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The article is an attempt to solve the enigma on the potential advantages of the Polish language that comes from the line to the person who will read from Zwierzyniec Mikołaj Rej. The author reviews the most famous and popular meanings of the symbols geese from antiquity to the Renaissance times. Indicated is a long road traveled by this positively associated theme until symbol geese has become synonymous mindless chatter. The opposite of the “idle talk” is the work of Miko³aj Rej, who was the father of Polish literature, hoisted our national culture to new heights.

In this paper, the author attempts to demonstrate that certain philosophical questions are articulated in Homer's Odyssey, especially those that consider the relationship between truth, probability, and falsehood. First, the author discusses the following two assertions: 'Nobody is my name' and 'Nobody will I eat last among his comrades.' When asked by the one-eyed giant Polyphemus what his name really is, Odysseus replies that his name is 'Nobody'. Thereon, Polyphemus says that he will eat 'Nobody', considering 'Nobody' to be 'Somebody'. What appears to be a word-game is in fact an indicator of the necessity to determine the role of negative pronouns in a language, as well as to question their referential status. The negative pronouns like nobody or no one imply the non-existence of someone who can be described as 'nobody' or 'no one'. They can only designate, but they are non-referential. Because Polyphemus does not understand the sense of the negative pronouns, he believes that there is such a man, who is called 'Nobody', and whom he will eat. Therefore, one may claim that Homer's Odysseus discovers the meaning and role of the negative pronouns in a natural language, as well as how the misuse of these words can become a generator in lying and deceiving. Homer distinguishes two types of lies: 1) the absolute falsehoods, which are lies under all circumstances, and 2) the falsehoods which 'seem like the truth'. Most of Homer's Odysseus fantastic tales are of that kind - they are neither true nor false, but they 'seem like the truth'. The truth status of fiction as resembling the truth is one of Homer's discoveries, since he held that his main protagonist's narrations are neither true nor false, but they resemble the truth. The narrations should be as consistent and plausible as possible, in order to describe not what really happened, but 'what could have been happened', as Aristotle would claim. In the course of the paper, the author has critically discussed the philosophical motives and reasons of Odysseus' 'adventures', as well as the philosophical character of his journey as such. One may assume that Odysseus in his journey is motivated by the urge to survive in almost impossible circumstances. Yet, there are lot of sections in Homer's Odyssey which call in question such an assumption. Odysseus, for example, wants to hear the deadly song of the sirens, not because it is tempting and beautiful, but because it provides an access to the total knowledge. Odysseus' return to Ithaca might be understood as the end of a process of self-formation and self-discovery, in which Odysseus discovers the things and himself as being significantly different and more complex than they and he were in the beginning of his journey.

Rad promatra i uspoređuje dvije priče o posjetu junaka podzemnom svijetu: jedna je Homerova iz Odiseje, a druga Vergilijeva iz Eneide. Analiza jedanaestog pjevanja Odiseje i šestog pjevanja Eneide, pokazuje i u glavnim točkama ističe sličnost i utjecaj Homera na Vergilija. Oba junaka, Odisej i Eneja, susreću u podzemlju mnoge prijatelje, neprijatelje, jednog roditelja, a kao glavna razlika prikazuje se Enejin susret s ocem Anhizom u kojemu on promatra duše Rimljana koji se još nisu rodili. U radu se raspravlja i o problemu Odisejeva silaska, odnosno radi li se o pravoj "katabazi" ili svojevrsnoj viziji. The paper observes and compares two stories on the visit of the heroes to the underworld: one is Homer's from Odyssey and the other is Virgil's from Aeneid. Analyzing the eleventh book of Odyssey and the sixth book of Aeneid, the paper shows and highlights the main similarities and Homer's influence on Virgil. Both heroes, Odysseus and Aeneas, meet many friends, enemies and one parent in the underworld. The main difference is shown in Aeneas's encounter with his father Anchises when he observes the souls of Romans who have not yet been born. The paper also discusses the problem of Odysseus' descent, that is, whether it is a true 'catabasis' or a kind of vision.

