Latest Posts by yararts-stash - Page 10

Oh man giving love a bad name indeed because her love is possessive and twisted 🤣

Gosh definitely fits her! Selling angel smiles and delivering hell hahaha but man it turns so dark in this context the way he says there's no way to run and the damage! It's quite scary in this tone!

Oh my! Never realized how this song fits for Odysseus and Calypso! 👀

I almost feel as if my story was subconsciously inspired by it (and I am sure it wasn't 😆) because the lyrics so fit!

Oh gosh so the only one who's body could be retrieved! And the way he died man he is the real legend isn't he? 😆😆 Poor guy tho asking for his burial like that!

Like I said before I really liked the details of Odysseus cutting his hair like that, since it was the only type of mourning he could do for them... And in his situation it's like he is mourning his own freedom as well while still trying to keep a flame of hope to return home to his family 😢

But man the fact that he couldn't retrieve any of the bodies of his fallen friends... And in your recent writing not even from Argos man it hurts 😭

Elpenor might be the only guy in Odysseus's arduous trip that got a decent funeral 🤔

In my fanfiction "Survivor's Guilt Survivor's Duty" I make Odysseus cut his long hair as a funerary tribute to his men and a sign of mourning:

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katerinaaqu

Survivor's Guilt and Survior's Duty (P3 + After Note) Continuation from Part 2: Survivor's Guilt and Survivor's Duty (P2) this is dedicat

That was a very common way for ancient Greeks to show mourning and it was mentioned in many literary sources. One of the most infamous examples is Homer's Iliad where Achilles cuts his hair after he kills Hector and places them to the hands of Patroclus in a funerary pyre. The other is Eurypedes "Helen" when Helen cuts her hair and wears black in order to outsmart Theoclymene that she got news from her husband's death

For funerary customs we see generally a combination between burial and cermination depending on the situation. And then it hit me;

Throughout the trip Odysseus lost all his men and crew in most violent ways and the bodies were either consumed by monsters or lost at sea

Elpenor, his comrade that fell off Circe's roof while drunk and later on speaking with Odysseus during his trip in the Underworld, requests a burial and a grave. And this might be the only funeral held by Odysseus during the trip (excluding those who were buried at war).

Odysseus couldn't even give his men funerary rituals! The man just suffered so much! 😭😭😭

Pocahontas (1995), dir. Mike Gabriel and Eric Goldberg

by nuqui_herping

The wonderful Glass Octopus. Living at depths of around 3000 ft and only being about a foot long, these strange little creatures are rarely seen by scientists.

Yup I am one of those people who very rarely cries with films, but I completely turned on the water hose with Hatchiko, so Argos definitely dehydrates my eyes too

The fact that Argos could recognize him immediately even under the spell is so touching, and the symbolism of selflessness and loyalty is the most beautiful and sad thing in this context 😢 Now I'm gonna take a moment to miss my doggo, he passed away much more than a decade ago and I still miss my boy... To someone who knows the type of bond these animals build with you this part of the story definitely hits harder💔

I've said it before but this is such a beautiful breed, adorable looking and yet so fierce looking as well, makes total sense that Argos could be one of these guys! It's perfectly fitting for the era and location, and for the types of chores they would use these animals for!

It's crazy how this boy has such a short appearance in the Odyssey yet it's so impactful! And it's so touching that Odysseus remembers him too despite him looking so old and weak 😢 and the fact that Odysseus could not even touch him or even cry for him at that moment is such a knife to the heart 😭 the good boy only feels that his job is done and now he can die happily for seeing his owner back home, that's all he wanted 😭

Oh that's interesting that despite not being able to hunt with his owner he was still known as such a fast dog which seems to imply he did his job well! Oh boy this could definitely be one more thing added to Odysseus' wrath on the women, who besides everything else also neglected his companion...

And man that is definitely a good point, Argos in a way makes Odysseus feel like he is looking at a mirror for his pain 😢

That's also a very interesting connection! It would be really cool if his name connects to both his speed and the Ship which is linked to Odysseus' family history. That's such a nice detail!

Oh man and it's true Argos is his last great loss after the arduous journey! And man seeing Argos so old when he can remember him as a lively young dog really does remind Odysseus that so many years have gone by since he has left, the weight of time crushing upon him with his companion 😢

Gosh yeah in a dog's prespective it was almost so much more than a lifetime, he waited until the very last second and was only holding on to life for Odysseus...

And definitely the fact that Odysseus was not even able to say goodbye in the last moments was the worst... He lost all of his comrades including his companion and he couldn't say goodbye to any 😢 plus the complete selflessness of the sweet boy being just satisfied at seeing him 😭😭

Again such a short passage yet so meaningful 😢 He waited for that moment, that's all he wanted and then he could depart 😢 and it's a good point that despite everything he had a quick ending while happy...

Oh man yeah... Argos knew right away and it's so sad that even his son had his doubts for a moment before recognizing him, because it has been so long and he couldn't remember him like that since he was a baby, while with Argos it was immediately from far away while Odysseus was disguised 😭

Gosh that is true too, his mother waiting for him was her death but to Argos it was his whole motivation to stay alive 😢

Oh gosh girl this short scene is so heartbreaking yet so beautiful 😭😭 the sadness for the companion he didn't even get to see for the last time 😢💔

It's so sweet that Odysseus remembers, and that he wants to go see Argos one last time before going to visit his father... even if it's just his body... And the way his smile fails at seeing nothing there 😭

And man that's so much for a dog to even live, in dog years that boy was more than 100! Really holding on the best he could... Poor Odysseus feeling the sadness and guilt of not being able to hold him 😢 it's even sadder that he expected to find nothing there but still was heartbroken for not seeing him... And the conflicting feeling of not wanting to see the corpse of his friend in a worse state but not having anything there still is so painful...

Aww him going down and crying and asking for forgiveness is so terribly sad and touching! Especially him telling him to wait a bit more... And trying to smile and be strong for him and his memory, promising and hoping to see each other again in the afterlife 😭

The symbolism of the branch from the olive tree he praises so much is so deep, and the little snack he remembers the dog liking is so cute ❤️😭

And it seems so painful for Odysseus to even walk away at that moment... the way he walks slowly after being called, he knows he must move on now but it hurts so much 😢

Amazing portrayal of emotions once again dear so beautiful sweet and sad 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️

If you bawled your eyes out at Hachiko perhaps you are not ready for Argos 😭😭

Argos (a small analysis) + after note story

So we all know that Odysseus lost more than 600 of his shipmates in total (both at war but most of all to his fateful trip to return to Ithaca) but I believe we must talk more of one last loss Odysseus suffered and that was at his own home; the loss of probably his most loyal companion who recognized him unconditionally even under the spell of Athena; his loyal Dog Argos.

The Dog:

Argos was Odysseus's loyal hound. The dog has been identified by some other brilliant Tumblr writers such as @pelideswhore as a Greek/Hellenic Hare Hound:

A midium-sized ancient dog breed that has been used for millennias in Greece (and after the spread of hellenic culture by the colonies and Alexander the Great etc in most Balkans) as a hound and a tracking dog. These dogs are known for their exceeding loyalty, playful energetic temperament and unique personality.

In the Odyssey:

Argos appears only once in the Odyssey (Hom.17) and that is when Odysseus enters the gates of the palace he notices an old dog covered in flees and parasites at the gates of the palace. The recognition is mutual and immediate. Argos who waited for more than 20 years for his master who raised him from puppy no longer has the strength to move but slowly pushes his ears back and wags his tail softly. Odysseus on the other hand feels his eyes tear up and yet he has to wipe them and hide himself so Eymeus won't recognize him. He has to pretend again that he doesn't know and he has to walk past his most loyal friend. Argos on the other hand just leans back and dies on the spot for he has now the delight of seeing his master back home and now he can die in peace...

We get very little information on Argos story but we know that Odysseus raised him from pup but he didn't have much time to have joy with him ("ουδ' απόνητο" = he didn't use him, he didn't hunt with him) but Eumeus mentions how there was no quicker dog in hunting so in a way Argos at some point did hunt with the younger generation but eventually probably the dog grew older and more and more depressed. When Odysseus was pronounced dead by many the slave women neglected him and bore no respect for him anymore and so Argos withers away but keeps waiting for his master.

Interestingly the term of "use" here is απόνητο which seems to have the hidden essence of "pain" since πόνος stands for "pain" in Greek. So in a way the ουδ' απόνητο might as well have the hidden meaning "not without pain". In a way the dog is not without pain if anything his pain seems to reflect his master.

