Place in Homer’s Odyssey
Scheria Phaeacia
Last landfall before home
The seafarers' kingdom where Odysseus washes up naked and from which he leaves loaded with bronze and gold. Its people live easily, far from other men, and their ships need no pilot.
Bonds
- Odysseus visits Scheria — washes ashore on their coast
- Alcinoüs king of Scheria — rules the seafaring people
- Arete queen of Scheria — settles disputes, wins reverence
- Phaeacians dwell in Scheria — far off, and favoured by gods
- Demodocus dwells in Scheria — blind bard of the court
Appears in
- Book V Departure of Odysseus from Calypso
- Book VI Odysseus Discovered by Nausicaä
- Book VII Reception of Odysseus by Alcinoüs
- Book VIII Festivals in Honor of Odysseus
- Book XI Visit of Odysseus to the Land of the Dead
- Book XIII Arrival of Odysseus at Ithaca
Scenes
- Gods Debate Odysseus’ Fate — Book V. Athena pleads, Zeus sends Hermes
- Building and Launching the Raft — Book V. Odysseus builds raft, sails to Phaeacia
- Poseidon Spots Odysseus — Book V. Poseidon spots Odysseus, rages at gods
- Adrift Off a Rocky Coast — Book V. Odysseus drifts, sights Phaeacia’s cliffs
- Athena’s Dream Visit — Book VI. Athena urges Nausicaä to wash robes
- Prayer to Athena — Book VI. Odysseus prays, Athena stays unseen
- Nausicaä Reaches Home — Book VII. Nausicaä reaches home, mules unyoked
- Unseen Through the City — Book VII. Misted Odysseus passes harbor unnoticed
- Palace and Garden — Book VII. Odysseus marvels at bronze hall, orchard
- Games Proposed — Book VIII. Alcinoüs proposes games for youths
- Ares and Aphrodite Freed — Book VIII. Hephaestus frees Ares and Aphrodite, who flee
- Departure from Scheria — Book XIII. Odysseus bids Arete farewell, sleeps
- Landing at Ithaca — Book XIII. Sailors leave sleeping Odysseus with treasure
- Poseidon’s Complaint — Book XIII. Poseidon complains, turns ship to stone