Cette thèse examine l’omniprésence de la figure d’Ulysse dans la conscience de soi du XXe siècle à travers ses nombreuses réécritures littéraires et philosophiques. Constatant la prolifération sans précédent de la figure d’Ulysse dans la littérature de cette période, il s’agit de montrer qu’elle incarne et met en marche une pensée qui conduit au cœur des problèmes les plus importants du siècle. La fortune littéraire et critique qu’Ulysse connaît au XXe siècle est expliquée par les modalités de la pensée qu’il véhicule, modalités qui sont éclairées par la définition d’Ulysse en tant que figure de la médiation des extrêmes. Cette pensée des extrêmes incarnée par Ulysse est définie comme une manifestation de l’esprit propre au littéraire et irréductible à la pensée conceptuelle, c’est-à-dire comme pensée littéraire. À partir de l’étude de textes littéraires du XXe siècle dans lesquels se manifeste la figure d’Ulysse, je montre que cette pensée concerne le rapport de force entre affect et raison au sein de l’esprit, la manière dont la raison se propulse à partir des affects pour ensuite être débordée par ceux-ci, dans un mouvement perpétuel qui est exemplifié par les pérégrinations d’Ulysse en quête d’un retour impossible. Ce rapport de force entre affect et raison est thématisé de manière spécifique sous la forme de la mise en scène par la figure d’Ulysse du rapport de force entre l’origine hellénique et l’origine judéo-chrétienne de la civilisation occidentale, entre raison et révélation, savoir et foi, Athènes et Jérusalem., This thesis examines the omnipresence of the Odysseus figure in twentieth century self-consciousness throughout its many literary and philosophical rewritings. Noting the unprecedented proliferation of the Odysseus figure in this period’s literature, the thesis seeks to convey the ways in which it embodies and sets in motion thinking at the core of the most important problems of the century. Odysseus’s literary and critical fortune in the twentieth century is explained by the modalities of thought which it conveys, modalities that are themselves clarified by the definition of Odysseus as a figure of the mediation between extremes. This thought of and between extremes embodied by Odysseus is defined as a manifestation of the mind proper to the literary, that is, as specifically literary thought, which is irreducible to conceptual thought. From the study of diverse literary texts of the twentieth century in which the Odysseus figure appears, I demonstrate that this particular form of thought concerns the balance of power between affect and reason within the mind, the way in which reason propels itself on the basis of affects only to become overwhelmed by them, in a perpetual movement that is exemplified by the peregrinations of Odysseus in his quest for an impossible return. This power struggle between affect and reason becomes a thematic element in the form of Odysseus’s depiction, or “mise en scène,” of the power struggle between the Hellenic and Judeo-Christian origins of Western civilization, between reason and revelation, knowledge and faith, Athens and Jerusalem.

Odysseus’s dual personnality, both positive and negative, reflects the dual personnality of the god Hermes, the god in which opposite forces are united. So he faces recurrently «doubles» reproducing the dark face of his contradictory personnality, namely Thersites and Dolon in the Iliad, and Iros in the Odyssey (it is also the ground for the final fight against the Suitors) : he hits them, hurts them or possibly eliminates them (in Plautus’s Amphitryon, Hermes-Mercurius does the same with his double, Sosius, Amphitryon’s servant). It looks like a kind of self sacrifice, commited against himself ; hence the underlying comparison of Odysseus with a sacrified deer., Sezione di Lettere, XIII (2018)

