The Trap

My Lady Passeth By, Edmund Leighton, 1914

Oil on canvas 67 x 43 ½ in. (170.2 x 110.5 cm)

This is so cute ❤️

To be continued…?

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https://www.instagram.com/marinette_s_cup_of_tea/

So pefect!! 😂😂 Dilla fits this meme so well, I can picture her like this with both Miles/Spider, but also with her husband if someone questions him being by her side!

No one understands him like i do

A slightly late birthday gift for @inolaphoenix her character Inola! Thank you for being so sweet and kind 💜💜

Oh gosh I already had the privilege of getting a sneak peek of the first part of this but as always you outdid yourself girl ✨✨✨❤️❤️❤️

Oh man here she comes to get him, the beautiful nightmare!! Which makes it more ironic that this starts with a sweet dream of his wife!! It's so touching how he sees his home so vividly even in his dreams, all the details and landscapes, and he finds all of this better than any kind of heaven... Poor man will be dreaming of his home like this for such a long time 😢

And he's hearing the voice of his wife like coming straight out of his chest like she is always connected to his heart 😭 and the way he half sobs! Like he wants to scream but he's so weak and emotional to see her there 😭 even the way she is described in a silhouette so close yet so far seems like she is a Goddess to his heart as well! And is the wrapped up object their baby? Poor man wanting to cry! But of course this was way too good to be true. The Gods and karma are not kind to him like this!

You described so well the state of a weakened body, especially after the whole mess Odysseus went through! His body is just beaten up, abused and exhausted so of course it's so hard for him to move or even open his heavy eyes! And his poor throat from the harshness of the elements and sea!! Oh gosh the white room!! I know this feeling hahaha "turn off that wall!!" 😂 It's crazy when the light hits! But it also gives a sense of freshness, even tho in this context the blinding white scenario probably will add to Odysseus feeling of "captivity" later on! It's funny that "alien abduction" clishés also talk about people being brought to blinding white rooms, and this context also reminded me of that 😆 tho to be fair a white stone grotto, especially with such furniture and tapestries also sounds beautiful hehe it does fit a Goddess, so you already started with the beautifulXcreepy duality very well even before Calypso appears! Oh gosh and the maid is afraid of him and his look! She even takes a step back hearing him attempting to talk!

Oh boy and here she comes in all her creepy beautiful glory! Also sorry I can't help but compare her to a twisted version of Dilla hahaha deep voice but melodic, tall and strong (despite looking delicate) and a motherly touch, even the dark skin, but unlike Dilla she's just so twisted, cunning and manipulative, emanating a false sense of security from those honey eyes 😆😆

I love the ocean themed details of her like the seashells on her braided hair! Also love the unnatural beauty of her face being pore-less and such, giving her a doll-like or as you brilliantly describes, a marble like texture, it so adds to the uncanny valley sensation that the being he is dealing with is definitely not human despite having human shapes! Also love the choice of honey colored eyes because as said before they add to this false sense of sweetness, but also they can both be sweet and predatory 👀 I also love your choice of words saying that Odysseus gets stunned by her beauty, it makes him seem like he's already sort of jumpy from her!

Her motherly attitude is definitely a red flag here hahaha seems more condescending somehow! And the way she seems to be so unnaturally strong is realy scary having in account what she could do with said strength! And she feeds him the nectar now hahaha this is the part I got suspicious hahahaha like a drug 😂😂 I like your description of the taste because you left it misterious (since this drink it's probably something hard to explain) yet you have a good hint of what it must feel like to drink it, like all the flavors and none at all is brilliant! And the way the poor guy is almost addicted to it immediately, tho he also seems to need it... And the way he feels so tired just by the act of drinking 😢

Hahaha even the way she tells him she gave him nectar is kind of cocky! Like "you should be happy because humans don't usually drink this, I was so generous giving it to you to save you" 😂 but at the same time it's such fitting behavior for such a Goddess hahaha and poor Odysseus surely feels better for it... Tho he is yet to pay the price!

Oh man "devine beings"... They sure are, but this will definitely not be your heaven my guy! Tho I loved how the girls giggled at his comment hahaha charmer 😆 and of course Calypso can almost already guess this guy crossed the Gods somehow lol

Gosh poor Odysseus still hoping to get some comrade back even if it's just a dead body... And man this reaction of Calypso is definitely quite cruel but fitting for someone who sees the life and death of humans as something so trivial and fleeting. The way she is actually amused at his question... And calling him darling like that, once again sounding condescending rather than comforting! Aww poor guy's heart breaking more even tho he already cried so much for them, and he's still so tired, the way he can't tell how many days have been is both sad but to be expected.

It's so twisted knowing what happens next, because this is also a very complex situation, she definitely helped him and saved his life, some of her emotions are genuine, yet the price he has to pay being raped and forced really is too twisted especially seeing some of her attitudes, her sort of disconnect to human existence, how condescending she is, her air of haughtiness... and her forceful attitude even if it's still soft now, it already is a red flag! She really is quite the scary one, yet she has so many layers until she uncovers the hunting spider beneath!

Oh gosh I love such details the way you make his body finally feel the repercussions of his great stress, heartbreak and torment, and actually giving him a physical reaction through fever shivers and more... This is so realistic the body truly suffers this way in great stress... And the way he is mumbling all the terrors and pains he has suffered until now 😭

I really loved how you described all his horrors in one big amalgamation of a nightmare... The attack on Troy with all the creaming people, the Charybdis whirlpool... The dead baby and the men turned into pigs with the sacred cows! Gosh too much for the poor man now coming for his dreams all at once 😭

The way you described him thinking he would not die by Poseidon really is a good hint that his sweat drenched clothes are making him feel like he is drowning at sea again... Poor guy must really feel like choking with the clothes 😢 oh man and him going back to the thunder that struck his boat... The burning flesh is such a dark detail and gosh the eye crying blood staring at him is such nightmare fuel! Is it from the cyclops? Or Poseidon looking at him from the depths maybe? Either way gosh!! Horror material in an amazing way ✨✨

Oh man him pleading for a drink at her! And her smiling at his state is somehow disturbing even if she goes to assist him! You really did Calypso's red flags so well girl! It's the little subtle things about her!

Oh gosh she just went for it!! Mouth feeding the liquid to him like that seems so violating already, like she was waiting to take advantage of that moment to do it! Oh man but of course the feverish man's thoughts go to his wife instead 😭 the way he connected the honey taste to Penelope remembering even what she used to eat while she was pregnant, and all her other details... Poor guy really is sinking into the desire and longing thinking he is home with her again... 😢

And the way he cries and begs for her before losing consciousness again 😭 man that damn woman hahaha she is wicked! But somehow you also gave her such an interesting touch of humanity in her twisted Goddess demeanor! The way she is curious about these passion feelings inside her, even if she still is creepy lool she kisses him again without a second thought!

It's also a mix of creepy and interesting the way she is drawn to him, she is looking at him and observing him like he was a shiny new toy she has never seen before and wants to have to herself... She wants to know him better because she's curious about what makes him tick and work, and not knowing how to have him frustrates her... Or at least that's the feeling she gives me because she's way too detached from mortal beings so she sees them more as entertainment.

Hahaha but it is interesting how this mortal man who is not particularly handsome compared to Gods and deities still caught the attention of these Goddesses by his rugged and interesting appearance and aura! Also I can see through your descriptions why he is compared to a ram! Bushy guy 😂😂 even the way she touched him tenderly is forceful, her hands trailing like that confidently as if she owned him already is very disregarding of his own wishes, which she doesn't really care of course lol

And of course that remark of the future plus her taking his hairs truly gives a scary feeling! (Also interesting how she took one white and one black hahaha like it's a symbolism for his duality!)

Gosh and here is yet another dream of his family and home the poor guy really can't take it being away from them for so long, his whole body and mind longs to return 😢 and the bed is here hahaha once again so sad that his dreams of home are so vivid even after such a long time!!

