I once inadvisably shared an interesting article about a romance novel lawsuit with a co-worker. About an hour later she appeared at my cubicle and said, "You can explain to me what they mean when they say 'omegaverse', right?" and I was forced to respond, "I can, but not during office hours, I'm not getting fired for being sexually inappropriate in the workplace."
I will say, when I started to explain it, her eyes got really wide and she said, "So that's at least six genders, right?" with the kind of mental acuity I'd never even thought to bring to bear on the subject.
oopsie i tripped and spilled my link to archive dot org's downloadable copy of Microsoft office suite for 2007, which features no AI tools and is a powerful word processor that still holds up just fine on windows 10!
oops i tripped and spilled my link to massgrave because you shouldnt be forcing yourself to use software from 20 years ago just use massgrave oh my god
A HANDY CHART FOR THOSE OF YOU WONDERING WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH THESE. NOTE THAT THESE ARE ALL THE INFORMAL AND YOU IS THE FORMAL SO LIKE YOU WOULD ALWAYS ADDRESS YOUR SUPERIOR/ OLDER PERSON/ SOCIAL BETTER WITH YOU BUT WITH YOUR BUDS YOU CAN USE THESE.Â
I love it when linguistic charts put the translation of what they mean (ex: hear ye = listen up y'all)
It reminds me of the time my family was watching the Fellowship of the Ring and Gandalf is fighting the Balrog. When he went âFly, you fools!â my younger sister asked what that meant and instantly my dad replied âget goinâ, stupid!â. Anyway, it makes me laugh every time.
Also! âThee/thou/thy/thineâ were generally informal pronouns. âYou/yoursâ were more formal - in the same way youâd distinguish âtu/usted.â Thatâs why Quakers retained âtheeâ for so long; their entire religious view was based on everyone being equal, hence Friends.
Some of these also stuck around for centuries in other regional dialects, like Yorkshire English. âYeâ is still used in Ireland. It continually pisses me off that northern American English doesnât have a plural you beyond âyou guysâ or âyinzâ or whatever. Bring back âYe!â
I just had that post on how Odysseus made Puzzles for himself and Penelope and I have another idea and I'm just really excited to share it lksdjf
I basically plan to have this man in love with Penelope within 10 mins (I HAVE A PLAN! It sounds crazy but I think it'll work. Plus these two are reckless and young when married. His first crush and he's not handling it well.)
This is them. Or at the very least Penelope is definitely playing it off very nonchalantly and is kind of messing around at first, thinking that the "trickster" is "not being genuine" when he's never been more genuine in his life. She can see right through all his lies and bullshit and basically forces him to be vulnerable, something he loves yet is TERRIFIED of. Especially as she "unmasked" him so quickly (and tricked HIM.đ Won't say how. no spoilers yet) and so effortlessly and he's just a MESS. Athena isn't helping and just watches them both fumble around, even when Odysseus is asking for some guidance, Athena just smiles and is all like "I'm the Goddess of Wisdom, not of Love. Figure it out yourself." (PENELOPE IS JUST AS MUCH OF A BLORBO TO HER AS ODYSSEUS IS, YOU COWARDS!)
(Art by isei-silva right here on tumblr! Their post! )
I won't go into huge details. I WILL write this fic someday and I need to leave SOME things a surprise. But KNOW this man will be pulling out all the stops trying to impress her and tries to show all the things he's good at and one will be his "puzzle making".
He'll bring a puzzle to her TRYING to talk all "suave" (he'll be semi-tongue tied. Something that he's not used to and is annoyed that he can't seem to think around her)
It'll probably have a little gift inside and he'll be chatting away about how he worked hard to make it and that there's a trick to it and blah blah blah
Penelope: Oh! There's (some sort of treat or gift) inside!
Odysseus: Wait, you solved it already?
Penelope,đ€š: Yes. All you have to do is this.
Odysseus, falling (more like sprinting at this point) further in love but also mad his plan to woo her didn't work: Well... Yeah. That's a gift for you.
He's trying SOOOO hard but he has to stop "showboating" to genuinely impress her. Man has to be fucking vulnerable for her to be impressed by him because she already can read his "tells" on when he's pulling something. No more "tricks". Be yourself, you fucking idiot >:D
I agree with your take on how rape was handled in the flim, Nolan can't write women past the mainstream comfy understanding of feminism. He's able to give women girlboos speeches, but can't stomach actually showing his heroic male protags committing to atrocities for real.
But personally I didn't mind Helen? I wish we got more time with her, but showing her as the false prize of the war plays well into the themes Nolan wanted to portray: she too feels the weight of war on her shoulders.
If i'm not mistaken, this is how The Trojan Women by Euripedes portrays her and Melanaus. But that too shows the rape of Cassandra and enslavement of Andromache, which were not in the movie.
What are your thoughts? I've been spending a lot of time mulling over the film. I think it's both a good movie and a narcissistic adaptation. I really like the perspective you talk abt regarding the women.
Uhhh Iâve read the Odyssey but Iâm neither a Hellenist nor historian of this era so Iâm not super well versed in all the plays. I think Helen is threatened a lot with death in that, but didnât run away for fun and was charmed by Aphrodite, and Menelaus forgives her in the end? But I canât swear to it in a court of law. In the OG though theyâre just happily ever after.
I think making the war about trade was a bad take. I mean itâs definitely what Nolan wanted, but I think itâs a bad take. Adaptations have to by definition change some stuff, and Iâve seen plenty of versions that change things I like and things I donât. Thereâs different levels to how load bearing a plot point is. Cutting the gods out of a Greek myth is imo very culturally disrespectful, and turning the religious tent a very westernized Christian lean on top is wrong. To me changing the Helen stuff seemed like it was done in order to avoid the whole golden apple thing since he gutted the gods out of the epic.
Having more time spent on the women and children and multitude of victims of the war is a great lean. Sinon being a suffering young soldier who was just a boy when drafted and his underworld speech was one of the only parts of the film I liked. But like you mentioned, thereâs a shit ton of existing figures to tell that through. Making one of the only two dark skinned black women in the film the only enslaved and implied rape victim of Troy was not a hot take, especially when sheâs in myth one of the only ones ok at the end of the story. Rough for Menelaus too. The slanders⊠if they wanted to focus on the horrors of the war, Cassandra is right there as poster child for it, and sheâs not alone. And Helen in the context of taking so much agency and complexity from every major female character (Calypso denied her godhood and both her negative and positive major arcs, Penelope not portrayed as Odysseusâ mirror soul and perfect match in intelligence and personality, Circe loses her image, most of her magic, demigodhood, being too powerful for Odysseus alone, her property, etc, Mentor is just a guy 100% of the time and Athena doesnât exist as goddess or as Mentor in disguise. Literally remove the most powerful woman in the Odyssey entirely) makes it worse. Also, Menelaus getting what he went to war for and Helen going home to a happy marriage doesnât mean she wouldnât feel guilt or remorse over the war, and regret with success is even more interesting a lot of the time than regret with failure.
That is a super cringe line. The worst one for me was Odysseus quoting Ben Franklin though đđ âthe gods help them who help themselvesâ didnât just take me out of the scene it shot me right out of the theater.
Survivor's Guilt and Survior's Duty (P3 + After Note)
Continuation from Part 2:
Survivor's Guilt and Survivor's Duty (P2)
this is dedicated to @aaronofithaca05 because I believe I read somewhere his birthday was coming?
Swift fingers were moving constantly through golden thread, mixing the different shades perfectly. The hands were moving to and fro as the humming of the sweet song kept on interrupting the rhythmical sound of wood against wood as the tapestry was slowly gaining shape in the loom. It was the skillful fingers of an ancient being beautiful like spring and deadly like winter that was weaving this. Somewhere among the sea of gold and crimson there was a pair of threads that didnât match in color or texture.
One jet black
And one silver whiteâŠ
*
Odysseus slowly opened his bruised eyes and he wished he hadnât. He barely opened them a tiny bit and he shut them closed once more as his sight was mercilessly attacked by the brightness of the white grotto. His stomach was turning and he felt like throwing up everything he ever had eaten in his life and his head was turning around as if someone was spinning him at a whirlpool. He moaned holding his head with both hands, slowly rolling to the side. The headache and dizziness were pounding him relentlessly.
âGodsâŠmy headâŠâ he thought hoping the nausea would leave him alone
The events of the night before were also present in his mind and the embarrassment didnât help his condition at all. He had drunk himself to the point of oblivion that much he knew. Normally he should know his limitations but he was unable to refuse the goddess who was filling his cup. Once he dared to look around (and of course seeing everything moving around him) he spotted a goblet next to the bed containing a bubbling liquid. Odysseus eyed him more suspiciously than what he would originally have wished to.
âWellâŠthat was awfully organizedâŠâ he thought again
Either way downing the drink seemed to help a lot with his unsettled stomach although not spectacularly with his dizziness. The first thing he noticed was that Calypso was not working in her usual spot. Thatâs odd, he thought, but then he fathomed she wouldnât sit around and sleep or work by the side of a severely drunk human especially given the whatever the heck would turn out to look like the day after! He moaned once more as he forced himself, excruciatingly slowly to sit up on the bed and place his feet on the floor.
âGodsâŠnever againâŠâ he mumbled holding another gag back.
But it was true that Calypsoâs potion was working wonders although he needed at least a couple of more minutes to stand up and start practically staggering until he reached a wall to support himself and walk out, possibly hoping some fresh air would do him good. As he walked down the grotto to his best abilities he surely was wondering how the hell he managed to get so drunk even with the goddess practically encouraging him. He should know better than that. Stopping at a sudden wave of dizziness he sighed and wiped some sweat off his face.
âAlright, OdysseusâŠno more wine for youâŠâ he mumbled to himself, ââŠyou clearly are not mature enoughâŠâ
Beneath his layers of self-sarcasm, though, he did feel like he had embarrassed himself before the goddess. Not only had he drunk himself to stupor; true it was Calypso the one to keep serving him but perhaps she didnât know the human limitations to drinking. Perhaps she overestimated his tolerance or perhaps⊠(Odysseus always had one random ominous thought to the back of his head but he always chose to dismiss it, especially now that he needed all help he could get from some god given that he already had half the pantheon chasing after him!), but he also cried like a baby, opening up things he never wished to share in the first place, yet alone in front of an immortal goddess and her immortal nymph entourage. His situation was already bad enough; he was a beggar without anything to offer to the goddess; he didnât need to be seen as an uncontrollable drunk as well. And this goddess somehow gave a different energy than Circe (and by gods wasnât that experience scary enough).
He found Calypso lazily laying upon her sofa as her maids were attending the room. His heart was clenched by an unpleasant feeling once more but he dismissed it as his natural aversion towards the fear against the divine. Not to mention he was still feeling ashamed as he couldnât be more. Calypso sensed his presence and smiled almost maternally at him.
âGood morning, Odysseusâ her melodic voice reached his ears. âI am glad to see you upâ
âThat is a way to put it, goddessâŠâ Odysseus mumbled as he was practically assisted by the maids to sit on the couch opposite her
His dizziness was still awful but he felt better already.
âMy throat is dryâŠâ he admitted, âCould I perhapsâŠhave some water?â
Calypso smirked.
âBring him some waterâ she ordered
As the cup was given to Odysseus he basically drained it, feeling the cool liquid settling down.
