June 24, 2008

The eclipse of 1178BC and the return of Odysseus to Ithaca

Odysseus' return from Trojan War dated:

















Is an eclipse described in the Odyssey?

Constantino Baikouzis, and Marcelo O. Magnasco





Maju said...


After! 1178 BCE is 12 years after 1190 BCE. I think this detail is important for the credibility of the hypothesis (Odyseus went on his travels after the Trojan war, not before, right?)

Still, I have a doubt:


I checked the sky for that date (using a reputed astrological resource) and I get Venus rising after the Sun for that date. I'd like if someone could confirm this because this element does seem to contradict the narration: Venus can be the morning or the evening star: it varies, and in this case it seems it was in "evening" phase. Mercury instead was in "morning" phase, so maybe the narration refers to Mercury.

Crimson Guard said...

The Trojan War(s) supposedly lasted 12 years, and he was lost along with his crew for another decade.

Homer's first book was written long after the Trojan War. And the characters, they all had superpowers, rather like comic-book heroes so how much we can rely on his tales I don't know.

Achaeans buried their dead, so they should find his body by now.

dave in boca said...

Oral tradition in Homer's Age was a highly-formulaic ritualized and disciplined exercise. Homer may have exaggerated the prowess of Achilles & Ajax & Hector, but the late Bronze/early Iron transition was an era of great warriors who were widely sung in other oral epics,

Homer was simply the greatest compilation of these hero songs. Also, Ithaca might have had cremation traditions---the island was at that time on the very edge of the Mycenean world.