In The Odyssey’s Book 3 and Book 4, the phrase, “When young Dawn with her rose-red fingers shone once more”, is used to introduce two different situations, in spite of the use of the exact same terminology. The first time the phrase is used, it is setting up the scene in which Nestor is waking in his palace and preparing sacrifices to Athena. While the second time the phrase is used, it is when Menelaus is describing his journey back from Troy and having to trick Poseidon in order to cross the sea.
It is such a specific wording--- the imagery is very concise. The mood is set in both scenes because of this introduction. What I found interesting was “once more”. Because not only is dawn arriving once more to set up a scene in The Odyssey, but the phrase itself is used “once more”. The personification of Dawn’s fingers is beautiful imagery and definitely sets the pace of the action. I see dawn slowly spilling over Nestor’s palace or the beach where Menelaus hides beneath seal skins. I believe the significance of this repetition is to show both kings whom Telemachus visits—Nestor and Menelaus—and how though telling different stories, or performing different acts, there is a certain commonality in both men. They share relations with Odysseus; they share relations with Telemachus; they are both in the midst of clarifying and assisting Telemachus. I believe the phrase is repeated in order to show a thread with both experiences and the core of the story.
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ReplyDeleteI like the suggestion that "...Dawn with her rose-red fingers shone once more" is meant to convey a commonality in both Menelaus and Nestor. When I read this post, I kept going with that idea, while also tying it into the theme concerning mortality and immortality in the book.
ReplyDeleteThroughout The Odyssey, the human characters are constantly reminded not only of their own mortality, but also of the immortality of the "deathless" beings. As Nestor and Menelaus are both mortal and their existences impermanent, the idea of Dawn shining "once more" has more of an impact when describing their human experiences, as their lives are a ticking clock of sorts——a new day is one that is closer to death. If this epithet were ascribed to Dawn in a scene involving immortals, it would have less of a place, seeing as days do not matter to the gods of Olympus——they pass by unnoticed.