Book Ten- The Grace of the Witch

Still in front of Alkinoos and his advisors, I started telling them about my adventures in Aeolia. While we were sailing home from the land of the Cyclopes, Aiolos presents me with a bag of all the winds and stirs up a westerly wind to steer us home. After ten days, we are in sight of Ithica, but my nosy shipmates, who think Aiolos has secertly given me a stash of gold and silver, tear the bag open. The winds then escape and create a huge storm that sends us all the way back to Aiolia. How dreadful! As I was questioned by Aiolos as to why I had returned, I had to tell him that there was mischief aboard my ship. Unfortunately, he refused and now believed the gods detested me and that my voyage was cursed by heaven. Without any wind, we rowed to the land of Laistrygonians of Lamos. When we got there, my scouts were eaten by Antiphates and his wife. Shocked at watching this slaughter, I cut the cable of our anchor to leave. I encouraged my men to keep on rowing to get their minds off of the horror they had just experience and to put it behind them. We rowed furiously to escape the boulders being thrown at us by the giant Laistrygonians. Alas, only my ship with some of my men escaped. Will this journey never end! Our next arrival was on Aeaea, home of the goddess Kirke. My men had to endure yet more consternation at the hands of Kirke. Little did they know that the wine of her hospitality would contain drugs that would turn them into pigs. As I went to rescue my men, a young man approached me and told me to eat an herb called molu that would protect me from Kirke's drug. I drew my sword, and I gained Kirke's respect when I did not succumb to her spell. I demanded to see my men and Kirke relented and changed them back to men even more handsome than before. My men were so excited to see me, as if I was their home. I became her lover and that allowed my crew and to live in luxury for the next year. My men wanted to go home and induced me to continue my voyage. I asked Kirke for help to get to Ithaca. Her directions felt ominous. She told us that we had to sail to Hades to speak with the spirit of the blind prophet, Teiresias. He will be the one to tell us how to get home. I had to wake up the men and let them know of our future misfortune of having to travel to Hades. I knew they would dispair. On top of what was to come they had witnessed the death of Elpenor, yet another crew member who fell from drink and broke his neck. Whatever calamities we encounter in life, one must continue to move forward.

Book Nine-New Coasts and Polyphemus

Still in the presence of Alkinoos and his advisors, I began to give them information about myself and how I arrived on their land and why I was there. Then, I started talking to the group about the tale of my wanderings. First I told them of my journey to Ismarus which is the city of the Cicones. We became carried away by greed, and the Cicones turned and attacked us. We finally escaped, but we lost six men per ship. How depressed this made us feel! Then, Zeus sent a storm and we sailed for nine days before we arrived on the land of the Lotus- eaters. Here, the natives gave us the intoxicating fruit of the Lotus. This fruit made my men lose the thought of home and long for nothing more than the fruit that they were eating. I had to literally drag my men back to the ship and lock them up, so that we could leave the island. Then, we sailed to the land of the Cyclopes, which is a very rough and dangerous place. We then wandered into a cave filled with fine delicious cheeses, crates of milk and herds of sheep. We decided to linger in the cave and not to take the food and return to the ship. The cave's inhabitant soon returned. He was the Cyclops Polyphemus and the son of Posiedon. First, he was very warm and inviting, but then he turned hostile and devoured two members of my crew! To make matters worse, he then imprisoned us to keep for future meals. At first, I wanted to stab and kill him in his sleep, but then I believed that he was the only one who could move open the massive rock to the outside world. I then devised a plan. When Polyphemus was outside of the cave pasturing his sheep, I found a wooden staff and hardened it in the fire. When Polyphemus returned, I got him drunk on the wine from the ship, and when asked my name, I told him my name was "nobody". When he collapsed from becoming drunk, my men and I drove the newly crafted spear into his eye. What a ghastly sight! Then when Polyphemus woke up, he called to his neighbors and said " nobody's killing him", so the neighbors thought he was all right and go back to their caves. The next morning, we escaped from the cave by clinging to the bellies of the monster's sheep as they go out to graze. Then on the ship sailing away, I called back to the giant and told him my real name. In anger, he prayed to his father, Posiedon, calling for a retaliation on Odysseus. Survival requires resourcefulness, creativity, determination and always the element of luck.