The name:

In regards to the name "Argos" stands for "swift" or "quick" in homeric Greek (which could be indicative on the dog's speed) but as some people tend to suggest in their headcannons it seems to be an indirect mention of "Argo" the legendary ship that went for the Golden Fleece. Odysseus is linked to the ship in more than one way;

According to some versions, his father Laërtes was one of the men who took part to the legendary quest as an Argonaut

One other member of the Argonauts was the legendary Heracles who, according to some myths, was linked to his grandfather, Autolycus who taught him how to wrestle.

Quite frankly both versions seem possible or if anything they are not mutually exclusive. Maybe the dog's swiftness was also a reason for Odysseus to link him to that ship.

The tragic importance of Argos:

The scene is probably the last death linked to Odysseus and the last death to affect him. Argos is also the first actual living proof that Odysseus gets for the consequences of the passage of time in such a brutal way. Yes he did see Eumeus and heard his tragic story but Argos is basically giving Odysseus the perspective of time; for him 20 years were a lifetime but for his dog it was double as such.

Odysseus faced someone who by perspective endured longer than what he did.

The death is also the slowest and most tragic he had to face; his comrades died violently and swiftly. Argos was there. Odysseus had the chance to say goodbye at least to ONE FRIEND before death and at that moment he was unable to. He had to pretend he didn't know him and he could not say goodbye to him. And yet Argos DIDN'T CARE!

To Argos it didn't matter that Odysseus had to pretend he didn't know him. He was unconditionally happy to see him again, so much that he totally just finally allowed himself to die after finishing his duty and greeting his master back home.

The ending of his life is also described abruptly and simply by Homer

"But alas, Argos received the fate of black death the moment he saw Odysseus upon the 20th year" aka "Death claimed Argos the moment he saw Odysseus again after 20 years). In a way the dog's death is the opposite of his life (his life was long and tormented but his end was swift, simple, happy and sweet)

Argos is an excellent parallel with Telemachus too in order to show how the heart is the one who recognized Odysseus and not eyes or mind. Argos knew Odysseus more than Telemachus due to the fact that he was raised by him but Argos didn't spend so much time with him either and yet he recognized him and welcomed him even under the disguise. Telemachus's first instict was that his brain doubted when he saw his father without a disguise before he was convinced. Argos knew...he always knew.

Odysseus was recognized for the last time by someone else before entering the palace as a beggar aka as a nobody again as someone without identity until he was recognized again by his old nurse.

Argos is in a way a parallel to Anticlea. Anticlea withered and died by waiting. Argos seemed to have gained strength by hope to see his master again for he endured for a life that was already almost double than most dogs and also this death Odysseus was on time to witness. Unlike Anticlea who died before Odysseus could be there in her final moments, he was there for Argos

Argos is yet another death that Odysseus was not allowed by circumstances to mourn.

A tribute to Argos

Odysseus walked slowly outside the door of the palace. After the day he finally spent to his home and the preparation of everything to visit his old father Laërtes, he knew there was something else he had to do...something he believed he owed to a friend. His heart clenched as he walked out of the walls. His sad smile failed. There was nothing there.

That spot he was staring now was the last resting place of one of his friends he never thought to see again; his loyal Argos. Argos had waited for him for two decades; more than double his lifetime and Odysseus couldn't even hug him one last time; If only he could! Even if he was covered in flees. Even if the dog was in terrible condition...he deserved it. And yet he couldn't.

However now there was nothing there.

Odysseus sighed. He had expected that. He had spent at least two days in the palace before he got his revenge. Who would have left a dead dog out there for so long? Odysseus was prepared to face the terrible sight of a corpse full of maggots and flies but apparently he was spared that last horror. He was both sad and grateful for that.

He fell to his knees and touched the spot where the loyal dog met his end and finally he let his tears fall for one last time for real this time.

"Forgive me, boy..." he whispered, "you waited so long..."

He wiped away his tears and forced a sad smile on his lips.

"We could have done so much together, my friend...alas fate had other plans... Perhaps we will get our chance in another life...maybe we can hunt together in the underworld..."

He placed a small lily flower and an olive branch from the tree in his room to the spot. He then left there a dried apricot; it was Argos's favorite snack he remembered.

"Forgive me my boy...you will have to wait for a bit longer...perhaps... Perhaps I will see you waiting for me when Argophontes brings me down the bitter river as a dead soul..."

He heard someone calling him. Yes, it was about time to go and pay his respects to the last person waiting for him...

He stood back to his feet

He slowly walked away.

Visual development for The Emperor's New Groove (2000) by Paul Felix

Stay out of trouble, ya old scalawag.

it's always so fascinating and heartbreaking when a character in a story is simultaneously idolized and abused. a chosen prophet destined for martyrdom. a child prodigy forced to grow up too fast. a powerful warrior raised as nothing but a weapon. there's just something so uniquely messed up about singing someone's praises whilst destroying them.

Hahaha gosh 😂😂😂😂✨✨✨✨

But it's amazing how touching it was that his emotions convinced her! But at the same time it's so funny he's so stressed and in a rage, and that's what makes her go:

So she spoke, and made trial of her husband. But Odysseus, in a burst of anger, spoke to his true-hearted wife, and said: “Woman, truly this is a bitter word that thou hast spoken. Who has set my bed elsewhere? Hard would it be for one, [185] though never so skilled, unless a god himself should come and easily by his will set it in another place. But of men there is no mortal that lives, be he never so young and strong, who could easily pry it from its place, for a great token is wrought in the fashioned bed, and it was I that built it and none other.

Hom.Od.23.181-189

So everyone loves the moment of recognition between Penelope and Odysseus and how Penelope basically "forces the true Odysseus" come out with her own trick. Many believe that the recognition happens because of the detailed account of how he made the bed and how it was the secret only a few knew but in my opinion this is not 100% true.

Penelope did not recognize her husband because he analyzed their secret; she recognized him because of his reaction.

Odysseus replied "in a burst of anger". He is exaspirated, afraid, worried and surprised. That is the husband she wants to see; the husband who wants nothing else but his home, his roots and his wife. Anyone could reveal to any mortal the secret of her bed; from one of the servants till one of the gods but there is one thing no one can fake;

The GENUINE emotion. Odysseus replied so immediately and so abruptly in such a genuine emotion that left Penelope no doubt yet that this was her husband. Odysseus didn't just ask her how it is possible to move the bed; he asked her in ANGER a genuine exaspiration and disbelief. No actor or god could mimic that genuine emotion. Odysseus spent about half his time in Ithaca hiding his emotions so he would survive. At that moment of the mention of moving the imovable bed his emotions just showed.

The sign she recognized was not the information he gave her it was his heart.

Odysseus exasperated: "Who could uproot the bed??!"

Penelope:"There he is!!"

😂😂😂

So she spoke, and made trial of her husband. But Odysseus, in a burst of anger, spoke to his true-hearted wife, and said: “Woman, truly this is a bitter word that thou hast spoken. Who has set my bed elsewhere? Hard would it be for one, [185] though never so skilled, unless a god himself should come and easily by his will set it in another place. But of men there is no mortal that lives, be he never so young and strong, who could easily pry it from its place, for a great token is wrought in the fashioned bed, and it was I that built it and none other.

Hom.Od.23.181-189

So everyone loves the moment of recognition between Penelope and Odysseus and how Penelope basically "forces the true Odysseus" come out with her own trick. Many believe that the recognition happens because of the detailed account of how he made the bed and how it was the secret only a few knew but in my opinion this is not 100% true.

Penelope did not recognize her husband because he analyzed their secret; she recognized him because of his reaction.

Odysseus replied "in a burst of anger". He is exaspirated, afraid, worried and surprised. That is the husband she wants to see; the husband who wants nothing else but his home, his roots and his wife. Anyone could reveal to any mortal the secret of her bed; from one of the servants till one of the gods but there is one thing no one can fake;

The GENUINE emotion. Odysseus replied so immediately and so abruptly in such a genuine emotion that left Penelope no doubt yet that this was her husband. Odysseus didn't just ask her how it is possible to move the bed; he asked her in ANGER a genuine exaspiration and disbelief. No actor or god could mimic that genuine emotion. Odysseus spent about half his time in Ithaca hiding his emotions so he would survive. At that moment of the mention of moving the imovable bed his emotions just showed.

The sign she recognized was not the information he gave her it was his heart.

Oh man even after reading part of this it was still such an insane ride and soooo good girl!! The fact that this does not have more attention is a crime! Such a fantastic narrative of sorrow and pain for the poor man 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️✨✨✨ A heartbreaking and yet deeply emotional conclusion for story!

Gosh the poor guy started out with a bad hangover after she made him drink so much last night!! He really was shaken and turned badly! And damn the bright white place strikes again hahaha in a much more scarier note this white environment truly starts to become like a pretty nightmare bit by bit!