Ce mémoire se penche sur la réécriture des derniers chants de l’Odyssée que propose Jean Harambat dans Ulysse, les chants du retour, publié chez Actes Sud en 2014. Cette bande dessinée se distingue par son inclusion de métarécits au sein même de l’album dans le but d’éclairer mais aussi de questionner le texte source en explicitant, notamment par le truchement des figures d’historiens, tels Jean-Pierre Vernant et Jacqueline de Romilly, les difficultés liées à son interprétation et à sa réécriture. Nous présentons, dans ce mémoire, une analyse de l’album de Harambat qui se centre sur les enjeux identitaires et relationnels de la figure d’Ulysse, tout en offrant une réflexion sur la place des récits antiques dans la modernité ainsi que sur les nouvelles formes que peuvent prendre ces récits afin de persister dans l’imaginaire collectif. Nous nous attachons en particulier aux métarécits qui représentent le trait le plus distinctif de cette adaptation du texte homérique. Nous nous penchons sur la spécificité du médium de la bande dessinée afin d’expliciter comment l’image et le texte peuvent se complémenter, de manière à rendre compte des complexités du texte homérique et de son rapport à l’identité. Un corpus secondaire composé d’albums parus dans les mêmes années que Les chants du retour permet également de rendre compte de la diversité des réceptions de l’Odyssée au sein de la bande dessinée d’aujourd’hui. Ce mémoire se penche ainsi sur la pertinence des récits antiques dans notre contemporanéité en rendant compte des thèmes de la transmission et de la filiation, présents chez Homère et développés de manière à la fois respectueuse et imaginative par Harambat., This thesis focuses on Jean Harambat’s album Ulysse, les chants du retour, published by Actes Sud in 2014. This comic book, which adapts the last chapters of Homer’s Odyssey, distinguishes itself by its inclusion of metanarratives inside the main story which put into question the original text, notably by its use of historian figures, like Jean-Pierre Vernant and Jacqueline de Romilly, by expliciting the difficulties linked to its adaptation. We present, all along this thesis, a thorough analysis of Harambat’s album while offering a reflection on ancient texts’ place in today’s world and of the new forms they can take as they persist in our collective imagination. We focus specifically on the metanarratives of Harambat’s book that distinguishes that work from other adaptations. We also study closely the specific characteristics of comics’ medium as to explicit how they can use pictures and text in a complementary relationship, as to show the complexities of Homer’s text and its relationship to identity. A secondary corpus has been formed with books published in the same years as Les chants du retour to consider the diversity of representations of the Odyssey we entertain in our contemporaneity’s comic book world. This thesis communicates the relevance of the themes of transmission and legacy which are explored and developed by Harambat in a new and imaginative way while still being respectful of the original text.

Bien plus qu’une activité consistant à représenter des idées préconçues ou à consolider des récits historiques en compétition avec d’autres récits sur le marché du savoir, la création littéraire permet la confrontation de l’esprit humain avec ce qui le dépasse, ce qui l’appelle tout en lui échappant. Un des plus vieux récits de la tradition occidentale illustre de manière frappante cette confrontation de l’esprit avec l’inconnu. Il s’agit du célèbre épisode de l’Odyssée d’Homère où Ulysse, à l’approche de l’île des Sirènes, se ligote au mat de son navire afin de pouvoir écouter leur chant sans craindre d’y succomber et de sauter à l’eau pour les rejoindre. Grâce à ce stratagème, Ulysse fait l’expérience d’un abandon de l’esprit à ce qui l’affecte de l’extérieur, le fascinant et menaçant de lui faire perdre la raison. Mais en même temps, et dans un même mouvement, il fait l’expérience d’une maitrise des affects par la force de la raison. À la fois stoïque et ouvert au débordement des affects, Ulysse incarne les extrêmes de l’esprit, le lieu où la tension entre affect et raison est portée à son comble. Si cette confrontation de l’esprit avec ce qui le dépasse est mise en scène dans les textes littéraires selon des modalités qui dépendent des conditions historiques de leur production, elle est aussi réactivée, au-delà de ces conditions historiques, chaque fois que l’esprit d’un lecteur, chaque fois que l’esprit d’une lectrice y trouve l’occasion d’une ouverture à ce qui l’excède et le fascine., Much more than an activity of representing preconceived ideas or consolidate historical narratives competing with other narratives on the knowledge market, literary production allows the confrontation of the human mind with what is beyond it, which call him while escaping him. One of the most ancient stories of the Western tradition strikingly illustrates this confrontation of the mind with the unknown. This is the famous episode of Homer’s Odyssey where Odysseus, at the approach of the island of Sirens, binds himself to the mat of his ship in order to listen to their song without fear of succumb and jump into the water to join them. Thanks to this stratagem, Odysseus experiences the surrender of the mind toward what affects him from the outside, fascinating and threatening to make him lose reason. But at the same time, and in the same movement, he experiences the domination of affects by the force of reason. Stoic, but at the same time open to the overflow of affects, Odysseus embodies the extremes of the mind, the place where the tension between affect and reason is carried to its height.

