the phaeacians and odysseus’ transition in the odyssey

Abstract

The transitional role played by the Phaeacians in The Odyssey has built into a kind of ‘communis opinio’ among Homeric scholars. Mixing divergent elements, these people seem to set a connection between Odysseus’ previous adventures and his re-entering in Ithaca. His quick 3-day stay in this unknown land gives him the opportunity to recall his sufferings since he left Troy, and manages to build a relationship between narrator and audience that helps us understand not only Odysseus’ character, but also the character of those who entertain him. I will focus on how Homer characterizes the Phaeacians as an ‘intermediate’ people, mixing opposite elements which are epitomized in their ability to sail.