In the land of the dead, Odysseus speaks to several spirits:
- First, he encounters Elpenor, a comrade who died from a fall on Circe’s island. Elpenor asks Odysseus to return to the island to give him a proper burial
- Next, Odysseus meets the spirit of his mother, Anticleia. Their meeting is emotional, and she reveals she died of grief during his long absence
- Most importantly, Odysseus speaks with the blind prophet Teiresias of Thebes. Teiresias provides crucial prophecy and guidance about Odysseus’s journey home, warning him of dangers from Poseidon and advising him on how to survive and reclaim his household
- Additionally, Odysseus encounters other shades, including warriors and notable figures like Achilles, who discuss themes of death, fame, and the afterlife
Thus, Odysseus’s primary interlocutors in the underworld are Elpenor, his mother Anticleia, and the prophet Teiresias, with whom he gains vital knowledge for his voyage home