And it's so sad already that he's ashamed at being drunk and opening himself up to her, when Calypso was the one who manipulated him into doing so and he can't grasp that yet 😢man the conveniently placed medicine for his hangover! Another red flag that this was orchestrated with his present condition in mind! I like how his sharp mind even under the spell notices it's a bit off.

Don't know if this has anything to do with it, but the fact that the medicine works well with the nausea but not with his dizziness also seems to work in Calypso's favor to maneuver him! Maybe it's also connected to her mind spells. Poor man doesn't have a clue how much she wants to be sleeping next to him lool she's giving her prey space to come to her it seems!

Gosh even the fact that she has hangover medicine ready gives her a reverse Dilla vibe hahaha sorry 😂 but man he really got a bad one! It must have been Calypso's spell as well which made him so accepting of more and more drink, he's definitely catching on to something now, even if he's yet to know her motivation! Gosh 😂😂😂😂 the "You're not mature enough" always gets me hahaha perfect for him, and silver fox Caleb hahaha

Oh man it's so scary and sad how he's always making excuses for her still, even with all the hints there, yet it's so realistic in a scary way how his instincts are telling him something is wrong in the way she made him drunk, but he feels he doesn't want to believe them since this woman helped him survive, and also how afraid he is to have more issues with the Gods 😢 And the fact that shame starts to become a prevalent thing more and more... Calypso definitely uses shame as a tool to get to him as well. Hin comparing her to Circe and how that was scary for him already 😢

Oh boy Calypso posing like a painting again, and yet like a lion in her den awaiting her meal once more! It's interesting how she's probably trying to manipulate him into believing he's in a relaxed environment with her, but Odysseus gets more and more creeped out as time passes, even tho he's still trying to convince himself the fear is misplaced.

That "I am glad to see you are up" she was expecting him to stay down a while damn woman 😂 and the way the maids handle him seems almost like another hint he is losing his autonomy. That smirk of hers at him saying his throat is dry, she's a bit of creep even in the little things hahaha or I'm just too antagonizing of her at this point 🤣 even that "I would hate to see you struggle with nausea" seems so mocking from her!

I really like how you make Calypso's emotions for him genuine and yet that doesn't make her any less of a creep, she definitely admires him and likes him truly, but she still is maneuvering him with no regards at his true feelings, plus she looks at him like a piece of meat, and the simpleton comment oh boy... Basically she fetishizes his body and personality yet she's not caring about what he wants, something that gets more and more apparent as the story continues, the more she figures out he doesn't want her after all, the more she takes him without consent, that was a very well made yet terrifying and tense build up!

Oh gosh her patting her own back for not jumping on him yikes! Plus the fact that she admits that the idea of doing it while he was vulnerable was tempting and she just didn't because he would remember!

Man the way she keeps reminding him how she likes it when he opens up to her feels more like she's opening up a shell by force! And how easy she lies by even mixing it with omissions, calling him darling gets more and more scary now!

That tense build up of Odysseus refusing her praises and her pressing more and more how she wants to be a friend was progressively so uncomfortable... You can see how she's already fooling herself thinking that coercing him to drink was somehow good as a way for him to talk to her, and not a violation of his free will already, and the way she suddenly puts her hand on his felt as tense as a lion putting his paw on a prey like testing if it would run away or not 😶 especially since she felt like jumping him at that moment too!

It's so interesting how you made her open up about her loneliness now, since it's something so connected to this particular Goddess, and it makes her actions more understandable even if not justified or less creepy in the slightest! I can imagine that spending her time isolated there was toxic, even her nymphs don't help much because they serve her blindly doing everything she wants, Calypso is a lonely deity, without much experience of relationships and very used to having whatever the hell she wants with a snap of her fingers, so she doesn't take a "no" for an answer well, and she truly is projecting into Odysseus all the solutions and cure for her loneliness, especially after the first time she rapes him. There's definitely a bit of tragedy behind her aborrent awful actions even if you still loathe her haha

Oh man and poor Odysseus feeling sorry for her loneliness comparing it to his own, but as he tries to give her a hand Calypso takes the chance to pull his whole arm! 😶 Poor guy was put against the wall in 3 seconds with her pleas for him to stay with her! I love how Odysseus is so confused by her change in tone and demeanor dropping the motherly mature image and getting more and more needy and clingy like a little girl now! The way she so confidently tells him she understands him is so arrogant coming from her lips, and the way she says "you are worthy" is so demeaning, yet so perfectly written for a Goddess such as her who is used to her status (especially in comparison to humans)!

Odysseus initial reaction was so fitting as well, who would not be flattered and blush at a beautiful Goddess praising you, a mortal, that way! Even confessing her feelings to you so boldly! Especially Odysseus who is thinking about his fleeting youth and reputation as well! And yet the poor guy is already trying to break free from her grasp and trying to tell her he wants to go back...

I love how you wrote Calypso accusing mortals of being petty when she herself is one of the most petty beings around hahaha it was such a great way to hint at her being hypocritical too. And the way she immediately ignores the fact that he has another life to return, and starts off by accusing his dead friends...

Gosh it starts the first strike! The way she uses Odysseus's pain to her advantage... And even tho it's true that his men made their own mistakes it's heartbreaking the way she is purposely trying to antagonize them more, make them seem as simply backstabbing monsters in her words when the truth is much more complicated than that... Also the way she was keeping the information of Eurylochus as the one who had the idea to eat the cows and open the sack, just so she could weaponize it to manipulate Odysseus more, not even caring how much this hurts him 😢

Oh man the vision must be so brutal, Calypso really chose the worse spot for her own convenience! 😢 And even tho Odysseus knew his men did this, him hearing Eurylochus basically start a mutiny while he was away searching for food must have hurt his mind and heart too deeply... yet Odysseus still understands them seeing how much they are suffering and starving, afraid of dying in the worst way possible withering away, while watching food grazing right next to them!

As always it's so touching how Polites is one of the few attempting to defend Odysseus... Eurylochus rage is so raw and understandable even if very harsh and unfair as well, since he does not carry the weight of leadership and the choices Odysseus had to make, but man his suffering is surely palpable and genuine as well! But hearing all of his accusations must hurt like knives in Odysseus hears even the cave of the Cyclops and all... Especially since his comrades are dead now and he can do nothing but despair at these words and their loss. And watching the cows being killed and presented in such a bad manner of sacrifice was just more salt to the wound, just watching knowing he can't change the past and prevent what happens next 😢

Man Odysseus pain is definitely so apparent in your writing! The way he almost scratches the skin from his face in pure agony.. the way he laments what his comrades and friends did to him, but also what he did to them, all the sacrifices and choices he had to bear for them which makes their words and actions sting more, but also the path of destruction he followed with them and that he blames himself for choosing 😭 cursing his very own birth was definitely the limit oh man...the mix of feelings of blame but also trying to defend himself internally is so sad, a true battle with his own rambling emotions 😢 and now he remembers how Skylla in particular hit Eurylochus hard...

Oh man and if the vision was brutal this flashback is definitely insane!! The way it starts with Odysseus fully armored when the ship passes the area, looking up while his comrades are confused and anxious already points out to the danger about to come, as well as the unnatural silence as the calm before the storm... And how gutrenching the way the men get terrified at Charybdis when their true doom comes from the other side...

And gosh the baby cry is definitely such a creepy touch for this monster attempting to lure prey! Odysseus' hope surely was crushed with him hoping that the beast wouldn't wake up... Now he sees the eminent danger and how helpless he is to avoid it, for Charybdis would just swallow them all! Poor Polites not knowing and warning him about the baby must have been so hard for Odysseus... And it's so fitting the way Odysseus compares the cry to baby Astyanax wanting some sort of retribution for his death... how raw is his pain when he looks at Polites and asks forgiveness right before taking him to the ground as the worst happens!

The way you described the faces on the necks is surely horror movie material, the mix of women and dragon features sound both interesting and horrifying especially with the long necks just snatching the men so quickly like that! And man how gruesome that she does not kill them first and eats them alive in the middle of agony and pain and suffering! The adrenaline rush not letting them even pass out or anything 😰 and the panic of the men throwing up and everything is so realistic for such a situation...

Gosh the silence of the men as they try to process what happened while Odysseus guilt engulfs him already! And of course Eurylochus jumping right in front of Polites screaming his lungs out, which is understandable but oh man... The way he almost spits "king of Ithaca" and "equal to Gods" with such irony! I love it how you understand both sides' perspectives and mistakes, yes Odysseus lied to them about their fate, taking that right away from them, tho he did it to spare them and there was really not much of an option at that point. You wrote all their emotions so well as always ✨✨ you can feel both Odysseus struggling feelings and Eurylochus terror and rage even while he shivers!!