The Homeric poems preserve the first notions of law prevailing in the archaic era together with some traces of older social and juridical relationships transmitted from previous poetical tradition. In this article i will try to explore some forms of violence registered in the Homeric poems and related either to a context of reciprocity or to a context of formal institutions. I will study, in particular, the type of violence practiced in the blinding of Polyphemus, in the acts of piracy, in the slaughter of Penelopes’ suitors, in the punishment of Melanthios, as well as in divine punishment imposed on Odysseus and Locrian Ajax., Les poèmes homériques préservent, entre autres, les premières notions du droit prévalent pendant l’époque archaïque ainsi que les traces de rapports sociaux et juridiques plus anciens qui y ont été intégrés à travers la tradition poétique antérieure. À l’appui des données ci-dessus, nous allons tenter d’explorer certaines formes de violence que l’on constate dans l’épopée homérique et qui s’inscrivent soit dans un contexte de réciprocité, soit dans un contexte institutionnel plus formel. Plus particulièrement, nous allons étudier la violence exercée dans l’aveuglement de Polyphème, dans les actes de piraterie, dans le massacre des prétendants, dans la punition de Mélanthios ainsi que dans les cas de punition divine imposée à Ulysse et à Ajax le Locrien., Christopoulos Ménélaos. Formes de violence dans le monde d’Ulysse. In: Dialogues d'histoire ancienne, vol. 45, n°1, 2019. pp. 13-22.

En este artículo centrado en el canto undécimo de “La Odisea”, veremos cómo el poeta homérico describe detalladamente el ritual, mediante el cual Odiseo evoca el alma del vate Tiresias en el Reino de los Muertos, siguiendo las instrucciones que la maga Circe le ha procurado en el canto anterior. Descubriremos que la conversación con el vate tebano revela al héroe astuto la causa de la ira de Poseidón y el estado de las cosas en su casa, le orienta con los pasos que debe dar en su largo retorno y le predice una odisea continental, además en el Hades dialogará con los héroes y las heroínas de la mitología griega conociendo el pasado. Comprobaremos la estrecha relación entre la sangre de las víctimas sacrificiales y el entendimiento de la voz de las almas para los mortales. Y, finalmente, escucharemos las palabras de los historiadores griegos que identificaron el lugar del rito en Tesprotia, en el “Nekromanteion” de Éfira., In this paper, tha focuses on the 11th canto of “The Odyssey”, we are going to see how the homeric poet describes in detail the rite, Odysseus invoques the seer Teiresias’ soul in the Realm of the Deads following the instrucctions that sorceress Circe has given him in the previous canto. We will discover in the conversation that the Theban seer reveals to the clever hero the cause of Poseidon’s anger and the state of affairs in his home. He orients Odysseus with the steps to take in his long return and he predicts a continental odyssey. Furthermore, in the Hades Odysseus will have a conversation with the heroes and the heroines of Greek mythology, knowing the past. We will confirm the close relationship between the blood of the sacrificial vitims and the understanding of the voice of the souls to the mortals. And, finally, we are going to listen the words of Greek historians, that identified the place of the rite in Thesprotia, in the “Nekromanteion” of Ephira.

