Mythology of the Iliad and the Odyssey by Karen Bornemann Spies Page A

certain death in the sea. But I am so lonely for my wife and son.”
    “There is no need for you to grieve for them any longer, Odysseus,” Calypso said. “Zeus has commanded that you are to return to Ithaca. I am willing, heart and soul, to send you home now.”
    She invited him back to her cave for a farewell feast before he left. Despite her fervent promise to let Odysseus go, Calypso wanted one more chance to try to convince him to stay with her.
    “So, Odysseus,” Calypso said as she sipped her cup of ambrosia. “Are you still eager to hurry back to Ithaca? If you only knew what pain your departure causes me. If you stay with me, I will make you immortal. Even though your lovely wife, Penelope, is faithful and true, she will not live forever.”
    “Beautiful nymph,” Odysseus answered, “what you say is true. Yet, if I do not leave now, I will long for the rest of my days for a glimpse of the shores of Ithaca and the family that waits for me there.”
    So Calypso gave Odysseus a bronze ax and adze, a tool for shaping wood. She led him to the edge of her island where the trees grew tall, perfect for constructing a raft. Odysseus cut twenty sturdy timbers and split them into planks. He bored holes through the planks with drills and joined them together with pegs. Then, he added a mast and an oar to help steer him along the best course home. After four days of work, the raft was ready.
    On the morning of the fifth day, Calypso joined Odysseus at the shore to launch the raft. She gave him water and wine and her choicest meats to take along. Then, she summoned a gentle breeze to send him on his way. With the wind lifting his spirits, Odysseus pointed his raft toward home.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
    Q:
How did Odysseus handle the dangerous Sirens?
    A:
He plugged the ears of his men so that they could not hear the Sirens’ songs. Odysseus was lashed to the mast of his ship so that he could hear the music, but could not yield to it.
    Q:
Describe the dangers of Scylla and Charybdis. Did Odysseus avoid these dangers?
    A:
Scylla was a monster with six dogs’ heads and twelve feet. She grabbed sailors from their ships as they passed by. Charybdis sucked water from the passageway and spit it out in towering spouts. Odysseus sailed near Scylla and she ate six of his men.
    Q:
What happened on the Island of the Sun?
    A:
Odysseus’ men were so hungry that they killed some of the sacred cattle on the island. When the ship set sail after this, Zeus sent a thunderbolt that destroyed the ship and killed all the men except Odysseus.
    Q:
How did Odysseus survive?
    A:
For several days, he clung to the mast and keel of the ship. Then, he was cast ashore onto the island of Calypso.
    Q:
How long did Odysseus stay on the island? Why?
    A:
He was there for seven years, because he did not have a ship to escape.
    Q:
Was Odysseus happy with Calypso?
    A:
He enjoyed the leisure life on the island, but he missed his wife and son.
    Q:
How did Odysseus finally leave the island?
    A:
Zeus ordered Calypso to let Odysseus go. She helped him build a raft, and he sailed away.

INTRODUCTION
    One of the themes of this story is that a soldier who returns home from war must also reconquer his homeland. As a returning warrior, Odysseus must re-establish his position in the household. This meant driving out the more than 100 suitors who pestered his wife, stole his property, and threatened his son.
    Another theme is that of a young boy maturing into a young man. When Odysseus left home to fight in the Trojan War, his son, Telemachus, was an infant. Throughout the
Odyssey
, Telemachus developed independence and self-confidence as he helped his parents. Athena assisted him in his education by sending him to Sparta and other foreign lands. When his father returned home, Telemachus learned how to implement a battle plan and stood at his father’s side, killing all the suitors.
    Penelope represented the ideal of Greek womanhood. She waited faithfully for her