Open to Interpretation
City Words
#Wiley
Game on...on the radio...Dodgers at Phillies...dream: I'm offered to take a test...answer just one question...block out with pen the correct answer...others have answered the other questions...aaand, I block out "Tiny person that mitigates disputes is an arbiter."...I'm so sure I'm right...I wake up...what?...I'm right, except for "tiny person"...Tommy turns double play...to top of second...which is neither here nor there...hmmph...typical...feed is dropping lots of takes on movie Odyssey...Nolan, the producer, used new translation for reference...says the translation...
✨️Producer Nolan's comment on Odyssey translation
Director Christopher Nolan heavily praised Emily Wilson’s modern, highly-acclaimed translation of Homer's epic. He notably used her translation as a core inspiration for his film adaptation, specifically drawing upon her translation of the iconic opening line, "Tell me about a complicated man." [1, 2, 3, 4]
✨️"complicated" is a popular tag end of conversations..."it's complicated"...
It's complicated" is the ultimate conversation mic-drop. It usually means someone wants to avoid explaining messy details, dodge judgment, or highlight that their situation doesn't fit into a tidy box. It’s a classic signpost that there is a lot of hidden, unseen depth lurking beneath a very simple surface. [1, 2, 3]
🎶hmmph...Odysseus is wily...
✨️Odysseus is wily
Odysseus is famously characterized as wily, cunning, and exceptionally resourceful throughout ancient Greek literature. In Homer's epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey, he is frequently referred to by the epithet polytropos, which translates to "of many turns," "wily," or "crafty".
🎶another search turned up another Greek word...Dodgers 0-Phillies 4...lost that...but this:...
🧐wile(n.)
https://www.etymonline.com/word/wily
late Old English, wil "deceitful stratagem, crafty trick, sly artifice," a word of uncertain origin; perhaps from Old North French *wile (Old French guile), or directly from a Scandinavian source (compare Old Norse vel "trick, craft, fraud," vela "defraud"). Perhaps ultimately related to Old English wicca "wizard" (see Wicca). Middle English Compendium offers three guesses. Also compare guile. Specifically "deceitful charms," late 14c. (wiles of women). The lighter sense of "amorous or playful trick" is from c. 1600.
🧐christopher fry tells the real story
https://youtu.be/wBwBoM11JiM?is=zXfMTAnjJnoTKWsa
🎶Fry goes on about the poets who write the foundation epics...he's being interviewed by a couple somewhere in India...they mention that to this day in their village there are oral poets telling stories, trained from childhood to remember things...and they use tricks, memory aids, not unlike I'm using to remember my N1 dreams...one trick is epithets, not unlike my snagging one tiny thing from dream, hooking the dream to remember more of it...today's was blocking out with pen, like on a ballot, or something...it's been really warm, uncomfortable to sleep...the old epics were transcibed, they think, from oral stories, and the transcription has the tricks the poets used...rhyme just isn't pretty, rhymed words are stepping stones across the river Lethe...
✨️rhymed words are stepping stones across the river Lethe
Rhymed words are stepping stones across the river Lethe,
Where fading memories dissolve beneath the dark surface.
Each matching sound a tether to the thoughts we leave behind,
A fragile path of music for the drifting human mind.
If you'd like to continue this, let me know:
• The tone you want to set (melancholic, hopeful, dark)A specific theme or story to followThe length you want the poem to beI can help you expand these lines into a complete piece.
🎶fump...that was unbidden, unwanted...Ohtani stepping in the bucket...4 for 24...K...bottom of fifth...I'm fond of "stepping stones"..."leave no stone unturned"...having crossed streams, explored tide pools...is chaismis a recitation aid?
✨️is chaismis a recitation aid?
Overview
+6
Yes, chiasmus serves as an effective recitation and memory aid. By inverting the grammatical structure of a phrase or line (e.g., A-B-B-A), the rhythm and mirrored concepts act as a "mental map," making long speeches, epic poetry, and oral traditions much easier to recall and perform. [1, 2, 3, 4]
How it Aids Memory and Recitation
Symmetry: The A-B-B-A pattern allows the speaker to follow a logical progression, state the core concept at the midpoint, and trace the exact steps backward to the beginning. [1, 2]
Rhythm & Flow: The repetitive, flipped structure creates a catchy, musical cadence that embeds itself into the brain faster than standard prose. [1, 2]
Historical Origins: In ancient, oral-based cultures without written texts, speakers relied heavily on chiastic structures to memorize long narratives and epics accurately. [1, 2]
Famous Examples
Historical/Religious: "The first shall be last, and the last first"
Oratory: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country" (John F. Kennedy)
Literature: "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" (William Shakespeare's Macbeth) [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
To explore more about how rhetorical devices improve memory, you can read about the history and structural use of the device on the Poetry Foundation glossary.
