough, he will stand for his principles of

Basic Wound Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Basic Wound Care - Essay Example It results when additional pressure interrupts blood flow through the skin. This results in oxygen and nutrient deficiency in the affected skin, which makes it break leading to the formation of the ulcer. Pressure from a hard surface, for instance, wheelchair and bed can cause an ulcer (Dziedzic, 2013). Involuntary muscle movements is another cause besides moisture, which can break down the epidermis. We will focus on old age and terminal disease as some of the risk factors. Individuals, who are old have their skin aging out, which results in loss of elasticity. There is a decline in the blood flow through the skin, which is due to aging effects. Additionally, the amount of fat under the skin decreases as one gets older. All these put together makes the skin vulnerable to damage; hence, an ulcer formation. We will now look at some terminal diseases in patients that can put them at increased risk of pressure ulcers (Qaseem, Humphrey, Forciea, Starkey, & Denberg, 2015). Type one and two diabetes results in increased blood sugar levels, which disrupts the normal flow of blood. In peripheral arterial disease, build-up of fatty substance in arteries hampers blood supply to legs. Heart failure results in reduced blood supply to other parts of the body. Kidney failure results in build-up of harmful toxins, which can cause damage to tissues. Reducing the risk of infection demands regular hand washing, debridement and wound cleansing. Protect the wound from exogenous sources of contamination such as feces (Kifer, 2012). When dressing the wound, clean it using sterile water, topical antiseptic or saline, which reduces the bacterial growth and risk of infection. In cases of foul odor, debridement, and frequent cleansing is necessary. Measurement monitors progress made in the healing process through changes in width, length, volume and area of the wound. Simple measurement technique involves measuring the

Analysis of Theme for English B by Langston Hughes Essay -- Poetry

Langston Hughes was an African American poet and author who joined other black artists to break literary barriers during the civil rights movement. The poem entitled "Theme for English B" was written thirty years or so after the birth of the Harlem Renaissance, but still embodies why the Renaissance had originated in the first place. I believe this poem reflected on Hughes' life in general, but more importantly on the fight against the ignorance that created discrimination. James Mercer Langston Hughes was born February 1st, 1902 in the town of Joplin Missouri. Being the great-great-grandson of the first African American to be put into public office, one could say that Hughes was destined to make his own mark in society. The first signs of talent began in the eighth grade, where he was elected class poet. After attempting to receive a degree in engineering at Columbia University, Langston went back to his love of writing. The art of writing was Langston's calling, but his father didn't believe he could make a living simply because he was black. Ironically, the Harlem Renaissance was just emerging. The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that strived to put African American poets, authors, and song writers on the same level as the white population. It was an underground uprising which included magazines filled with African American literature such as poems and short stories. Amongst these artists were Claude McKay, Bessie Smith, Countee Cullen, and Langston Hughes. The one characteristic that describes the Harlem Renaissance most correctly was the fact that there was no one set style. Every artist had their own way of getting their point across. The only tie that bonded them was the push for artistic eq... .... But just because what she thinks is the theme makes a whole lot of sense, it doesn't mean that mine is wrong. People interpret poetry differently. I myself went with the whole equality route. All in all, are thoughts weren't that far off. The poem "Theme for English B" by Langston Hughes is best summarized by the author's life in general. It's not hard to see the similarities between the student in this poem and the man who wrote it. Langston had no advantage in the fact that his grandfather was the first African American in office. Hughes had to make a name for himself on his own. He did this by traveling on a cargo boat, working as a bus busboy, and eventually contributing his works to the Harlem Renaissance, which gave African American literature the credit it deserved. The student who wrote this assignment grew up to be a world class author and poet.