âBlessed you be, goddessâŠâ he whispered again, âAnd thank you for your treatment. It worked wondersâ
âI am gladâ Calypso said with her usual feline smile. âI would hate to see you struggle with nauseaâ
Odysseus drew a deep breath to calm himself a bit. Calypso once more observed him and her heart was flattering. She discreetly tasted her lips imagining that chest moving up and down with his breathing. She looked upon that man that was now monopolizing her dreams and fantasies stand there in the light; his hair appearing almost auburn as sunlight was showering them. He was looking at her and if she hadnât noticed his eyes shining with intelligence and wisdom she would have sworn he was a simpleton till he would start to speak. Odysseus was a man full of contradictions; darkness and light, quick wits and aloof thinking, braveness and fearâŠstrength and weaknessâŠ
âGoddessâŠIâŠâ he started, âIn regards to the events of last nightâŠforgive me I shouldnât have broken down like thisâŠâ
Calypso congratulated herself deep inside for holding herself back. Â She was right and indeed Odysseus could remember everything clearly from the night before. It would have ruined everything if she had advanced onto Odysseus while he was vulnerable.
âWhy not?â Calypso asked airily. âI am glad you decided to open up with me. I am just sad you had to get drunk you let yourself go and trust meâ
Odysseus winced at the reminder. Yeah, that was the last thing he needed to be reminded of⊠As if reading his thoughts, Calypso spoke again;
âDonât worry too much, darling. I myself actually drank more than what I intended, last night,â the half-lie came easy to her lips, âYou are a very pleasant company, Odysseus. One can forget himself when they are with you!â
âMe?â Odysseus asked in disbelief, âHardly, goddessâŠhardlyâŠâ
He sighed, rubbing his nape nervously.
âI just...didnât want to burden you with my troublesâŠâ
âOdysseusâŠâ Calypso said sincerely, âYou are never a burden⊠I really want to help you⊠Not as a goddess, as a friend, I am glad you took some of that weight off your chestâ
And then she took a bold step, more to herself than anything, and placed her hand on his. She felt him tense at the sudden contact while she felt his mortal flesh beneath her hand and she almost lost control of her emotions but her face was kept stone calm.
âDonât you ever, ever apologize for your emotions, Odysseus,â she said sincerely, âIt is what makes you mortals and us immortals similarâŠâ
She felt him almost drawing his hand back or at least she felt his muscles signaling for him to do so, as he looked at her with those eyes that hid so much wisdom that indeed made her wonder what kind of mortal person has so much in their mind. She drew back and leaned on her couch again, casually.
âOh, yesâ she said, âEven us gods have feelings, Odysseus, our own torments. You may say that ours are sometimes more unbearable since we have to live with them for all eternity. We have no way of escaping them. One can see that from this very island too. This little paradise that is so left alone from the worldâŠsometimes loneliness is so much to bear OdysseusâŠso muchâŠâ
Odysseus raised his brows. Suddenly the immortal nymph Calypso seemed almostâŠvulnerable. He saw her honey eyes reflect genuine pain and sorrow, sadness and isolation. He felt somehow stupefied for a second to react. How can someone consol a god?
âIâŠI understand, beautiful CalypsoâŠâ he whispered, âIt is piercing the bones of any person to be isolatedâŠâ
âYes, you do understand, donât you?â Calypso eyed him, âYou were a gift to me, Odysseus. It was the first time in hundreds of years that I felt someone actually connecting to this sorrow; the first time I felt someone truly understands loneliness as I doâŠâ
Odysseus suddenly felt uncomfortable. He didnât know where this conversation was heading to but it seemed like it was about to take a turn that he wouldnât really wish it to. And apparently he was right for Calypso held his calloused hand in both of hers; caressing his fingers with her delicate, unnaturally smooth ones.
âWhy donât you stay here with me, Odysseus?â Calypso whispered
Her tone resembled a little girl talking to her first crush. It felt so unnatural to Odysseus that the goddess that nursed him back to health, the goddess that always kept a maternal visage now she was talking to him like he was an eternal god and she a young maiden trying to keep him with her.
âStayâŠâ Calypso repeated, âYou understand how I feel and I understand you. You could live a happy life here; free from all the sorrows and this mortal coil. You wouldnât need to worry about a thing here.â
As if that was not enough, Calypso raised a hand to touch his chin, making their eyes meet.
âI like you, Odysseusâ she confessed naturally, âYou interested me from the moment I saw you; your will to survive was unparalleled, however now I see how genuinely worthy you are.â
Odysseus felt his cheeks flush with color. It was rather flattering, he couldnât lie, that this beautiful immortal being that could have any immortal god she wanted on her feet was now showing some interest in him in whatever way; him the man who was no longer young, who never considered himself the handsomest on earth in the first place, the man who was considered by many cunning, sly and without honor; now pique the interest of an immortal goddess. HoweverâŠ
âYour interest in me is beyond flattering, goddessâŠâ he replied as he softly covered her hand still holding his with his own, discreetly drawing it away, âHowever I must refuse. I must go backâŠâ
Calypsoâs face again changed for one briefest second. It was as if someone had punched her in the gut. She slowly withdrew and sat back to her sofa.
âGo backâŠ?â she echoed, âWhy? Whatâs left for you out there, Odysseus? Poseidon wants your life and everyone you know might as well be thinking only of your harm. Mortal minds are so petty sometimes! Why would you want to go back to that world?â
âI have a kingdom I am responsible ofâ the king of Ithaca replied, âI have a family, friends that I have to return to. Â I made a promise I would. I am a mortal too, goddess, I belong to that worldâ
âFriends!â Calypso said as if the word had no meaning, âYour friends were responsible for this adventure that almost cost your life!â
Reading the expression of shock to his face, Calypso elaborated.
âYou do know, it was Eurylochus the one to persuade your men to eat the cows of Helios Hyperion, right? Not that the rest of your men had vastly different opinion, but it was him the one who betrayed you in the first place, the same way he betrayed you when he opened the sack of Aiolus!â
The Man of Many Torments felt his heart clench as all color left his face.
âWhat?â he croaked out
âLook in your cupâ Calypso encouraged him, âand see the truthâ
Odysseus looked down at the ceramic cup in his hand and gasped. Indeed the water surface of his cup had turned into a reflective mirror and now he could see as if he were there himself, the dreadful scene that preceded the slaughter of the sacred animals that led to his last ship to be gone forever and his men drownâŠ
*
The men were tired; dark circles had formed under their eyes from sleeplessness and hunger and it had given them a rough look. They seemed like shadows of the men they used to be. Hunger, fatigue and sorrows had brought them on their knees. The sacred cows of Helios Hyperion were always grazing at the field next to the beach, filling their fat bellies with grass rich in salt and essential minerals. His hungry comrades were often looking at them, longer than it would be proper; way too long for comfort. Everyone was of course considering this source of nutrition ever since their rich provisions were gone. They were holding on the promise they had given to Odysseus and the fear for yet another godâs wrath but this time they were all at their limits. Eurylochus suddenly shot up from his sitting position on a rock.
âIâve had enough of this!â he exclaimed suddenly
As all heads turned to face him at the same time.
âHear me out, my friends, because I believe you shall agree with me that this cannot go on! We will starve to death if we wait here doing nothing! I donât know about you, my friends but I refuse to die here of starvation!â
âEurylochus!â Polites cried out, âWhat are you saying! You canât be implying-âŠâ
âAll forms of death are terrible, Polites!â Eurylochus replied again, âWe mortals are trained all our lives to fear death but death of hunger? Is there ever a worse form to die than that? We once conquered Troy and all its assets and we were praised by gods and humans and now we are in this godforsaken island and we die day by day on the beach like animals that lost their feeding grounds!â
âEurylochus is rightâ Lycaon now spoke, âThis canât go on! And Odysseus is nowhere to be found!â
âHe went to huntâ Polites replied again, âAnd pray for us!â
âPray! Pray!â Eurylochus suddenly started screaming on top of his lungs, âHe does nothing but pray! Have you seen any god favor us?! Have you seen anything good coming out of his prayers?! He calls himself pious and religious, he offers sacrifices! The problem started when the sacrifices became us!â
âNow now!â Alkimos now spoke, âThatâs too much! Calm down!â
âDonât you tell me to calm down Alkimos!â Eurylochus growled, âOdysseus will not do anything, once again! All he can do is pray and his prayers go on deaf ears! And that is all because of him! He only is killing us bit by bit!â
âNow listen you!â Polites had enough of this.
He was hungry too and starving but that was way too much.
âDonât you dare to say that! Odysseus only tried to protect us all in various occasions! True he made many mistakes but-âŠâ
He was stopped when Eurylochus grabbed upon his collar.
âYOU WERENâT THERE, POLITES!â Eurylochus bellowed and his eyes already shining with primitive hunger were now beyond any form of madness one could express, âYou werenât there! That monster smashing the heads of our comrades! All we could do was watch as he indulged himself in their flesh! We were in that cave because of Odysseus in the first place! We could survive with the wild goats of the island! He just wanted something better! He always does! And WE pay the price! Never him! Never!â
âNow, now everyone calm down!â Amphidamas came between them to separate them, âIf we kill each other now, the conversation will have no meaning in the first place!â
Eurylochus was forced to step back but he continued.
âI refuse to die here of hunger! My friends, let us satiate our hunger with these cows. We shall offer a sacrifice to the god Helios here and if we make it to Ithaca then we can build him a great temple, with our own hands. We can make a solemn oath here for that.â
âAnd if we donât?â Polites glared at him
âIf we donâtâŠwell in that case I prefer to die from a wave and drown rather than die here like a beast from hunger!â
*
Odysseus watched the scene as if he were there.  He watched his comrades grabbing the cows, slaughtering them and offering their sacrifice. But they had no wine left so they used water to rinse the parts of the animals. They had no barley to use and they plucked the leaves of an oak⊠He watched them set their feast which was not even proper sacrifice to begin with and he knew very well what followed. He was there after that. He could see no more as his eyes filled with tears once more. Suddenly his hangover was forgotten. The pain in his heart was greater. The ceramic fell from his hands and shattered to the floor. Odysseus grabbed his head with both hands, leaning forward in lament.
âOh, Eurylochus!â he whispered between his sobbing, âI know, my friend, I know I made mistakesâŠI know I wasnât perfect but I didnât deserve this! I didnât-âŠdeserveâŠâ
His nails nearly broke the flesh of his face as he cried. Yes, there was no point keeping his mask of carefree man anymore. Calypso had already exposed the pain in his soul. He might as well indulge into it again! His men had suffered and died and he was left alone to fight the elements and the storms holding upon the remains of his ship with little to no hope left; alone in fear and in pain, in hunger and in thirst to the brief of death and madness⊠He felt the injustice in his flesh; he had sacrificed so much! He was always there when they needed him; he went to face gods, creatures, even descended to the Underworld for them and faced the horrors that expect the dead in the afterlife while he was still living himself. He had sold himself to a goddess hoping to get freedom for his men; he had stayed up 9 days to protect the sack of Aiolus to make sure it wouldnât be opened and that they could get back home⊠He had been ready to face Skylla and Charybdis for them⊠Their accusations seemed so unjust in his ears and yetâŠthe other part of himself admitted they were right; nothing would have happened if he hadnât let his anger speak and brag on PolyphemusâŠno, nothing would have happened if they never entered his cave in the first place⊠Perhaps nothing would have happened if he never had that scheme to take Troy! Or what if he was never there! Oh, cursed Troy! Cursed war! But then again, Odysseus felt like he had himself to blame again for what happenedâŠ
âCursed oath!â he thought in despair, âWhy did I have to do that! Why did I have to suggest to the old man Tyndareus that we would all defend Helen? If it werenât for that I would be in Ithaca! Raising my son and embracing my wife! My men would be alive in their houses and villages! Cursed oath! Damn the moment I invented it! Damned the moment I was born!â
He broke down. No, this was too much to bear! He wanted to save them and ended up losing them all! And he had suffered himself. He nearly lost his life⊠No, it shouldnât be all his fault now should it? He had specifically told them not to open the sackâŠhe had told them not to eat the animals belonging to a god⊠He had warned them! He couldnât be the one to blame for those, right? He knew his comrades made their own mistakes but he could also understand them. They have been through much more than what any mortal was supposed to endure⊠But that type of mutiny? Why? Why so much hateâŠ? He remembered though how much Eurylochus was affected during their trip. In particular the adventure of Skylla had left them all with scarsâŠ
*
The area was quiet; WAY too quiet for anyoneâs liking! The men had watched nervously as Odysseus had stood to the fore-deck fully geared up in his armor and holding two spears. Why on earth would he want to be armed? Odysseus seemed ready to collapse in their eyes. He was constantly gazing to the rocks around as if he expected some unknown attack from the sky! As they entered a narrow path, Odysseus seemed to be very weary. As they passed from below a cave at a high mountain, from the other side a terrifying rumble drew their attention and a whirlpool was formed, sucking in the sea water. The men cried out in fear and despair and yet they could not take their eyes off that dreadful sight! And when he had hoped that would be the end of it, the cry was heard over the rumble.