🎶there must be a lot of these aids...
💡"Homeridae"...I'm tracking the story tellers from the Land of Mu...Homer and Moses laid down "foundational myths"...a sign of the Homeridae...these myths kinda like pyramids, here, there, everywhere...the stonework a "tell"..."Homer" wrote the stories of "Moses"...or visa versa...😊🍿
🎶that comment left to youtube channel going on about the Illiad and Odyssey being source of all Greek philosophy, picked up by Romans, picked up by Renaissance, picked up by modern times...on another channel, found term for this: "foundation myth"...end of fifth...Dodgers 1-Phillies 4...that channel was by a Bible scholar...an imposing talkabout the Odyssey..some channels are like that, imposing...like influencer reaches thru the screen with their influence!...imposing!...don't want to impose...my comment, a reach for a reply with clues, leads...my detective detecting
..Homer does a trick having Odysseus arriving back at Ithaca and concealing his identity...it's a "read between the lines" scene, scenes...Argo isn't fooled at all...he fools, tricks the suitors...this is Shakesperian!...Shakespeare has characters that do this, reading between the lines...the audience in on the trick...does Claudius realize that Hamlet knows he murdered Hamlet's father?
✨️..does Claudius realize that Hamlet knows he murdered Hamlet's father?
Yes, Claudius realizes Hamlet knows. The pivotal turning point is the play-within-a-play, known as "The Mousetrap," in Act 3, Scene 2. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
During the performance, Hamlet directs the actors to stage a murder mirroring exactly how Claudius killed the former king. Distressed and panicked, Claudius abruptly stops the play and storms out. This reaction confirms to both Hamlet and Claudius that the Ghost's tale is true. [1, 2, 3]
Claudius’s realization escalates the conflict into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Knowing Hamlet poses a direct threat to his life and throne, Claudius immediately takes the following actions:
Exile: He uses the accidental killing of Polonius as a justification to send Hamlet to England, arranging for his execution upon arrival. [1, 2, 3]
Plan B: When Hamlet unexpectedly returns to Denmark, Claudius immediately conspires with Laertes to rig a fencing match using a poisoned blade and a poisoned cup. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
🎶Dodgers 3-Phillies 4...Tommy up...fly out...that, that's something...the "mousetrap", "cat and mouse"...guile, wile, by both hero and villian...things not as they seem...end of Odyssey, and Hamlet, alike...big fight...is Hamlet like Odysseus?...Marsh with homerun...Dodgers 3-Phillies 5...
✨️is Hamlet like Odysseus?
🎶reach was for their cleverness...cleverness combined with disguise...dis guise...
🧐Origin and history of disguise
───
disguise(v.)
c. 1300, "conceal the personal identity of by changes of guise or usual appearance, with intent to deceive," from Old French desguiser "disguise, change one's appearance" (11c., Modern French déguiser), from des- "away, off" (see dis-) + guise "style, appearance," which is from Germanic (see guise).
🎶bottom of sixth...so happy to see Marsh an All Star...Angels lost out trading him...Turner for Phillies with his second homerun...Phillies with good team...Dodgers 3-Phillies 8...
✨️term for seeing thru disguise
✨️term for reading between lines
term for seeing thru disguise term for reading between lines in the odyssey
+9
In literature, the act of seeing through a disguise or uncovering a hidden identity is commonly called penetrating a disguise, unmasking, or recognition (known in Greek as anagnorisis). [1, 2, 3]
The concept of reading between the lines—discerning implied or hidden meanings—is known as inference or reading subtext. In the context of The Odyssey, this reliance on hidden knowledge is deeply tied to dramatic irony. [1, 2, 3]
Key Terms in The Odyssey
Recognition (Anagnorisis): The pivotal moment when a character's true identity is revealed or discovered. Examples include Eurycleia recognizing the beggar as Odysseus by his scar, or Penelope covertly testing his knowledge of their marriage bed. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Dramatic Irony: A literary device where the audience or reader possesses vital information that the characters do not. Throughout the second half of the epic, the reader knows the disguised beggar is actually the king, while the suitors remain completely in the dark. [1, 2, 3]
Subtext: The underlying or unexpressed meaning of a dialogue or situation, forcing characters (and readers) to "read between the lines." [1]
Cunning (Metis): Odysseus' defining trait. It represents his ability to outsmart, deceive, and use intricate disguises, forcing his enemies to try to "read between the lines" of his tall tales. [1, 2, 3, 4]
🎶OH!...there's that word I lost..."Metis"...and "dramatic irony"...?...
