The Adventures of

Odysseus

King of Ithaca

Candy Rose Rafanan & Bernadeth Ramirez

Cassandra, King Priam’s daughter, was loved by the god Apollo and was bestowed the power to foretell the future. But when she refused him, she got cursed_ No one ever believed her words. She told the Trojans what would happen and what’s inside the wooden horse but no one considered her thoughts.

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The Trojan War begun.

The Greeks killed the Trojans and ravaged the whole city.

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The lesser chieftain Ajax tore and dragged Cassandra from the altar of Athena’s temple. No one protested against the sacrilege.

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Athena’s wrath was ignited and became deep. She wanted to make the Greeks terribly punished. She talked to Poseidon to destroy all the Greek’s ships by wild whirlwinds.

Menelaus was driven to Egypt and the sacrilegious Ajax got drowned for telling he was one that the sea could not drown.

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While Odysseus, he didn’t lose his life but suffered longer than the other Greeks. He wandered twenty long years before coming home.

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Meanwhile in Ithaca, everyone believed that Odysseus was already dead; except for his loyal wife Penelope and his son Telemachus.

-People assumed that the queen should marry again that’s why men came to woo Penelope but she would have none of them, determined to wait for Odysseus.

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The men were rude, greedy and overbearing who spent their days sitting in the great wall of the house devouring Odysseus’ store of provisions, slaughtering his cattle, his sheep, his wine, burning his wood and giving orders to his servants.

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Since the men would never leave until the queen marry one of them, Penelope had a plan. She said she couldn’t marry until she had woven a very fine and exquisitely wrought shroud for Odysseus’ father. The men agreed and waited.

Penelope’s condition was just a trick. She unwove each night what she had woven during the day. But sadly, the trick failed when one of her handmaidens told the suitors and they discovered her in the very act. After it, the men became more insistent and unmanageable.

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After ten years, the gods had grown sorry for Odysseus, except Poseidon, the sorriest was Athena.

Athena wanted to help Odysseus so when Poseidon was absent in the meeting of the gods, she brought the sad case of Odysseus. The Olympians were moved by her words. Zeus spoken and said they must put their heads together and contrive a way for Odysseus to return home.

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Athena, well-pleased of the gods’ decision, glided down to Ithaca.

The goddess was exceedingly fond of Telemachus because the prince was a sober, discrete young man, steady and prudent and dependable. Athena thought it would do him good to take a journey while Odysseus was sailing home.

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Athena disguised herself to look like a seafaring man and went to Telemachus. They shared food and wine while talking.

Athena advised him to try to find out something about his father’s fate. She said Nestor and Menelaus could say where his father is.

Telemachus followed Athena’s advice. He asked ship and rowers from their kingdom but he got no answer except jeers and taunts. In despair, Telemachus silently prayed to Athena. Athena heard him and came in the appearance of a mentor and gave him a fast ship.

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Telemachus sailed to Pylos, Nestor’s kingdom.Nestor didn’t know something about Odysseus but he

advised the young man to ride on a chariot with one of his sons and go to Menelaus.

Telemachus arrived at Sparta and was given a princely welcome together with Nestor’s son.

-silver bathtubs, sweet-smelling oil, purple mantle clothes and rich food on a shining table.

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Menelaus courteously accommodated the princes. Menelaus began talking about Odysseus which made Telemachus’ teardrops fall. Helen the beautiful joined them.

Menelaus shared his experience in Egypt here he got stocked. A sea-goddess helped him to get information from Proteus. He got informed that Odysseus was at that time under the territory of the nymph Calipso. #dyse

Meantime, in Calypso’s lovely island which had become Odysseus’ hateful prison, Hermes was sent by Zeus to convince the nymph to free Odysseus.

Calypso didn’t want to let Odysseus go after the benefits she has given him but it was Zeus’ command. She helped Odysseus build a strong raft and gave him enormous supplies.

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Odysseus journeyed safely in 17 days but in the 18th, Poseidon saw him. The god found out the other gods’ plan but he said to himself,

“I think I can give him even yet a long journey into sorrow before he reaches land.”

Poseidon brought all the violent winds blinding the sea and land with storm-clouds.

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Odysseus thought he would die already, but a kindly goddess, Ino, pitied him. Ino helped him by giving him her veil so that he could swim safely to the shore.

Poseidon continued giving him huge waves until he felt satisfaction. Athena took over the waves when Poseidon’s gone, saving Odysseus. #dyse

As planned by Athena, Odysseus reached the country belonged to the Phaecians, with a good king named Alcinous. The queen was Acrete and their daughter was Nausicaa.

The princess went to the river where Odysseus was to wash clothes with her servants. Odysseus was awaken by the girls’ voices. The girls ran away in terror except for Nausicaa. The two had a talk and became friends. Nausicaa advised him to talk to the queen for help because what the queen says is what the king does.

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Odysseus was favored by the queen and was given ships and

men to sail. They reached the Island of Lotus-eaters.

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The inhabitants met them with kindness and gave them their flower-food to eat. But the food was a trap. Everybody who tasted it lost their longing for home and memories in their minds; wanting only to dwell in Lotus Land.

Odysseus had to drag them on the shipboard and chain them there. #dyse

Their next adventure was with the Cyclops Polyphemus.

-A number of comrades died.

-Poseidon got even angrier because Polyphemus was his son. The god swore that Odysseus should reach his own country again only after a long misery and when he had lost all his men.

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From the cyclop’d island, they came to the country of the winds, riled over by King Aeolus. Aeolus received them hospitably and when they left gave Odysseus as a parting gift a leather sack, into which he had put all the Storm Winds. It was so tightly fastened that not the very least puff of any wind that spells danger for a ship could leak out.

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See part 2 for the continuation…