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Alcinous

Historical Location
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Mythical king of the Phaeacians in Homer’s Odyssey, whose palace was on the island of Scheria

Detailed Definition
Though Alcinous himself is a figure, his court on Scheria functions as a poetic locale representing hospitality, divine aid, and the threshold between myth and reality. The Phaeacian kingdom—often associated with Corcyra (Corfu)—embodies an idealized society untouched by war. Poets use this setting to explore themes of rest, storytelling, and the transition from adventure to homecoming.
Example
Example in poetry:
Alcinous is a mythic king, but his Phaeacian court (often associated with Corcyra) appears in Homeric pastiche as a haven of poetic hospitality; A Renaissance allegory uses Alcinous’ banquet to explore the ethics of storytelling; A modern lyric imagines Alcinous listening to refugees’ tales, reimagining his role as protector; A Symbolist poem likens the poet’s studio to Alcinous’ palace—where art transforms suffering into song; A postwar verse contrasts Alcinous’ generosity with modern indifference to displacement.
Additional Notes
Alcinous is a mythical king; however, his palace on Scheria (often identified with Corcyra/Corfu) represents an idealized xenia (guest-friendship) and utopian order in the Odyssey—key for students analyzing Homeric ideals of hospitality, civilization, and the contrast between Phaeacian harmony and Odysseus’s chaotic journey.
Also Known As
Alkinoos
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