As kids grow up, they are taught to never lie and always tell the truth. Humans grow up to learn the simple principle of honesty because it is a fundamental part of having good morals. However, people lie all the time as if they can’t neutralize the strongest psychological drug better known as deceit. Everyone lies and is deceitful, whether it’s helpful or harmful.
In reference to The Odyssey, an epic poem written by Homer, it is evident that honesty sometimes doesn’t get you anywhere. The epic teaches that lies and acts of deception are unavoidable, especially in times of survival. In the Odyssey, the antagonists, the protagonist, and the supporting characters were being deceitful all throughout the story. In book one of Fagles’ translation of The Odyssey, it states, “She [Athena] was disguised as a friend, leader of the Taphians, Mentes.” (p. 81.)
Athena dressed as a man to talk to Telemachus about Odysseus without getting the attention of the suitors. Another example of deception is in book thirteen of The Odyssey. In The Odyssey translated by Robert Fagles, Athena says, “First I will transform you- no one must know you.” In this part of the epic, Athena used her powers to disguise Odysseus into a beggar so that no one would recognize him in Ithaca. The art of deception becomes very apparent in the epic because it’s so apparent in real life, just as much as lying is.
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These deceits and disguises were unavoidable because they had good motives behind them. If Athena had not transformed Odysseus into a beggar, Odysseus wouldn’t have had time to plan a revenge on the suitors. In a typical book, the bad guy, formerly known as the antagonist, always lies or manipulates elements of the story to get what they want. The difference in this epic is that mostly everyone lied, and what separates the antagonist and the protagonist in each book is their intention for lying and their nature at heart. The antagonists in the books of The Odyssey lied in order to conceal their malicious plans.
Antinous and Eurymachus were two of Penelope’s suitors mentioned in book four of The Odyssey. They made a plan to trap Telemachus while he was making a voyage to look for his father. Their plan was to send twenty men in a ship to find Telemachus and sink his ambitions. Antinous and Eurymachus lied to Telemachus because they were cordial to Telemachus. When Telemachus wasn’t around, they insulted him and even wanted him dead. Another kind of bad lie would be a lie that is neither malevolent nor is it pure intended. An example of this type of lie is told by the supposed protagonist, Odysseus.
In book thirteen, Odysseus met Athena on the coast of Ithaca when he finally returned to his native land. Goddess Athena was in disguise but Odysseus knew who she truly was. Nevertheless, he fragmented an absurd and fake story when she simply asked him who he was. Athena caught him red-handed about his bad lie. In book 13 of The Odyssey translated by Robert Fagles, Athena said, “Any man-any god who met you would have to be some champion lying cheat to get past you for all-around craft and guile! You terrible man, so, not even here, on native soil, would you give up those wily tales that warm the cockles of your heart!” (p. 296.) Odysseus learned his lesson about lying after he was caught by Athena.
The author distinguished the good and the bad liars based on how their lives were interpreted in the end. At the end of the epic, Antinous and Eurymachus were killed by Odysseus. That showed that bad intentions/actions led to worse outcomes. In contrast to the theme, these lies stated above could have been completely avoided. However since they weren’t, the characters who told them didn’t get away with their lie easily. Lies were also told by the supporting characters. These characters lied with good intentions in mind. The character who lied with good intentions also were classified as the type of people who were sympathetic with good morals. People may say they acted negatively by lying, but it all ended in good outcomes without hurting the other characters.
For example, in book two of The Odyssey, Penelope’s lie to the suitors was discovered. In The Odyssey Graphic Novel by Gareth Hinds, a suitor stated, “She stretched a warp all across her broadloom and told us it was to be a fine shroud for her husband’s father, Laertes. She could not marry, she said, until she completed it, for it will bring shame on her if he should die and had no shroud to cover him. We agreed, and she wove all day at her loom for three long years, by at night by candlelight she would unpick her work. Finally we discovered the trick, with the help of one of her maids.” (p. 15.)
Penelope lied to prolong having to marry the suitors. Telemachus also lied to Eurymachus. In The Odyssey translated by Fagles, Telemachus states, “Eurymachus, clearly my father’s journey home is lost forever. I no longer trust the rumors.” (p. 91.) Telemachus was conversing with suitors after Mentes/Athena told him that his father was alive and will come back to Ithaca. His reason for lying was to keep things under the wraps; he knew that if more people knew, his father’s homecoming would be disastrous. As said before, the author distinguished the good and the bad liars depending on how their lives were interpreted in the end.
Penelope finally was able to get back with her husband as a faithful and untouched wife, and Telemachus was able to unite with his father. Lying and other forms of deceit are present in The Odyssey. This raises questions as to if honesty is really the best policy. The epic relates to reality. Just like the characters in the book, people lie all the time, either for evil reason, good intentions, or lie for absolutely no reason. People are deceiving nowadays by catfishing other people, and we have always known that the CIA use disguises to trick other people and investigate. The Odyssey teaches that lying is common, and that lies and acts of deception are unavoidable in life, especially in times of survival.
