They departed from Troy with their head and hearts painted with the images of Home, Ithaca. They reached the Island of Ismarus, the land of the Ciconians. Odysseus and his men set foot on a bountiful island. Odysseus instructed his men to take only what they need. The Ciconians, on the other hand, were not so happy with all the looting going on. So, they attacked the Greeks in their sleep. Those who survived, including Odysseus, hurried back to their ships.
They sailed on to wander the vast waters. They saw land and this time, they hope there are no more attacks. They were welcomed by hospitable women. They offered them LOTUS to eat. When the men got a taste of the lotus flower, they began to feel good. Too good, actually. They became high. Worse, they forgot all desires of going back home. Odysseus and some of his sober men had to drag those who seem not themselves back to their ships.
From the land of the comely Lotus-eaters, Odysseus' fleet has found land again. They found a cave, where there was plenty of cheese. They decided to stay there for the night. Then, they heard loud stomps approaching the cave. It was the Cyclops Polyphemus. The men cowered in fear at the sight of the gigantic one-eyed monster. They thought of going out of the cave but Polyphemus closed the cave with a huge rock only he can carry. Odysseus, who introduced himself as "No Man", courageously offered the cylops wine. Polyphemus liked the taste of it and asked even more until he got drunk and fell asleep.
While the monster was fast asleep, Odysseus ordered his men to help him sharpen a log. Once the log already had a pointed end, they pierced it through the monster's eye. Polyphemus cried in pain. He grabbed some of Odysseus' men and crushed them. He ran towards the cave opening and moved the huge rock that covers it. He called to his brothers and said, "No Man has harmed me!" His brothers hearing this thought Polyphemus was crazy and they just went on with their chores. Odysseus and his men successfully came out of the cave. They ran straight to their ships and sailed away in haste.
As the ships sailed away, Odysseus shouted to tell Polyphemus of his real name. Polyphemus then, called on to his father, Poseidon, for help. He threw a huge boulder which almost sank Odysseus ship. In addition, Poseidon sent huge waves to Odysseus' journey to express his wrath for what he did to Polyphemus.
From the Island of the Cyclops, they reached Aeolia, the land of King Aeolus - keeper of the Winds. When Odysseus came to ask for his help, he gladly summoned all the troublesome winds into the leather bag. He instructed Odysseus never to open it unless they've reached Ithaca.
In a long time, they've had a smooth journey and they've almost reached Ithaca when Odysseus' men thought that the leather bag may have contained treasures. When Odysseus fell asleep, they opened the bag releasing all the Winds which caused a tumultuous weather. They were drifted far, faraway from Ithaca.
They came back to King Aeolus to ask the same favor but the king refused. They sailed away unsure where the waves may drag them to. They reached the country of the Laestrygonians, ruled by Antiphates. The Laestrygons were giants and cannibals as well. Odysseus' men were devoured as soon as they've docked. Odysseus seeing the terror that had become of his men ordered to turn his ship away from the island. Odysseus lost his fleet and only his ship was saved.
When Odysseus and his crew reached Aeaea, he asked his men to scout the area. Moments later, Eurylochus came back in a hurry as though he'd seen a ghost. He said his comrades were turned into swine by an enchantress.
Little did they know that it was the land of Circe, a witch who turns men into beasts, Odysseus was determined to rescue his men, so he set on to trek the steep mountains. On his way up, he met Hermes. He warned him about Circe's enchantment. He told Odysseus to eat molly, a poisonous herb, to counter the enchantment.
Odysseus did as he was told. He drank wine from the cup Circe prepared for him. When he didn't turn into an animal, Circe fell on her knees and begged him to stay if he wants to see his men again. He agreed. Circe did her end of the bargain turning Odysseus' men back to their true form.
They feasted, drank, danced and forgot how long they've stayed. When Odysseus realized they've been doing nothing but be drunk, he bade Circe goodbye and readied his men to leave, but she insisted they should stay. Odysseus was persistent, so with a heavy heart, she gave them instructions to go to the underworld to search for the Prophet Teiresias.