âA baby?â one of the men asked
Odysseus winced. No, noâŠhe thought. His hands clenched upon his arms. Suddenly he remembered Circeâs advice that he had forgotten; there was no point at him being armed; Skylla was immortal. He could do nothing to her even if he wanted. He could only pray that she wouldnât wake up for her daily meal while they crossed but now that baby cry just shattered all his hopes and prayers. It was too late. He could only steer the ship close to Skyllaâs side to avoid Charybdis and nowâŠSkylla had decided it was her time to eatâŠ
âOdysseus!â Polites called out as his face was pale and wet from sweat; one eye to the whirlpool and the other to Odysseus, âOdysseus, there is a baby up at the grotto!â
A baby up⊠For a moment Odysseus felt like it was Astyanax who was crying from the underworldâŠAstyanax had come to claim something of him as punishment for he took Troy leading to his deathâŠ
âOdysseus!â Polites urged again
Odysseus looked up at the cave and his eyes were liquid. He looked at Polites and his face could be the same as a wounded animal, facing the hound that was about to take his life; pleading for one last time⊠He was almost shaking.
âForgive me, PolitesâŠâ he whispered, âGET DOWN!â
And he dropped to the deck, taking Polites with him and leading a few men do the same in panic (of those who werenât still hypnotized by the terrible whirlpool at the other side). Everything happened too fast; Six necks longer than their entire ship probably twice as much, bearing terrible heads; a mixture between a womanâs head and a dragon with mouths open with sharp teeth. The heads rushed to the deck like deadly snakes and they grasped one man each who screeched in pain, drawing the attention of everyone on deck. They watched in horror.
âCAPTAIN! CAPTAIN!â the men who could still speak screamed, âODYSSEUS!â
Odysseus was unable to take his eyes off this sight which was so similar to the cave of Polyphemus but this time seemed harder to grasp. At the beginning of the grotto Skylla began her feast by cutting off flesh and guts off the bodies of his men who were still alive and screaming from their adrenaline rush; nothing like when Polyphemus had smashed them to the ground, making sure they were dead first. Skylla had no such problem as her six heads were tearing apart what was left of his 6 best men on the ship. The men were wailing and screaming, calling his name. His men pale in horror; one or two of them doubled over and threw up on the deck. Odysseus nearly did both himself. The seconds passed like eons as the screaming finally silenced and the ship drew away from that terrible passage. They could still hear the moaning of Charybdis as she was throwing up the seawater againâŠ
There was silence afterwards⊠His men hardly dared to breatheâŠnot even the oars could be heard anymore as the ship was probably moving by the stream at that point as no one had the courage to move. Odysseus was frozen there like a statue⊠He didnât even have the strength to drop on his knees. Forgive me, he thought, forgive me I had no choice⊠Polites was probably the first to come out of the trance as he croaked out in a barely audible voice;
âWhatâŠwhat the hell was thatâŠ?âhe was as pale as a cloud, âOdysseusâŠ? What the hell was thatâŠ?â
Odysseus turned his head to him, trying to find the words to answer but Eurylochus pounced at him like a furious tiger ready to eat his throat.
âYOU BASTARD!â he bellowed beyond himself, grabbing him by the front part of his armor, âWHAT THE HELL WAS THAT THING?! YOU STOOD THERE DOING NOTHING! WE ALL DID! SPEAK UP!â
His head turned to the side. He couldnât face him.
âI HEARD YOU SPEAK UP! IT WAS AS IF YOU KNEW WHAT WAS COMING! SPEAK UP âKING OF ITHACAâ AND âEQUAL TO GODSâ! WHAT WAS THAT!?â
âThat was SkyllaâŠâ Odysseus whispered, ââŠDaughter of Echidna and Typhoon⊠A creature that pries on dolphins and seals when she canâŠand waits for ships to pass her grottoâŠâ
Eurylochus was hyperventilating; his face was red in fury.
âYou knew!? YOU KNEW ALL ALONG AND SAID NOTHING!? YOU KEPT YOUR MOUTH SHUT WHEN-âŠâ
âIf I had picked Charybdis we would have died all!â Odysseus yelled back, âI had no choice I had to do this! There was no other way!â
âYou kept your mouth shut! YOU SAID NOTHING AND LET OUR COMRADES BE SACRIFICED! YOU DIDNâT SAY A THING! WE HAD TO KNOW!â
âWHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY?!â now Odysseus bellowed, higher than anything Eurylochus did before
His men all silenced before his woeful and furious cry.
âWhat do you want me to say! That I hoped this monster would never come out? That I wanted us all to suffer as little as possibleâŠthat I could find no proper words to explain what was in store for themâŠthat I hope I was themâŠ?â
He was heroically holding his tears back. He was feeling his body turning into stone again under the layers of his armor that had been useless in this adventure.
If I show weakness I am lostâŠ
ââŠThat I am sorryâŠ?â
If I show weakness I am lostâŠ
Eurylochus had his eyes ticking in rage and fear. Odysseus could see the panic settling in him more and more like the waves at the sea. He was shivering all over.
âSorryâŠ?â he echoed, âYou are sorryâŠ?â
The way he grabbed him later, made others even wake up from their shocked state and arrive to their assistance to see which of the two would be hurt next!
âYOU ARE SORRY!?â Eurylochus bellowed, âIT COULD HAVE BEEN ANY OF US, ODYSSEUS! IT COULD HAVE BEEN-âŠâ
He froze again as if the terrible realization hit him. He seemed ready to throw up himself. He let go of Odysseus and stepped back. Suddenly he was vulnerable and frightened.
âOh my godsâŠâ he mumbled, âWeâre not going to survive this, are we? We are all gonna die in this journey! Weâre all doomed!â
âNo! No!â Odysseus shook his head, âNo, this canât end like this! We shall make it! We must make it! If we follow the instructions Circe gave us, we can make it. Trust meâŠâ
Apparently that word was the worst he could use because Eurylchus gained his fighting spirit back and he was held by another comrade so he wouldnât rush on him again.
âTrust you?! TRUST YOU, you say?! Six of our comrades are dead! And you said nothing! How can we trust you Odysseus!? HUH?!â
Odysseus lowered his eyes. He fixed the helmet on his head, as if he wanted to hide his gaze from them; from all the judgmental eyes and ears around him.
If I show weakness I am lostâŠ
âI did what I thought it was rightâŠâ he said in a cold tone, âIf I had chosen Charybdis we would all be dead nowâŠâ
He turned to leave but Eurylochus was not done releasing the anger inside him.
âWho else is to be sacrificed next then, Odysseus? Huh? Tell me, King of Ithaca, who is to be sacrificed next?â
If I show weakness I am lostâŠ
âI did it to save us all!â Odysseus whispered dangerously, stepping closer to him, âI did it to save this vessel! Our last ship! Our last hope! If we lose it, weâre lost! I did what I had to do! We can survive this! But we must stick together!â
If I show weakness I am lostâŠ
âIf you cannot trust me, then obey me!â
If I show weakness I am lostâŠ
âIf I everything I ever done is not enough for you to have faith in me then you must remember that I am still your king!â
If I show weakness I am lostâŠ
âFor as long as we have this vessel, I am still your captain! And we still have a chance!â
If I show weaknessâŠ
*
Odysseus moaned lowering his head almost between his knees as he remembered what had befallen between them. No wonder that it was Eurylochus the one to initiate that mutiny! However it still hurt every thread of his heart. It still led to the outmost destruction! He had roamed 10 days aimlessly in absolute terror in the elements with no hope; nearly losing his mind in the processâŠand his very life!
âOur last vesselâŠour last hopeâŠâ he whispered, ââŠItâs goneâŠgone! We⊠Gone⊠All of our hope was goneâŠ! Why, Eurylochus! Why! Why!â
Calypso walked around his bench. She was as alluring as she seemed dangerousâŠlike the sea that enclosed him. Her touch on his shoulder as she circled him, made him feel fear for the very first time he was with her. It was as if some cloud was lifted from his mind; a cloud he had no idea it existed.
âMy poor, tormented darlingâŠâ Calypso whispered again, âThese men rebelled against youâŠthey disobeyed your orders and ignored your suggestions⊠Surely you are not the one to blame for their carelessness and arroganceâŠ.â
Her hands cupped his cheeks and made him look at her. She had kneeled before him and she wiped tears with her thumbs; tears he had no idea he had shedâŠ
âYou nearly lost your life out there, darling⊠Why must you torment yourself over them? Why must your heart always mourn? Forget about thisâŠmortal coil. Stay here with meâŠstay and rest, finally, Odysseus⊠You shall not want of anything here⊠I could offer you the gift of immortality⊠Never shall you fear sickness or death again! Never shall you find yourself in the same pitiful state that you were when you first showed up at my doors! You shall be my equal! All you need to do is askâŠâ
Immortal! The word rang to Odysseusâs brain like a bell; immortality was the dream of every human being! And if immortality was linked, as she said, to no more of this heartache and torment⊠Oh, how desirable that was! And yet his mind rebelled to this. He remembered the Underworld; that dreadful place of wandering soulsâŠhe remembered Achilles who had told him heâd rather a thousand times be the last servant and alive than a god-king and dead⊠Why was his mind rebelling this when every mortal instinct he had was telling him to accept that? He held her wrists and softly removed them from his cheeks.
âGoddessâŠI immensely thank you for your proposalâŠthere is indeed nothing sweeter echoing in the ears of a helpless mortal than immortality free of sorrows but⊠I cannot accept this⊠I must go backâŠâ
Calypso seemed like she had been slapped as she looked at him.
âButâŠwhy!â she finally asked, âWhy would you choose that? When you have been tormented so much and hurt so badly?â
âI must return to Ithaca!â Odysseus insisted, âMy wifeâŠmy son are waiting for me there⊠And if I give up everything now, all we have been through with my companions will be in vain! I cannot just abandon themâŠ.â
Calypso stood up. Suddenly her face resembled indeed a statue; perfect and yet cold and emotionless.
âAnd are you sure, Odysseus, that your wife remained faithful to you? Are you sure she hasnât betrayed you too?â
Odysseus moaned helplessly. That thought stabbed into his brain like a sword. For some reason Agamemnonâs words came to his mind that one can never trust their spouse, for he had been murdered by Clytemnystra and her lover. He shook his head. No, not Penelope! Penelope would never!
âNo!â he exclaimed, âNot, Penelope! We chose each other! There is a special bond between us!â
âAnd yet, how do you know?â Calypso pressed, âYou have been married almost two decades and yet you lived but a couple of years together. How can you know that your sweet Penelope holds your marriage the same as you do?â
âShe does! I know she does! She promised she would wait! She promised me!â
âDarling! Listen to yourself! You have been away from home more than 12 years!â she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, resting her beautiful head over his, âAt best possible scenario she honored your marriage till they finally denounced you dead. Who can leave a throne vacant for so long?â
âNoâŠâ Odysseus whispered in denial, âNoâŠno!â
âJust face the truth, my darlingâŠyou cannot deny it that over a decade people die⊠Your sweet Penelope might as well have found a new husband to rule your kingdom. No one can wait so long, my darlingâŠâ she whispered in his ear, âNot even youâŠâ
Odysseus shivered. Her hot breath in his ear ringed weirdly in his soul. A natural feeling of repulse mixed with the sweet allure of her voice made him release himself from her embrace and stand up.
