batch.motif.greek-odyssey-butler-gutenberg-l4783-l4874
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-odyssey-butler-gutenberg-l4783-l4874
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
passage_locator:
label: BOOK X / AEOLUS, THE LAESTRYGONES, CIRCE. / BOOK XI / THE VISIT TO THE DEAD.88;
lines 4783-4874
start: '4783'
end: '4874'
translation: The Odyssey
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: Ulysses and his men depart Circe's island with sacrificial sheep, sail
to the dark land of the Cimmerians by Oceanus, and perform rites for the dead.
Ulysses digs a trench, pours libations, sacrifices the sheep, and keeps ghosts
from the blood until Teiresias can answer him. The ghost of Elpenor asks for burial
rites, Anticlea appears, and Teiresias arrives with a golden sceptre, drinks blood,
and begins to prophesy.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The men respond with grief, throwing themselves on the ground, groaning, and
tearing their hair.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Circe brings a ram and a ewe to the sea shore and passes among the men unseen.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The ship is launched, fitted with mast and sails, loaded with the sheep, and
sent on by a fair wind from Circe.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The voyagers reach the deep waters of Oceanus and the land and city of the
Cimmerians, described as misty, dark, and untouched by sunlight.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: Perimedes and Eurylochus hold the victims while Ulysses digs a cubit-square
trench with his sword.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: Ulysses makes offerings to the dead using honey and milk, wine, water, and
white barley meal.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: Ulysses promises future sacrifices in Ithaca, including a barren heifer for
the dead and a black sheep for Teiresias.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: Ulysses cuts the throats of the two sheep and lets their blood run into the
trench.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: Ghosts from Erebus gather around the blood-filled trench, including brides,
young bachelors, old men, lovelorn maids, and warriors killed in battle.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:10
text: Ulysses sits with his sword drawn and prevents the ghosts from approaching
the blood until Teiresias answers his questions.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:11
text: The ghost of Elpenor says he died after drunkenly falling from the roof of
Circe's house and breaking his neck.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:12
text: Elpenor asks Ulysses to burn him with his armour, build a barrow on the sea
shore, and plant his rowing oar over the grave.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:13
text: The ghost of Anticlea, Ulysses' mother, appears, but Ulysses does not let
her near the blood before consulting Teiresias.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:14
text: The ghost of Theban Teiresias appears holding a golden sceptre, recognizes
Ulysses, asks to drink the blood, and begins prophecy after drinking.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Ulysses
description: Narrator and leader who performs the rites, guards the blood, speaks
with the dead, and seeks Teiresias' prophecy.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- ev:11
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Circe
description: A great and cunning goddess who supplies the ram and ewe and sends
a fair wind for the voyage.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Perimedes
description: One of Ulysses' men who holds the sacrificial victims.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Eurylochus
description: One of Ulysses' men who holds the sacrificial victims.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Elpenor
description: The unburied dead comrade whose ghost asks Ulysses for funeral rites.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Anticlea
description: Ulysses' dead mother, daughter of Autolycus, whose ghost appears at
the trench.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Teiresias
description: Theban ghost with a golden sceptre who drinks blood in order to answer
Ulysses' questions truly and prophesy.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Ghosts from Erebus
description: A group of dead figures who gather around the trench after the sheep
are sacrificed.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Ulysses' men
description: The crew who grieve, prepare the ship, carry out ship duties, and later
flay and burn the sheep carcasses.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:7
roles:
- id: role:1
label: ritual performer
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Ulysses digs the trench, makes offerings, slaughters the sheep, prays, and
controls access to the blood.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: role:2
label: living visitor to the dead
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Teiresias says Ulysses has left the light of day and come to visit the dead.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:3
label: divine helper
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Circe provides the sacrificial animals and sends the wind that carries the
ship.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: human assistants
assigned_to:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:9
basis: Perimedes and Eurylochus hold the victims, and the men assist with the ship
and offerings.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: role:5
label: unburied dead petitioner
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Elpenor's body has not been buried, and he petitions Ulysses for burial rites.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: role:6
label: dead mother
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Anticlea is identified as Ulysses' mother, now appearing as a ghost.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: role:7
label: prophetic dead seer
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: Teiresias asks to drink the blood so he may answer Ulysses' questions truly
and then begins his prophecy.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:8
label: assembled dead
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Multiple categories of ghosts come up from Erebus and gather around the trench.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: ship
literal_form: ship with mast and sails
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: sym:2
label: dark land of the Cimmerians
literal_form: land and city enshrouded in mist and darkness, without sunlight
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:3
label: Oceanus
literal_form: deep waters of the river Oceanus
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: trench
literal_form: a trench a cubit each way dug by Ulysses
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:8
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- ev:11
- id: sym:5
label: libation substances
literal_form: honey and milk, wine, water, and white barley meal
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs:
- milk
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:6
label: sacrificial sheep
literal_form: ram and ewe; two sheep whose throats are cut
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:6
- id: sym:7
label: blood in the trench
literal_form: blood from the sacrificed sheep running into the trench
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:7
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:11
- id: sym:8
label: drawn sword
literal_form: Ulysses' sword drawn over the blood
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:11
- id: sym:9
label: golden sceptre
literal_form: Teiresias' golden sceptre
associated_figures:
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: sym:10
label: oar for grave marker
literal_form: the oar Elpenor used to row with, to be planted over his grave
associated_figures:
- fig:5
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: sym:11
label: barrow on sea shore
literal_form: a barrow requested for Elpenor on the sea shore
associated_figures:
- fig:5
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: departure from Circe's shore
summary: The crew grieves, Circe brings sacrificial sheep, and the ship is launched
with a divine wind.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: arrival at Oceanus and the Cimmerian land
summary: The ship reaches the deep waters of Oceanus and a land of mist, darkness,
and no sunlight, where the crew beaches the ship and goes to Circe's indicated
place.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: ritual summoning of the dead
summary: Ulysses digs the trench, pours offerings, promises sacrifices, slaughters
the sheep, and the ghosts gather around the blood.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:8
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:5
- sym:6
- sym:7
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: scene:4
label: Elpenor's burial request
summary: Elpenor's ghost explains his accidental death and asks Ulysses to perform
burial rites and mark his grave with an oar.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:10
- sym:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: scene:5
label: Anticlea and Teiresias appear
summary: Ulysses sees his dead mother but withholds the blood until Teiresias appears,
drinks blood, and begins to prophesy.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:6
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:7
- sym:8
- sym:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- ev:11
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: living hero's journey to the dead
taxonomy_refs:
- hero_descent
- afterlife_journey_map
basis: Ulysses travels from the living world to a dark place associated with the
dead, and Teiresias describes him as having left the light of day to visit the
dead.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:11
confidence: high
cautions: The passage depicts arrival and consultation rites, not the full descent-and-return
arc.