Book Eight-The Songs of Harper

I arrived on the island of the Phaiakians some time ago. I have not seen or heard anything from Telemakhos or my wife Penelope. I hope that they're okay, and that we will see each other soon or in the near future. Anyway, when I first arrived on the island, Athena went throughout the town disquised as the king Alkinoos and told the townspeople to come to the assembly to learn about me. At the assembly, Alkinoos proposes to provide a ship for me, so that I can return to my homeland. This action is approved by the Phaiakians, and the ship is immediately set up for me. Then Alkinoos invites the counselors and me to come to his palace for a feast and celebration of games in honor of me. What a kind and gracious gentleman he is. Then, a poet, Demodocus, sings of a fight between Achilles and me at Troy during the war. Everyone was enthused with the song except me. I'm very embarrassed to say this, but I started to weep because of the painful memories that the song recalls. The king notices my grief and ends the feast so that the games can begin. The games included boxing, wrestling, racing and the throwing of the discus. I am asked to participate, but I decline the offer because of the many hardships I have endured. Then Seareach, one of the athletes, insults me by saying that I must be terrible at sport, and that I am just a peasant looking for gold. This made me angry, so I decided to play and show him what I could do. I was thrilled when I won the discus throwing competition, and then I offered anyone to challenge me to any sport. I think I acted a bit too cocky. Alkinoos did not like the idea and decided to have another feast. Tonight, the singer was singing about Aphrodite cheating on Hephaestus with Ares. This story had a good moral that nobody is perfect. Thank goodness I didn't cry this time. Then all of the men gave me exquisite gifts for my trip home. How considerate of them. Then, the singer sang about the Trojan Horse, but I didn't think that would upset me! After the singer stopped singing, Alkinoos started asking me all sorts of questions such as where I am from, what ismy name,h and where am I going. I can't believe that I didn't give Alkinoos information about myself. If one accepts the challenge to be the best he can be, he will succeed.

Book five- Freedom from Calypso

Finally, after Athena and Zeus's willingness to help me, I was able to leave this dreadful island and get away from Calypso. She drove me insane! It's been years since I've left Ogygia, and I started to believe that it would be many more years until I was found or allowed to leave. I must pray to Athena and Zeus on how grateful I was, when they sent Hermes down from Mount Olympus to talk to Calypso and allow me to leave. Calypso tried to argue with Hermes, but no one can dismiss Zeus' orders, because he is the most powerful god on Olympus. So I had to make a boat with Calypso's help to set sail. She looked really depressed and maybe even heartbroken. So I left the island,and while I was at sea, Poseidon realized that I was there and became furious. He then created a huge storm, and I thought I was going to drown. For days I was struggling to stay alive out at sea with no food or water and no one to rescue me. I thought I was going to die. Finally, the goddess Ino sees me and wants to help me. She told me to get rid of my cloak, let go of my boat, and swim to shore. She also gave me her veil, which would keep me from getting hurt or drowning. Then, when I got back to shore, I would throw the veil back to sea. Also, while I was swimming, Athena helped me by calming down the winds and making them stop. Finally, I made it to land. The storm was fierce, and there were many times when I thought I would die. I am very exhausted, but now I am home. I will get to see my family for the first time in many years, and I will be home. I then began to sleep with ease after the long, but worthwhile journey. If one believes that all things will turn out well in the long run, most likely they will.

Book Four- The Visit to Lakedomia

It's been an eternity since I have been off this island. Calypso is becoming quite irritating, and I miss my son, my wife and my estate. I see that Telemakhos, Mentes and Nestor's son visited Menelaos in Lakedomia to try to find out more information about me. Helen and Hermione were also there. I was very pleased with what Menelaos told my son about me, and how I was very courageous and noble, and how I never gave up. Also, I was very delighted when Helen comforted my son, when he became emotional after learning about my life at war. That was very nice of her. She also told him the very unfortunate story of how I was beaten and treated like a slave. Those were very rough, depressing days that I will never forget. She also told my son how I dressed as a beggar to infiltrate the walls of Troy. Helen found and treated me well, when I was disguised as a beggar, but promised not to tell anyone that I was hiding among the townspeople. Helen will always be a great, noble friend in my heart. Telemakhos told Menelaos about the suitors, and he was outraged. All my son knows is that I am on a deserted island with Calypso, and that I miss my family. Back at my estate, I see that the suitors want to know where my son is. They swear that they saw Mentes sail with my son five days ago, but they also think that they just saw him recently. This could mean that someone is watching over my son. Despite this, I am deeply worried and frustrated at the same time. If those disgusting fools lay one hand on my son and my wife, they will pay the price of my vindictiveness. Unfortunately, I cannot do anything to help my family, and I pray that they will be safe and get through all of this. If someone wants to live a harmonious and peaceful life with his loved ones, one should always be wary of those people and things that threaten that existence.

Book Three- The Visit to Pylos

Once again, I am still stuck on this dreadful island with Calypso. It has been really boring and uninteresting. On Pylos though, many kilometers away, there are a lot of important actions going on. Telemakhos, my son, is there looking for any news on me. He is talking to Nestor, my old friend. It’s been many years since I have seen him. The people of Pylos are very nice to my son, and I am pleased that they have taken him in and invited him to all of their festivities. Nestor told him all that he knew of me, and how I stayed and fought with Agamemnon when he turned around and fled. Overall. He knows very little about my positions ,so after treating my son like royalty, he tells him to visit another friend Menelaus.

I think Nestor is a friendly and encouraging person, but I was disappointed that he knew nothing of me or how I was. I could also tell that Telemahkos felt disappointed about the lack of knowledge that Nestor had about me. I am very enthused that Nestor told my son to go see Menelaus, since he knows me very well and should have information for my son. My expectations for my son Telemakhos are to attain the wisdom and the strength to become equal to great achievers of our land. When one learns the ways of life from great teachers, he will become empowered with the wisdom and strength of our Historic leaders and gods.