Integrated Case Study: Bandon Group, Inc. Essay

1 – Purpose and Scope of the Study The Bandon Group intends to have an information system study conducted to determine how they can best use Information Technology (IT) to meet the overall mission, goals and objectives of the organization over the next 3-5 years. The purpose of a Management Information System is to collect, store and process business information and to deliver it to decision makers in a format they can use. Information systems have gone through many changes. Experts currently refer to the current era as the â€Å"Customer-Focused Era† of modern computing (Petter & Mclean, 2012). Users expect to receive customized experiences based on their unique requirements. Currently Bandon has decentralized divisions around the country supported by a centralized IT infrastructure. The purpose of the study is to identify how Bandon Group can build a more integrated information system structure that ensures the following business goals: * Standardize business processes and reduce redundancy * Reduce IT expenses and maximize outcomes associated with IT dollars * Improve data migration and data sharing techniques   * Implement e-business solutions to remain competitive with other copier dealers upgrading to ERP solutions The study will identify the business direction of the organization over the next 3-5 years. It will also identify the collective information needs and business requirements of its regional divisions. Finally the study will identify the current IT situation to help determine the way forward. 2 – Document High Level Business Direction The goal of management in this study is to clarify the direction and current vision of the organization and identify what IT investments are needed to improve the performance of the entire Bandon Group. It is very difficult to calculate the business value of an IT investment (Masli & Sanchez, 2011). Bandon’s leaders have identified specific data needs that their IT systems should deliver. The organization has commissioned a consulting group to sit down with key manager and identify the vision for the future. In order to continue to be successful and competitive the Bandon Group must unify its regional divisions with a clear business direction and a foundational set of business principles and practices. There is broad agreement on the basic business direction. The Bandon Group wants to target the office equipment market by catering to the needs of businesses with fewer than 25 employees. They want to grow their market share and revenue by $7 million over the next 3-5 years. To accomplish these goals managers have identified several key business initiatives that they believe will lead to expanded business success. First, the group wants to increase it information technology consulting capabilities. The market is moving towards selling information and network based services. A big part of the future lies in being able to help customers come up with solutions that allow them to run their organizations more efficiently and at a lower cost. Second, the group wants to establish better Customer Relationship Management (CRM) capabilities. Loyal customers equal future dollars. The organizations information systems need to give a holistic view of each customer. This will allow sales, support and marketing to take advantage of opportunities in real time. This has always been a philosophy of the Bandon Group. They have focused on building loyalty through superior service to the customer. CRM will build this idea into every piece of data the organizations collets and will allow them to meet the customer’s needs at every turn. Third, the group needs to improve the accuracy and efficiency of billing and collections. An automated, integrated solution that feeds information about system usage directly to a financial system will ensure the organization maximizes its profits while providing sales and support staff with critical information on the use patterns and needs of their customers. Finally, the group invested heavily in 1994 in Office Machines Dealership (OMD) a commercial systems designed to support the administrative information system at Bandon Group. This system is dated and a solution is required to overcome the current limitations of the system and allow for the seamless flow of information in and out of the system. The leaders and managers at Bandon Group have articulated a clear business direction for the organization. The consulting group must put into place clear solutions to address the growing problems. 3 – Identify Key Information Needs and Measures Information needs should be the driving force behind information systems. An information need is a business’s requirement to capture a specific piece of information or set of information points to meet a business necessity. The ability to manage information plays a critical role in developing a firm’s capabilities in customer relationship management, process management and performance management (Mithas, 2011). The Bandon Group has identified several specific sets of information needs. First they must have the ability to analyze existing customer accounts for profitability. The have a need to understand which account they are making money off of and which account represent high volume profits. Second, they must have an effective sales prospecting system. The ability to measure the effectiveness of sales and marketing efforts is critical. Third, they need an integrated accounting system. To be successful and competitive they must have an accurate web-based billing, use tracking and reporting capability. This will produce a better billing, invoice and collection system. Finally, they need an integrated service management system. The small market companies the group targets expect prompt, specialized service. The organization must be able to track and correct or improve any issues related to servicing customers and keeping their systems up and active. 4 – Document Details Business Requirements Business requirements should describe exactly what the Bandon Group’s divisions expect from the information system. The requirements should be expressed in terms that can be easily discussed and understood by the stakeholders. Requirement (1): An effective Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. CRM must be an organization wide effort to build customer satisfaction and loyalty. An effective CRM program brings together information from every area of the organization. It provides actionable data to sales representatives, customer support, and marketing personnel who directly or indirectly interface with the customer every day. Requirement (2): Effective e-Business Solutions. Bandon needs to utilize existing internet technologies to improve its productivity and profitability. E-Business will extend Bandon’s capabilities beyond the reach of their offices and even beyond the reach of their technicians. By integrating their model with online services the company will be able to monitor and interact with customers in real time. Requirement (3): Effective Sales Prospecting solutions. The first rule of sales prospecting is to identify as many legitimate potential customers as possible for sales representatives to contact. Experienced sales personnel will explain that quality supersedes quantity. Bandon want to be able to exploit its access to current customers to identify future needs and make the sales pitch just as the company begins to understand that they need more support. Requirement (4): Overcoming the shortfalls of OMD. There comes a time in the life of every legacy system where it fails to meet the growing needs of the organization. Bandon’s objective has to be to build on the core functions of the OMD system and augment it with enterprise wide supplemental technology that bridges the gap between the current capabilities and the company’s future needs. 5 – Document Current IT Situation – Internal Bandon’s current infrastructure is outdated and doesn’t meet the needs of the organization. Support systems have been developed separately at the various divisions and interoperability is a significant issue. The information needs of the organization are not being met. The company’s leadership need to build an integrated system that delivers the data needed to make strategic decision. To accomplish this they have to design an end-to-end system that integrates their vision of future business requirements with the existing technology. References Masli, A., Richardson, V. J., Sanchez, J., & Smith, R. E. (2011). The Business Value of IT: A Synthesis and Framework of Archival Research. Journal Of Information Systems, 25(2), 81-116. doi:10.2308/isys-10117 Mithas, S., Ramasubbu, N., & Sambamurthy, V. V. (2011). HOW INFORMATION MANAGEMENT CAPABILITY INFLUENCES FIRM PERFORMANCE. MIS Quarterly, 35(1), 137-A15. Petter, S., DeLone, W., & McLean, E. R. (2012). The Past, Present, and Future of â€Å"IS Success†. Journal Of The Association For Information Systems, 13(5), 341-362.