And I assume Eurylochus pictured himself dying in place of his comrades in such a dreadful way and it twisted his insides completely... Now he will definitely fear his shadow and distrust everything... He fears for his life like never before and that fear, ironically, could perhaps be considered part of the reason they were doomed, when he killed the sacred cows to survive... the request of trust from Odysseus definitely was not well taken right now! It's again so much when Odysseus is feeling his guilt eating him up alive yet he keeps telling himself again and again that he can't show weakness, mirroring the events of Troy... So he takes the attitude of a harsh leader stepping up his authority to keep leading them home, despite feeling himself breaking deep inside too 😢

Gosh the way Odysseus is curling himself more and more like a ball in his pain and memories in front of Calypso 😭 both his guilt and his heartbreak from the choices of his dead friend against him stabbing him so much, connected with the awful days of him trying to survive alone drifting at sea 😢 and man here she comes! The comparison of her enclosing him like the sea that drifted him is so scary and the way she circles him like a lion after bringing him down to the floor with despair 😭

And she keeps spitting more venom mixed with sweet words to lure him... It's so low how she used this to attempt getting him. This once again reminded me of a reverse scene you wrote with Dilla, how she once cleaned off the tears that Caleb did not realize he was crying telling him that he still had other people there for him... While here Calypso cleans his tears but tries to separate him from any other person isolating him only to herself alone... Those 2 scenes really point out to the difference between a healthy vs toxic relationship 👀

And here finally comes the request to join her in immortality, and how human of Odysseus to actually consider it, after all which human does not dream of that, to not worry about such pains! Even Achilles memory pushes him to that thought! But of course much to her frustration he must deny her! It's incredible how this made him sober up from his despair just moments ago on the ground! He speaks clearly to her now completely sure he wants to go home.

Oh gosh her "looks like she was slapped" face seems too good 🤣 she can't understand how someone can even tell her "no" especially a mortal! And man Calypso surely attacks back with her last hurtful weapon, questioning the wife that he so badly wants to return too! And the fact Odysseus actually moaned at the painful thought! Agamemnon's example truly was dreadful to him at that moment!

It's again so dark how Calypso uses words that do make sense but for her twisted interests, it does indeed make sense that 12 years is too much to wait for someone especially if a throne is empty, yet she does not present this as a very possible warning but instead as a absolute truth in hopes he gives everything up in her favor, again not minding hurting him more if that means he will remain by her side.

Man and the disgust hitting him mixed with her lure is definitely gut wrenching! The poor man does not want the proximity and her insistence! And it was her telling him that he can't wait either that pushes him up and away from her! Oh boy and her mentioning the bed, his special bed! Poor man being hunted by his doubts now... Him begging her to stop talking 😭 his brain and heart having a battle like that over whether Penelope is waiting or not... And it's sad to realize it does make sense, he doesn't know yet he must hold on to it!

Calypso is definitely cheering for him to let go at this point, but gosh another slap to her face, Odysseus surely doesn't want to give up even when faced with the worse odds! And now she's boiling... She can't take the refusal and unfortunately her envy only makes her more dangerous for him! Her rage at being jealous of a mortal woman and weakness reminds me of Assara a bit! And gosh of course instead of accepting his emotions and wishes she now takes this as a challenge!

How angry she is to see that her spell is fading and that his mind was strong enough to go over it... Her banging her hands on the wood hint to her short fuse but it's so much scarier than that in a violent way... yet it's interesting how her feelings are genuine and how it also confuses her how much he desires him, which is just one more scary reminder of how she completely acts upon these feelings so abusively.

And here comes the guy trying to ask for a ship, for her to help him go home even in the middle of praises... and despite his now very alert red flags he still hopes that with enough reverence she will understand and help him when he needs her the most, after all she helped him before so he still hopes she can do it again now 😢

And her first denials came almost like an offended little girl angry that she must return a lost toy that was not hers! She can't have his consent so she decides to make his life difficult until he gives up on leaving... Man it's so heartbreaking that Calypso is not even moved when Odysseus opens up about missing his child and wanting to hold him, she becomes more angry and petty instead... The selfishness of a Goddess that can't take being rejected!

Oh man and here comes her first lie or at least it becomes a lie for she has no intention of letting him go even after he gave his part of the gifts of Xenia! And gosh how conditional was her love and help! How quickly she threatened him to give back for her kindness, even if he didn't ask for any of it in the first place and just woke up in her home after being dragged by the sea... And man she knows damn well he has nothing of value and is fully expecting him to give himself up as if he was an instrument and object of her pleasure 😢

And the poor guy is actually curious about what he can offer before his world crumbles once more 😭 the way that kiss was robbed from him in such a gross way, and it's not even the worst of her yet!! And she asks this "entertainment" of him so lightly like she's asking for a glass of water, like it didn't matter much! Poor terrified guy trying to back away begging once again!

And men here comes his past to haunt him again! He suffered with Circe therefore Calypso thinks it's fair game for her to do the same as well! It's almost like "You were abused before to save people, what's the big deal now?" Yikes so chilling 😰😰😰 and man for real right now even tho he doesn't know it yet there is no exchange whatsoever, Calypso gets to abuse his body, and he gets suffering until the Gods remember to set him free...

Gosh and he thinks of his family again 😢 and in her cruelty of course Calypso attempts to use his fear of the power of Gods to force him into doing what she wants... How ironic! Her basically offering violation with no regards to his emotions (even if she's delusional enough to not realize it goes against his free will) and retorting that somehow that would not be bad because it's with her!the nerve! But damn once again amazing writing and portrayal of such a Goddess's attitude!

And poor guy terrified of what she might do in her anger 😭 his pleas of doing so much more for her and her disregarding them and his distress with chuckles makes her so much more abhorrent as a person, truly vile! His begging for mercy almost falling to the ground without nothing truly is too much, the fact that she completely disregards this suffering for her own interests shows how distorted and toxic her love is despite being real or not! That "otherwise it will be much harder for me to keep refusing you" is so infuriating, as well as her now listing his "sins" with Troy and such when before she was making him out to be blameless while his comrades were the traitor monsters! The blackmailing really hurts in this one!! 😰

And using the only thing he has left, his faith and fear of the Gods... Poor desperate man cornered finally realizing the kind of beast he's facing 😢 The "I'm just a man" phrase fits so incredibly well here!! 😭😭 Completely powerless before a Goddess who is using his vulnerability without mercy... He's so tired and the way he describes his honor being trampled sure is painful to no end!

And of course it's so painful to hear this from someone he thought was helping him... Who he believed to be kind but turns out she want to use him in the worst way possible as a price... His heart and trust are definitely in pieces with everything happening around him 😢

And finally here it is... The first of more than 2555 times 😢 Jesus the contrast of their demeanor is already so visceral... She's relaxed and actually looking forward to it excited and lustful like a creep not caring if the guy before her is completely terrified and panicking, and with his psychological state in destruction... And he's actually shaking in distress feeling her looking at him which is violating enough! And him asking the Gods to not feel anything and trying to drink and drink to get numb 😭😭 the beautiful and terrible description is so on point!

Oh man and the struggle he is having in taking his clothes off, the sheer feeling of nauseating discomfort here portrayes so well what the poor guy must be feeling at this moment 😭 man he just wants to pass out 😢 and gosh her ripping his clothes apart was definitely a jump scare for his heart she's definitely not going to even try making it easy for him, just suffering... And man this is mirroring the moment she touched his chest when he was unconscious, but now with him fully aware it's so much worse... Especially as he tries to avoid it even the kiss with his lips closed...

Him nearly breaking down crying when she tells him "like you mean it" that phrase is really terrifying because of the lack of consent 😢 and the hair pulling that for Calypso must be just a passionate action just turns into a violent act of aggression and abuse 😢 and oh boy him trying to convince himself that he can endure this, using his most beloved title of Father of Telemachus 😭

This is definitely the worst part for him... The way he feels that even his body is betraying him! The way it reacts to her violation despite his horror and disgust, which must add so much resentment and confusion to his poor tormented mind 😢😢 and he doesn't even want to give her the satisfaction of making sounds even if such sounds would be more from pain and distress than anything else 😭 the rage and confusion... and it's so sad him trying to remind himself of who he is or who he is known to be as an attempt to not be broken!

Man it's definitely so ironic that this woman that could have other Gods and mortals alike prefers to force herself on this man so selfishly thinking her feelings have the right to overthrow and disregard his own... In her Godly arrogance she thinks she has the right to make choices for him and that his emotions are meaningless because she's "clearly the better choice" you really did such a great job with this character being both complex and despicable! She can't even realize how he's closing his eyes to hide himself and his emotions from her! And he cries for Athena and why she left him alone 😭

Oh man him remembering Circe and that at least Circe thought he had consented, even if it was still rape for lack of choice, definitely makes this whole situation more vile, Calypso restraining him with her strength, and his poor heart breaking at the act itself 😢 it's so sad to see something that was meant to be enjoyable for couples now being such a horrid weapon to hurt this man... And how her faces of bliss are seen as distorted and monstrous to him while he endures it all... Especially how he remembers her helping him in contrast and now sees all of those memories ruined by her perverted actions against him 😢 and her hand near his Adams' apple is so scary too having in account her strength!