Penelope seems like such a soft and supporting wife even tho she shares his temper and wits sometimes hahaha and man he remembers her just like the day he left for war! ❤️ And gosh in this dream he managed to return home after Troy, a wish from his heart 😭 And he even imagines his grown up son! It's interesting how the dreams both end with the silhouette of his loved ones against the sun, first his wife then his son, almost as if it was hard for his heart to picture then at that moment... Especially Telemachus that he never saw grown so his image is more dream like... And oh boy that melody and the weaving... Calypso is definitely putting her spells to work there...

Also possibly this is not the idea but it's almost as if Calypso likes to have Odysseus lying there in the bed next to her working corner as a sort of adornment. Sure he has no choice he needed to rest and to lay there, but I dunno hahaha the weird feeling! I can definitely see the Spider spinning a web inspiration in the way Calypso works on her weaving! And the poor man is still so confused!

The way she calls him darling hahaha shivers! 😂 Once again she points to her immortality as a completely different reality! Oh you went with the week he spent sleeping here instead!! Hahaha so fitting and it makes sense since his body was enduring his fever dreams and repressed stress and all! Poor guy was shocked and of course the Spider is amused at the little fly she caught 😆

The mention of his torn clothes... In a way it's also crazy that even in the middle of his weakness Odysseus was so panicked that he managed to actually tear the fabrics!! Aww and he's ashamed that his wife's name and feelings were exposed while he was in such a weakened state!

Oh boy the flash of jealousy!! 👀😱 Gosh Odysseus doesn't imagine how terribly right he is! And she strikes back by saying he kissed her!! Completely leaving out the fact that she was the one who crashed her lips on him without permission in the first place! Such a sly manipulator she is, because that indeed was not a lie technically however it would not happen without her starting it, letting him subconsciously respond!! He could not even sit up let alone reach up to kiss her! But of course Odysseus in his confused state (plus possibly her spell)does not even ponder that, and just feels guilty!

Oh man and the way you describe him looking like a hurt animal when she tells him she enjoyed it... Definitely about to be hunted... "You took me by surprise" she says oh man the nerve 😆

Oh man I can see her spells are taking away a bit of his rational thinking there! Yet the poor guy still wants to be clear that he never meant to do such a thing and avoid any misunderstanding... and now he is seeing her as a predator her layers are starting to peal bit by bit! And gosh the way his chest clenched, he really is so afraid to anger another deity!! And her reply is truly dangerous! It sounds like a treat already! Like she's telling him he's treading on thin ice by thinking of his mortal wife while she's there 😨

Oh man and the way she demands the information from him warning him not to lie while she herself is already manipulating and subduing him without him even knowing! And the fact that she now is certain that he is the infamous Odysseus only made him more interested... In a not so fortunate way for him... Hahaha his long string of titles impressing her 😆

Gosh his guilt eating him alive again preventing him from defending himself, you really make his pain shine through in the most heartbreaking way through your writing 😢 and l the way she holds his chin up I can't! 😆 I love how you make their moments that were supposed to be tender at first glance seem so visceral somehow! And poor Odysseus feels it and is uncomfortable... I love how he faked dizziness to have an excuse to draw away from her grasp! And he's careful to point out she's beautiful perhaps to appease her? Oh boy the rest indeed 🤣 better to pretend being sick forever man 🤣🤣

The poor guy is thankfully healing well but oh man he still is so oblivious of his situation even tho he can feel the ominous sensation over him... The spell idea connected to her singing and weaving truly is scary yet so interesting as a concept! It's like she's trying to weave into his mind quite literally especially since she took his hair!! Still it's sweet to see him satisfied to be healed even tho it's clearly an effect of her spells 😢

Oh man her watching him... Again in other contexts it could be admiration but with her it's so like... A perv stalker! 😆 It's crazy how he indeed still dives into the water despite his traumas tho! And again the way she thinks about making love to humans is so like a novelty to her, taking someone for fun, and how ironic how so many mortal men would jump at the opportunity to share a bed with her, but of course she wants the one whose heart and body just can't belong to her, not truly. Also the way she almost fetishizes human mortality. Tho her duality and complexity is also interesting, the way she tells herself she wants to console him and provide him with a missing piece or that she can connect his loneliness with her own, however this all falls flat because despite the fact that she might love him or not, she still does not respect his true wishes or feeling choosing to manipulate or forcing him to be with her instead! It's quite an interesting way to choose to write an abuser! She's not cartoonishly evil, yet her duality makes her so much more creepy and interesting than if she was! She's truly terrifying and intriguing that way, and has a touch of realism even in her narcissist attitude. Oh man and her jealousy of Penelope really makes her seem more dangerous... Gosh and of course she finally decides to show more of her cunning layers!

Hahaha it's kind of cute how Odysseus knows the names of the nymphs now! Gosh and they are almost as mischievous as their mistress giggling like that knowing what is planned for him! Yeah Odysseus... The good Goddess to wait indeed oh man...

This is an interesting contrast to how he will dislike being bathed by servants, especially female servants, later on... How many times must he have been prepared by nymphs before heading to one more dreaded night with Calypso... also the fact that Calypso is even dressing him up!! It goes back to the "It's almost like she found a cat" idea! Even if it sounds like a trivial thing, it's still like she is somehow taking even the little choices away from him dressing him with what she pleases instead... And it's somehow worse that she made them for him lool this so goes back to the twisted Dilla idea hahaha sorry! 😆

Oh boy and he enters the cage of the lion hahaha I love how you still make him so human, because despite his heart belonging to another and Penelope being always his choice he still of course gets impressed by the beauty of a Goddess because who wouldn't? It's another thing Calypso tries to use against him lol and the way she lays there on the couch sounds like a painting hehe and she definitely chose her wardrobe carefully! I love how how she knew she should not be too provoking or it would be too obvious for her mind games with him!

The environment sounds so beautiful tho and undoubtedly romantic which once again makes it darker as a concept!! Especially with the fact that she made the wine strong to make him inebriated and easier to influence! Oh man and she wants to jump on him the moment he kisses her hand out of gratefulness! The lion den is truly here!!

And even in the conversation she's trying to point out how her island is rich and with abundance like she is trying to suggest it would be the perfect place for him to live... It's also so ironic how she toasts to life since once again mortal life seems to be something so trivial to Gods to a certain extent. The different subjects and perspectives they share are so interesting tho haha Odysseus talks about such human things lands, adventures, war, while Calypso seems to be talking about concepts so transcendental, stars, cycles, songs of birds, it's an interesting perspective of a Deity having "small talk" hahaha

Oh man making the guy drunk... Again so dark, she clearly is trying to make him vulnerable and that is so frightening real to an abuser behavior... And the way she came to realize he's afraid of displeasing her and is using that to make him do what she wants! She is clearly pounding on his defenses like a hammer... Making them come down by emotional force... And the way she finally uses his sadness to get to his heart while sort of guilt tripping him... gosh that was low and it hurt 😭

Oh boy the trust question was it... Somehow the way he's so drunk makes this all the more dark and sad, the way he can't properly talk and she pretty much backed him into a corner until he bursts all of his sadness and emotions out 😭 she's forcing his trust on her and that's messed up...

Oh gosh the poor man crying like that while telling her... In a way thinking he is letting it all out to a person who is listening.. but man once again he is yet to pay the price for it 😭 her cooing at him is definitely even worse!! And NOW she makes her servants stop serving him drink lol aww he's even physically nauseous from his drunkenness and emotions 😭 and he thinks she is soothing!! Oh man 😭

Oh gosh when she said "Shall we go to bed" I thought this would be the first of the 2555 🤣🤣 oh man!!! And he can't even properly reply with a yes or no... He's so defenseless in her arms now... And now he reminds himself of one of her red flags the strength she could use to crush him...