Ward Weaver Case Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis Murders

On Jan. 9, 2002, in Oregon City, Oregon, 12-year-old Ashley Pond disappeared on her way to meet the school bus. It was just after 8 a.m. and Ashley was running late. The bus stop was just 10 minutes from the Newell Creek Village Apartments where Ashley lived with her mother, Lori Pond—but Ashley Pond never got on the bus and never made it to Gardiner Middle School. An Unexplained Disappearance Despite the efforts of the local authorities and the FBI, no clues surfaced as to the whereabouts of the missing girl. Ashley was popular at school and enjoyed being on the swim and dance teams. Neither her mother, friends, or the investigators believed she had run away. On March 8, 2002, two months after Ashley disappeared, Miranda Gaddis, 13, also vanished around 8 a.m. while on her way to the bus stop at the top of the hill. Miranda and Ashley were good friends. They lived in the same apartment complex. Mirandas mother Michelle Duffey had left for work about 30 minutes before Miranda was to catch the bus. When Duffey discovered that Miranda had not been at school, she immediately contacted the police but once again, investigators came up empty. Without any leads to follow, investigators began looking into the possibility that the person who had abducted the girls might be someone they knew. It seemed that whoever the perpetrator was, he or she seemed to be targeting the same type of girl. Ashley and Miranda were close in age, involved in similar activities, looked remarkably similar to each other—and most importantly, both girls disappeared on their way to the bus stop. A Grisly Discovery On August 13, 2002, Ward Weavers son contacted 911 to report that his father had attempted to rape his 19-year-old girlfriend. He also told the dispatcher that his father confessed to murdering Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis. Both of the girls were friends with Weavers 12-year-old daughter and had visited her at Weavers home. On August 24, FBI agents searched Weavers home and found the remains of Miranda Gaddis inside a box in the storage shed. The following day, they found the remains of Ashley Pond buried under a slab of concrete that Weaver had recently put down for a hot tub—or so he claimed. Too Many Suspects, Not Enough Evidence Shortly after Ashley and Miranda disappeared, Ward Weaver III became a prime suspect in the investigation, but it took the FBI eight months to get the search warrant that eventually turned up their bodies on Weavers property. The problem for investigators was that they were awash in possible suspects—some 28 suspects that lived in the same apartment complex could not be ruled out. For months, authorities had no real evidence that a crime had been committed. It wasnt until Weaver attacked his sons girlfriend that the FBI was able to obtain a warrant to search his property. Ward Weaver, A Study in Evil Ward Weaver was a brutal man with a long history of violence and assaults against women. He was also the man that Ashley Pond reported for attempted rape—but the authorities never investigated her complaint. On October 2, 2002, Weaver was indicted and charged with six counts of aggravated murder, two counts of abuse of a corpse in the second degree, one count of sexual abuse in the first degree and one count of attempted rape in the second degree, one count of attempted aggravated murder, one count of attempted rape in the first degree and one count of sexual abuse in the first degree, one count of sexual abuse in the second degree and two counts of sexual abuse in the third degree. To avoid the death penalty, Weaver pled guilty to murdering his daughters friends. He received two life sentences without the possibility of parole for the deaths of Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis. A Family Legacy of Evil On February 14, 2014, Weavers stepson Francis was arrested and charged with the murder of a drug dealer in Canby, Oregon. He was found guilty and given a life sentence. This made Frances the third generation of Weavers to be convicted as murderers.   Ward Pete Weaver, Jr., Weavers father, was sent to Californias death row for the murder of two people. Like his son, he buried one of his victims under a slab of concrete.