Gosh the end must have been such a double edged sword... It's finally over yet it must have left him so weak and destroyed and ashamed 😢 her "Equal to Gods" dirty joke is really disgusting in this context, the way she can airly joke from this and kiss him like it was nothing while he cries 😢

Damn woman truly is delusional humming and arranging herself like a teen in love as if she didn't just get forceful on someone! Poor guy so ashamed and still exhausted and in pain 😭 and of course she has completely manipulated him into believing she would let him leave if he just did this horror for her, and now simply pulls the rug from under his feet! Of course she'll force him to sell himself again and again because she is not interested in ever setting him free... How cruel of her to just take from him like that with no escape 😢

Once again the way she doesn't care how much he is feeling for his family and now his shame... and it's even more scary and insane the way she is so sincere about wanting him to love her by force, and blushes like she is having the time of her life confessing her feelings to her crush, completely ignoring the distressed man in front of her that she claims to love but that she hurt so much! She's the equivalent of a toddler covering her ears going "lalala" each time he makes it clear he doesn't want this, and her inaptitude to accept a "no" is so maddening! Her calling him pious is definitely a limit there!

Man her repeating the words from her rape as he holds her neck... And the fact that she seems so easy to kill but is so indestructible is horrifying! No escape from this prison! And one more heartbreak as he tries to run away from the island even by swimming but is denied even that 😭

Gosh her motherly act is even more twisted and sick now... Calling him "my love" in such a condescending way, calling him for dinner like a disobedient child, and attempting to make him scared of her Godly anger again... Poor guy suddenly becomes scared for his home and what she might do to it 😢😢

Him crying at the beach for the first times 😭 robbed of all his agency and free will like it was nothing... His suffering after his great reverence to the Gods is so painfully deep, poor guy feels abandoned by them and the whole universe... And man you used the idea of Calypso using the smell of food to lure him in with his hunger 😢 it's so ironic in a bittersweet way that this makes him remember his men's suffering with hunger themselves... And he realizes her spells making him forget the mourning for his companions 😢

Gosh this is definitely one of his more meaningful moments, the way he suffers from not being able to give his men a proper burial (also love the detail of his curly hair almost forming natural locks). Him cutting his hair with a simple rock here is so deep, heartbreaking yet touching, the way he sacrifices his hair as tribute to the fallen ones and promises to survive and endure the horrors to return, also for them and their legacy 😭

Once again the contrasts between Odysseus and Calypso's demeanor are great! She smiles, disregards his sad tormented eyes and even his cut hair of mourning... She keeps fooling herself that her abuse can make him love her. The ending with him letting go of a last tear and taking her hand like taking death as the ultimate sacrifice is such a brutal close for this part, yet so meaningful in his determination knowing he is alone yet needs to look forward... This reminds of a dialog from the "War Horse" film:

" To get to their destination they must fly over a war. Can you imagine such a thing? Flying over so much pain and terror, and yet you know you can never look down. You have to look forward or you'll never get home. I ask you, what could be braver than that?"

I always imagined this quote for Caleb and definitely for Odysseus too now, since they connect so well 😭😭 The survivors duty reaches his perfect pinnacle here 😢❤️

Oh gosh girl you definitely should never regret this amazing beautiful writing and tribute to these ancient takes ✨✨❤️❤️❤️💎💎💎 man that soundtrack especially with the eerie notes and choirs of ominous voices is so perfect for Calypso weiveing and messing with the poor man's mind with her spells!

And of course a great choice in adding both the Skylla moment and Calypso showing him the vision! Ads to the poor guy's trauma so much more deeply 😭

Man and the after note is of course the cherry on top of this incredible heartbreaking narrative!!

Oh gosh to know that he's not even over with half the years of his torment, yet he already passed double the time as Calypso's prisoner as he was with Circe 😭😭 the way he seems so broken yet so exhausted as he lifts himself... The way his emotions run dry while he is by her side in that narrow bed and how the beautiful Goddess only gives him feelings of asphyxiation, rage, sorrow and disgust even by her breathing... Your comparison of her hair to Skylla is so on point and how he sees her no better than the monster that tormented him and his comrades! It's also so sad that he does not even care about being naked anymore, as if shame was robbed from him because it doesn't matter in his situation anymore... Man and she hurts him during the act too, apologizing for it but just continuing the abuse 😭 the fact that he even tried to resist her still and beg just for a night of peace, which was probably completely ignored in the most condescending way...

His hair getting longer with the passing of time seems to be mocking his tribute to his men in a way which is even sadder 😢 and of course the idea of the nymphs grooming him like a pet even tho he preferred to be completely undesirable to Calypso... This of course leads to him having an aversion to being handled by servants bathing him gosh! It's heartbreaking in an ironic way, that his desire to go home is now eating him alive from the inside with longing, and what was keeping him going to survive is at the same time weakening his hope 😭 I can't even begin to imagine how many words of doubt she kept bombarding him in the last 2 years... This definitely explains his lack of trust later on mixed with his already long list of tragedies 😢

Oh man and once again the fight between the heart and mind of whether Penelope could wait for him for so long or not 😭 the way his poor brain keeps twirling and twirling counting the years imagining his son has grown now, and how much he has missed, feeling the time slowly running out as he's kept there 😢😢 and the stress being so much that even his hair turns gray in short years! Him looking at himself in a mirror and being surprised with his fast aging is so saddening... Even more as Calypso fetishizes it not caring that she's the one sucking his life with each night...

The idea that he hardly cries at night because he has dried all of his tears during the days hits very hard... Oh man "he felt like nobody", it's like the fact he called himself "nobody" to the Cyclops came back to haunt him too... and there you go Calypso, he doesn't learn to love you as you so foolishly wanted to believe, all he wants to do is kill you and you're just lucky that he can't lol Man his rage is definitely so palpable here!

And now the devoted man completely curses the Gods existence, and the suffering they cause to the mortals... It's so sad that now he has hatred for the night, for it is always the time for his torment, feeling so empty even without his nightmares 😭 the complete switch with him cursing Athena for abandoning him with the passing owl, but breaks immediately with his own broken faith feeling he must not loose himself like that 😢

Man it's incredible how much regret he came to feel with Troy and yet he wishes to set this place with the same fire of rage killing everyone from the nymphs to Calypso! Shows how much he had to suffer already with his abuse which is not even close from ending 😭😭 and the way he fantasizes about killing Calypso is full of so much raw accumulated emotional from pain and sorrow! I can so understand how in his perspective it's so unfair that she sleeps peacefully after her abuse while he is the one to bear it all, it would make anyone feel like committing revenge and murder like that... And he is so ready to do it! She turned this poor man into such a vengeful soul thirsting for blood, he does not even fear or care he's so ready to go through with it all and add just one more "sin" to his karma! But of course he's not lucky... she's always too strong and him too powerless 😢

Oh man that's definitely another jump scare the way she grabs his throat... The way he's reminded he's unfortunately dealing with the daughter of Atlas 😭 and how twisted can this get that she considered this act of him as him desiring her, along with his attempt of pulling her hair to hurt her back as a touch of passion in her twisted deluded mind... She simply can't see the man tired from abuse, anger and grief and that's truly terrifying how she is twisting her love and bliss while Odysseus is in a never ending battle to survive and return home 😢😢😢

Gosh and the way it ends with him shutting down his emotions like a cold curtain close...

What else can I say other than what a crazy good, and intense ride this was!! This is such a controversial theme to write and you did it so flawlessly! His pain and anguish and hope and love of his family plus his sacrifice... And Calypso as well being such a complicated character, with her own inner tragedies of loneliness yet so delusional and vile in her approach to love, ruining and twisting and corrupting it all to the rotten core! Amazing job girl!!! 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️❤️💎💎💎✨✨✨✨✨

Survivor's Guilt and Survior's Duty (P3 + After Note)

Continuation from Part 2:

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katerinaaqu

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 didn’t match in color or texture.

One jet black

And one silver white…

*

Odysseus slowly opened his bruised eyes and he wished he hadn’t. 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.

“Gods…my head…” he thought hoping the nausea would leave him alone

The events of the night before were also present in his mind and the embarrassment didn’t 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.

“Well…that was awfully organized…” 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. That’s odd, he thought, but then he fathomed she wouldn’t 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.

“Gods…never again…” he mumbled holding another gag back.

But it was true that Calypso’s 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.

