He asks Odysseus to make him a burial mound.
The men cremated and buried Elpenor's body with his armor, marking his grave site with his oar.
In Homer's "Odyssey," after encountering Elpenor's spirit in the Underworld, Odysseus and his men return to Circe's island to properly bury him. They perform a burial ritual, including giving him a drink offering and covering his body with earth, as a sign of respect and to ensure his spirit can find peace. This act highlights the importance of proper funerary rites in ancient Greek culture.
Elpenor
In "The Odyssey," the spirit of Elpenor asks Odysseus to return to Aeaea and properly bury his body, which Odysseus agrees to do. Elpenor's request serves as a reminder of the importance of honoring the dead in Greek mythology.
The first spirit to visit Odysseus in Hades asks him to allow her to drink the blood of the sacrificial animals so that she may speak to him and share her prophecy.
The first spirit that Odysseus encountered in the Underworld was that of Tiresias, the blind prophet. Odysseus sought Tiresias's guidance to learn how to return home to Ithaca safely. The encounter occurs in Book 11 of Homer’s "Odyssey," where Tiresias provides crucial information and warnings about the challenges Odysseus will face on his journey.
The first spirit that Odysseus encounters is the shade of Elpenor, one of his crew members who died unexpectedly on Circe’s island. Odysseus meets Elpenor in the Underworld after performing rituals to summon the dead. Elpenor asks Odysseus for a proper burial, highlighting the importance of honoring the dead in Greek culture. This encounter sets the tone for Odysseus's journey through the realm of the dead.
Odysseus goes to the underworld and sacrifices a black lamb. The blood of the sacrifice draws spirits to Odysseus, including Tiresias. Odysseus guards the blood with his sword from the other spirits before Tiresias arrives.
The second spirit that Odysseus encounters in the Underworld is the prophet Tiresias. Tiresias provides Odysseus with crucial guidance and insights about his journey home to Ithaca, warning him of the challenges he will face and advising him on how to appease the gods, particularly Poseidon. This encounter is significant as it shapes Odysseus's understanding of his fate and the actions he must take to ensure his safe return.
Elpenor, the first spirit to visit Odysseus in Hades, asks him to return to the island of Aiaia and give him a proper burial. He regrets dying unceremoniously after falling from the roof of Circe's palace and pleads for Odysseus to honor him with the rites that will allow his spirit to rest. Elpenor's request underscores the importance of burial customs in ancient Greek culture.
He and his men burnt the body of Elpenor While at Circes for the first time they all eat and drink, but Elpenor drinks too much and falls asleep on the roof and when he wakes up in the morning he falls off and dies. Odysseus then travels to the underworld and sees Elpenors soul among the others, after asking him how he died Elpenor asks him to go back to Aeaea and to perform funeral rites for him.
Elpenor (who was drunk on Circe's island, slept on the roof, fell off, and died) requests that Odysseus returns to the island to bury him properly.