If you don’t read The Odyssey carefully enough, you may miss one of the most emotionally significant moments in the entire poem. In Michael Collier’s poem, Argos the speaker urges the reader to not always rush through life trying to get to the exciting action, as Odysseus does with the massacre of the suitors; if you race through life as you raced through reading The Odyssey, you will come to realize that “the past is what you study, where guile and speed give over to grief so you might stop, and desiring to weep, weep more deeply.” 

Fast-Paced

The speaker of Argos admits to initially having read too quickly, having thought Odysseus would simply return to Ithaca “cold-hearted, clear-eyed, ready for revenge” looking forward to the massacre of the suitors. The speaker even mentions how many of the readers, such as those of us in a Core 151 class, might be “tested for plot and major happenings” and would not notice the brief, but powerfully emotional interaction between Odysseus and his long-suffering dog, Argos.

In Book 17, Homer describes how Argos has been lying in Odysseus’ palace, neglected for twenty years since Odysseus left for Troy. No one thought to take care of him in Odysseus’ absence and Odysseus sees Argos outside on his way into his house, filthy and weak. But as Odysseus passes Argos, disguised as a homeless beggar, Argos lifts his head and wags his tail, happy to see his master return. As Odysseus notices this, he sheds a tear for his poor dog but quickly wipes them away in order to not spoil his disguise. Argos, however, peacefully passed away, able to see Odysseus one last time after being neglected for twenty years. 

Did You Miss Something?

The speaker in Argos points out this moment between dog and owner and argues that it is about more than just a brief sad point in the plot of Odysseus’ return. This occurrence in The Odyssey shows how at the risk of ruining his whole plan to destroy the suitors, even one of the bravest and strongest men in Greece only shows a brief second of emotion. Odysseus does not linger long or take time to appreciate his dog who has waited twenty years for his return while living in a pile of garbage. While Odysseus and the plot in The Odyssey push forward, the speaker in Argos stops at this moment and makes the story about you, the reader. 

Many of us live incredibly fast-paced lives, where we might not have time to slow down and reflect on significant moments in our lives, like Odyseuss not making time for his dog, Argos. The speaker in the poem compares this to how we read through the epic: “Years ago you had the chance to read that page more closely but instead you raced ahead, like Odysseus, cocksure with your plan.” You could have spent more time focusing on emotional moments like this one between Odysseus and his dog, but instead continued with “your plan,” and the busy schedule you have. However, the speaker of Argos claims that the reader and Odysseus will at some point have to slow down and grieve over these moments that we flew by. Once we do this, you might realize what you missed, and desire to “weep, weep more deeply.”In the poem Argos, the speaker provides a sort of epilogue to The Odyssey, where the reader and Odysseus finally have a chance to slow down after racing through with a plan. For Odysseus, he may finally truly grieve over his long-waiting companion, Argos, and provide more than just a single tear. And for the reader, you can either choose to go through life as quickly as you may have read The Odyssey, or you can appreciate an emotional moment that you encounter, so you may not have to weep as deeply as Odysseus will for his dog, Argos.