“Alright, Odysseus…no more wine for you…” he mumbled to himself, “…you clearly are not mature enough…”

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 didn’t 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 didn’t need to be seen as an uncontrollable drunk as well. And this goddess somehow gave a different energy than Circe (and by gods wasn’t 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 couldn’t be more. Calypso sensed his presence and smiled almost maternally at him.

“Good morning, Odysseus” her melodic voice reached his ears. “I am glad to see you up”

“That is a way to put it, goddess…” 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.

“My throat is dry…” he admitted, “Could I perhaps…have some water?”

Calypso smirked.

“Bring him some water” she ordered

As the cup was given to Odysseus he basically drained it, feeling the cool liquid settling down.

“Blessed you be, goddess…” he whispered again, “And thank you for your treatment. It worked wonders”

“I am glad” Calypso said with her usual feline smile. “I would hate to see you struggle with nausea”

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 hadn’t 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 fear…strength and weakness…

“Goddess…I…” he started, “In regards to the events of last night…forgive me I shouldn’t have broken down like this…”

Calypso congratulated herself deep inside for holding herself back.  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.

“Why not?” Calypso asked airily. “I am glad you decided to open up with me. I am just sad you had to get drunk you let yourself go and trust me”

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;

“Don’t worry too much, darling. I myself actually drank more than what I intended, last night,” the half-lie came easy to her lips, “You are a very pleasant company, Odysseus. One can forget himself when they are with you!”

“Me?” Odysseus asked in disbelief, “Hardly, goddess…hardly…”

He sighed, rubbing his nape nervously.

“I just...didn’t want to burden you with my troubles…”

“Odysseus…” Calypso said sincerely, “You 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 chest”

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.

“Don’t you ever, ever apologize for your emotions, Odysseus,” she said sincerely, “It is what makes you mortals and us immortals similar…”

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.

“Oh, yes” she said, “Even 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 world…sometimes loneliness is so much to bear Odysseus…so much…”

Odysseus raised his brows. Suddenly the immortal nymph Calypso seemed almost…vulnerable. 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?

“I…I understand, beautiful Calypso…” he whispered, “It is piercing the bones of any person to be isolated…”

“Yes, you do understand, don’t you?” Calypso eyed him, “You 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 do…”

Odysseus suddenly felt uncomfortable. He didn’t know where this conversation was heading to but it seemed like it was about to take a turn that he wouldn’t 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.

“Why don’t you stay here with me, Odysseus?” 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.

“Stay…” Calypso repeated, “You 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 wouldn’t need to worry about a thing here.”

As if that was not enough, Calypso raised a hand to touch his chin, making their eyes meet.

“I like you, Odysseus” she confessed naturally, “You interested me from the moment I saw you; your will to survive was unparalleled, however now I see how genuinely worthy you are.”

Odysseus felt his cheeks flush with color. It was rather flattering, he couldn’t 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. However…

“Your interest in me is beyond flattering, goddess…” he replied as he softly covered her hand still holding his with his own, discreetly drawing it away, “However I must refuse. I must go back…”

Calypso’s 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.

“Go back…?” she echoed, “Why? What’s 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?”

“I have a kingdom I am responsible of” the king of Ithaca replied, “I have a family, friends that I have to return to.  I made a promise I would. I am a mortal too, goddess, I belong to that world”

“Friends!” Calypso said as if the word had no meaning, “Your friends were responsible for this adventure that almost cost your life!”

Reading the expression of shock to his face, Calypso elaborated.

“You 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!”

The Man of Many Torments felt his heart clench as all color left his face.

“What?” he croaked out

“Look in your cup” Calypso encouraged him, “and see the truth”

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 drown…

*

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 god’s wrath but this time they were all at their limits. Eurylochus suddenly shot up from his sitting position on a rock.

“I’ve had enough of this!” he exclaimed suddenly

As all heads turned to face him at the same time.

“Hear 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 don’t know about you, my friends but I refuse to die here of starvation!”

“Eurylochus!” Polites cried out, “What are you saying! You can’t be implying-…”

“All forms of death are terrible, Polites!” Eurylochus replied again, “We 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!”

“Eurylochus is right” Lycaon now spoke, “This can’t go on! And Odysseus is nowhere to be found!”

“He went to hunt” Polites replied again, “And pray for us!”

“Pray! Pray!” Eurylochus suddenly started screaming on top of his lungs, “He 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!”

“Now now!” Alkimos now spoke, “That’s too much! Calm down!”

“Don’t you tell me to calm down Alkimos!” Eurylochus growled, “Odysseus 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!”

“Now listen you!” Polites had enough of this.

He was hungry too and starving but that was way too much.

“Don’t you dare to say that! Odysseus only tried to protect us all in various occasions! True he made many mistakes but-…”

He was stopped when Eurylochus grabbed upon his collar.

“YOU WEREN’T THERE, POLITES!” Eurylochus bellowed and his eyes already shining with primitive hunger were now beyond any form of madness one could express, “You weren’t 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!”

“Now, now everyone calm down!” Amphidamas came between them to separate them, “If we kill each other now, the conversation will have no meaning in the first place!”

Eurylochus was forced to step back but he continued.

“I 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.”

“And if we don’t?” Polites glared at him

“If we don’t…well in that case I prefer to die from a wave and drown rather than die here like a beast from hunger!”

*

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.

“Oh, Eurylochus!” he whispered between his sobbing, “I know, my friend, I know I made mistakes…I know I wasn’t perfect but I didn’t deserve this! I didn’t-…deserve…”

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 wouldn’t 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 yet…the other part of himself admitted they were right; nothing would have happened if he hadn’t let his anger speak and brag on Polyphemus…no, 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 happened…

“Cursed oath!” he thought in despair, “Why 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 weren’t 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!”

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 shouldn’t be all his fault now should it? He had specifically told them not to open the sack…he had told them not to eat the animals belonging to a god… He had warned them! He couldn’t 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 hate…? He remembered though how much Eurylochus was affected during their trip. In particular the adventure of Skylla had left them all with scars…

*

The area was quiet; WAY too quiet for anyone’s 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.

“A baby?” one of the men asked

Odysseus winced. No, no…he thought. His hands clenched upon his arms. Suddenly he remembered Circe’s 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 wouldn’t 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 Skylla’s side to avoid Charybdis and now…Skylla had decided it was her time to eat…

“Odysseus!” Polites called out as his face was pale and wet from sweat; one eye to the whirlpool and the other to Odysseus, “Odysseus, there is a baby up at the grotto!”

A baby up… For a moment Odysseus felt like it was Astyanax who was crying from the underworld…Astyanax had come to claim something of him as punishment for he took Troy leading to his death…

“Odysseus!” 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.

“Forgive me, Polites…” he whispered, “GET DOWN!”

And he dropped to the deck, taking Polites with him and leading a few men do the same in panic (of those who weren’t 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 woman’s 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.

“CAPTAIN! CAPTAIN!” the men who could still speak screamed, “ODYSSEUS!”

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 again…

There was silence afterwards… His men hardly dared to breathe…not 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 didn’t 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;

“What…what the hell was that…?”he was as pale as a cloud, “Odysseus…? What the hell was that…?”

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.

“YOU BASTARD!” he bellowed beyond himself, grabbing him by the front part of his armor, “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT THING?! YOU STOOD THERE DOING NOTHING! WE ALL DID! SPEAK UP!”

His head turned to the side. He couldn’t face him.

“I HEARD YOU SPEAK UP! IT WAS AS IF YOU KNEW WHAT WAS COMING! SPEAK UP ‘KING OF ITHACA’ AND ‘EQUAL TO GODS’! WHAT WAS THAT!?”

“That was Skylla…” Odysseus whispered, “…Daughter of Echidna and Typhoon… A creature that pries on dolphins and seals when she can…and waits for ships to pass her grotto…”

Eurylochus was hyperventilating; his face was red in fury.

“You knew!? YOU KNEW ALL ALONG AND SAID NOTHING!? YOU KEPT YOUR MOUTH SHUT WHEN-…”

“If I had picked Charybdis we would have died all!” Odysseus yelled back, “I had no choice I had to do this! There was no other way!”

“You kept your mouth shut! YOU SAID NOTHING AND LET OUR COMRADES BE SACRIFICED! YOU DIDN’T SAY A THING! WE HAD TO KNOW!”

“WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY?!” now Odysseus bellowed, higher than anything Eurylochus did before

His men all silenced before his woeful and furious cry.

“What 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 possible…that I could find no proper words to explain what was in store for them…that I hope I was them…?”

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 lost…

“…That I am sorry…?”

If I show weakness I am lost…

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.

“Sorry…?” he echoed, “You are sorry…?”

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!