Him trying to convince himself that the fact that she is gentle with him and saved should be a reason for her and her strength not to be concerning... yet his instincts are clearly concerned! Even her ideas of stealing kisses are concerning now let alone the rest! 😆 Man the spider watching her little prey get more and more tangled in her web again... Oh gosh yeah Calypso, or you'll be yet one more sorrow for his list! 😭

Oh boy girl yet one more crazy ride! I really enjoy how you wrote Calypso! She's so interesting as a cunning yet alluring character! Complex in her emotions yet so detached and toxic! And it all fits so well with her Goddess nature, beautiful yet creepy! And of course Odysseus dealing with yet another complicated road ahead!! Fantastic job girl just so perfect! It's building up to a great conclusion here, so exciting to read!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️✨✨✨🫶🫶🫶💎💎💎💎

As said before the soundtracks are so fitting! So dark yet alluring like the Goddess! Oh it's interesting that the horse he was mumbling about could also be the Poseidon! 😲 The honey crackers detail is so sweet for his wife ❤️ Man the spell making him forget his sorrow is both so fitting for an epic yet so horror story material in the best way! Yet the man fights hehe oh gosh what a great idea with the parallel fates! Like Karma always striking him again and again!!

Truly fantastic 🕷️🕷️🕸️🕸️✨✨

Survivor's Guilt and Survivor's Duty (P2)

this is dedicated to @aaronofithaca05 because I believe I read somewhere his birthday was coming? Hehehe Either way this is the second part

Continuation from:

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katerinaaqu

Survivor's Guilt and Survivor's Duty (P1) Odysseus was hungry. That much he knew. Gods were really cruel with them the days that went throu

It was only for a brief second that the rays of sun touched his salt-crusted cheek but Odysseus saw or at least he thought he saw a tall slender figure picking something up from the beach many meters away from him (maybe a seashell). The figure turned towards him and walked there. And then everything turned black…

Sweet warm sunlight was embracing him. It was a familiar warmth; as familiar were the smells of grass, land and flocks of goats. He could hear the birds singing, feeling the soil beneath his feet and the grass tops to his fingertips. The warm breeze was caressing his face and softly playing with his hair. He had his eyes closed taking in every detail his eyes could not perceive. He opened them to see the familiar land showered in light. Everything was still there…the hills, the crops…the flocks playing at the rocks…the birds singing amongst the olive trees… Tears overflew his eyes as his heart flattered within his chest. This was better than Elysium… This was home…

“Odysseus!”

The melodic voice came from a distance… Maybe it had come out of his very chest. And yet the familiar voice of the woman he so much longed for made him feel his heart ready to burst in his chest.

“Odysseus!”

There she was…showered in light. She had the strong sunlight at her back so he couldn’t make her features; just her silhouette. However he did not need to see her face to know who she was; that straight and slim body covered with her modest veils softly waving at the evening breeze.

“Penelope!”

It was a half-sob through that whisper; a prayer, a longing scream of the soul. She was standing there, as if to the beginning of a light tunnel. She was holding a small, wrapped up thing in her arms. Oh, he was home!

“Come, Odysseus!” the lulling voice came again

“Penelope…!”

Her name was the only thing he could utter. His throat was clenched by sobs that he wanted so much to let out and was holding them back.

“Come…my love…come…”

He extended his arm towards her offering one.

Light engulfed him…

*

He could hardly feel his surroundings but he gradually gained some level of consciousness enough to start to gain subsequently some essence of feel and touch. He could understand he was lying upon the soft, sweet-smelling surface of a bed. His eyelids seemed to be weighting a ton each as if they were made out of lead. His body felt even heavier than that and he barely could twitch a finger, yet alone move. His throat still hurt and felt dry but he noticed the feeling was infinitely better than the last time he remembered being conscious. He forced himself to open his eyes and again and again till finally he succeeded. At first all he could see was whiteness but after a second his vision half-cleared as he blinked. He noticed he was inside a white room made of stone.    The sunlight was reflecting upon the whiteness of the walls creating a natural almost blinding result. It took him a few extra seconds to realize that he was inside some sort of grotto. The walls, even if they bore no decorations from murals like most palaces did, still looked magnificent and tall, they had nothing to be jealous of the great palaces he saw in his life or even holy Troy herself. There were quite a few pieces of furniture around and tapestries with patterns he didn’t recognize. He tried to raise his neck from the pillow but he realized he found it easier to move the rocks instead. His head seemed nailed to the pillow. He drew out a rusty breath as he scanned the place and only then he noticed a young girl above him fixing his covers, he presumed, with another behind her leaving a tray at a small table somewhere. The maid that fixed him had a scared look on her face. Was he really that much of a dreadful sight? He tried his voice that seemed stuck like the crust of salt that seemed to be gone from his body now.

“Where…where am I…?” he managed to rasp out

The maiden took a few steps back.

“Madam! He’s awake” she called upon someone behind her shoulder

“I can see that” came a melodious deep female voice from somewhere behind

Odysseus weakly looked up to see a magnificent woman. She was tall and slender with dark sun-kissed skin and dark hair carefully arranged in braids adorned with gold and seashells which cascaded down her back like a cape. Her face was heart-shaped and completely clear and pore-less; looking more like the magnificence of marble rather than flesh. Her large almond-eyes had the color of rich honey and her lips were full and shaped like a shell. Odysseus was stunned by her beauty and much more by her soothing voice.

“Who…” he started but his voice betrayed him

The stunning woman smiled almost maternally at him, raising with her richly adorned with gold bracelets and rings a goblet.

“Well, stranger, welcome back to the world of the living! You had us worried there. We believed you wouldn’t make it…”

“Wha…?” Odysseus started but again his throat betrayed him

“There, there, stranger…” the woman repeated maternally, “Come on, drink this…”

She slid her arm behind his back and half-raised him with unexpected strength, bringing the goblet to his lips. As the liquid touched those thirsty, dry lips, Odysseus gained strength anew to his arms; the type of strength you get when you need to survive. He greedily downed sips from the drink and aimed to hold it with his weak, shaking hands. He tasted the sweetest drink he ever thought he would taste; it was sweeter than honey, smoother than wine. It was all the tastes he ever knew and none at the same time. He coughed as the drink went down the wrong way but he drank more ignoring some that escaped his lips and down the thick layer of curly hair that adorned his wide chest. He was thirsty! He was thirsty to the point of madness!

“There…there…” the woman repeated, removing the goblet from his lips, “Easy there, take it easy…”

She handed the goblet to her maid who refilled it and she repeated the action, to which Odysseus responded quite the same way before breathing heavily of exhaustion and be lowered slowly back to his pillows. How weak one can be to feel exhausted by drinking from a cup while being held limb by someone else, he thought!

“Rejoice” said the woman standing to her feet, making her braids and jewels clatter with each other, “That’s Nectar you’re drinking; the drink of the gods. Not many humans have the honor of tasting it. It is the only thing capable of giving your strength back, given the state you were in”

The tormented king of Ithaca took a few more breaths; sucking the oxygen with the same thirst as he had drank the godly drink. However he realized that even though his body was still heavy like metal and his limbs weak he wasn’t in so much pain as he used to or at least as much as he could remember. His wounds were also healing as it seemed for they didn’t sting him anymore like burning coals. His burnt by sun shoulders, back and face no longer stung so badly either. He looked at the divine form once more. Her dark skin was perfectly contrasting the white walls of the grotto.

“Who…who are you…?” he managed to whisper with some effort, “Did I die…and somehow ended up to Elysium to be greeted by divine beings…?”

The girls now giggled as their mistress also chuckled softly.

“No, stranger, you are not dead, not yet; even if as it seems the gods are trying very hard to achieve that! You washed up on my isle to the brief of death. I found you and brought you to my home.”

“Then…” the stunned king began, “…who are you…?”

“I am Calypso” the woman replied with a tone of pride and regal aura, “Daughter to Atlas; immortal Nymph and Goddess Protector of Ogygia.”

“A goddess…” Odysseus repeated like an echo

He tried once more to sit up, this time with some success (which however left him exhausted and rasping for breath again).

“Pray tell me, magnificent lady” he began, “Has…”

He hesitated.

“Has…anyone else washed up to your doors? Alive or dead?”

The hope that was biting his heart wouldn’t leave him in peace; no matter what his brain was signaling would be logical. However Calypso’s half-amused look destroyed all the last bits of that hope before the goddess actually spoke.

