Did Nolan?
Nolan’s ‘Odyssey’ Confronts Civilization’s Original Sin
... I was struck by the deeper prophetic truth of the film’s final statement: Someday, the dawn will break, and all will be
made new. And like Odysseus, the leader of the house will
return—welcoming the humblest beggar, wielding justice like a
well-strung bow, and offering mercy to all who lay down their arms
before him.
Cunning Odysseus only had slaughter in mind, not mercy, hid the weapons, and slew them all, save two righteous for whom Telemachus his son had interceded:
So, noble Odysseus remained in the hall, planning with Athene’s aid how to kill the Suitors. At once he spoke to Telemachus
winged words: ‘We must hide the weapons away, all of them, Telemachus.
If the Suitors miss them and question you, deceive them with placatory
words, and say: “I’ve moved them out of the smoke from the fire, since
they no longer look as they did when Odysseus left them behind and
sailed for Troy, but are all grimy where the draught from the hearth has reached them. Zeus, son of Cronos,
has filled my heart with an even greater fear, that you might start a
quarrel amongst yourselves, and wound each other, and so bring shame on
the feast and your cause. Iron itself draws a man towards it.”’ ...
-- Homer, Odyssey XIX
... When the Suitors saw Antinous fall, there was uproar throughout the hall,
and they leapt from their seats in fear, running to the walls to find a
shield or a stout spear of which there were no sign.
... Leodes ran forward and clasped Odysseus’
knees, and begged with winged words: ‘Odysseus, respect the suppliant
at your knees: I ask for mercy. I swear I have never wantonly wronged a
woman of your house, in word or deed. Instead I tried to restrain others
from doing so. But they would not listen, or keep their hands from
evil, and so through foolish wantonness they meet a cruel fate. And I,
though I am only their innocent priest, will die with them. It is true
one gets no thanks for good deeds.’
Resourceful Odysseus gave him an angry look and said: ‘If you were
really their priest you must often have prayed that the day of my joyful
return would be long delayed and that my loyal wife would go with you
and bear you children. For that you will not escape a sorry death.’
With this he grasped the sword in his strong hand that Agelaus
had dropped on the ground nearby as he fell, and struck Leodes hard on
the neck, so that while he was still trying to speak his head bit the
dust. ...
-- Odyssey XXII