“YOU ARE SORRY!?” Eurylochus bellowed, “IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANY OF US, ODYSSEUS! IT COULD HAVE BEEN-…”

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.

“Oh my gods…” he mumbled, “We’re not going to survive this, are we? We are all gonna die in this journey! We’re all doomed!”

“No! No!” Odysseus shook his head, “No, this can’t end like this! We shall make it! We must make it! If we follow the instructions Circe gave us, we can make it. Trust me…”

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 wouldn’t rush on him again.

“Trust you?! TRUST YOU, you say?! Six of our comrades are dead! And you said nothing! How can we trust you Odysseus!? HUH?!”

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 lost…

“I did what I thought it was right…” he said in a cold tone, “If I had chosen Charybdis we would all be dead now…”

He turned to leave but Eurylochus was not done releasing the anger inside him.

“Who else is to be sacrificed next then, Odysseus? Huh? Tell me, King of Ithaca, who is to be sacrificed next?”

If I show weakness I am lost…

“I did it to save us all!” Odysseus whispered dangerously, stepping closer to him, “I did it to save this vessel! Our last ship! Our last hope! If we lose it, we’re lost! I did what I had to do! We can survive this! But we must stick together!”

If I show weakness I am lost…

“If you cannot trust me, then obey me!”

If I show weakness I am lost…

“If 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!”

If I show weakness I am lost…

“For as long as we have this vessel, I am still your captain! And we still have a chance!”

If I show weakness…

*

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 process…and his very life!

“Our last vessel…our last hope…” he whispered, “…It’s gone…gone! We… Gone… All of our hope was gone…! Why, Eurylochus! Why! Why!”

Calypso walked around his bench. She was as alluring as she seemed dangerous…like 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.

“My poor, tormented darling…” Calypso whispered again, “These men rebelled against you…they disobeyed your orders and ignored your suggestions… Surely you are not the one to blame for their carelessness and arrogance….”

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 shed…

“You nearly lost your life out there, darling… Why must you torment yourself over them? Why must your heart always mourn? Forget about this…mortal coil. Stay here with me…stay 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 ask…”

Immortal! The word rang to Odysseus’s 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 souls…he remembered Achilles who had told him he’d 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.

“Goddess…I immensely thank you for your proposal…there 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 back…”

Calypso seemed like she had been slapped as she looked at him.

“But…why!” she finally asked, “Why would you choose that? When you have been tormented so much and hurt so badly?”

“I must return to Ithaca!” Odysseus insisted, “My wife…my 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 them….”

Calypso stood up. Suddenly her face resembled indeed a statue; perfect and yet cold and emotionless.

“And are you sure, Odysseus, that your wife remained faithful to you? Are you sure she hasn’t betrayed you too?”

Odysseus moaned helplessly. That thought stabbed into his brain like a sword. For some reason Agamemnon’s 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!

“No!” he exclaimed, “Not, Penelope! We chose each other! There is a special bond between us!”

“And yet, how do you know?” Calypso pressed, “You 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?”

“She does! I know she does! She promised she would wait! She promised me!”

“Darling! Listen to yourself! You have been away from home more than 12 years!” she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, resting her beautiful head over his, “At best possible scenario she honored your marriage till they finally denounced you dead. Who can leave a throne vacant for so long?”

“No…” Odysseus whispered in denial, “No…no!”

“Just face the truth, my darling…you 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 darling…” she whispered in his ear, “Not even you…”

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.

“I would! I would wait! I did! I still do!”

“And you are absolutely certain she would do the same? How can you be so sure that your sweet Penelope hasn’t found someone else to warm that empty wedding bed of hers?”

His bed? That bed he carved with his own two hands would be taken by someone else? That thought terrified him. No, he didn’t even want to think about it!

“Please goddess, stop! Say no more, I employ you!”

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 hadn’t really remarried? He had none and he knew it, but he still wouldn’t want to accept such a scenario!

“But what if I am right?” Calypso insisted, “What if you are right and she endured but eventually she had to bend? What if your sweet Penelope has found a new husband?”

“Then…” the king of Ithaca whispered, “…that is one more reason for me to go back! To claim what is mine; my land, my kingdom, my palace…and my wife!”

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 “envy”? 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 wouldn’t 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 wouldn’t need to think so much of the things he would leave behind, had started to fade. It was as if, indeed, Odysseus’s 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 couldn’t 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 didn’t need to look behind her shoulder to realize it was Odysseus standing behind her.

“Calypso…” he whispered, “Great goddess of Ogygia…please…give me a vessel…give 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 you…give me a ship to govern”

“There are no ships in Ogygia, Odysseus!” Calypso replied almost coldly, “No one ever comes or goes from here… Ships do not cross this sea…so full of danger”

“Then…please give me the tools to make one” Odysseus insisted, “Please, 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 nymph…please let me go…”

Calypso sighed. Her fist clenched.

“Fine…if that’s what you want to do…” 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.

“But first, before you leave, I need something from you, Odysseus”

“Anything, goddess!” Odysseus replied almost immediately, “As long as it is within my power to give it to you”

“The gifts of Xenia, I gave you…” Calypso immediately replied; her eyes resembled now a predatory bird that had caught a mouse in her claws, “I 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.”

Odysseus’s heart sank in his chest.

“Goddess…” he began, “I 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!”

“Ah, Odysseus, Odysseus… There is something you can give me, something much more important than those soulless things. Wine…jewelry? 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 buy…”

Odysseus eyed her curiously.

“What?” he genuinely asked, “What is it that I have that is so precious to you, good goddess?”

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. No…no it couldn’t be! Calypso pulled back smiling seductively.

“Entertain me, Odysseus!” she whispered, “Give me what your wife enjoyed for a little while… Show me how mortals make love!”

Pale as a sheet, Odysseus took plenty of steps back.

“No…!” he whispered, “No, no! Please, I beg of you goddess!  I-I can’t give you what you ask!”

“Why not?” Calypso pressured, “You gave this to the divine daughter of Helios.”

Circe’s 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!

“Please, spare me, good goddess!” Odysseus begged, “Ask for anything else, but not that, not that please!”

Penelope…Telemachus…

“It seems like offending gods has become a second nature to you, Odysseus!” Calypso retorted, “You make it sound like the worst thing that can happen to you is to bed me!”

Odysseus turned pale in terror. No, he definitely did not mean to offend her and yet what she asked of him…

“I’ll…I’ll do anything else, goddess. I shall delay my departure to make you a magnificent palace with my own hands if you wish…”

“Why 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?”

“I…I shall build you a temple in Ithaca once I arrive!” Odysseus desperately tried again, “I shall make you the greatest goddess of all the Cephallinians, but please spare me!”

Calypso let out a light chuckle.

“The gifts of Xenia are not something given after 10 years, Odysseus!” she said as a matter of fact, “Not 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. I’d rather get what I wished for”

“Spare me!” Odysseus cried out, “Spare me, goddess, please! I’ll fall on my knees for you, beggar at your feet, but please don’t make me do this!”

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.

“Please, Odysseus, no more, otherwise it will be much harder for me to keep refusing you!”

“Please, show mercy!”

“I have stated what I want from you and that’s it” Calypso replied relentless, “Are you going to trample the laws of Xenia as well? Wasn’t the taking of Troy enough when you fought at night using trickery? Wasn’t offending one god enough? Do you now wish to trample this sacred law dictated by Zeus as well?”

Odysseus froze in place; the law of Xenia…the 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.

“If I want to see my wife and child…I 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 can’t do this anymore!” he thought in despair, “My honor…trampled so many times! Gods, mercy! No more! Please no more!”

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!

*

Calypso’s 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 tonight…he thought, let me not feel this that I am about to do…. 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.

“Take off your clothes and join me, Odysseus…” she whispered seductively

Odysseus mechanically breathed in and out and then slowly opened his chiton, revealing his wide chest. He wished his mind wasn’t 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 coals…his soul hurt like being torn apart! Calypso softly pulled back and whispered against his lips;

“Like you mean it, Odysseus…like you mean it!”

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.

“I am Odysseus of Ithaca! Father to sweet Telemachus…son of Laërtes…There is nothing I can’t endure!”

The strokes came even lower. Odysseus prayed with all the power of his soul that his body wouldn’t react; that she would lose interest in him…however, as always, the gods were relentless. He felt his body responding to her caresses and her forcible seduction. He held back himself; no he wouldn’t moan! Be it pleasure or pain; he wouldn’t react! He wouldn’t give off the storm inside him!

“I am the Man of Many Turns…Goodly Odysseus! I am the Sacker of Cities! I am the spawn of Hermes…grandson of Autolycus! I shall not…I cannot be broken…!”

The touch nearly drove him insane in rage and confusion! He sighed as he nearly felt himself losing his footing.

“Endure my heart…please endure…! You have endured worse…!”