“Anyone else? No, darling. Just you and it was already a miracle that you survived this. You washed up at my isle in what seemed like half a step from death. I highly doubt there are more people out there who could survive so.”

Odysseus felt his heart sinking. Yes, he expected that blow but it was a blow nonetheless. He felt his body grow weak again. He was struggling really badly to hold himself awake.

“How…how long was I…?”

He had counted around 9 days out in the sea. He assumed it was probably one more since he had lost consciousness more than once but now time escaped him. Calypso smiled again as her honey eyes reflected the light of the sun through her white cave.

“This is the morning of the fourth day you have been unconscious. My maids and I cleaned your wounds and anointed you with oil so that they would heal faster. We gave you a new change of clothes and tried to give you Nectar in hope from dragging you out of death’s door”

That explained the soft clothes that embraced his tormented body. There was so much he wanted to ask; so much he wanted to say… He made a move to sit up even further but his body shivered as if his arms had lost all their previous strength.

“No…” Calypso whispered melodically, “Too soon. You must keep your strength…”

Her touch felt warm against his chest. His senses swam. That delicate hand held strength beyond his comprehension as she firmly pressed him down and yet it was soft and welcome in his tortured soul.

“Goddess…” he began, “I…”

“Shhh…” Calypso whispered again, “Save your strength…sleep…”

Her voice was lulling…even more enchanting now than the Sirens whose forbidden song he was privileged to hear. His head softly touched the pillow as his sight got out of focus. Calypso’s beautiful face was blurred within his swimming, dizzy mind. Suddenly his body felt light…like falling weightlessly to the abyss. Calypso’s voice came as if from a distance even if she was right there above him.

“Sleep…”

Darkness took over him once more…

*

He was coming in and out of consciousness; that much he could tell, although everything became a blurring mess in his brain. Sometimes in some moments of clarity he could remember where he was; he was in the unknown location of Ogygia, nursed to health by the immoral Calypso…his men all gone…his ship was destroyed… The gloomy thoughts were swimming soon after and he drifted back to a sort of lethargy without beginning or end as if he was falling softly down an unknown hole; softly like a feather that was let go from a bird’s wing. His tormented body finally kept up with the events of the past weeks and soon came the shivers, the tremors, the fever and the dreams. That much Odysseus could remember in those rare moments of clarity that were interrupting his lithe. Body twitching and soaked in sweat, Odysseus the king of Ithaca found himself mumbling incoherent phrases and pledges confusing them with the images that attacked his tortured mind.

“No…ah…no…don’t…there…run…run…”

Twitching arms were moving over the light silky sheets. Twitching fingers grappling the material constantly. Droplets of sweat were always adorning his forehead.

“The wall…the wall…d-don’t…the horse…the horse…oh, gods, mercy…the horse…”

There was fire and screaming; faces of men and women tangled in a mass…there was a whirlpool of water opening up sharp teeth coming for his life. Cries of a baby were being mixed with yelps of pain and screeching of pigs being slain and moans of cows being sacrificed…

“Gods…! Oh, gods…mercy…the horse…the sea…get in…d-don’t…get in…don’t…the horse!”

The material of his shirt was so soaked that was plastered against his chest. He occasionally had to tear the material to be set free; no, he wouldn’t die out there by Poseidon! The material wouldn’t strangle him! Not today!

“No more…ah…gods, mercy…n-no more…! D-Don’t…c-catch it…h-hold it… The horse…gods…in the horse…fire…fire…that voice…gods…gods…make it stop!”

His throat was dry, his chest was clenched by an iron hand.

“No…no…ah…p-please…n-no more…the hair…run…I…I don’t…no…no…”

There was a flash of light and a loud bang then the smell of wine and burning flesh however the source of it he did not know. Then an eye staring at him from the black abyss, crying tears of blood.

“The horse…in the water…gods, mercy…no more…!”

He was falling…softly and slowly but still falling.

“The wall…the horse…in the water…that voice…c-catch…stop…stop the…”

Then there was darkness…

“…No…”

His eyes opened slowly but he was out of focus. There was a dim light around him and whiteness but everything was a blur. He was feeling like burning; both from the outside and the inside. There was a blurry figure at some small distance. His arm extended pleadingly towards it.

“Th-Thirsty…” he whispered as if in a trance, “Please…I’m…thirsty…”

Calypso noticed the movement at the bed and heard the whisper coming so feverishly out of those lips. She saw that wrecked body; those eyes that barely slid open to make a request before falling heavy once more. She smiled.

“Of course…”

She stood up and went to the table, pouring liquid in a goblet. However instead of doing what she did initially she drank deeply from it and leaned down. Her lips covered those burning ones. Odysseus felt the taste of water and honey in his tongue. His throat moved spasmodically and desperately to accept the sweet liquid. The softness of flesh against his lips…the taste of honey on his tongue… Penelope… Only she had breath that smelled of honey… Crusty honey cakes were her favorite snack. She was munching them all the time when she was pregnant to their sweet Telemachus and so her breath always tasted honey and sesame; her body smelt fine olive oil… Those lips desperately moved. Finally he was home… Penelope… His lips softly massaged those soft ones and moved harmoniously to the movement of response he felt. Oh, the longing! The sheer happiness! His lips tasted her again and again, hoping that his strength would come back; that his weak arm and hand that rose to touch that soft cheek would allow him to TRULY embrace her… He wanted to explore further…he wanted to taste more…however his body was sinking anew. Tears escaped his eyes, running and getting lost within his raven curly hair… Just a bit longer…oh, gods, have mercy…let me stay a bit longer… As that head sank down to the pillows, his mouth left hers and he drifted back to a deep sleep. Calypso felt their lips separate and pulled back to look at the sleeping form of the mortal man that washed up so unexpectedly to her isle. She touched her lips with her thumb in comprehension. She could still feel his lips on hers. What a weird sensation!

“Who are you, stranger…?” she thought with a curious smile, “…and you kiss so passionately…?”

Calypso tasted her lips in apprehension and a smirk rose to her face. She was definitely curious now. She leaned over that sleeping form. Her face was inches apart from his. The man beneath her was a mere mortal; he was barely average of height but of amazing physical structure, even though he had obviously lost weight from all the hardships he had to face. He seemed long past the age of his youth but that air of maturity in combination to the hardened features from life and sea gave him a special charm. That raven hair like ram’s fleece and the bushy beard gave him some wild beauty despite the fact that his features were not particularly handsome compared to gods and immortal nymphs. She landed her lips on top his head and between his brows and once more landed on those dry from sea lips, hoping to get that reaction again however Odysseus was so far under his sleep that he didn’t move anymore.

“Who were you thinking of…?” she whispered again, “What secrets do you hide…?”

Her smooth hand soothed that bushy chest and felt the fleece that covered it, feeling the hard muscles beneath. Her hand stopped to feel some tiny scar here and there; obviously reminders of war. The arms and legs obviously belonged to a warrior, a craftsman and a sailor…soft scars that could be done by nothing else but hunting knives and animal teeth could be seen in his fingers. Blisters found at his palms could be done by nothing else but sword shield and bow with arrows. The little hardened skin to his shoulders could be done by nothing else but armor. When she and her maidens were firstly nursing him back to health she noticed a distinct scar to his upper thigh (obviously some animal) and a scar to his abdomen (clearly a reminiscent of a spear). This man was no ordinary man. Calypso slowly rose herself off that sleeping form.

“Well, well, well…” she whispered, “Man with many talents…we shall see what the future holds…”

She caressed his hair gently and took two curly hairs from his head; one jet black and one silver for he had plenty that had started emerging from his obsidian mane like the first thunderbolts in the dark sky.

*

The light was warm; it was playing tricks between the leaves of the perennial olive trees that intertwined together to form the leg of his beloved bed; the wedding bed he had built with his own hands. And there, there was the familiar corridor of his palace; which he had walked up and down ever since he could remember. It seemed that everything was showered in yellow sunlight. He recognized every corner; every piece of marble, every mural in every wall. It was home; a humble yet perfect for him home.