âI would! I would wait! I did! I still do!â
âAnd you are absolutely certain she would do the same? How can you be so sure that your sweet Penelope hasnât found someone else to warm that empty wedding bed of hers?â
His bed? That bed he carved with his own two hands would be taken by someone else? That thought terrified him. No, he didnât even want to think about it!
âPlease goddess, stop! Say no more, I employ you!â
Suddenly he felt the need to defend himself against her accusations even if he had no real logical argument to repel them. It was as if his heart knew what his brain was repelling. His mother in the Underworld had told him that Penelope was enduring still and he held onto that for dear life. But, the other part of his brain was asking, how long has his mother been dead? If she met her end years ago then what guarantee did he have that Penelope hadnât really remarried? He had none and he knew it, but he still wouldnât want to accept such a scenario!
âBut what if I am right?â Calypso insisted, âWhat if you are right and she endured but eventually she had to bend? What if your sweet Penelope has found a new husband?â
âThenâŠâ the king of Ithaca whispered, ââŠthat is one more reason for me to go back! To claim what is mine; my land, my kingdom, my palaceâŠand my wife!â
Calypso frowned and lowered her head. She was astonished by his seer stubbornness and his refusal of seeing what he was truly refusing! She felt anger rising inside her. She adored him and she desired him. She had tried everything the past weeks to make him see it but apparently his mind was captured by his wife for an eternity and regardless of whether she managed to read his heart or not, Odysseus was once more distanced from her⊠She felt an anger she never felt before in her long life; was this the emotion humans named âenvyâ? Was she envious of a mere mortal woman? A woman that would eventually grow old and die? No, she refused to accept such weakness! And she wouldnât lose to a mortal woman to the fight for the heart of this man she had come to adore to her bones!
*
Calypso was working her loom. She could feel the enchantment had faded; the sweet lithe that wanted to give to Odysseus so his pain would heal and he wouldnât need to think so much of the things he would leave behind, had started to fade. It was as if, indeed, Odysseusâs mental and emotional strength were enough to make him indeed Equal to Gods⊠She banged her fist on the wood frustrated. She had seen his heart, she had saved his life, she had helped him and yet she still was so far away from him and all this time Odysseus had been resisting her incantation by seer will and emotion without even knowing it! No, she couldnât let him leave, not before her questions were answered! What made him tick so much? What made his will to survive so strong that he managed to come out alive out of the greatest of hardships? Why was she so helplessly trapped in his charms when he was just a mortal man with no intention to seduce her in the first place? She sighed. She didnât need to look behind her shoulder to realize it was Odysseus standing behind her.
âCalypsoâŠâ he whispered, âGreat goddess of OgygiaâŠpleaseâŠgive me a vesselâŠgive me a small ship to go back to my country⊠You nursed me back to health, you gave me valid answers to some of my questions⊠I can no longer stay here⊠Please, beautiful nymph I employ youâŠgive me a ship to governâ
âThere are no ships in Ogygia, Odysseus!â Calypso replied almost coldly, âNo one ever comes or goes from here⊠Ships do not cross this seaâŠso full of dangerâ
âThenâŠplease give me the tools to make oneâ Odysseus insisted, âPlease, I have to go back, do you understand? I have been away from my wife and son so long! I want to embrace my precious Telemachus again! Tell him how sorry I am for missing all his life! Please be merciful, powerful nymphâŠplease let me goâŠâ
Calypso sighed. Her fist clenched.
âFineâŠif thatâs what you want to doâŠâ she stood up to her full height and turned around
She was a tall woman; as tall as he was in total. Perhaps even a few centimeters taller. Her look was magnificent under the pale light of dusk. And yet her honey eyes shone in a dangerous way that Odysseus never saw before.
âBut first, before you leave, I need something from you, Odysseusâ
âAnything, goddess!â Odysseus replied almost immediately, âAs long as it is within my power to give it to youâ
âThe gifts of Xenia, I gave youâŠâ Calypso immediately replied; her eyes resembled now a predatory bird that had caught a mouse in her claws, âI took you in my house, I gave you my bed to sleep, I gave you my wine and bread to satiate your hunger and quench your thirst and clothes to wear. I believe you owe me some gifts of Xenia back.â
Odysseusâs heart sank in his chest.
âGoddessâŠâ he began, âI have nothing to give you! I lost everything. If I had my vessel I would have given you all the treasures I got from Troy and every land I encountered in-between! I would give you the best wine and fabrics, jewelry and pearls from all ends of the world! The price would be too little for the good you did to me! But, alas, I have nothing. I am a ruined shipwrecked man! I have nothing to give you, to repay your hospitality!â
âAh, Odysseus, Odysseus⊠There is something you can give me, something much more important than those soulless things. WineâŠjewelry? Why would I need any of those? I already have plenty. However there is something you can give me, Odysseus, that nothing of those can buyâŠâ
Odysseus eyed her curiously.
âWhat?â he genuinely asked, âWhat is it that I have that is so precious to you, good goddess?â
Calypso slowly walked to him. And then Odysseus froze because what she did next was something that totally took him aback. Her hand softly touched his cheek and then her lips landed upon his. Odysseus felt his eyes widen like a rabbit before the sight of a fox. NoâŠno it couldnât be! Calypso pulled back smiling seductively.
âEntertain me, Odysseus!â she whispered, âGive me what your wife enjoyed for a little while⊠Show me how mortals make love!â
Pale as a sheet, Odysseus took plenty of steps back.
âNoâŠ!â he whispered, âNo, no! Please, I beg of you goddess! I-I canât give you what you ask!â
âWhy not?â Calypso pressured, âYou gave this to the divine daughter of Helios.â
Circeâs name came back to haunt him. Yes, Odysseus had shared a bed with Circe but then it was different! Hermes had told him not to refuse her and he had his men to protect. Right now he was alone. He had no one else to protect but his own skin and right now his decision would mean so much more than just an exchange and somehow he knew it!
âPlease, spare me, good goddess!â Odysseus begged, âAsk for anything else, but not that, not that please!â
PenelopeâŠTelemachusâŠ
âIt seems like offending gods has become a second nature to you, Odysseus!â Calypso retorted, âYou make it sound like the worst thing that can happen to you is to bed me!â
Odysseus turned pale in terror. No, he definitely did not mean to offend her and yet what she asked of himâŠ
âIâllâŠIâll do anything else, goddess. I shall delay my departure to make you a magnificent palace with my own hands if you wishâŠâ
âWhy would I need such thing, Odysseus? As you see I am missing nothing in my godly grotto. Why would I need a palace in my isle?â
âIâŠI shall build you a temple in Ithaca once I arrive!â Odysseus desperately tried again, âI shall make you the greatest goddess of all the Cephallinians, but please spare me!â
Calypso let out a light chuckle.
âThe gifts of Xenia are not something given after 10 years, Odysseus!â she said as a matter of fact, âNot to mention that there is no guarantee that you will even make it back to your little island. The way Poseidon wishes your demise, I highly doubt you will make it beyond my bay! Nay, Odysseus. Besides why would I need worship? I live content on my island like that. Iâd rather get what I wished forâ
âSpare me!â Odysseus cried out, âSpare me, goddess, please! Iâll fall on my knees for you, beggar at your feet, but please donât make me do this!â
He would have indeed dropped on his knees to hug hers, to make sure that she would not push him any further but she stopped him. She had come to know him.
âPlease, Odysseus, no more, otherwise it will be much harder for me to keep refusing you!â
âPlease, show mercy!â
âI have stated what I want from you and thatâs itâ Calypso replied relentless, âAre you going to trample the laws of Xenia as well? Wasnât the taking of Troy enough when you fought at night using trickery? Wasnât offending one god enough? Do you now wish to trample this sacred law dictated by Zeus as well?â
Odysseus froze in place; the law of XeniaâŠthe law that he lived on all his life with. The law that he honored above all was now brought before him. He knew he had nothing to give her and he knew he could not offend her any further. He grabbed his head in desperation.
âIf I want to see my wife and childâŠI have to appease her⊠Oh, Penelope! Forgive me! I am just a man; a weak, mortal man! I cannot fight with gods! I am tired! I canât do this anymore!â he thought in despair, âMy honorâŠtrampled so many times! Gods, mercy! No more! Please no more!â
He knew everything had a price; he had learnt that the hard way! However seeing also Calypso; the kind nymph that took him in without asking anything before; the person he thought might be the exception, now bringing such a horrendous price for him to pay stroke him harder than anything. Suddenly his heart ached and then he felt like it broke. They are all the same, he thought, all gods and humans are the same! They all require a price and they ignore the distressful pleading!
*
Calypsoâs chambers were dimly lit in moonlight only one or two torches lit the room. Calypso was casually leaning in her bed, observing him with an unreadable look; it was a mixture of lust, amusement, curiosity and wonder⊠Odysseus was shaking as he turned to the low table. He poured a cup of wine for himself and he downed it. Then he took another one. He breathed heavily. Gods let me go numb tonightâŠhe thought, let me not feel this that I am about to doâŠ. He could feel her eyes burning holes to the back of his nape, as if she was gaining strength from his distress. As if it as amusing to her. He turned around to see the nymph; so beautiful and so terrible, staring at him.
âTake off your clothes and join me, OdysseusâŠâ she whispered seductively
Odysseus mechanically breathed in and out and then slowly opened his chiton, revealing his wide chest. He wished his mind wasnât so frozen and yet so aware. For the first time in his life he wished to faint here and there; black out so he will not be conscious when it happens! Calypso shot up from the bed and grabbed the cloth, tearing it apart with one single move. Odysseus winced before her strength but even more he winced when her hands touched his chest, burning his flesh like fire as she felt the curly hair that adorned it. She felt every detail, every muscle, every scar⊠She shivered in delight finally feeling his flesh beneath her fingertips and the reactions that came with it⊠She felt every tremor, every jerk that strong mortal body was emitting! She sealed his lips with hers. Odysseus had kept his mouth as tightly closed as possible. Her lips burnt like coalsâŠhis soul hurt like being torn apart! Calypso softly pulled back and whispered against his lips;
âLike you mean it, OdysseusâŠlike you mean it!â
Odysseus nearly broke down in tears as her lips sealed his again. He tried really hard to respond, feeling a jerk to his hair by her strong hand.
âI am Odysseus of Ithaca! Father to sweet TelemachusâŠson of LaĂ«rtesâŠThere is nothing I canât endure!â
The strokes came even lower. Odysseus prayed with all the power of his soul that his body wouldnât react; that she would lose interest in himâŠhowever, as always, the gods were relentless. He felt his body responding to her caresses and her forcible seduction. He held back himself; no he wouldnât moan! Be it pleasure or pain; he wouldnât react! He wouldnât give off the storm inside him!
âI am the Man of Many TurnsâŠGoodly Odysseus! I am the Sacker of Cities! I am the spawn of HermesâŠgrandson of Autolycus! I shall notâŠI cannot be brokenâŠ!â
The touch nearly drove him insane in rage and confusion! He sighed as he nearly felt himself losing his footing.
âEndure my heartâŠplease endureâŠ! You have endured worseâŠ!â
She led him on her bedâŠto which he was forced to lay and she threw her dress off her body revealing herself to him as pretty as she was terrible. As she climbed over him Odysseus wanted to shut his eyes closed, to hide those small tears that escaped his eyes and got lost in his curly hair.