She led him on her bed…to 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.

“Oh, 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?”

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 didn’t. She knew he couldn’t 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 couldn’t 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 veins…those 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 wouldn’t groan in distress; his body reacting to her treatment was much more terrifying even than the sight of hers on top of him.

“No more…please gods no more…”

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 didn’t seem half as tired as he was…

“On my word, Odysseus!” she panted softly, “You really ARE ‘Equal to gods’!”

He felt nauseous! He wanted to scream. He remained on the same position…not daring to look at her anymore as she kissed his cheek tenderly, hands tracing his body. Only one tear escaped his eye.

“Why…? WHY!”

*

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.

“Now…” he panted, “Give me a vessel, goddess! Let me go home as you promised…!”

“Promise?” Calypso asked almost innocently, “I don’t recall promising such thing!”

Odysseus felt like someone had stabbed him in the heart.

“What?!” he croaked out, “But you said…”

“I 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 life’s worth?”

“I am ruined!” Odysseus cried out, “I am ashamed! I will probably never be able to face my wife and son again! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!” he finally yelled beyond his wits.

Calypso looked at him sincerely.

“I want you to love me, Odysseus!”

She stood up, taking advantage of his sudden shock.

“At first I was curious…I 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… But…”

She actually almost blushed! Odysseus though felt disgust and hatred.

“…But now, I am not sure if I can let you go! After feeling you…I just confirmed what I knew. You cured my loneliness…you 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 do…”

“Love?” Odysseus chocked in the word, “You call this love?!”

This was the only way the immortals knew to show love? Tormenting the mortals?

“I know I can win your heart, my love…” Calypso ignored him, “I know I can help you live here…with me…how to make you mine…and I shall be yours as your wife!”

“You will NEVER be my wife!”

“Oh but you are wrong, my dear. We united before gods and witnesses! You are my husband now, by the laws of gods!”

“Never! I have a wife! She waits for me! You are not my wife and you shall never be! I want to leave! You can’t hold me here!”

“You stayed one year with the witch Circe! Why acting so pious all of the sudden?”

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.

“Like you mean it, Odysseus…” she whispered in a mocking manner, “…Like you mean it!”

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 wouldn’t die…no, she wouldn’t die…! He let go of her running out of the room.

“You will never leave this place, you know…” Calypso’s casual voice stopped him in his tracks, “This island from the land till the currents around the sea respond to my will. Every single breeze and wave shall bring you back….”

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 didn’t 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.

“No!” 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 that’s all he could do. He gave up. He sat down the sand, drawing his knees to his chest and remained silent under the stars…  In what seemed like eons, he heard Calypso’s light footsteps upon the sand and the pebbles.

“Odysseus…” she called for him, “Come inside, it is getting late”

“No thank you!” he replied in a low dangerous voice

“You shall need to eat something, my love, come back inside.”

“Your price is too high to pay!”

“Come inside, Odysseus” she repeated, “I will order for your meal to be prepared.”

“I’d rather die of hunger and cold!”

Calypso sighed. It was the type of sigh a disappointed mother would give to a child.

“As you wish” she said, “But 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 twice…”

Odysseus turned to look at the waves so she wouldn’t see his jaw shiver…so she wouldn’t 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 Achaeans…  He didn’t 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 this…? Finally he heard her footsteps as she walked away. Odysseus was left alone…

*

As he was sitting there…his tears began to flow in the middle of the cold night. He buried his face in his folded arms.

“Gods! Is this, then, my fate…? 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 only…why! Why! Haven’t I graced you all with sacrifices and worship? Why did you abandon me? Over one mistake…?”

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.

“Oh, alas! Is that what my men had to suffer out there…? Is this why their mortal bodies could take no more?”

He wondered why, how could he forget his lament over their loss for so long!

“That cursed witch and her spells!” he lamented, “Taking away this sorrow…putting my conscious to sleep!”

He remembered his promise…

“I have to survive…If 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 them…”

He heard the waves…his heart felt cold and heavy like the stones residing in the ocean. I don’t even have a tomb for them…he thought, I can’t 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 Calypso’s 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 sea…the 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.

“Odysseus!” she whispered, “I am so glad you decided to come…”

She extended her richly adorned hand towards him. That hand that had given him life now it seemed ready to severe it.

“Come…” she urged softly, “Come to sit by the fire to get warm…we have dinner almost ready…”

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 alone…

He spoke no words anymore…

He walked in the grotto…

~~~

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 Calypso’s 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 didn’t care at all that he was absolutely naked at that moment; he didn’t 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 Calypso’s 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 wouldn’t even bother to brush it anymore. He didn’t feel much like grooming himself or taking care of himself. He didn’t seem to see the point in it anymore and, besides, there more unattractive he appeared in her eyes, the better. If it weren’t 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 wasn’t 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 didn’t want to accept! Not Penelope…Penelope was different! She would never cheat on his memory, right? She had promised to him she would wait for his return…

“And how long is she supposed to wait for you?” there was a voice in the back of his head, “You left her wait 15 years…who would wait that long?”

Who indeed? Who would remain faithful to a man who disappeared for so long? Odysseus shivered. He didn’t 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 return…with her lover.

“No! Not, Penelope! Penelope would never…”

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 wasn’t who he thought she was? What if she was coerced to change? And his sweet Telemachus…his 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 shouldn’t 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 didn’t 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, didn’t shiver nor did he feel it. It was as if his body had turned into marble; his heart into stone. It didn’t 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 weak…he felt helpless…he felt like nobody…Oh, 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.

“If only you never existed…!” he thought bitterly, “If only you gods never existed! Then us mortals could live our life in peace!”

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 didn’t 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.

“Gods, I am turning into a monster…” he thought, “If I lose my faith to the gods…then…then what’s left of me then…? Is there anything left of Odysseus of Ithaca, father to sweet Telemachus and son of Laërtes?”

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.

“Why am I the monster…?” he thought, “And she can sleep peacefully…? After everything she did to me…?”

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 didn’t 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 when…

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.

“Odysseus…!” she whispered

Her voice was barely audible and yet Odysseus didn’t 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 didn’t 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.

Odysseus felt his tears dry in his eyes.

He was once more a statue.

He chose not to feel…

Visual development for Treasure Planet (2002) by Michael Spooner

✨👆👆👆👆✨

Hello and welcome to this corner of contradictions! I am a proud Greek archeologist and singer who loves mythology and worldbuilding! This page will be dealing with various themes but mostly the collaboration with the amazing @artsofmetamoor and our collaboration for fanart related to the TV series, comic and manga called W.I.T.C.H as well as about millions of AUs related to that!

Aditionally this page is also on occasion dealing with Greek mythos and poetry, particularly the homeric epics (Iliad and Odyssey) and the characters involved at them (with some special emphasis on Odysseus and the people who got related with him)

Some of the stories:

Guilt:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Survivor's Guilt and Survivor's Duty:

Part 1

Part 2

If I never knew you

Odysseus Leaving Ithaca (random Pocahontas inspo)

Odysseus and Helen

Tumblr

katerinaaqu

So since @aaronofithaca05 had asked me about my new tattoo that started one of my favorite headcannons of Odysseus getting a tattoo at war h

Atolla Jellyfish

Attenborough’s Life That Glows, BBC

Beroe Comb Jelly

Attenborough’s Life That Glows, BBC

Model sheets for Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

Moments in time, preserved through sentiments Twitter | Ko-Fi | Patreon

Odysseus in Epic is like "I'll do it again!!" 😂😂

Epic The Musical Odysseus: I will throw another infant off walls to make it out alive with my men!

Odyssey Odysseus: I shall fight an immortal 6-headed dragon to save my men from this sacrifice and make it out alive with my men!

Ron Cobb’s ornithopter concept for Jodorowsky’s Dune

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

The Sprite model sheets for Fantasia 2000′s “Firebird” sequence

Visual development for Lilo & Stitch by Paul Felix

“I’d rather die tomorrow, than live a hundred years without knowing you.”

Gosh so true! 2D just has that special touch and expression no other art form has! And indeed the models are so beautiful and unique...

King Magnifico Pencil Tests

This only makes me more depressed at how Disney casts aside beautiful expressive 2D animation for their films.

Nothing against 3D animations, some are masterpieces with their own merit, but the fact that 2D is abandoned as a final product completely is very depressing as it clearly can offer so much as a unique art form for films 😢

King Magnifico Pencil Tests

Oh you know it partner! More pain for the characters always! Let the tears flow freely!!

Calypso was bedding Odysseus against his will every night for 7 years.

A week has 7 days and there are about 4 weeks in a month. Every month has on average 30 days. Or there are 365 days in a year.

Add them up and you will realize that Odysseus was raped more than 2500 times.

Let that sink in!