Odysseus and Tiresias: Wikipedia
In this book, Odysseus describes how he performed the ritual that Circe instructed him to do. He raises the spirit of Tiresias who tells Odysseus that he is being punished by Poseidon for blinding Poseidon’s son, the Cyclops Polyphemus. He then describes the other spirits he encountered, specifically the warriors that died at the battle of Troy. He also sees the punishment of Sisyphus.
The section that stood out the most for me in this book is when Alkinoos praises Odysseus for his honesty.
As to that, one word, Odysseus:
from all we see, we take you for no swindler—
though the dark earth be patient of so many,
scattered everywhere, baiting their traps with lies
of old times and of places no one knows.
You speak with art, but your intent is honest.(Fitzgerald Translation: p. 197)
We have some serious irony here. Odysseus is not really an honest person. He’s the Trickster. I’m starting to think that he is making all this up, that the odyssey is really a mental construct in Odysseus’ mind. I am going to have to start reading a little closer to see if I can uncover any more clues to support the assertion that Odysseus is really full of it and just making up a story. I’ll let you know what I discover.
Read on, friends!
Stuff Jeff Reads 
I was intrigued with the whole section in which O sees the shades. Quite a parade of characters, I thought. At times it was as though Homer wanted to throw in reminders about other parts of the whole myth.
Hi Jerry. Yeah, it was quite a host of spirits. I suspect Dante was inspired by this when he wrote about encountering all the spirits in the Inferno.
Pingback: “Odyssey” by Homer: Book XII – Sea Perils and Defeat | Stuff Jeff Reads