#odysseus 'i did what i had to do' laertes

[dilfaeneas]

Helenus stumbles upon Odysseus' ambush after reaching Mount Ida

Meant to parallel the ClassicsTober look vvv

#tagamemnon #greek mythology #classics #trojan heroes #ancient greek mythology #greek heroes #helenus #trojan war #the iliad #the odyssey #odysseus 'i did what i had to do' laertes #odysseus #helenus and Odysseus #helenus of troy

[jarondont]

Waiting for Love (part 4)

[Okay ik this isn't canon. but in this, Calypso is able to control anyone, anywhere. and by control i mean she can do whatever she wants to them. I hate her. anyways please read the tws before continuing]

[TW: Torture/violence, some suicidal thoughts, and implied/mentions of SA]

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Part 4: Calypso

Odysseus ran down the beach, stumbling in the sand. Panting, sobbing, he fled, headed straight for the water. He didn’t care if he drowned. If anything, he preferred it.

Anywhere, even the Underworld, was better than here.

But right before he reached the water, his knees buckled. He collapsed into the sand, landing face-first with a groan. Carefully, he pushed himself back to his feet, but his feet seemed to be locked in place. He was stuck.

“What do you think you’re doing?” came a voice behind him.

Odysseus felt like throwing up. “Nothing you need to know,” he seethed.

Calypso worked her magic, sending a bolt of pain exploding through Odysseus’s chest. He screamed, doubling over in pain.

“What are you doing?” she repeated.

Gasping for air, he managed, “Getting out of here.”

The throbbing in his chest lessened but didn’t disappear. “And why would you do that, darling?”

“Don’t call me that.”

The pain flared once more, this time so intense that he collapsed to his knees again. White spots danced before his eyes. “Answer me,” Calypso demanded.

“I can’t stay here anymore,” breathed Odysseus.

“Even after all I’ve given you?” the goddess spat. “Out there, you’d be facing monsters. Nightmarish creatures that will eat you alive. You’d face the wrath of the gods, who are furious with you just for having made it this far. And even if you were to escape all that, you’d drown. Meanwhile, I’ve offered you food, shelter, and company. The least you could do is be thankful. I’m not your enemy here, Odysseus.”

The son of Laertes struggled to catch his breath — once he did, he croaked out, “Everything I’ll face out there is far less of a monster than you.”

That set her off. Somehow, the agony in Odysseus’s chest increased even more, forcing another ear-piercing scream from him. Without warning, his throat constricted — Calypso’s magic — making him choke on his own breath.

Please, he begged silently, make it stop.

But Calypso wasn’t done. “How dare you! All these years, I took you into my home, let you into my bed — ”

“I never … wanted that …” he interjected, choking on his words.

“ — and now you blame me for your pain! I have half a mind to kill you right now.”

“I wish you would,” he whispered, trembling. “At least … that way, I won’t … have to betray Penelope … any longer.”

Frustrated, Calypso scoffed. “What is it that you love so much about this Penelope? This mortal? What does she have to offer you that I don’t?”

“Everything,” Odysseus gasped. “Everything.”

Seizing him by his tunic’s collar, she yanked him to his feet. The two of them locked eyes, her fiery stare feeling as if it was burning into him.

“You know,” she said through her teeth, “everything I’m doing to you right now, I could just as easily do to her.” She raised her free hand and snapped her fingers, sending another jolt of pain through him. He let loose yet another scream.

“Just like that.”

“No,” he breathed.

“And not just her,” Calypso continued. “To your son — ”

Odysseus felt like he had been punched in the stomach. Hard.

“ — your father — ”

Another blow.

“ — and everyone else that matters to you.”

The last blow came so hard, he collapsed to his knees again. He tried to inhale — and failed. His throat was still half-closed.

Calypso bent down and placed a hand under Odysseus’s chin, pushing his face upwards until they were eye-to-eye. His eyes were filled with tears.

“There’s blood on your hands, Odysseus. And there will be more.” Her nails dug into his skin, droplets of red forming on his flesh. “All you can choose is whose.”

The tears fell, streaking his dirt-stained cheeks as they ran down his face.

“Your own … or everything and everyone you hold dear.”

Finally, the pain ceased and his throat opened. He gulped in mouthfuls of air, coughing as it got caught in his throat. He collapsed forward, barely catching himself on his palms.

“Your choice,” Calypso said above him. “If you wish to save yourself and flee, I won’t stop you. But if you do, just keep in mind that your home will soon be in ruins.”

She turned and began to walk away, leaving him sobbing in the sand. “If you wish to stay, on the other hand …” she stopped and glanced back, grinning. “Meet me at my bed tonight.”