âOh, Athena! Oh, Pallas! Why! Why! Why! Please guide me to take this bitter cup upon my lips! Why are you silent, Athena? Why did you abandon me?â
As more kisses cascaded his body and he felt those arms almost pinning him on the bed, Odysseus remembered Circe⊠She had led him to her bed thinking she had his consent⊠Calypso knew she didnât. She knew he couldnât escape and yet it was as if she wanted to make sure! As she slowly raised herself to a position that was comfortable, Odysseus felt his heart break. The sudden rush made him almost lose his breath. He threw his head back in a silent scream. He wanted to close his eyes and yet he couldnât avoid the terrible sight; he saw that face that was always calm and collected; maternal even now distorted in a mask of forceful bliss and a cascade of sighs and hums. That body that supported him before and helped him move about in the cave when he was weak was now moving over him making a series of sensations rush through his veinsâŠthose hands that so gently and so strongly supported him were now pinning him down; her left hand resting somewhere behind her back, close to the scar that adorned his leg and the other pressing upon his laryngeal prominence. He clenched his jaw till it hurt so he wouldnât groan in distress; his body reacting to her treatment was much more terrifying even than the sight of hers on top of him.
âNo moreâŠplease gods no moreâŠâ
And then it was over! He nearly fell back to the pillows breathing heavily like wounded. Calypso was breathing as well; only in delight. She didnât seem half as tired as he wasâŠ
âOn my word, Odysseus!â she panted softly, âYou really ARE âEqual to godsâ!â
He felt nauseous! He wanted to scream. He remained on the same positionâŠnot daring to look at her anymore as she kissed his cheek tenderly, hands tracing his body. Only one tear escaped his eye.
âWhyâŠ? WHY!â
*
Calypso was humming softly as she was arranging her hair. She had thrown a robe around her naked body, looking at her reflection at the bronze spectrum. Odysseus almost staggered in the room. He had thrown a new chiton over himself but he still felt the shame around him. He was breathing irregularly in rage and sadness.
âNowâŠâ he panted, âGive me a vessel, goddess! Let me go home as you promisedâŠ!â
âPromise?â Calypso asked almost innocently, âI donât recall promising such thing!â
Odysseus felt like someone had stabbed him in the heart.
âWhat?!â he croaked out, âBut you saidâŠâ
âI said that you need to entertain me, Odysseus, to return me my gifts of Xenia but I did not promise I would immediately give you the means to make a vessel. And besides did you honestly think that one night is enough to buy your lifeâs worth?â
âI am ruined!â Odysseus cried out, âI am ashamed! I will probably never be able to face my wife and son again! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!â he finally yelled beyond his wits.
Calypso looked at him sincerely.
âI want you to love me, Odysseus!â
She stood up, taking advantage of his sudden shock.
âAt first I was curiousâŠI was not sure how mortals make love; this desperation that is linked to your temporary nature⊠Does it feel better for you that you know you are doomed? To us is just another pass time sometimes but to mortals it means so much more⊠ButâŠâ
She actually almost blushed! Odysseus though felt disgust and hatred.
ââŠBut now, I am not sure if I can let you go! After feeling youâŠI just confirmed what I knew. You cured my lonelinessâŠyou filled an empty spot I never knew I had in my heart! I love you, Odysseus! And I want you to love me like I doâŠâ
âLove?â Odysseus chocked in the word, âYou call this love?!â
This was the only way the immortals knew to show love? Tormenting the mortals?
âI know I can win your heart, my loveâŠâ Calypso ignored him, âI know I can help you live hereâŠwith meâŠhow to make you mineâŠand I shall be yours as your wife!â
âYou will NEVER be my wife!â
âOh but you are wrong, my dear. We united before gods and witnesses! You are my husband now, by the laws of gods!â
âNever! I have a wife! She waits for me! You are not my wife and you shall never be! I want to leave! You canât hold me here!â
âYou stayed one year with the witch Circe! Why acting so pious all of the sudden?â
For one moment the king of Ithaca saw only red. His hand grabbed her throat before he would realize it. Calypso was shocked only for one second but then a smirk crept to her lips.
âLike you mean it, OdysseusâŠâ she whispered in a mocking manner, ââŠLike you mean it!â
Odysseus was shivering in anger. Oh, how easy it seemed if he could snap that neck that seemed so delicate! And yet he knew the truth; those bones beneath were not mortal bones and he would never manage to do anything to them and even if he did, she wouldnât dieâŠno, she wouldnât dieâŠ! He let go of her running out of the room.
âYou will never leave this place, you knowâŠâ Calypsoâs casual voice stopped him in his tracks, âThis island from the land till the currents around the sea respond to my will. Every single breeze and wave shall bring you backâŠ.â
Odysseus did not want to believe this! He ran out of the grotto. At the beach he knew he had no vessel but at that moment roaming the sea like he had come to this island didnât seem as terrible as the fate that awaited him here. He threw a log in the water and tried to paddle away on it but, indeed the waves pushed him back on shore. He tried again with no avail. He desperately jumped into the sea to swim with all his might but the result was the same. Exhausted and exasperated Odysseus was once more pushed to the shores of Ogygia.
âNo!â Odysseus yelled as he paced up and down like a wounded tiger in the cage.
In his anger he roared and threw a rock to the waves but thatâs all he could do. He gave up. He sat down the sand, drawing his knees to his chest and remained silent under the starsâŠÂ In what seemed like eons, he heard Calypsoâs light footsteps upon the sand and the pebbles.
âOdysseusâŠâ she called for him, âCome inside, it is getting lateâ
âNo thank you!â he replied in a low dangerous voice
âYou shall need to eat something, my love, come back inside.â
âYour price is too high to pay!â
âCome inside, Odysseusâ she repeated, âI will order for your meal to be prepared.â
âIâd rather die of hunger and cold!â
Calypso sighed. It was the type of sigh a disappointed mother would give to a child.
âAs you wishâ she said, âBut remember you should know better not to cross with me that much, my darling. I love your spirit, I really do, however you should know better that I shall not ask twiceâŠâ
Odysseus turned to look at the waves so she wouldnât see his jaw shiverâŠso she wouldnât see the fear in his eyes. Yes, he knew. Achilles was just a mortal man and yet all he needed to do was to plead his goddess mother to bring misfortune upon all AchaeansâŠÂ He didnât even dare to imagine what this immortal could do if she wanted. What if she ordered immortal nymphs of the oceans to drown his beautiful little kingdom? What stopped her from doing thisâŠ? Finally he heard her footsteps as she walked away. Odysseus was left aloneâŠ
*
As he was sitting thereâŠhis tears began to flow in the middle of the cold night. He buried his face in his folded arms.
âGods! Is this, then, my fateâŠ? Being the lapdog of a goddess every time she pleases? Shall this be the fate of Odysseus of Ithaca? Alas! Why! Why gods! I only made one mistake! I onlyâŠwhy! Why! Havenât I graced you all with sacrifices and worship? Why did you abandon me? Over one mistakeâŠ?â
The smell of cooked meat came to his nostrils. His stomach growled in hunger. Once more he lamented himself and his mortal nature. He was hungry and Calypso knew that and she was using it to torment him. He clenched his head with his hands.
âOh, alas! Is that what my men had to suffer out thereâŠ? Is this why their mortal bodies could take no more?â
He wondered why, how could he forget his lament over their loss for so long!
âThat cursed witch and her spells!â he lamented, âTaking away this sorrowâŠputting my conscious to sleep!â
He remembered his promiseâŠ
âI have to surviveâŠIf I die here who is going to remember them? Who is going to know they were here? Who is going to tell their story? I am the only one left! I am the only one who can remember themâŠâ
He heard the wavesâŠhis heart felt cold and heavy like the stones residing in the ocean. I donât even have a tomb for themâŠhe thought, I canât even build them a funeral pyre⊠He felt his curly hair with his hand. His long hair was the crown on his head; thick and long; they had tangled a lot from the wind and the salt water while he traveled, almost forming natural locks. Ever since he arrived to Calypsoâs isle it was always neatly combed and washed. His hand searched the beach and caught a sharp stone. He held his hair with one hand and then with the stone, slowly and methodically he cut it short as his nape⊠He held that hair in his hand before throwing it in the seaâŠthe last funerary tribute that he could give them. He would survive. He would survive even if he meant to do anything for it! He would try to reach Ithaca! He would continue their legacy!
*
Calypso was sitting by the fire as her maids stirred the stew in the cauldron. She looked up and smiled. Odysseus was standing there. His face was like stone; his eyes bottomless and liquid. His hair that used to be thick and long now it was cut. His eyes were stained and burnt from tears. Calypso though smiled. She had confidence in herself that her spouse would learn to love her. It was only a matter of time and she had all the time in the world.
âOdysseus!â she whispered, âI am so glad you decided to comeâŠâ
She extended her richly adorned hand towards him. That hand that had given him life now it seemed ready to severe it.
âComeâŠâ she urged softly, âCome to sit by the fire to get warmâŠwe have dinner almost readyâŠâ
One last tear ran down his cheek. Yes, he would survive no matter the cost; even if that would be his sanity and honor! The gods were silent to his prayers. He was alone. He had to survive aloneâŠ
He spoke no words anymoreâŠ
He walked in the grottoâŠ
~~~
Oh my gosh! What have I done indeed! TT_TT but yeah...I do not fully regret! I believe this wll be the 3rd and final part of Sirvor's Guilt/Duty and I hope you enjoyed the wild ride!
Calypso weaving was inspired by this amazing soundtrack from "The Perfume"
Calypso showing Odysseus the events that occured before he arrived was inspired by the Odyssey since Odysseus mentions in his narrative how he was filled in the details by Calypso
I just HAD to include the Skylla moment because it was one of the most brutal description in the Odyssey so one can see how much Odysseus was traumatized!
Now as for how Calypso knows the details well...gods are often depicted to know things even if they aren't there (even if at other times they don't!)
And my extra explanation as to why Odysseus could not go anywhere.
The After Note was inspired by the clip from nbc Dracula (particulary the expression of poor Odysseus so read at your own accord! xd)
~~~~~~~~~
(After note)
The night was silent as always on Ogygia. The silence could strangle you. Odysseus slowly lifted himself from the narrow bed. His expression was unreadable. It was as if the pain and sorrow had left a permanent dark scar to his face that would never allow anyone to see him smile again. His hair was tangled and his beard untidy almost just like the bed that seemed even messier. He looked to the side and his eyes darkened even further, if that would even be possible, as he gazed upon Calypsoâs body. She was sleeping on her stomach, with her head towards the other direction, one of her beautiful legs drawn slightly towards her. Her dark hair adorned with gold, seashells and pearls were flowing all around her like second layer of jewels and yet to Odysseus they seemed like deadly tentacles; like the heads of the dreadful Skylla that consumed his comrades when it seemed like an eternity prior. Her soft breathing was barely heard and yet to Odysseus it was echoing in his brain driving him mad. He was choking. He needed fresh air! He slowly got out of the bed, feeling the light pain down his back. He walked out of the room, feeling the cold stone of the grotto under his bare feet. He didnât care at all that he was absolutely naked at that moment; he didnât bother to cover himself even if there was a possibility one of the nymphs of Calypso to be around. Odysseus felt there was no sense of shame in him anymore. He ignored the nudity of his body as well as a few small scratches and bruises upon it that were accidentally caused by some miscalculation on Calypsoâs strength during some of their endless nights of her passion and intercourse. Calypso had apologized of course. But then again Odysseus had stopped caring. He had tried resisting her before but with no avail, as she was much stronger than what he was. He had even tried begging her; one night! Spare me at least one night! However long now, Odysseus had stopped caring. There was no fight in him anymore.