- id: motif:2
label: necromantic blood rite for prophetic consultation
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
- sacrifice
basis: Ulysses offers libations, sacrifices sheep, controls the blood, and allows
Teiresias to drink so that he can answer questions truly.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:11
confidence: high
cautions: The taxonomy has no specific necromancy category; linked refs are broad.
- id: motif:3
label: unburied dead demanding funeral rites
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
basis: Elpenor explains that his body is unburied and asks Ulysses to burn him with
his armour, build a sea-shore barrow, and plant his oar over the grave.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
confidence: high
cautions: The taxonomy reference is broad; the motif is derived directly from the
passage rather than a supplied specific taxonomy item.
- id: motif:4
label: divine helper providing means for underworld journey
taxonomy_refs:
- departure
basis: Circe provides the sacrificial animals and sends the steady wind that carries
the ship toward the place she had indicated.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: Circe's broader instructions are referenced but not fully included in
this passage.
- id: motif:5
label: liminal dark land at the edge of the world
taxonomy_refs:
- afterlife_journey_map
- water
basis: The voyagers sail to Oceanus and the Cimmerian land, a place of mist, darkness,
and no sunlight, before summoning the dead.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The setting is adjacent to the ritual encounter with the dead; the passage
does not explicitly call it an underworld entrance.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 4783-4791
quote_or_summary: The men grieve at the sea shore; Circe brings a ram and ewe, makes
them fast by the ship, and passes among the men unseen.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 4796-4805
quote_or_summary: The crew launches the ship, sets mast and sails, puts the sheep
aboard, and sails with a fair wind sent by Circe.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 4805-4816
quote_or_summary: At sunset the ship reaches Oceanus and the land and city of the
Cimmerians, a place of mist, darkness, and unpierced by sunlight; the crew beaches
the ship and follows Oceanus to Circe's indicated place.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 4818-4824
quote_or_summary: Perimedes and Eurylochus hold the victims while Ulysses digs a
cubit-square trench and makes drink-offerings to the dead with honey and milk,
wine, water, and barley meal.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 4824-4830
quote_or_summary: Ulysses prays to the ghosts and promises a barren heifer for them
in Ithaca and a black sheep for Teiresias.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 4830-4838
quote_or_summary: Ulysses cuts the throats of two sheep so blood runs into the trench,
and many ghosts from Erebus gather with screaming around it.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 4838-4844
quote_or_summary: Ulysses orders the men to flay and burn the sheep and pray to
Hades and Proserpine, while he sits with sword drawn to keep the ghosts from the
blood until Teiresias answers.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 4846-4860
quote_or_summary: Elpenor's ghost appears first; he says he was left unburied and
died after drunkenly falling from the roof of Circe's house and breaking his neck.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 4860-4869
quote_or_summary: Elpenor asks Ulysses not to leave him unburied, but to burn him
with his armour, build a sea-shore barrow, and plant his rowing oar over the grave;
Ulysses agrees.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 4870-4877
quote_or_summary: Ulysses and Elpenor speak across the trench; Anticlea, Ulysses'
dead mother, appears, but Ulysses does not let her approach the blood before Teiresias.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: lines 4878-4887
quote_or_summary: The ghost of Theban Teiresias appears with a golden sceptre, recognizes
Ulysses, asks him to withdraw sword and let him drink blood, then begins prophecy
after drinking.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: high
comparison_claims: high
notes: Extraction is based only on the supplied passage. Some evidence locators
slightly exceed the requested ending line because the supplied passage text includes
the continuation through Teiresias' first action; locator ranges follow the visible
passage sequence.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
No comparison claims were added because the passage itself does not explicitly support comparison beyond its own narrative patterns and available taxonomy references.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-odyssey-butler-gutenberg__l4783-l4874
passage_sha256=1217d86138bf3be6e7804d43cd54b94280d1dbf8835f4822c10dd9ab27812783