Book 8

Book section : Chapter

The narrative of book 8 centers on Scheria and the Phaeacians’ ongoing reception of Odysseus, who has still not revealed his name to his hosts (and will only do so at the start of book 9). From his arrival in book 6 and his initial reception on the first night of his stay on the island in book 7, book 8 comprises the beginning of Odysseus’s first full day as a guest in Alcinous’s palace, and may be split into three broad sections: a banquet with its preliminaries and after-dinner entertainment from the bard Demodocus (1–95); athletic contests, dancing, and a song from Demodocus about the affair of Ares and Aphrodite (96–416); and another banquet in the evening, with the bard once more providing the postprandial diversions before Odysseus is invited to tell his story (417–584).

Authors: Kelly, A

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Host title: The Oxford Critical Guide to Homer's Odyssey
• Pages: 111-120
• Series: Oxford Critical Guides
• Place of publication: Oxford / New York
• Publication date: 2025-11-20
• Edition: 1
• DOI: 10.1093/9780191926846.003.0009
• EISBN: 9780191926846
• ISBN-10: 0198985096
• ISBN-13: 9780192844101
• Language: English
• Keywords: songs; Demodocus; Hephaestus; hospitality; Phaeacians; Scheria
• Subtype: Chapter