It had been two years already, the king of Ithaca had calculated; two years of torture and despair. His hair that he had cut as a tribute to his dead men had already started to grow longer. If it were in his hands he wouldnât even bother to brush it anymore. He didnât feel much like grooming himself or taking care of himself. He didnât seem to see the point in it anymore and, besides, there more unattractive he appeared in her eyes, the better. If it werenât for the nymphs who prepared him regularly for these nightly torments of his then Odysseus probably would have stopped doing anything. The longing for return was eating his guts like a worm eating the flesh of a rotten apple; he could almost feel it through his gut! However the hope for his return was getting slimmer and slimmer. And it wasnât just his bitter nostos that was eating him up. It was also haste and doubt. Calypso had planted that seed of doubt before and now she kept watering it with every night of abuse that Odysseus had to suffer. He was closing in that island as long as he took to travel there. Ten years he was away to Troy, three years he was traveling, losing his men one by one and now two years of imprisonment. He was away from home 15 years. What if Calypso for once was right? What if Penelope out of seer coercion decided that he was long dead and had to marry again? What would happen to him then if that last piece of him was uprooted from him? Or, much worse, what would happen if⊠No, Odysseus thought, that scenario he didnât want to accept! Not PenelopeâŠPenelope was different! She would never cheat on his memory, right? She had promised to him she would wait for his returnâŠ
âAnd how long is she supposed to wait for you?â there was a voice in the back of his head, âYou left her wait 15 yearsâŠwho would wait that long?â
Who indeed? Who would remain faithful to a man who disappeared for so long? Odysseus shivered. He didnât even want to think about it, despite the doubt biting his heart like a snake. He remembered Agamemnon, whom he had met in the bitter ends of the Underworld. He told him to beware for his wife murdered him upon his returnâŠwith her lover.
âNo! Not, Penelope! Penelope would neverâŠâ
This thought he had made so many times while residing at the beach crying or even within the arms of Calypso at night. These thoughts constantly twirling in his mind. Penelope was a kind woman when he met her. A nice soft bride. However as Calypso had said; they were married almost 20 years and yet he had known her for around a handful. What if she wasnât who he thought she was? What if she was coerced to change? And his sweet TelemachusâŠhis son would be now 15 years of age; around the age he was when he got his infamous scar by the boar at Parnassus. His son would be practically a man now; independent and strong. He had missed a quarter of his life; his son probably feared his father would be dead. He felt like every single day he spent on that island would be a tick to the clock against him; Penelope marrying again and Telemachus never knowing his father or hearing his voice⊠This was way too much to bear⊠His whole life moving on without him was way too much to endure. His pain was eating him up. His hair had started to grow gray. He knew his own youth was long gone however the silver edges to his temples shouldnât normally appear so fast. His father never grew white. Even when he left for war he had his black hair almost intact and barely started to grow gray. However Odysseus felt like his own features had changed over the years. He saw himself at a polished bronze mirror once and he was surprised. He could hardly recognize the prematurely aged man inside the copper surface. Calypso didnât seem bothered though. She even seemed to enjoy this change that his torment had brought about him; perhaps she was charmed by his mortal nature; this nature that showed how helpless existence was, that no matter what one did, their time on this earth would be counted for anyways.
Eventually he reached the entrance of the wide, white cave. He was greeted by the sounds of the night and the cold night breeze. Odysseus, though, didnât shiver nor did he feel it. It was as if his body had turned into marble; his heart into stone. It didnât matter if in the mornings he was seeking sanctuary to the solitude of the sandy beach and there he would bawl his eyes out almost all day; having nothing else to do but gaze at the waves and cry. In the night Odysseus was a cold statue; as if he had no more tears to shed. As he stood there, listening to the song of the crickets and the waves to the far beyond he felt weakâŠhe felt helplessâŠhe felt like nobodyâŠOh, how many times had he wished he could get in her room and kill her! How many times he wished he could snap her neck, smother her with a pillow or open that delicate throat with his sword! But he knew it would be impossible. He looked up and noticed a night bird flying to the sky. His furious eyes became liquid and his fists clenched painfully.
âIf only you never existedâŠ!â he thought bitterly, âIf only you gods never existed! Then us mortals could live our life in peace!â
He was always faithful to the gods. Many people had said he was the best when it came to sacrifices and respect. But now it all seemed pointless in the cover of this dreadful night and all the nights before. Odysseus had come to fear the night and its creatures and feeling disgust by them and he came to hate the day because it only held solitude and sadness. He didnât even get his usual nightmares as he often got when he slept for the past years; it was as if he was completely hollow. There was hardly anything left of him anymore. Not even his faith. He watched the night owl fly soundlessly in the moonlight and his heart was filled with anger and despair. Athena, why did you abandon me, he thought. Curse you too! How can you leave me like this! However as if he realized the severity of his own mind his eyes watered and a tear ran down his cheek.
âGods, I am turning into a monsterâŠâ he thought, âIf I lose my faith to the godsâŠthenâŠthen whatâs left of me thenâŠ? Is there anything left of Odysseus of Ithaca, father to sweet Telemachus and son of LaĂ«rtes?â
He looked back at the grotto that had become his salvation and now his prison and torture. Oh, how he wished he turned that place into a second Troy! How he wished he had his trusty bow that he left to Ithaca, to shoot his arrows to all these creatures that tormented him and set this place in fire! If only he could! He visualized so many times driving arrows to the sensitive flesh of these women and leaving Calypso for last⊠He would enter her rooms dripping the dark blood of her companions; naked sword in hand so she could see; take a good look on what she did to him and then she would feel the kiss of the metal to her tender throat⊠He visualized her death so many times that he could almost taste it⊠Something in his mind snapped. He could almost feel like doing it. Eyes on fire and dripping hot tears he clenched his fists to the point of almost breaking the skin with his nails. He slowly marched to the room only to find her sleeping in the same position; totally unperturbed by his torment.
âWhy am I the monsterâŠ?â he thought, âAnd she can sleep peacefullyâŠ? After everything she did to meâŠ?â
As madness crept even more into his heart as his infamous temper was about to explode his hands were clenching in a painful grip but he refused to feel the pain. Maybe he could do it tonight. Maybe he could try⊠Perhaps she was a normal nymph after all; immortal but not indestructible! Maybe he could take his vengeance from this magnificent being that tormented him in the cover of the night, why not? He had done this before. One more sin to add to his miserable life; one more attempt! He could at least try. If it didnât work, the worst case scenario would be that he would be liberated from this if her anger turned against him! Slowly and soundlessly like a lion in the night he crept on the bed over her. His onyx eyes were even darker than the night around him; yes, he could try! Slowly and carefully he crawled over her whenâŠ
An iron hand grabbed his throat, cutting his breath for one second.
Odysseus felt his heart skip a beat. He recognized that soft hand; it was smooth and sleek like silk but held the power of three men in that tiny touch. Suddenly all his previous resolve; his madness evaporated in thin air by the reminder of her strength. No, he had absolutely no chance of doing anything to her. She was no ordinary nymph. She was the daughter of the titan Atlas, the man who held the sky⊠That grip on his throat lasted for only one second because immediately after it turned into a tender touch to the sides of his neck, followed by a second hand that held him there; softly and yet demandingly. Calypso raised her body to meet his face with hers; her eyes glistering with love and passion.
âOdysseusâŠ!â she whispered
Her voice was barely audible and yet Odysseus didnât really feel like reacting anymore as those lips sealed his and kissed him deeply. Odysseus felt exhausted. It was as if all his previous anger had taken the life out of him. He knew he had no choice but to respond to her kiss. He had come to know her. He grasped her hair to the back of her head and pulled desperately; in a weak and pitiful attempt to hurt her back. It was his way of showing the weak resistance he could; he would often grab or pull her hair when she kissed him or grasp her in what would have been a bruising grip for any other grown mortal man but it didnât work on Calypso and he knew it, if anything it was almost like confirmation to her that he was equally passionate, giving her the wrong impression. He knew it was doing nothing. It was just his last way to show his will. As Calypso wrapped her beautiful legs around his waist she pulled him down with her.
I have edited the story a bit and changed Skylla's heritage to make her closer to her homeric one
I have also added the graphic details of the rape and edited some parts of the story
Added some extra thoughts of mine on Circe matter for example Odysseus of course was naturally curious and attracted to Circe but the reason he complies is his fear for her as a goddess
Odysseus in his confusion wondering if any of his past partners felt like the way he is feeling now is a rather random idea I wanted to add because I really did feel his situation was very similar and at the same time different. And in one way Odysseus's mind running with hundreds of miles an hour is coming and going places like that because of his distress not necessarily because that is his way of life through and through so I leave it to you guys to decide
Many of the details are based on real mentions of men who have experienced sexual assault especially by women
My niche here is to show how terrifying and traumatizing sexual assault is for men as well and bring up this issue as well
Calypso supporters (for EPIC specifically) piss me off.
They always say she didn't understand, that she was just a child.
A: She's literally a goddess? And hundreds/thousands of years old. Children and DOGS understand the word "no."
2. They always compare her to Circe and the suitors in EPIC.
A: Right away, Circe made it exceedingly clear to Odysseus that she will defend her nymphs, and why she doesn't trust men: because every man who came to her island that she gave a chance raped and attacked her and her nymphs. Odysseus told her "no" one time in response to her "advances," and she immediately understood and helped him get home. That's a key difference between them. And comparing her to the suitors? Cool, hope she meets the same fate!
3. Calypso outright threatened Odysseus. She told him there was no escape, that he couldn't do anything because she's a goddess. And she expected him to like and love her? People defend her for it? Ew no. Stockholm syndrome ain't a thing here, babes.
4. She didn't even actually apologize in NSFLY. She's like "IF I pushed you," "IF I came on too strong" when she was so much worse than that; so much, so, in fact, that she drove Odysseus to try and kill himself. There is no coming back from that, and no redemption.
5. She made herself the victim. She abused him for 7 whole years and then acted like he was the one who wronged her. These are called the consequences of your actions.
6. SHE HAD A CHANCE. If Calypso had listened to Odysseus telling her no, they probably could have become friends. She could have listened to him, he could have sympathized with her being cast out, and she could have helped him get home. She made the conscious decision at every single turn to keep pushing him and repeatedly tried to SA him.
And if you have a problem with this? Unfollow me. I don't want people who defend SA anywhere near me.
All this to say, I have absolutely nothing against Barbara Wangui (because hating characters and hating actors are for some reason growing intertwined). If anything, the fact that I'm so enraged by Calypso is a testament to her acting skills. The actress is NOT the character, and if anyone hates on or threatens her because of someone she portrayed? Absolutely tf not.
I'm watching people trauma bond with Calypso from EPIC in real-time. Y'all. A character can be a woman and be a rapist at the same time. And her being a woman doesn't mean that ACTUALLY there's some trauma in her past that justifies her imprisoning men on her island and taking them to bed against their will, it means that she's a rapist that just happens to also be a woman.
I love how Calypso is depicted in EPIC, she's just dripping with a nastiness that is only matched by Penelope's entitled suitors. She's sugary sweet at the outset, but when Odysseus rather violently rejects her, she laughs at his rejection, saying he's adorable when he's angry and that he doesn't have any choice but to submit to her will as a god. And then she goes right back to the sweet lover in paradise ruse!!! It's sickening! She denies his autonomy because it gets in the way of the fantasy romance that she's forcing upon him.
So, I'm frustrated with people trying to paint it as though she's the victim in the situation, that what she's doing is somehow okay because she's a pretty woman and they feel bad for her. That's so patronizing.
I've seen people justify her behaviour by saying she's lonely. Tough shit get a hobby. Being starved for affection has never justified being an abuser.