✨️dramatic irony in the Odyssey and Hamlet
Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows critical information that the characters do not. In The Odyssey and Hamlet, both authors use this knowledge gap to build intense suspense and highlight the vulnerability of the characters. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The Odyssey
In Homer's epic, dramatic irony primarily revolves around the disguise of Odysseus. [1]
The Beggar in the Palace: When Odysseus returns to Ithaca disguised as an old beggar, the audience knows his true identity, but the suitors do not. This creates tension as the suitors mock and abuse him, entirely unaware they are insulting—and fated to be killed by—the returning king. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Penelope's Test: In Book XVIII, the lead suitor, Antinous, demands that Penelope pick a "best man" to marry, entirely oblivious that the actual husband is sitting in the room disguised as a beggar. [1]
The Meeting with Telemachus: When Odysseus first reveals himself to his son Telemachus, the audience shares in the emotional revelation before the rest of the household finds out. [1]
Hamlet
In William Shakespeare's play, dramatic irony is psychological and used to underscore themes of deception, madness, and appearance versus reality. [1, 2]
The Ghost's Revelation: Early in the play, the audience and Hamlet learn from the Ghost that Claudius murdered King Hamlet. Every interaction between Hamlet and his treacherous uncle is loaded with tension because we know the truth that Claudius is trying to hide. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Feigned Madness: Hamlet shares his plan to feign insanity with the audience. While characters like Polonius and Claudius mistakenly believe his erratic behavior is due to lovesickness or genuine madness, the audience is "in on the joke" and understands the method behind his madness. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The Play-Within-A-Play: During "The Murder of Gonzago" in Act III, Hamlet's intent is to catch the conscience of the King. The audience watches in suspense, entirely aware of Hamlet's hidden trap, waiting to see if Claudius will crack. [1]
Would you like to explore how these climax scenes (the slaughter of the suitors in The Odyssey versus the final tragic fencing match in Hamlet) utilize dramatic irony differently?
🎶Dodgers 4-Phillies 9...
✨️catharthis is hidden in the Odyssey and Hamlet
The Power of Storytelling: When Odysseus sits in the halls of the Phaeacians, recounting his horrific losses and the devastation of his men, he is effectively participating in the oldest form of talking cure. Naming his pain drains it of its isolating power, allowing the audience to share in his vulnerability.
🎶the Phaeacian episode isn't in the movie...Athena appears to Odysseus then, or some such...Ohtani on deck...
✨️Athena appears to Odysseus in the Phaeacian episode
During the Phaeacian episode, Athena rarely appears to Odysseus in her divine form. Instead, she strategically aids him in disguise and uses a magical mist to ensure his safe arrival and passage through the glittering halls of the Phaeacians. [1, 2, 3]
Her specific actions during this pivotal sequence include:
1. Guiding Nausicaa (Book 6)
Before Odysseus even wakes up on the shores of Scheria, Athena visits the Phaeacian Princess Nausicaa in a dream. Disguised as a close friend, she prompts Nausicaa to wash her wedding garments at the river, setting the stage for her to encounter the shipwrecked Odysseus. [1, 2, 3]
2. The Divine Makeover (Book 6)
When Odysseus emerges from the brush to ask for help, Athena protects him by placing a magical, golden mist around him. After he cleans himself up, she intervenes directly to enhance his appearance—making him look taller, sturdier, and more god-like with thick, curling hair, which instantly wins the admiration of the princess. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
3. Concealment and Navigation (Book 7)
Because the Phaeacians are wary of strangers, Athena meets Odysseus disguised as a young local girl carrying a water pitcher. She shrouds him in a thick, magical mist so he cannot be seen or challenged, and she walks beside him invisibly, guiding him to the magnificent palace of King Alcinous and Queen Arete. [1, 2, 3, 4]
4. Drumming up Support (Book 8)
As the Phaeacians prepare to host games in Odysseus' honor, Athena disguises herself again—this time as the king's herald. She wanders through the town, encouraging the citizens to gather and witness the incredible stranger, ensuring Odysseus receives the attention and respect needed to secure safe passage home. [1, 2, 3]
🎶more disguises!...these old foundation epics are complicated!...time for a snack...bbk...oh, another home run...Dodgers 4-Phillies 10...
✨️odysseus metis
The term is also tied directly to the Titaness Metis, the goddess of wisdom and wise counsel. In mythology, she was the first wife of Zeus. Fearing a prophecy that she would bear a child stronger than him, Zeus swallowed her whole. As a result, the goddess Athena—who embodies tactical wisdom and acts as Odysseus' primary divine patron—was born directly from Zeus' head.
[1, 2, 3]
🎶lol...the Greek franchise is really really complicated!...Dodgers 7-Phillies 10...ground out...that's the ball game...
:)3
DavidDavid