The 3th century grammarian Cassius Longinus in his introduction to the commentary to Hephaestion’s On Metre (Ἐγχειρίδιον περὶ μέτρων) mentions a writer on meter named Odysseus (Ὀδυσσεὺς ὁ μετρικός), who is not known in any other source. This paper aims to identify this author and give a satisfactory explanation to his mention by Longinus. However, the peculiarity of the name, which is not attested as anthroponym out of the epic genre, and its notice in Longinus, who in his commentary only quotes technical authors used as direct sources, have led us to propose a textual correction, Διονύσιος ὁ μουσικός, which, as I shall try to prove, is paleographically plausible and consistent from the point of view of the identification. El gramático del s. III Casio Longino en su introducción al comentario al Manual de métrica (Ἐγχειρίδιον περὶ μέτρων) de Hefestión de Alejandría (s. II) menciona a un metricólogo de nombre Odiseo (Ὀδυσσεὺς ὁ μετρικός), que no es conocido por ninguna otra fuente. Este artículo pretende identificar a este autor y dar una explicación satisfactoria a su mención en la obra de Longino. Ahora bien, la peculiaridad del nombre, que no está testimoniado como antropónimo fuera de la épica, así como su aparición en Longino, quien en su comentario sólo cita a autores teóricos que utilizó como fuente directa, nos han llevado a proponer una corrección textual, Διονύσιος ὁ μουσικός, que, como se intenta demostrar, es plausible paleográficamente y coherente desde el punto de vista de la identificación.

The 3th century grammarian Cassius Longinus in his introduction to the commentary to Hephaestion’s On Metre (Ἐγχειρίδιον περὶ μέτρων) mentions a writer on meter named Odysseus (Ὀδυσσεὺς ὁ μετρικός), who is not known in any other source. This paper aims to identify this author and give a satisfactory explanation to his mention by Longinus. However, the peculiarity of the name, which is not attested as anthroponym out of the epic genre, and its notice in Longinus, who in his commentary only quotes technical authors used as direct sources, have led us to propose a textual correction, Διονύσιος ὁ μουσικός, which, as I shall try to prove, is paleographically plausible and consistent from the point of view of the identification., El gramático del s. III Casio Longino en su introducción al comentario al Manual de métrica (Ἐγχειρίδιον περὶ μέτρων) de Hefestión de Alejandría (s. II) menciona a un metricólogo de nombre Odiseo (Ὀδυσσεὺς ὁ μετρικός), que no es conocido por ninguna otra fuente. Este artículo pretende identificar a este autor y dar una explicación satisfactoria a su mención en la obra de Longino. Ahora bien, la peculiaridad del nombre, que no está testimoniado como antropónimo fuera de la épica, así como su aparición en Longino, quien en su comentario sólo cita a autores teóricos que utilizó como fuente directa, nos han llevado a proponer una corrección textual, Διονύσιος ὁ μουσικός, que, como se intenta demostrar, es plausible paleográficamente y coherente desde el punto de vista de la identificación.

EU Actionprogrammes – the main directories of law-enforcement sphere development including Rober Schuman Project (1998-2000), Program 1999 on formation and development of space of freedom, safety and justice in EU, ODYSSEUS – ARGO, Framework programme 2002 on police and judicial cooperation in sphere of criminal cases, Hague program 2004, Target program: the prevention and struggle against criminality, Stockholm program of 2009 and so on. The Overall objective of programs - to provide, that measures of member states with the same efficiency applied also the European Union law as a whole. The Eurocommission bears responsibility for realisation of projects, spends a periodic estimation and represents to EuroParliament, Council of EU, Ekosok and Committee of regions the report on an estimation of their performance. Keywords: Programs of actions of EU, Rober Schuman Project, Program on formation and development of space of freedom, safety and justice in EU, ODYSSEUS – ARGO, the Framework programme on police and judicial cooperation in sphere of criminal cases, the Target program under the prevention and struggle against criminality, Hague and Stockholm programs.

