Book Five
In council, the gods discuss Odysseus. Athena says that Odysseus should be free to go home. “From this time on, no sceptered king need be benign and kind, a man of righteous mind: let kings be cruel and corrupt, malign-for none among his people now recall divine Odysseus, though his rule was gentle and fatherly” –Athena (pg. 95). This being said, the gods decided to send Hermes, the messenger, to Pylos to confront Calypso and have her free Odysseus from her hold. Calypso agrees that Odysseus needs to go home, although she doesn’t want him to leave her. Again Calypso offers Odysseus immortal life. Still, she knows he is unhappy trapped on the island with her, and she knows he longs to go home to Ithica. The next day Calypso helps Odysseus gather materials for him to build a ship from. When the ship is finished, Calypso gives him food and wine for his journey and reluctantly says goodbye. However, although he had been sailing on calm waters, Odysseus is spotted by angry Poseidon. Poseidon is angered that he was not included in the decision of letting Odysseus go home and creates a huge storm that nearly kills Odysseus. But just when Odysseus is nearly drowning and struggling for his life, Ino, the sea nymph, gives him a shawl that helps carry him to safer, calmer waters to the shore of Scheria. He then returns the shawl to Ino as she instructed him to do. Odysseus finds a forest that acts as a strong shelter and a pile of leaves for a bed and with Athena’s help, lets sleep take him.
No comments:
Post a Comment