Talk:Penelope
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About Penelope's knowledge of Odysseus’ return
This particular comment should be expanded, probably by referring to passages that point in that direction. It is still debated among scholars, but the possibility that Penelope knows about Odysseus’ return adds to her character and should be discussed in more detail. Particularly when considering the fact that she is supposed to be Odysseus equal when it comes to cunning and resourcefulness (another detail that should be included).
Z.S.: I made some minor modifications, mainly additions today. I wonder if someone can check the last sentence, because it seems quite confusing, "fishy." (At least for a person whose English a second language.) I have a small mythological dictionary that says that Telemachus was son of Ulysses and Penelope. Telegonus was the son and slayer of Ulysses. Our text: "After Odysseus'death, she (Penelope) married his son by Circe, Telegonus, with whom she was the mother of Italus." I doubt that Penelope could have married the son of Odysseus. The reason: Penelope had a teenager son when Telegonus (son of Odysseus and Circe) was born in Italy, so herself must have been 25-30 years older than that youngster. Our contributor(s) may have meant something else, but from the text it is unclear who has married whom. It is also hard to believe that a Greek lady would have moved to Italy, to her rival's territory. Hopefully someone can check these doubts in a larger mythological sourcebook. Perhaps a better explanation exists.
From the article:
As dogs normally do not live longer that 18 years, and since the hero's son was just a lad upon his return, he must have been in Ithaca in 1192, when the war broke out.
That applies to the dogs of epic legend, too? There are lots of places where this sort of analysis on Greek mythology is a very bad idea, so I'm taking this out.
Related to the above, I took out the various other dates in the article, because there is no way anyone can seriously attempt to be precise about a mythological event. Adam Bishop 21:14, 18 Apr 2004 (UTC)
[edit] Image
Wow, when was that image made? That looks a whole lot like a Mary statue...minus the baby Jesus... Adam Bishop 05:13, 21 Oct 2004 (UTC)
The story of Penelope marrying Odysseus' natural son is part of the Telegony. According to that Telemachos also married Circe. There are also legends that she was banished by Odysseus for being unfaithful while he was gone or that she somehow became the mother of Pan. I'm getting this from the Oxford Dictionary of Classical Myth & Religion.
What I'm really looking for is the story of how Odysseus won her from her father. Anybody know anything about that? I know a footrace and the help of Helen's father were involved, and I know I've read it somewhere before, but I can't seem to track it down.