Odysseus followed Circe's instructions as to how to get to the underworld. When they reached the portal, Odysseus slew a sheep and put it's blood in a cup. As he walked into the fiery and dark place of Hades he met souls of the fallen warriors of the Trojan war. He also met his mother, Anticleia, who told him that his wife, Penelope, had remained faithful to him but suitors came flocking his palace. Odysseus was disheartened with the truth that her mother died in grief for the long wait of his homecoming.
Odysseus went on and saw Teiresias, who drank the sheep's blood he brought. The prophet foretold that he shall come home in due time and that he shall never harm the OXEN of the Sun. With such news Odysseus carried on with his journey.
They passed through the Island of the Sirens, whom Circe warned them about. She told them to cover their ears with beeswax in order not to hear the sirens' melodious voice, which was believed to be fatal. They lived in a meadow surrounded with bones and decaying human bodies. However, Odysseus wanted to hear what the Sirens' songs are about. He told his men to tie him tightly into the ships' mast. When he heard the song he began to desire to jump off the ship and be with the sirens but he was tightly tied.
They have passed the isle of the Sirens safely but they must be cautious when they get to the passage between Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla, the twelve-footed monster, devoured six of Odysseus' men. They were so focused on watching out for Scylla that they forgot Charybdis, the whirlpool, which tends to suck ships into the depths of the seas. However,they were lucky to have escaped the pangs of Charybdis and went on to journey the vastness of uncertainty.
Uncertainty brought them to see a glimpse of hope. They reached the Island of the Sun. Odysseus very well recalled the warning of Teiresias not to harm the oxen that roam their. He ordered his men never to touch any of the oxen while he was away to pray. At first, the men were determined to follow their masters order but the longer they stayed the hungrier they became. So, they slaughtered an ox to satiate their hunger.
Helios, the Sun god, was angered at this sacrilege, so he asked Zeus to punish Odysseus. Zeus then sent a lightning bolt that hit Odysseus ship hurriedly leaving the island. Only Odysseus survived in the unforeseen circumstance.
Odysseus, dehydrated and unconscious, drifted in the island of the nymph, Calypso. Only women dwelt in the island and Odysseus was the first man they've seen in over a hundred years. Calypso took care and fell madly in love for Odysseus in seven years but Odysseus never really loved her back. His thoughts were of his wife, Penelope.
Odysseus, spent most of his time by the shore wondering how he could and when he could ever get to see his home, his wife and his son. The gods took pity on him. Zeus called a gathering of the gods; all came except Poseidon. Zeus ordered that Odysseus must be sent back home and he asked Hermes to deliver the message to Calypso.
Calypso was hesitant but she is nothing compared to the gods, thus she must comply. So she commanded her maidens to build Odysseus a raft and gave him provisions. When the raft was ready, Odysseus set sail.
Odysseus' voyage away from Ogygia started with a fine weather not until Poseidon decided to send him waves which destroyed his raft and everything in it. Odysseus again, shipwrecked, was washed out to the land of the Phaeacians, ruled by King Alcinous and Queen Acrete. There he met Nausicaa, the princess, who gave him instructions as to how to get to the palace and that he should find the queen, her mother, first.
It was in Phaeacia that Odysseus retold his adventures. The king, with the queen's advice, agreed to help Odysseus to get home. He ordered his subordinates to prepare a ship to send him to Ithaca.
With the Phaeacians' help, Odysseus, at long last, came home to Ithaca. He went straight to Eumaeus' house as he was warned by Athena about his wife's suitors. Eumaeus, Odysseus ever loyal swineherd, introduced him Telemachus, Odysseus' son. Odysseus devised a plan on how to enter the palace without being noticed. So he disguised as a beggar.
Meanwhile in the Palace, Penelope hosted a contest; to string the bow of Odysseus and successfully shoot through 12 axe handles. Whoever wins will be her husband but Penelope knows no one is up to the task because only Odysseus and Odysseus alone can string the bow and shoot through 12 rings of axe handles.
All the suitors tried in vain. So the beggar (Odysseus) tried to string the bow. At first, they laughed at him but when he successfully did the task they were all terrified. The tension heightened when the beggar transformed into Odysseus himself. After shooting the arrow through 12 axe handles, he shot at the suitors and killed them all.
Odysseus, Penelope and Telemachus finally lived as a family again, after 20 long years.
First published in 2016
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