I've seen people insist she truly cares about Odysseus because she tries to talk him down from suicide... but an abuser talking you down from taking drastic measures to escape their abuse isn't them showing genuine care, it's them not wanting the game to end, it's them exerting control over your very life. If anything, it's more disturbing because she is the one who drove him to be suicidal. So she's playing this game where she drives him to the precipice and then tries to lure him back down with "reminders" of "their love", those reminders actually being of the words of his dead loved ones that she's pilfered and warped as though they were her own.
The most ridiculous argument I've seen in defending Calypso's behaviour is saying that we can't use terms like "rapist" for her because "it was a different time" so "it's not certain whether or not what she did would be considered non-consensual for the time"... Like must I even point out that... that sleeping with someone against their will has always been and will always be rape? Anyway, her actions fit the ancient definition of rape to a t anyhow, so it's weird to try and weaponize "cultural differences" for the sake of having plausible deniability in Calypso's favour. Rape is also used to mean kidnapping, which is why we have pieces titled the Rape of Ganymede, the Rape of Persephone, etc..
Even if Jorge were to come out and say that, somehow, nothing sexual took place on Calypso's island in seven years, that despite her explicitly telling Odysseus that his "no" means nothing to her as a goddess she somehow never went so far as to sexually assault him... it doesn't make her abuse any less bad that she spared him that one trauma! Like holy shit dude.
Imagine if there was an adaptation that featured Zeus' rape of Io, and the audience responded to every literally dehumanizing action Zeus took against Io by saying "ooohh but he's lonely. i feel bad for him the most he's just a widdle lonely baby man. his wife is so meaaan."
Idk who needs to hear this but EPIC: the musical hot takes.
1. If the only source for Greek material youâve consumed prior to this musical is Percy Jackson YOU LOSE THE RIGHT TO COMMENT ON THESE CHARACTERS. Iâm so sick of seeing people commenting complete bonkers incorrect shit about characters that is literally only canon in the Percy Jackson series. For example. Calypso.
Calypso was not trapped on her island. Read the god damn myths. She literally only appears in the Odyssey. Ogygia is HER island. Itâs kept concealed under HER spell. Sheâs considered by some to be a minor goddess and sheâs a sea nymph. Ogygia is remote and the name was picked to give an air of being such a remote and primordial place. Other gods just donât go there. Thatâs why sheâs alone. She basically lives in the buttfuck of no where. She keeps Odysseus trapped because she falls in love and he doesnât. In the myth it says Odysseus would go to the shore and weep by day and by night Calypso would weave and sing and enchant him, forcing him to spend his nights with her. It is very much implied she rapes him. đ Stop fucking defending her. In the EPIC version, Jorge has stated he did not write his specific Calypso to have assaulted Odysseus, but she still kept him trapped against his will. Stop fucking infantilising her. Sheâs not a child. She knows what a wife is. She knows what sheâs doing is wrong. Sheâs a manipulator. She is not a victim.
2. Stop infantilising Polyphemus. This also goes back to some of the Percy Jackson shit. (I love these books but yall gotta grow up) He wasnât a toddler (have no fucking idea where this came from) and he wasnât bullied by other cyclopses. Thatâs just a Percy Jackson thing. Odysseus didnât even kill the sheep. They found a cave full of provisions, Polyphemus came home, and instead of being a gracious host, he started eating Odysseusâ men and kept them prisoner for a few days. Odysseus gave him strong wine, said his name was Nobody, and blinded him while he slept. They escape the cave by tying themselves to the bellies of the sheep so Polyphemus wouldnât feel them when they left. When the other cyclopses came to see what was wrong with Polyphemus and he said Nobody hurt him, they told him âpray about itâ. So he did. Thatâs why Poseidon takes revenge.
3. For some reason I see a lot of people not giving Penelope the praise she deserves. For some reason sheâs not considered smart and cunning like Odysseus, but just strong and militaristic because sheâs Spartan, which is insane. Firstly, a lot of the common knowledge we get about Sparta was ancient propaganda from Athens (their counter part) because Spartan women were better treated and were allowed more rights than Greek women were. Spartan women didnât go to war, they were simply allowed to roughhouse and develop their bodies the same way as men. They were well educated. Spartans believed strong women birthed strong men. Penelope was Spartan, so she was allowed to be physically fit, but her strengths were her cunning and intellect.
4. Penelope did not sit behind the axes. Let me say it again. PENELOPE DID NOT SIT BEHIND THE AXES. This is an intelligent woman. She set the challenge because she already suspected Odysseus had returned home and was setting a challenge that literally only he could complete. It was to sus out which one was her husband because Athena had disguised him so he could enter his own palace and spy on the suitors to understand what was going on. Penelope wouldnât sit behind the axes waiting to die if someone actually managed to shoot the arrow. And the suitors arenât stupid. They wouldnât shoot anyway because that would kill the one lady theyâve been fighting to fuck for 20 years. Another example of her cunning intelligence is when she asks Odysseus to move the marriage bed. It was common in myths for Zeus to take the image of a womanâs husband and trick her into sleeping with him. So she set a task only her real husband would know was impossible. âMove the wedding bed.â If he tried, she would know he was an imposter. If he protested because it was impossible, then she would know it was really her husband standing before her.
5. Eurylochus hate is so frustrating. I get it, he opened the wind bag when they were practically home. I get frustrated with him too. Like homie you couldnât wait 20 minutes?? But a lot of people seem to fail to see the point of Eurylochus in the story. Heâs there to be human. Heâs there to show real human flaws that we all struggle with. He opens the windbag because of curiosity and paranoia. Heâs scared of Circe and fights for self preservation over saving the men. He feels guilt over opening the windbag and it eats him up until he confesses. Then he sees the one person who has been the guiding light for their crew seemingly sacrifice six men without explanation. Thatâs terrifying. Heâs also angry because they went through so much and now their captain is just choosing to let people die so he can get home. When they reach the island of the sun cows, heâs hopeless, desperate, starving, and ready to give up. He kills the cow because either they get to eat and maybe survive a bit longer or at least they might die with a full stomach. Eurylochus is the most human one there having real human reactions to a situation that Odysseus is seemingly immune to reacting normally to.
6. Eurylochus and Polites did not have children. I donât know where this came from. Polites is also a very minor character in the Odyssey. Heâs mentioned twice as a dear friend and thatâs it. We donât even know at what point he died in the Odyssey either. Stop inventing shit that doesnât exist.
EPIC: The Musical is a work of art. I love it. I was in the 1% of Spotify listeners last year and Iâm hoping to end up in the #1 spot this year. I genuinely love this musical so much. But the amount of people making shit up without doing any bit of reading pisses me tf off. Itâs literally so simple and easy to look up articles on mythology and learn all of this shit in a matter of minutes. Educate yourselves. Myths were invented as some of our first stories and were often used to teach lessons. Itâs important to educate and understand the things you read, read deeper into the meanings of what you read, and know how to pick up on shit thatâs inferred.
Eurylochus rant (again) because this fuckass fandom gets on my nerves
Warning: Mention of SA and suicide, probably just a crash out post
I said this before and I will say it again, sometimes I look at Eurylochus' haters and wonder if they realize how vile and disgusting they are being.
"He is a big back because human can go 3 months without food"
Unfortunately that's not how starvation works honey. You are not going through 3 months without food like nothing and then drop dead on the last day of the 3rd month, the process is going to be slow and painful and it will leave irreparable damage to both your mental and physical health. I would like to see yall going 3 months without food because according to you starvation is so easy right? Please, for the sake of this world, shut the fuck up for forever, never voice your shitty opinion again. I don't know what the fuck was going through your head when you said that but I'm 99â convinced that Eurylochus' haters wouldn't have any sympathy for people who were and still going through this irl.
And the fact that you mfs try to make Eurylochus' suicidal laments at the end of Mutiny about Odysseus because uhh idk only Odysseus' feeling matter ig
"Imagine how betrayed Odysseus must felt when he realized Eurylochus gave up on going home to Ctimene"
First of all why the fuck did you make Ctimene's feeling about Odysseus?
Second of all Odysseus literally tried to kill Eurylochus TWICE, he has no rights to feel betrayed about Eurylochus giving up when he himself doesn't give a fuck whether his sister's husband live or die. (Again, why are we making Eurylochus and Ctimene feelings about Odysseus?)
And don't lie I know yall don't give a damn about Ctimene, yall just want to use her to make Eurylochus look worse than he already is and make Odysseus into some kind of perfect hero because he made it back to his wife and apparently everything is about Odysseus and his feeling and Ctimene isn't allowed to mourn her husband because the fandom think he is the root of all evil and suffering in this cruel world.
Don't even get me started on how this fuckass fandom shit on Eurylochus for giving up, saying he is "weak" or "selfish" or "doesn't love Ctimene enough" or whatever bullshit yall are calling him, brushing all the horrors he went through under the rug as if he is some kind of deity and not a normal human being with his own limit and his own breaking point. Mind you, they had been on the sea for 2-3 years, a God is after their asses, everyone is starving to death and the trust between the two men that are suppose to lead them is broken, most of you mfs would give up too. Yall don't care about mental health and it shows.
"But Odysseus never give up on getting home!"
Hey so that doesn't change shit, and yall are just proving my point. Also Odysseus did give up at one point btw, he literally tried to kill himself on Calypso's island, does that mean he is weak or that he doesn't love Penelope? Absolutely not.
"Well that wouldn't happen if he didn't open the windbag"
That also doesn't change shit btw, Eurylochus' trauma doesn't automatically become invalid because he made mistakes and has flaws. The implication that Eurylochus need to be a perfect victim for all the horrors he went through to be valid is kinda gross ngl, but this fandom has prove time and again that they don't give a fuck about mental health so I shouldn't be surprise ig.
Warning: Mention of SA
And to make matter worse, you bitches have to go and say he deserve to get raped too. Don't you hear how fucking vile and disgusting that sound? With or without context. The Epic fandom, specifically Eurylochus' haters being braindead and disgusting, what else is new? If that's your definition of humor then remove yourself from society, no one need you.
Armando did an amazing job performing as Eurylochus, he really put his heart and soul into the character. Unfortunately the fandom is full of braindead and illiterate fucks so everything he said got interpeted as dumb or aggressive or whatever the hell yall are making him. Well I guess it's easier to mock Eurylochus' trauma and dehumanize him for his struggles instead of actually taking the time and using your brain to understand his character. At this point I'm praying the Eurylochus hate is actually just excellent ragebait all along because it's literally IMPOSSIBLE for human to be this stupid and ignorant.
I'm not saying you aren't allowed to hate Eurylochus or that he shouldn't be criticized for his actions btw, it's just the way yall are doing it is gross as hell, most (all) Eurylochus' haters I've ever met are either braindead or straight up disgusting or both. I should really start asking people if they hate Eurylochus to see what kind of person they are because what the fuck?
Edit: Adding something to this: Can Eurylochus' haters stop whining and bitching in videos/posts that are suppose to be positive about him? Not everything is about you, if you hate him so much just scroll or block the creator, no need to turn the whole comment section into a goddamn debate club and make it everyone's problem, there is also no need to harass his fans and wish death/SA upon them btw, the block button exist for a reason.
I am once again thinking about how odysseus who witnessed the horrors that the captured women went through (one of his main duties in the iliad was taking the women back home and making sure they were as comfortable as possible and safe because he was the only one trusted not to violate them further due to his devotion to penelope. And in the odyssey part of the reason circe sent him to the underworld was so that he'd have to listen to all these women's stories (before he could talk to the prophet) ). Who was one of the few that saw women as people and respected their space and opinions. And was then put in those exact same situations. I don't have the motivation right now to do a full literary analysis of this (I'll site the sources too) but oh man one day I'm going to write a full essay on this.
I feel like the people who claim Odysseus cheated on Penelope with Circe and/or Calypso fail to understand the narrative reasoning for these encounters.
Both times, Odysseus goes through a role that he has essentially sentenced to the women of the Trojan War by bringing about the fall of Troy. He is made to experience the exact same indignity that they are going through.
