Tiresias is a famous blind seer of Apollo who appears in Book 11 of The Odyssey. He gives a prophecy to Odysseus about his further journey and its end. Here are the key points of what Tiresias tells Odysseus:

• Odysseus’ voyage home will be full of difficulties and hardships due to his blinding of Polyphemus, Poseidon’s son.
• He warns him about the grazing herds of Helios on Thrinakia and advises that Odysseus and his team avoid these herds and eat them in no case.
• He mentions arrogant men eating his food and courting his wife, and advises that Odysseus must get rid of the suitors. He should either slay them or send them away from the island, which ultimately occurs.
• Tiresias indicates that Odysseus must walk inland with an oar until he gets to a place where people mistake it for a winnowing fan. Then, he must plant the oar and appease Poseidon with sacrifices. Only in this way Odysseus can end his suffering and live to a ripe old age.

Tiresias’s prophecy plays a critical role in the Odyssey, leading to the successful end of Odysseus’s journey to his inherent island Ithaca.