Odysseus could hear the triumph in her voice. And it sickened him.

But his decision was made.

That night, he met her at her bed, the pain in his heart far greater than the pain she was about to inflict on him.

•••

Dearest love of mine, I shouldn’t even have the right to call you that anymore. I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I don’t want this. I never wanted this. I promised you it would never happen again — not after the close call with Circe. Yet another promise I have broken. I don’t know how I’ll ever get you to forgive me. I don’t know how I’ll ever forgive myself. I don’t deserve your love, Penelope. Not after what I’ve done. I tried to fight her. Believe me, I did. But I am powerless against her. I wish she’d let me go … or let me die. I don’t care which one. Not after my infidelity, even while you’ve waited for me all these years. I let you down. I won’t ask you to wait for me any longer. I don’t deserve it. I’m so sorry, my love. Please forgive me. Please.

So he wrote, every night for seven years, his tears staining the papyrus. And every night, he eyed the glimmering gold next to his hand — the brooch his beloved had given him all those years ago when he had left for Troy. He had kept it safe throughout his journey, not wanting even the smallest scratch on it. All these years, it had reminded him of his purpose, that there was someone waiting for him back home.

And now he had betrayed that someone.

He wanted to reach out and touch it. He wanted to wear it again — to keep  this gift from Penelope so close to his heart. But he couldn’t bring himself to. He felt … unworthy.

Many times, Calypso had tried to take it.

Forget about her, she’d say. You’re here with me now. Not her. You belong to me.

But Odysseus refused. As much as he felt like he didn’t deserve to have it, the last person whose hands he’d let it fall into were Calypso’s.

By no means would she get anywhere close to that brooch.

So he kept it here, on the desk, next to his pile of letters. His pile of guilt.

That pile only grew every time she’d invite him to bed. Every time he’d reluctantly obey. Every single night.

And all he could say was, “I’m sorry.”

“I’m so, so sorry.”

#waiting for love #the odyssey #epic the musical #odypen #odysseus x penelope #odysseus #odyssey #epic: the musical #odypen supremacy #penelope #jorge herrans #jorge rivera herrans #jay herrans #tw torture #tw violence #tw suicidal thoughts #tw sui talk #tw sa mention #tw sa implied #tw sa

[min3tta]

olive tree

Even though she traveled a lot, it always took Penelope some time to get used to new surroundings. 

She and her cousins had been in Ithaca for a few days now, as Helen scouted out her suitors. It seemed every man in Greece would take her hand in marriage if given the chance, Penelope thought. 

And so, as Ithaca had a potential candidate for Helen, the Spartans made their way to the small island kingdom. 

Penelope took no part in it. She merely exchanged pleasantries at the beginning and watched from afar as men tried to woo her cousin. She almost found it comical, how much of an act the suitors would put on for Helen. 

So when Penelope grew tired of the nonsense, she would wander around the palace grounds, looking out to the Ionian Sea, dreaming that she was back in Sparta, where her beloved tapestry loom was. 

She sat for a while, thinking to herself, as she often did, under a great olive tree that grew near the edge of the palace grounds. 

“Hello. Am I disturbing you, my lady?” a voice said behind her.

She turned around to see a handsome young man, about her age. 

“Huh? Oh … oh, no. Not at all. Just … thinking, I suppose,” she stood up to get a better look at him.

Brown eyes that sparkled in the sun connected with hers. He nervously tucked his dark wavy hair behind his ear, revealing an intricate braid that weaved through the side of his head. His arms and shoulders were that of an archer’s, strong and stoic. He wore a simple white linen tunic, stitched with dark blue around the hem. On his wrist was a golden cuff, graced by an owl, a sign of Lady Athena. 

She was lost in his presence. 

The young man cleared his throat. “My lady?”

Penelope fixed her attention back to his eyes. “Yes? My apologies. I seem to get a bit lost in my own thoughts.”

He huffed a small laugh. “I just said that I do the same. If I’m not to be talking, then I am thinking. My father, the great king Laertes, hates it but I am quite fond of it. There is so much a person can say, but an infinite possibility of what one can think.”

“Oh! My apologies, your majesty,” Penelope hesitated. “I had no idea you were–”

“It’s truly fine, my lady. There is no need,” he smiled.

A silence washed over the two. The young man stepped closer to Penelope, who was now leaning under the great olive tree. He broke the silence.

“You know, I come to this tree every day. Ever since I was a small boy. I remember watching the gardener plant it, and look what it has become,” he looked up at the massive tree, admiring its sprawling branches and leaves, small olive sprouts scattered throughout. “It’s beautiful, no?” he asked Penelope.