With Circe, he is forced to sell himself to ensure the protection of his crew and himself â his hand is forced, he has no other option but this to ensure the survival of himself and the people he wishes to protect.
With Calypso, he doesn't even have that illusion of a choice. Unwilling and trapped.
In both cases, there is a significant power dynamic that leans in the favour of the perpetrator â they are goddesses; he is a mortal.
It's exactly like the fates of the hundreds and thousands of Trojan women who were enslaved. Except there, the power tilted in his favour.
Both these encounters aren't about Odysseus' loyalty to his wife. It's his narrative justice being dealt out for his crimes at Troy.
Something I'm starting to notice about this fandom; y'all can like Epic's version of Odysseus without trying to paint Calypso as a rapist.
Odysseus in the original tale did cheat on his wife. Several times. And there's nothing wrong with acknowledging that. But trying to paint him as blameless and all the other women as rapists for seducing him is not the winning move y'all think it is.
Like Tiktok is becoming the worst when it comes to the topic of Calypso.
Have you read Homer though? Because for starters you say "several times" while we have only two female figures in the Odyssey and those are Circe and Calypso.
With Circe Hermes tells Odysseus that he has no choice but to bed her if he wants to save his men who were held hostage and with Calypso he clearly states that he was unwilling:
Latest trend: What if Odysseus sold himself to Zeus to save his men?
Me: ...
Me: Bitch, you mean what he did with CIRCE?!
(I translate both passages in my answer there)
Now of course there is a passage about Calypso which I analyze here:
Okay here's a little insight in Calypso matter since many people say that Odysseus cheated Penelope with her. There is a small phrase in the
So no it is not "several times". If anything only Calypso is the person that seems to leave the element of doubt for many and even then the idea that he was willing is clearly debunked by Homer's definitive ÎżÏ Îș ΔΞÎλÏÎœ ΔΞΔλοÏÏη (unwilling [m.] by the side of the willing [f.]).
It is post-homeric scripts including Hesiod that mention the affair with Calypso starts as willing but Homer clearly states that Odysseus was unwilling by the side of Calypso (he even proceeds to write an amazing psychological passage when Odysseus doesn't let women touch him for quite a while for example refuses the help from Nausicaa's maids and wants to bathe himself instead) and Circe was a powerful goddess that was holding his men prisoner at first and then Odysseus claims how much he fears her. Not only does he pray to Gods and begs her to let them go but also passes the night by the ships after they return from the underworld till Circe herself summons him)
It is perfectly fine if you want to follow the idea that Odysseus was unfaithful if you read other sources but interestingly enough Homer mentions how unwilling he was. What is more both of the women that he associated with are powerful immortal goddesses. It is no different than female characters being conquered by Gods in mythology. I am sure you would not blame Leda for "seducing Zeus" right?
And again no matter what even if you assume the affair with Calypso started willingly he was still raped by her. Either it started and he tried to end it and Calypso didn't take no for an answer or he never wanted that and then it is even worse.
I agree with your take on how rape was handled in the flim, Nolan can't write women past the mainstream comfy understanding of feminism. He's able to give women girlboos speeches, but can't stomach actually showing his heroic male protags committing to atrocities for real.
But personally I didn't mind Helen? I wish we got more time with her, but showing her as the false prize of the war plays well into the themes Nolan wanted to portray: she too feels the weight of war on her shoulders.
If i'm not mistaken, this is how The Trojan Women by Euripedes portrays her and Melanaus. But that too shows the rape of Cassandra and enslavement of Andromache, which were not in the movie.
What are your thoughts? I've been spending a lot of time mulling over the film. I think it's both a good movie and a narcissistic adaptation. I really like the perspective you talk abt regarding the women.
Uhhh Iâve read the Odyssey but Iâm neither a Hellenist nor historian of this era so Iâm not super well versed in all the plays. I think Helen is threatened a lot with death in that, but didnât run away for fun and was charmed by Aphrodite, and Menelaus forgives her in the end? But I canât swear to it in a court of law. In the OG though theyâre just happily ever after.
I think making the war about trade was a bad take. I mean itâs definitely what Nolan wanted, but I think itâs a bad take. Adaptations have to by definition change some stuff, and Iâve seen plenty of versions that change things I like and things I donât. Thereâs different levels to how load bearing a plot point is. Cutting the gods out of a Greek myth is imo very culturally disrespectful, and turning the religious tent a very westernized Christian lean on top is wrong. To me changing the Helen stuff seemed like it was done in order to avoid the whole golden apple thing since he gutted the gods out of the epic.
Having more time spent on the women and children and multitude of victims of the war is a great lean. Sinon being a suffering young soldier who was just a boy when drafted and his underworld speech was one of the only parts of the film I liked. But like you mentioned, thereâs a shit ton of existing figures to tell that through. Making one of the only two dark skinned black women in the film the only enslaved and implied rape victim of Troy was not a hot take, especially when sheâs in myth one of the only ones ok at the end of the story. Rough for Menelaus too. The slanders⊠if they wanted to focus on the horrors of the war, Cassandra is right there as poster child for it, and sheâs not alone. And Helen in the context of taking so much agency and complexity from every major female character (Calypso denied her godhood and both her negative and positive major arcs, Penelope not portrayed as Odysseusâ mirror soul and perfect match in intelligence and personality, Circe loses her image, most of her magic, demigodhood, being too powerful for Odysseus alone, her property, etc, Mentor is just a guy 100% of the time and Athena doesnât exist as goddess or as Mentor in disguise. Literally remove the most powerful woman in the Odyssey entirely) makes it worse. Also, Menelaus getting what he went to war for and Helen going home to a happy marriage doesnât mean she wouldnât feel guilt or remorse over the war, and regret with success is even more interesting a lot of the time than regret with failure.
That is a super cringe line. The worst one for me was Odysseus quoting Ben Franklin though đđ âthe gods help them who help themselvesâ didnât just take me out of the scene it shot me right out of the theater.
Friendly reminder that Odysseus CRIED EVERY DAY on Calypsoâs island because he didnât want to be there⊠donât come near me with that âOdysseus cheated on his wifeâ stuff he was an assault victim. As for Circe, I reread the Odyssey for a class earlier this year and literally in the text Hermes tells Odysseus heâs going to have to sleep with Circe for his and his menâs survival, so that wasnât his choice either.
A little rant, if you'll allow it, you can delete the ask if you want lol
I HATE it when people call Odysseus a cheater. While they could bring up the Telegony or Pseudo-Apollodorus where he has consensual relationship with other women, they always bring up Circe and Calypso. With Circe, it's straight up coercion. Even if by ancient standards it wouldn't be considered rape, Odysseus was still assaulted (though it's not like today coercion like that wouldn't be considered a rape by many people, rape culture didn't change that much since then sadly). Meanwhile with Calypso, it's straight up rape, and the whole situation Odysseus was in with her is like from a psychological horror movie, since he was assaulted EVERY NIGHT đđ I'm sure if their genders were reversed, a woman in Odysseus' role would be considered a victim by all people who have read the Odyssey.
People can recognize Alcmene got raped by deception, even if in ancient Greece this probably wouldn't be seen as rape, at least by law. So what's the difference between this and the totally unrealistic scenerio of a woman pressuring a man to have sex, without physical force? The "well, back then it wasn't an actual rape, because people in ancient times were totally some savages" excuse is so stupid
Sorry for the rant, but I saw a person who studied stuff about Greek history, culture and myths for years, and they said something like "um, actually, Circe didn't assault him, after eating moly he could freely choose to have sex with her or not. At least it didn't count as cheating by ancient standards" đ
Well I will start from your final point because oh my gosh that is the literal "tell me you haven't read the Odyssey without telling me you haven't read the Odyssey" material over there. In the Odyssey Hermes clearly states that Odysseus CANNOT REFUSE HER at any given space or time and that is AFTER he has taken Moly. Moly was to protect him against her spell not against herself. What is more Hermes tells him that not only has he no choice but also that he has to make her swear she will not hurt him because Circe was more or less planning to kill or castrate him when she was done with him.
I am surprised we still have to be talking about this like...it is RIGHT THERE IN THE TEXT
And there is also a reason why Odysseus claims that he never fell in love with either of them (aka how "neither had his heart") because it WOULD be considered cheating since both goddesses represent free women of status. Odysseus informs the public on the necessity of his situations exactly because him willingly choosing the two of them would have been cheating. In Odysseus's case was coercion
Now for the coercion part I am not so sure either. There is a reason why Homer mentions the coercion in the first place (similarly to how he informs us of the story of Laertes who loved Euryclea but didn't touch her because of his wife). Because, quite frankly, wanted us to know that the reason why Odysseus slept with her was not his personal initiative and desire. The concept of coercion sure it is not spoken in antiquity with the psychological terms we do today however there is a reason why Homer mentioned through Hermes that Odysseus SPECIFICALLY could not refuse her. Sex was practically the price he had to pay for Circe's hospitality and freedom of his men. It was pretty much stated.
The concept of coercion was stated by Odysseus himself upon his return where he basically claims that the suitors had forced themselves upon the majority of his slaves (minus the 12 ones that seemed to have been willing) and he more or less mentions how the blame falls upon the men and not the women. Odysseus accuses the suitors for this, not his slaves. Then he executes only those that truly betrayed him
So Homer does seem, in his own way and time at least, to recognize the aspect of coercion. Yes not the 2020s way but he does seem to want to point that out
Now for Calypso she definitely rapes him as stated in the book as well as I have made so many analysis already on that
Again ironically we have laws against rape at least as far back as Gortyn codes like early archaic period. A fine was assigned for someone if they raped anyone (yeah I know not the drastic measurement someone would expect but still) and honestly even future works that make Alcmene speak her mind (see Euripides) shows the aspect of coercion or mischief to say the very least when gods disguise themselves or even the abduction and rape aspects etc and we recognize them even to this day but yes as many have already pointed before, if Odysseus were a woman or better if Calypso weren't a woman, we wouldn't be talking about that. I mean we speak on Zeus and Ganymede or Europa but what happens to Eos and Cephalus? Or Calypso and Odysseus? Somehow the female goddess perpetrator gets lost to the same context.
And yeah I myself am sick of the usual "argument" that wants to paint all ancient people as mindless savages that only raped and violated without exception and all thought the same like robots and all for sure.
And yes if people wanna use these sources (and mind you we do not know the actual contents of Telegony so we do not know for sure what Odysseus situation was even in there) that depict Odysseus as having willing affairs fine but for goodness sakes stop projecting that to the Odyssey guys...
I havenât watched Nolanâs odyssey (is it even out yet? Idk) and as a Greek girl whoâs been obsessed with Greek mythology since early childhood I already know theyâre gonna fuck it up (I mean, the fact that they erased EVERY bit of color from our very colorful heritage is already shitty -the white Ancient Greek marble statues used to be painted in so many colors! The Mediterranean has such pretty hues of blue!) BUT my one and only request is for them NOT to fuck up the situation of Odysseus and Calypso. In the sense that people always overlook that Odysseus was a victim of coercion/assault for seven fucking years (I remember studying the odyssey at school and Homer specifically mentioned âand at night he [Odysseus] lay with her despite not wanting toâ). And I havenât ever seen anyone portray that fact about the odyssey. But also itâs important not to portray Calypso as this malicious villain, because, and while this absolutely does NOT justify her actions, it is core part of her character that she doesnât understand what sheâs doing is wrong. And when talking about the Odyssey people either use Calypso (and Circe) as arguments about whether or not Odysseus cheated on Penelope, meanwhile especially in Ogygia he could not escape without a ship and he could not make a ship without Calypso finding out and-
Yeah I just really want to see someone properly acknowledge Odysseusâs trauma beyond âyeah I killed a bunch of men -anyway!â
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