“Odysseus!”

He turned around. There she was in all her beauty; Penelope, his wife and love approached him and hugged his arm. Her veils were already covering her hair as always when she came out of the chamber. Odysseus looked at her stupefied.

“Penelope?”

“Dear, oh, dear!” Penelope claimed playfully, “There you are! It was about time you came! You’re going to miss the celebration, darling, and it wouldn’t be appropriate, given that you are the honoring person!”

“Penelope?” Odysseus question again, “How…? I mean…when…?”

The love of his life, looking young and fresh like the day he left her for war chuckled in her usual crystal way that opened his heard like a rose.

“My, my! When you drink you don’t know what you’re saying!”

“But…I don’t…!”

The pull in his arm made him stagger forward.

“Well, come on then! You’ll miss the celebrations!”

“Hold on, a second, Penelope… What celebration?”

She chuckled again. Odysseus could swear he could hear that forever.

“But for the anniversary of taking Troy, of course! It was a year ago since the day you came back to us with the joyful news!”

“I’m…home…? I came…back…”

“Well come on! Your son has been preparing for this celebration for weeks! You don’t want to miss his performance now, do you?”

“Father!”

It was a distant voice Odysseus did not recognize. He looked forward towards the entrance that was showered in light. It almost seemed like Helios Hyperion was right outside his door, showering everywhere in light. There at the entrance he saw the silhouette of a young boy, with his arm above his head weaving at him.

“Father!”

“Telemachus!” Odysseus’s voice chocked into his throat

How much had he grown! He was almost a proper young man! The boy’s lean silhouette was still there. Odysseus cried tears of joy. There was a distant song coming from somewhere afar. He didn’t know that melody. There was also the rhythmical sound of someone weaving.

“Father! Come father! Come!”

It was as if an invisible hook was tied at his stomach for suddenly he was pulled towards the light. And then he was engulfed in white…

*

Odysseus opened his onyx eyes only to find himself to the familiar, now, environment of Calypso’s grotto. There were no more tapestries he knew or halls he had almost built brick by brick but the known white grotto. At the corner there was Calypso. She was humming some melody, moving to and fro. He remembered that song from his vague dream. That voice that could possibly be rivaling the Muses and the Sirens seemed like ringing like a bell in his brain. He work was considered of fine golden thread and patterns Odysseus did not recognize. Her fingers were moving swiftly and yet softly with a dexterity only an immortal goddess could have. For a moment he felt dizzy again but he realized it was much better than he thought. His body was still weak but in an infinitely better condition. His hand cupped his face and ran his fingers through his hair. He was feeling lost. Everything seemed exactly as he had left them before he lost consciousness.

“Forgive me, goddess…” he mumbled, “I fell asleep in the middle of our conversation…”

Calypso halted her movements and turned around to face him. Her shell-like lips formed a smile.

“It is quite a forgivable sin, darling” she replied airily, “Besides what’s a few days before eternity? It all passes like a breath”

“A few day-…?!” Odysseus was astounded, “Why, how long was I…?”

“Around a week this time, my darling.

“A whole week?!”

Calypso chuckled.

“And you gave quite the scare to my poor maids as well. They told me you torn the royal clothes they put on you twice and got alarmed by your voice as they thought you were going under again”

“I was talking in my sleep?”

“You don’t know half of it!” Calypso teased him, “You were mentioning a name quite often though when your phrases could make some sense… I believe it sounded like… ‘Penelope’…?”

Odysseus lowered his eyes in shame. It was already embarrassing enough that he was weaker than a baby and that he had these gorgeous women take care of his basic needs as he was unconscious and to hear he was sleep-talking as well but now that his wife’s name came out in the light he felt exposed.

“She’s my wife…” he finally admitted

Was that a shadow of jealousy that he saw passing flashily before her face like a tiny cloud momentarily shadowing the sun? Maybe he had imagined it, he thought, for her face returned to her previous calm state.

“I see…” Calypso whispered, “That explains a lot actually.”

“What?”

“It must have been her you were thinking of, when you kissed me”

All color left Odysseus’s face. He had no recollection of that event but the way Calypso said it, it sounded true!

“Gods! Forgive me goddess I shouldn’t have done that…!” he rushed to explain

Calypso, though, laughed.

“No need to worry too much, darling. Actually…I quite enjoyed it.”

Odysseus looked at her. His face almost looked like a hurt animal; like the fox that got out of his den to find a hound staring at him.

“You’re the first mortal to kiss me, actually” Calypso continued, “You took me by surprise but I don’t think ill of it”

“P-Please don’t take it the wrong way, goddess…” Odysseus tried to collect himself

His usual eloquent nature was once more gone; somehow lost in the sea and in the dreams; in the song and the spinning wheel.

“I…I was not myself. I shouldn’t have done that”

Calypso smirked again. Odysseus thought he had seen that smile before; a cat before attacking a rabbit at the fields of Ithaca. However her honey eyes shone wholeheartedly.

“Like I said, my dear guest, I quite enjoyed it. You seem to be a man of many talents… Even if…”

Odysseus’s heart clenched once more. The last thing he wanted was to see the bad side of yet another god.

“…you seem to have quite the nerve. You almost seem like you want to insult me by having me at your presence and admitting you mistakenly kissed me, thinking of some mortal woman!”

“I’ve had enough of offending gods for a lifetime, fair Calypso…” Odysseus mumbled fixing himself better in his bed

“Is that so…?” Calypso’s eyes shone again mischievously as she scanned him again, “I think it’s time you revealed who you are, stranger. What is your name? Which is your native land? Answer me truthfully, though. Gods can know when you are lying”

Odysseus lowered his eyes to his lap. Yes, his first instinct would be to conceal himself. He didn’t know what this goddess would think of him but she had saved his life after all. The very least he owed her was honesty and, if anything, indeed the gods often read the mortal soul like an open book.

“Odysseus…of Ithaca” Odysseus mumbled

“Ho?” Calypso brought her hand to her chin amused, “Is that so? Your reputation precedes you, Odysseus son of Laërtes, Man of Many Ways, the Man of Experience, Godly and Equal to Gods, Sacker of Cities… That’s a pretty long string of titles for a mortal! I am impressed. Although I must say that you have created quite a mess for the gods. Poseidon is crossed with you and won’t rest till he sees your destruction after you blinded his son.”

Odysseus lowered his eyes. There was so much he wanted to say and defend himself but as always his past wouldn’t let him… Troy, Polyphemus, the cows of Helios Hyperion… As if noticing his inner battle Calypso smiled softly. She placed a hand under Odysseus’s chin, making her look at her in the eyes. For a moment his eyes god lost inside her honey pools that reflected the sunlight.

“Don’t worry, Odysseus. You are safe here with me. No god would dare to come to my territory unprovoked. They have no reason to come and seek you here. You will be safe…”

Safe… That was a word the tormented king of Ithaca couldn’t really contemplate… However the closeness with the goddess made him feel uncomfortable. There was something in the back of his head that felt wrong but he didn’t even know why or he wouldn’t dare to offend her. He pretended feeling dizzy again and he leaned back to avoid her touch. Calypso smiled and got up.