EU Actionprogrammes – the main directories of law-enforcement sphere development including Rober Schuman Project (1998-2000), Program 1999 on formation and development of space of freedom, safety and justice in EU, ODYSSEUS – ARGO, Framework programme 2002 on police and judicial cooperation in sphere of criminal cases, Hague program 2004, Target program: the prevention and struggle against criminality, Stockholm program of 2009 and so on. The Overall objective of programs - to provide, that measures of member states with the same efficiency applied also the European Union law as a whole. The Eurocommission bears responsibility for realisation of projects, spends a periodic estimation and represents to EuroParliament, Council of EU, Ekosok and Committee of regions the report on an estimation of their performance. Keywords: Programs of actions of EU, Rober Schuman Project, Program on formation and development of space of freedom, safety and justice in EU, ODYSSEUS – ARGO, the Framework programme on police and judicial cooperation in sphere of criminal cases, the Target program under the prevention and struggle against criminality, Hague and Stockholm programs.

International audience; Although the central quality of Odysseus’ rooted bed is clear, much about its nature as an object is left obscure in the telling. This article analyses Odysseus’ account of the making of his bed (Odyssey, 23.183-204) as an example of a detailed narrative of making (ekphrasis tropou) rather than as a description of an object. It argues that the passage derives its meaning from its presentation as a first-person narration and from the actions related. For Penelope, the internal audience, the speech makes present the younger Odysseus, as the older Odysseus reperforms his creative gestures, while the vocabulary used allows the external audience to see in Odysseus’ account a summary of his marriage and adventures.; Si la qualité essentielle du lit enraciné d’Ulysse est clairement décrite dans le discours qu’il adresse à Pénélope (Odyssée, 23.183-204), bien d’autres caractéristiques de cet objet sont escamotées. Cet article propose une analyse de ce discours en tant que narration détaillée de la fabrication du lit (ekphrasis tropou) en se concentrant sur son caractère homodiégétique et sur les actions évoquées. Pour Pénélope, le discours rend présent le jeune Ulysse à travers la restitution de ses gestes productifs alors que, pour les lecteurs ou auditeurs, le vocabulaire employé permet de voir dans ce récit de fabrication un résumé du mariage et des aventures d’Ulysse.

En el presente artículo me propongo explorar de un modo general el êthos que Odiseo construye para sí mismo entre los cantos 15 a 24 de Odisea, cuando debe actuar disfrazado delante de Eumeo, los pretendientes, Penélope y, finalmente, su propio padre. En su comportamiento, podemos notar una evolución de su “persona”, que el héroe ajusta a cada uno de sus interlocutores y situaciones, explorando especialmente temas tales como el trabajo, el carácter efímero de lo humano y el sufrimiento., My aim here is to provide an overview of how Odysseus elaborates an êthos for himself between Books 15 and 24 of the Odyssey, when he must act in disguise in front of Eumaeus, the suitors, Penelope and, finally, his own father. Throughout his behavior we can see the way his “persona” evolves and is adjusted to each one of his interlocutors and situations, with special attention given to themes such as work, ephemerality and suffering., Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) - Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación

Apart from the Doloneia in book X, the extended scene in book XI where he is wounded, and the Funeral Games in book XXIII, Odysseus’ major exploits in the Iliad are to be found in books II, XIX, XIV, and XIX, where he functions very largely as a source of perspective on the questionable leadership qualities of Agamemnon (and also, to some extent, on Achilles’ lack of concern for the community to which he belongs). In any discussion of the norms and ideals of leadership in Homer, Odysseus inevitably looms large ; though his role, for much of the poem, is as able advisor and lieutenant, his qualities all shed light on the ideals of leadership and kingship that the poem presents to its audiences. These are ideals that in turn inform both the kingship ideology of the Odyssey and later Greek and Roman responses to Homeric kingship., Le premier Ulysse : l’Iliade, l’Odyssée et l’idéologie de la royauté. À l’exception de la Dolonie au livre X, de la longue scène au livre XI au cours de laquelle il est blessé et des Jeux funèbres au livre XXIII, les exploits majeurs d’Ulysse dans l’Iliade se trouvent aux livres II, IX, XIV, et XIX, où son rôle consiste en grande partie à fournir une perspective sur l’aptitude contestable d’Agamemnon à diriger (et aussi, dans une certaine mesure, sur l’attitude d’Achille). Ulysse occupe une place importante dans toute discussion sur les normes et idéaux de l’autorité chez Homère ; bien qu’il intervienne dans la majeure partie du poème en qualité de sage conseiller et lieutenant, ses qualités nous renseignent sur les idéaux de la royauté et de l’autorité présentés par le poème à son public. Ces idéaux inspirent à leur tour l’idéologie de la royauté dans l’Odyssée et, par la suite, les réactions à la royauté homérique en Grèce et à Rome., Cairns Douglas l. The First Odysseus: Iliad, Odyssey, and the Ideology of Kingship. In: Gaia : revue interdisciplinaire sur la Grèce Archaïque, numéro 18, 2015. pp. 51-66.

U radu se razmatraju delovi teksta Homerove Odiseje koji prema autorkinom mišljenju poseduju poseban filozofski značaj, budući da se bave odnosom istinitog, verovatnog i lažnog govora. Naročita pažnja posvećena je analizi termina 'niko', putem kojeg Odisej imenuje samog sebe u razgovoru sa Polifemom. Takođe, Homer se služi pojmom 'istinolikosti' da označi iskaze koji nisu ni istiniti ni lažni, što su sve momenti relevantni za filozofiju jezika, pa i epistemologiju. Pokazuje se da su Odisejeva putovanja u mnogo čemu motivisana filozofskim razlozima, te da Odiseja predstavlja svojevrstan literarno artikulisan spev o filozofskom formiranju čoveka. In this paper, the author attempts to demonstrate that certain philosophical questions are articulated in Homer's Odyssey, especially those that consider the relationship between truth, probability, and falsehood. First, the author discusses the following two assertions: 'Nobody is my name' and 'Nobody will I eat last among his comrades.' When asked by the one-eyed giant Polyphemus what his name really is, Odysseus replies that his name is 'Nobody'. Thereon, Polyphemus says that he will eat 'Nobody', considering 'Nobody' to be 'Somebody'. What appears to be a word-game is in fact an indicator of the necessity to determine the role of negative pronouns in a language, as well as to question their referential status. The negative pronouns like nobody or no one imply the non-existence of someone who can be described as 'nobody' or 'no one'. They can only designate, but they are non-referential. Because Polyphemus does not understand the sense of the negative pronouns, he believes that there is such a man, who is called 'Nobody', and whom he will eat. Therefore, one may claim that Homer's Odysseus discovers the meaning and role of the negative pronouns in a natural language, as well as how the misuse of these words can become a generator in lying and deceiving. Homer distinguishes two types of lies: 1) the absolute falsehoods, which are lies under all circumstances, and 2) the falsehoods which 'seem like the truth'. Most of Homer's Odysseus fantastic tales are of that kind - they are neither true nor false, but they 'seem like the truth'. The truth status of fiction as resembling the truth is one of Homer's discoveries, since he held that his main protagonist's narrations are neither true nor false, but they resemble the truth. The narrations should be as consistent and plausible as possible, in order to describe not what really happened, but 'what could have been happened', as Aristotle would claim. In the course of the paper, the author has critically discussed the philosophical motives and reasons of Odysseus' 'adventures', as well as the philosophical character of his journey as such. One may assume that Odysseus in his journey is motivated by the urge to survive in almost impossible circumstances. Yet, there are lot of sections in Homer's Odyssey which call in question such an assumption. Odysseus, for example, wants to hear the deadly song of the sirens, not because it is tempting and beautiful, but because it provides an access to the total knowledge. Odysseus' return to Ithaca might be understood as the end of a process of self-formation and self-discovery, in which Odysseus discovers the things and himself as being significantly different and more complex than they and he were in the beginning of his journey.