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.