“My maids shall bring you some food, Odysseus. I believe you are strong enough to eat now. Nectar and potions we created should allow you to heal to that point”

“I am grateful, beautiful goddess…”

“Rest and regain your strength first” Calypso advised sweetly, “The rest shall come…”

*

The weeks passed and Odysseus was indeed trying his best to keep himself in good condition. A few days more and he could walk about Calypso’s grotto without any problems and soon he felt gaining his old strength back. Eventually he got out of the grotto and got to explore the isle around and know his surroundings. Under the tender care of Calypso and her maids, Odysseus felt like finding himself again. He gained the weight he lost by his cruel misadventures and managed to built his previous physical strength. He could still have an ominous feeling pressing over his chest and more often whatnot he would wake up from his dreams because he would hear a mystical song or someone weaving but he brushed it off. Calypso on the other hand could not help herself feeling more and more for this mortal man that showed up at her door. She would get a glimpse of him diving into the waters of her isle to gather mollusks and shells. Others with similar experiences might not even want to be near the sea but not Odysseus. Odysseus was different. She was observing him from afar and hoped to join with him. The curiosity of how humans made love already excited her yet alone now that this man had showed up at her door; a man whose wits seemed to rival the gods. She wondered if that was what made this king attractive in her eyes or maybe his mortal nature; this ephemeral essence of human existence that would disappear one day. She hoped to get closer…much closer to him. However that seemed impossible. Odysseus seemed to be like a fort; closed behind walls he built around his heart. During their countless conversations they would speak on a variety of subjects but every time she asked him about himself and his emotions he would grow distant from her. He closed up like a clamp and refused to elaborate. It frustrated her that she could not get a way to his heart; console his pain and maybe provide a missing piece. It was the first time the immortal goddess had discovered someone as lonely as she was feeling. She looked down at the end of the valley and saw Odysseus. He was shirtless from the waist and above and was chopping some wood for the grotto. It was good for him to have some work to distract himself, or so he had said. Quite frankly Calypso could stare forever. She felt incredibly jealous of Penelope, the woman that had so much influence on him without even being there! If only she had a way to his heart! She looked at her work; her tapestry of gold thread…she looked at the tiny black and the tiny silver hairs that were incorporated to the sea of crimson and gold. She smiled apprehensively. Odysseus was cunning but so could she.  

Odysseus walked back into the chamber, wiping the sweat off his body with his shirt. He entered the chamber only to see the maids of Calypso, the nymphs he had learnt by name by now, waiting for him.

“What is it, Ipomea?” he asked the girl who came first to him

“My lord…” the nymph replied respectfully (although the giggles behind her surely didn’t help her), “My mistress requires your presence at the pavilion”

“The goddess? Whatever for?”

“If it pleases you, my lord, we have prepared your bath, aromatic oils and my mistress arranged your clothes for you.”

“My, my, it sounds important!” Odysseus smiled, “Well…it’s not proper to let the good goddess wait then…”

He entered the tub that was filled with water to the temperature he liked and let himself to the hands of the maids who washed him from top to bottom helped him dry himself and anointed his body with aromatic oils. They dressed him in fine crimson that night that slithered across his body like water. They brushed his hair and trimmed his beard, tied a goldthread headband around his head and wore golden sandals to his feet. Yes, Calypso did that a lot; she was picking clothes for him and making sure he didn’t want of anything but yet some part of his soul was always ringing a bell; resisting as if by instinct. Dressed up at the godly clothes made by Calypso, Odysseus walked about the grotto to climb to the pavilion. The pavilion was basically a small half-closed terrace; an opening to the cave, which allowed Calypso to lay upon her bench and stare to the openness of the sea. He was summoned there before but never so late in the evening. He wondered what it was all about. He reached the dimly lit pavilion and he stopped in amazement. Calypso was already there lying on her couch lazily. She was dressed in a magnificent garment; a cloth to the color of amber that was bringing out her complexion and her honey eyes. Her braided hair was adorned with gold and pearls and neatly arranged. Odysseus could smell her aromatic oils even from the entrance. Calypso was very careful when she chose that dress. She wanted something to let out her beauty without making it too obviously provoking. She knew that Odysseus would be too clever to fall for such a trick. Sensing his presence she smiled.

“Odysseus! I am so glad you came!” she said in her low, melodic voice

Odysseus scanned the pavilion. There were torches to light it and some candles. There was a second bench waiting undoubtedly for himself and in the middle he saw the large gold-pleated crater that was already being stirred by the nymphs. Calypso had chosen the best godly wine in her cellar and she made sure she gave clear instructions to her maids to keep the analogy 3 to 1 so that the godly drink would be strong and savory.

“Come, sit with me, darling,” she said pointing at the other bench with her bracelet-adorned hand, “there is wine and dinner waiting”

Odysseus smiled.

“Goddess…” he returned her greeting with a bow of his head, “What’s the occasion?”

Calypso smiled a cat-like smile.

“But you returning back to health, of course” she replied with winged words, “I can tell by the way you prance about my grotto that you have finally reached your original strength”

“I have” Odysseus confirmed kneeling by her bench, he took her hand in his, “And it’s all thanks to you, goddess…”

He gratefully kissed her hand. Calypso shivered as those lips touched her immortal flesh. Oh, she adored him! She wanted to explore more of him! However she knew she had to be patient if she wanted Odysseus to become hers. She drew her hand back chuckling.

“Now, now, Odysseus!” she said airily, “Let us not get stuck in such…trifles! Let us just enjoy this night that is so beautiful. Let us not worry of yesterday or tomorrow”

“Couldn’t agree more, goddess” Odysseus smiled taking his place to the bench right opposite her.

Calypso smiled.

“Wine?”

“If you please…”

Calypso signaled at her maid to serve from the crater the ruby liquid. Odysseus brought it to his lips and tasted the rich taste of the drink.

“This wine belongs to the best year of my isle. My land is as you know rich. We do not want of anything here…” she looked at him again, scanning him with her eyes, “What do you think…?”

“Exquisite…”

Calypso raised her cup in a toast.

“To life then!”

“To life”

The two of them sat at the pavilion all evening talking on various subjects. Odysseus told her about the airs of the Aegean and the lands he met on his way to Troy, the mountains of Parnassus and the crops, the ships and warfare, circle of seasons and many more while Calypso talked about the stars and the sky, the secrets of the cycle of epochs and the song of the birds of Ogygia. The hours passed without Odysseus realizing it. Calypso had given clear orders to her maids to make sure that Odysseus’s cup would never empty and every time he would try and refuse she would try to lure him with yet another toast or some small talk for distraction. She knew however that he wouldn’t really refuse if she asked. She had come to know he was afraid to displease her. She had invited him there and he felt it was his duty to obey her requests. He wouldn’t refuse her out of fear that he would offend her. She watched him sip the red liquid away and his cheeks flare from the alcoholic beverage and his eyes shine in inebriation and yet his defenses were still strong for he refused to open up every time Calypso would try to sneak in a more personal question. He might still discuss different matters and laugh every time a maid mentioned something but she could tell he was still hiding many things inside him. Calypso knew she had to be careful. She was absolutely certain that Odysseus despite the fact that the wine was making his speech slower and his reactions more lethargic, that he could understand perfectly well what was going on and that he would be perfectly cognitive. She had to advance softly if she needed him to open up. She needed an opportunity. And she found it. At some point as Odysseus was pretty much completely drunk she realized that shadow of melancholy passing from his eyes. Yes, she knew that look. It was the look he got every time he lost himself in deep thought.

“Odysseus…?” she called at him in her melodic singing voice, “Odysseus…?”

“Hm?”

“Do you find my company that unpleasant, Odysseus?”

Odysseus looked at her. She saw those eyes, those eyes that resembled obsidian, looking at her and she felt almost weak in her legs.

“No, goddess…” he eventually replied sluggishly

“Then why do you look so gloom?” Calypso questioned, “I am here to entertain you; so we can celebrate your recovery back to health and you sit there looking sad. Please talk to me, what’s wrong…?”

“G-Goddes…”

“Don’t you trust me, Odysseus…?”

Odysseus froze.

“I…”

Such an easy question and such a difficult answer it would need! Odysseus tried to find the proper words and force that stupid tongue of his that had turned sluggish in his mouth and explain. However the dizziness wouldn’t let him to concentrate. Perhaps he shouldn’t have drunk so much! Calypso, on the other hand, could almost feel his head wheels running, cornered by her direct question.

“Please, Odysseus…” she said in a mellow tone, “Open up to me, darling. I want to help you…”

Just a bit more, she thought, just a little more. She looked at him again; how he was gazing her with those eyes glistering from unshed tears and wine. For one second she wondered that maybe he was too drunk and that she should have stopped earlier but she dismissed the thought. Only in the condition he was now he would be able to drop his defenses and finally trust her even for a little bit.

