The Odyssey - Book 8 Summary

    The next morning, Alcinoos rose Odysseus and led him to the Parliament Square.  Athena, in the shape of the king's herald, went around the city telling the people to come to the parliament to hear about the stranger that showed up at the palace the previous day.  Soon the whole square was full of people.  Alcinoos introduced Odysseus to the crowd and said Odysseus had asked him to help Odysseus to get back to Ithaca.  Alcinoos asked the crowd for 52 oarsmen and for them to prepare a boat and when they had finished that, to come back to the palace.  Alcinoos then ordered for the minstrel Demodocos to be brought to his house.  

    When everyone was back at the palace, they feasted.  After the meal, they listened to the minstrel sing the stories of famous men. The first song they listened to was the Choral of Odysseus and Achilles.  When Odysseus heard this he pulled his robe over his head and he cried.  No one noticed his crying except Alcinoos.  After a while, Alcinoos stopped the minstrel from sing and suggested they play outdoor activities.  Everyone rose and went outside to the grounds.  Odysseus watched as men competed in activities such as footraces, wrestling, jumping, discus, and boxing.  After they had finished, the king's son, Laodamas, suggested that they invite Odysseus into the competitions. Laodamas walked up to Odysseus and offered for him to join.  Oddysseus said that Laodamas was making fun of him as Odysseus's mind was more set on getting home than on playing games.  At this, Broadsea, said that Odysseus did not really look like the athletic type anyways.  This made Odysseus mad, and he said that if a man's words are beautiful than his face is not, and if his face was beautiful, then his words were not.  He named Broadsea as one of those people with not a lot going on in the attic.  When he had finished, Odysseus stood up and took the heaviest weight and threw it farther than anyone else had thrown any other stone.  After the disagreements were settled, Alcinoos called for Demodocos to be brought outside so that the group could dance.  This time, Demodocos sung of the time when Aphrodite cheated on Hephaestus with Ares.  Odysseus was delighted with the story and by the impressive dancing.  

    When one of the princes overheard this, he gathered his brothers and suggested that put together a gift of gold and clothing for Odysseus.  At this point, the group heads inside for another feast.  All of the gifts for Odysseus are gathered into a coffer and brought to him, where he locked the lid himself.  While they were feasting, Odysseus asked Demodocos to sing the story of the Wooden Horse in the Battle of Troy.  At the sound of the story, Odysseus started to cry again.  Alcinoos once again told Demdocos to stop singing, and asked Odysseus what his name was, where he was from, and why he cries when hearing this story.