“Talk to me, Odysseus…”

And, finally, Odysseus talked. He could not contain his emotions any longer as he spoke to her of his experiences; of how he faced contempt in Troy, of how they were captured by Polyphemus, of the agony of the trip…how he saw his mother in the underworld who told him she died of grief…how his son waited in Ithaca; the son he never saw to grow and finally the brutal deaths of his comrades… And then she saw the man break...there she saw him come undone... He talked and tears were flowing from his eyes like rivers, wetting the cloth he wore and he seemed inconsolable till he managed to muster some of his self-control and try to stop. Calypso slowly got up and sat beside him. He clearly was in no state to walk.

“My darling…” she whispered maternally embracing him

She kissed his head and forehead and she pulled him closer, letting him lean his head to her bosom. She rocked him softly.

“My poor tormented darling…”

She realized that he was probably at his limit so she signaled at her maid with her eyebrows not to refill his cup, which she placed aside. Odysseus was feeling his lips tingling; his stomach was upset and his head was turning like a top and yet that soft embrace seemed to be soothing him. His head was heavy as he leaned to her chest, struggling to keep his eyes open.

“G-Goddess…I…” he mumbled

Calypso leaned over to his ear and she whispered in a tone that rang to his mind like a silent bell.

“Shall we go, my darling…?” Calypso whispered directly in his ear, “Shall we go to bed…?”

He shook his head. It wasn’t a yes and it wasn’t a no. He was completely inebriated. Calypso passed one arm behind his waist and she raised them all up with unexplainable strength. Odysseus was led almost completely limb in her arm towards the chamber and it made him realize for one more time he difference between gods and mortals; Calypso’s body that looked fragile and feminine held strength enough to crush him if she wanted to. And yet she was being gentle with him…she had saved his life. This detail shouldn’t be concerning him, right? As Calypso led him and helped him lie down the bed his eyes truly couldn’t remain open. He closed them feeling the world spinning around him like a top. He fathomed he should sleep. His head was feeling heavy.. Calypso watched him and for a second she was tempted to kiss him; taste those lips of his. However she was almost certain that Odysseus would remember everything of that night. She didn’t want to ruin her opportunity. She smiled like a spider watching her web.

‘Soon, my love…soon you will forget those sorrows…here with me…”

~~~~

So here's the second part of this story and Odysseus beached in Ogygia with his life and yet things are about to be difficult for him. Now the reason I chose Calypso to have dark complexion was mainly because I was enamoured with The Odyssey (1997) and I thought it would be a fun idea to explore. Her house in Ogygia in my story is at Gozo in Malta.

Now for Odysseus's visions I was inspired by the amazing soundtrack from "The Perfume"

I was also heavily inspired by Gladiator movie for them.

I figured Odysseus would be incredibly weak for days after his ordeal. And I tried to add some more details to make it look more like Calypso fell for him.

Odysseus fell ill because when he finally relaxed, all his anxiety was basically striking his body mercilessly. Now his mumbles were not supposed to make any sense and they were random based on his adventures. Now if someone wants to make something out of them, the most infamous horse he is related to is the Trojan horse but also the horse is a symbol of Poseidon so maybe just maybe it refers to Poseidon as well hahahaha!

He tears his clothes because in his delirioum when the clothes plaster on him, he feels as if he is back at the sea struggling alone

The "honey crackers" exist in Greece even today and they are called παστέλι (pasteli). It is a savory snack made of sesame seeds and honey. Sesame existed as crop in Greece since homeric times. Which is why I put it here. Quite frankly I am not sure if it was a thing in bronze age when Odysseus lived but hey if Homer can use anachronism so can I! Hahahahaha

Also suspicious suspicious that Odysseus seems to be healling "happy" in the island hahahaha! That is because some people interpret Calypso weaving and singing while moving to and fro as her enchanting him. In my story he is basically subtly enchanted to "forget" some parts of his sorrow to stay and heal. Calypso thought she could bind him but his will is stronger so her magic only reaches a superficial level.

In this I wanted Odysseus to suffer fates that he imposed to his enemies or were imposed to his friends and he was spared for example lethe (Lotus Eaters) drunkeness (Polyphemus)etc.

For Calypso I was inspired by a spider spinning a web.

I hope the last part will come soon!

As always I shall thanks @loco-bird @tunguszka20 @doob-or-something @jarondont @prompted-wordsmith @simugeuge @ilov3b00kss0much @fangirlofallthefanthings

-O-ooh-oh!

As always your analysis and theories are such great food for thought and great inspiration as well ✨✨ despite the fact that I'm newer to the depth of Odyssey and Iliad than most people here it's somehow adds to the fun to explore it 😆

Jesus Christ just thinking about spending 11 days without sleep blows my mind! I had to spend a little more than 48 hours awake to finish some deadlines and I was already having blurred distorted vision! So to be in a stressful situation, in an environment that can become dangerous, plus trying to guard the thing that will help them get home from his own men, all that combined with his previous struggles and now extreme sleep deprivation?? Sounds like a special kind of hell! And not only that but almost like a sort of vicious cycle, because it could be indeed that the sleep deprivation itself was getting to Odysseus attitude as you theorize, which in turn could definitely influence his man's behavior as well.

Gosh but as said before the tension after his men opened the sack and they all got sent back must have been like a damn cloud over their heads for days! Someone was struggling not to kill 😂

That is a very good point, by guarding the sack in such a way Odysseus could definitely be making his men feel untrusted and even antagonized by their own leader, which would definitely trigger an hostile response in the form distrust right back at him, and the suspiscion of what he could possibly be hiding from them in such a manner. It did not help at all!

On the other hand the effects of sleep deprivation mixed with previous stress and anxiousness to be so close to home are such an interesting and human reaction from him! That's such a scary list, and I can definitely imagine it impacting Odysseus little by little the more he remains awake! And the more he becomes more violent and irritable yelling and such the more his men would feel like he was becoming a whole different person and get progressively more and more worried, irritated and suspicious in turn! Plus I can definitely imagine them indeed questioning his authority especially as his mental state becomes erratic with hallucinations!

His own insistence to do things alone and putting himself in such a situation definitely bit him back! It was very toxic behavior especially with himself and his health, which passed to his man, and despite his intentions it added to the disaster! Being the leader is definitely not easy since everyone is looking at you as an anchor, and if the anchor fails, everyone can drown pretty easily! Overall both sides had their fair points and their mistakes and flaws and ultimately that makes for an awesome compelling narrative! Awesome stuff girl!! ✨

And gosh for real! This is such brilliant inspiration for Caleb and the rebellion as well! Caleb is definitely the one to want to carry the burdens of his men, and many times he is putting himself through unhealthy toxic situations to do so! Can imagine him also not sleeping for days for many reasons! To keep watch, to protect provisions and his resting comrades, to go on into dangerous missions... And the stress and fear hitting him inside too! And it would definitely mess with his attitude and response to others as well 👀 And it also reminds me of Diego, in the times he was made to take charge, or later when he felt his ultimate sin and plan against Caleb about to be discovered!!

Odysseus not sleeping for 9 days increased suspicion to his men unconsciously (a small analysis based on sleep deprivation and Odyssey)

So it seems that the limits that we know so far is around 264 hours or just above 11 days of staying awake consequently. That is surprisingly just above what Odysseus did who stayed awake for 9 days or approximately 216 hours! That seems ironically accurate on Homer's part that it occured.

According to Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus remained awake for 9 consequent days, guarding the sack containing all the winds blowing over the Mediterannean (a gift of the god of winds, Aiolus). Overcome by fatigue, once the island of Ithaca came on sight Odysseus fell asleep but at that moment his men, thinking that the sack contains rich gifts, they opened it up, releasing all the winds out and pushing Odysseus back to the islands of Aiolus. Aiolus witnessing upon that sign of bad luck, he refused to help Odysseus again.

Now of course one might say why on earth wouldn't his men trust him when he told them not to open the sack and why were they so overcome by not just distrust but also greed? Well, apart from the symbolism of the Iliad, ironically their distrust was perfectly logical even if in a way misplaced. And here's why

Odysseus was guarding the sack

No matter what one says, Odysseus was still acting distrustful to THEM. In a way he felt like his warning was not enough and he needed to take some extra precaution. The fact that he was still feeling the need to guard the sack like a guard dog, because of his natural suspicious nature, made his men feel not trusted and therefore evn more suspicious of his behavior. Why all of the sudden their captain had his guard so high up? Why did he feel like he had to take extra precaution? Didn't their captain; the captain they spent almost 15 years together trust them anymore? What did he have to hide? This behavior drove them suspicious back thinking there was more to that story than what Odysseus was saying.

Behavioral changes due to sleep deprivation

Odysseus was sleep deprived, that much everyone could tell. However interestingly the signs of sleep deprivation might unsconsciously increased suspiciousness to the already tensed atmosphere. Some of the early signs of sleep deprivation are:

drowsiness

irritability

impaired decision-making

impaired judgement

altered perception

memory deficits

vision and hearing impairments

decreased hand-eye coordination

increased muscle tension

tremors

increased risk of accidents or near misses

Therefore already from the first two or three days without sleep, Odysseus's character began to swift due to fatigue. He was expected to become more irritable, more drowsy, having difficulty to concentrate and having tension to his muscles. He would become increasingly more and more aggressive in his reactions. The longer he stayed without sleep and one could expect

mtabolism disruptions

hallucinations

delusions

mood swings

risky behavior

decreased attention

inflexible reasoning

The more Odysseus remained without sleep, the more unpredictable he would become and the more suspicious and aggressive his behavior would be. Imagine if at some point some of his men would want to give him some food or drink and Odysseus violently pushing them away, yelling at them that he needs nothing but to be left alone. He would become more and more irritable by basic things even if those things had the kinder intentions.

He would seem more and more like a tiger in a cage, more and more paranoic about the precious sack he guarded; seemingly getting all the more anxious the closer they got to his beloved home. At some point if he actually got hallucinations (talking to things that aren't there or looking around like a madman) would also make his men suspicious on his capability to lead them if an emergency were to occur.

Conslusion:

Therefore in his zeal to protect the sack at all costs, in his fixation upon doing everything himself, in his obsession with getting anxious and not trusting his own shadow, Odysseus made the bad decision to remain awake for so long that affected his mental and behavioral health, thus leading to more suspicion on his men's part to doubt his words and believing he was lying and that he was hiding gold and gems instead of their salvation. In a way Odysseus's obsession, just like all his plans, turned boomerang against him. Sleep deprivation made him aggressive. His aggressiveness was perceived as suspicious and his men didn't believe in him.

Still stupid on their part but one can understand their thoughts a bit. Having a captain that is slowly breaking guarding a seemingly precious sack rose plenty of suspicion. Of course that mistake costed them not only their home but also their life, but one can probably understand them a little.

Concept art for “The Firebird” sequence in Fantasia 2000 by Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi

Awesome analysis as always girl!! ✨✨

This is a very worthy subject to discuss let alone in such epic pieces. Once again it shows how both the Iliad and the Odyssey portray the Gods as symbolism not only of nature's forces, but also of the struggles and disasters humans must go through, in this case in the form of diseases brought forward in a form of punishment from certain actions.

It's also quite a tragic mix with war and post war situations since fighters are exposed to rough, many times unsanitary, and overcrowded environments which become a breeding ground for such desieses, and if they are already weakened by wounds and other problems, the possibilities for death grows.

Very good observation in the type of bacteria and plagues! In the mythological sense this is also quite the low and efficient blow from Apollo, to first strip them of their guard and transportation animals, and then strike the people themselves, it's scary how his attacks are described in the form of his arrows! And realistically this is indeed a good point to how such diseases affect humans and spread, becoming airborne from the animals to the people.

Those are a scary combination of symptoms as well especially as they progressively get worse, it must be pure suffering and agony to die like this! It must have felt like hell for the soldiers. Also interesting connection with Palamedes and how a good cardio system is valuable to survive the disease.

Again a very good observation, the losses from diseases should definitely be counted as losses of the war because even if they didn't die in the battle itself it was still a very direct result of it, especially since it hit the Greek side in this context. Also curious indeed that they were the most affected!

And for real I can imagine even the highest ranking and some kings were not spared at least some effects of the illnesses. Especially if they were less vigorous or weakened by some other factors. That analysis of Helen and Menelaus is awesome as well ✨ and it certainly explains how certain demographics were safer from it.

Oh gosh this is definitely a great reference and inspiration for our story and the narrative regarding the war and the rebels (and even the enemy soldiers) and surrounding people dealing with the illnesses in war camps and their very harsh conditions! Definitely the dark reality of how the fighters are not safe after the battles are over, and can still pretty much succumb to such horrible situations of plagues and diseases! Man now I feel like drawing something about this! 👀✨

The Iliad Plague

Honestly I am disappointed at how little we talk about the Iliad plague that was sent by Apollo in the first rhapsody of the Iliad to the Greeks after Chryses, Apollo's priest, begged for justice for the disrespect Agamemnon showed him plus the fact that his daughter was not returned to him.

"First he stroke the mules and the swift dogs but then he shot his shafts to the humans themselves and the funeral pyres were burning non-stop and crowded and for nine days the army was being assaulted by the God's arrows"

(Translation by me)

So we basically get that the plague spread to animals first and then swiftly passed to humans and it became deadly very quickly.

It seems like a classic case of an assault of the bacteria Yersina which is responsible for three major plagues; the bubonic, septisemic and pneumonic plagues. All three seem to be associated with transmission from animals to humans. In this case my random guess would be that this would be the case or a pneumonic plague. It transmits from the breathing of fumes and it is much easier transmittable from one person to another given that both other plagues require the mix of bodily fluids. Since the disease seems to strike animals commonly not associated with food like mules or dogs it seems more probable the disease was of a lung nature.

The main symptoms of a pneumonic plague are:

Fever

Headaches

Shortness of breath

Chest pain

Intense coughing

Hemoptysis (aka "coughing out blood")

It seems indeed highly probable that the plague was of such nature which would lead to a large number of soldiers suffer from headaches and fever which gradually got worse and added coughing chest pain and coughing out blood (the other plagues have also intense vomiting-boubonic- and blood infection -septisemic-). Various post-homeric and mainly early Roman sources speak on the contributing of Palamedes suggesting better diet and exercise countering the effects of the plague or preventing it. Although traditionally we know plagues can be effectively cured with the use of antibiotics it is probable that the mention of cardio exercise could be a wink that a good cardio system can defend itself against lung diseases.

Either way it surprises me that the losses of war when studied rarely mention the results of this plague since many people count only the deaths in battle and not this which is ironically the only set of deaths seemingly affecting only the Greek side. It is interesting given how many times cities being surrounded by armies are the first to suffer from diseases rather than the people outside (although both sides suffer eventually from diseases). Realistically speaking we do understand why we see so many mentions of diseases.

And again when it comes to the sequel Odyssey as well, very few people consider not only the losses Odysseus undoubtedly suffered in battle but also one should expect he lost a man or two from the plague as well (mind you I can easily imagine some kings also being affected by it at least at early stage especially the less vigorous such as Nestor because of age or Menelaus if we take my headcannon that he probably was a bit frail of health later as I mentioned to the post tagging @thehelplessmortals which could indeed back up more how careful Helen was with him since plagues do affect massively the health of lungs or heart permanently

More vigorous and fighting fit characters like Achilles or Diomedes or Odysseus and Agamemnon seemed less likely to have been stroke by the plague. Achilles is also the one who calls upon council of kings to find a solution.

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During my collaboration with @artsofmetamoor I always entertain the thought of disease to the various war camps. Disease would often be the most common way soldiers died instead of battles.

In our stories our characters suffer a lot of many things but this also makes me do a note to self to refer more on plagues or diseases

Lovely art and dynamic poses as always!

Ambessa vs Vi

I would have loved to have seen them go at it with caitlyn then mel coming in to finish it off. I thought ambessa would be after vi's ass after act 2