“It is. Very,” Penelope agreed. But not as beautiful as you, she thought as she looked at the young man again. 

Little did she know, he felt the same way about her. His father invited the “beautiful Helen” of Sparta, as so many have called her, to their kingdom, to hopefully arrange a marriage between Helen and his son. But ever since he laid eyes on Penelope, Helen was out of the question. 

“May I kiss you, my lady?” he asked Penelope.

Penelope’s heart fluttered. She could feel her cheeks turning bright red.

“What? I –” before she could answer, the young man pressed tender lips to Penelope’s supple cheek. 

“Please forgive me, my lady,” he apologized, looking away.

“No. Don’t be sorry,” Penelope paused. “I liked it. Very much.”

He looked back at her and gave an embarrassed smile. 

Another silence. 

He sat down at the trunk of the tree and Penelope followed suit.  

“What is your name, your majesty?” Penelope asked, curiosity running across her face.

“I am Odysseus of Ithaca.”

“Oh! My gods. My cousin is –”

“Helen of Sparta. You must be Lady Penelope,” Odysseus said with a grin.

“Yes,” Penelope huffed a laugh. How did you know?”

“Helen talks about you,” Odysseus replied.

“She does? All good things, I hope,” Penelope smirked. 

“Of course. All good things. I remember you from when we first met a few days ago.”

“Oh?”

“I do. How could I forget? You look gorgeous, Penelope,” he said.

My, what a man, Penelope thought.

“And Helen is …” she questioned.

“I’m not thinking about Helen,” Odysseus said and took Penelope’s hand. “I am thinking about you.”

“And I you.” 

They both sat in silence for a while, enjoying the view from the shade of the tree. Boats from all over, docking and leaving from the small port below the rocky cliffs from which the palace grounds sat.

“So what will you tell Helen?” Penelope finally asked Odysseus.

“The truth. I want to be with you, Penelope. For the rest of my days.”

Penelope gasped. A new feeling crawled inside of her, one she never felt before. It was one of desire and passion, a feeling that Odysseus was experiencing as well. 

Two young kids in love.

“I am afraid I must go now, Penelope. My father will start to question my whereabouts,” Odysseus said as he stood up. Inside, he wished that he could stay under the olive tree, where he was happiest. But princely duties demanded otherwise.

Penelope stood up alongside him. “I understand,” she said with a soft smile.

Odysseus reached to his side, pulled a red peony from the ground and tucked it behind Penelope’s ear. 

“I hope to see you here tomorrow, Lady Penelope. I really did enjoy our time together,” Odysseus smiled at her.

“I did too, Odysseus,” she cupped his cheek with her hand. “I will meet you under the olive tree.”

#the odyssey #the iliad #odysseus #penelope #odysseus x penelope #odypen #greek mythology #helen of sparta #laertes #one shot

[dootznbootz]

Eh, have some Odyssey headcanons

This is nowhere NEAR all of them as I like "revealing" headcanons while writing. I'm also just a very "fluffy" person so heads up! :D

Mentioned it in a different post but Odysseus is very affectionate with his loved ones (overtly so. almost demanding in how he'll just kind of drape himself across you) Even as a kid he was like this. Often just hugging them and/or climbing up them to cuddle. It skyrockets with Penelope, as he was overwhelmed with emotions for her when they first met and that hasn't stopped. Lots of little kisses and nuzzles and cuddling. Almost always clinging to her in some way. He's strange about being touched with basically everyone else though. While he's still caring for his friends, you never know if he's fine with a hug or not. Often times he'll just give you a look of "Don't even think about it" mostly at poor Menelaus as I headcanon him as the most physically affectionate. Lots of slaps on the back and big hugs He's a little hot and cold like that

Adding to that, with Penelope, with said little kisses that he gives a lot of, he's fine with "losing" or "yielding" to her with everything but that. He's always trying to "have the last laugh" or you know, the last affection. He's perfectly fine admitting defeat to her with everything else but this. It's probably something he doesn't even realize that he does. He loves being doted on and pampered by her but also unconsciously thinks "you're getting smothered. As soon as you stop moving your hands through my hair. I'M gonna smother you" Get adored, Penelope. (●♡∀♡) I am living vicariously through these dummies.

Laertes always had a "green thumb" even before he left the palace to work in the fields. He always liked plants. If you know how J.R.R. Tolkein writes, basically nonstop about ferns and undergrowth and such, that's Laertes. If you go on a walk/hunt with him, he'll often just look at plants and be happy and likes to study them. He was very picky about how plants are arranged on the property. He's a bit more quiet and "gruff".

Odysseus definitely mostly takes after his mother in almost everything. Her humor and mischief, her looks, even learned to woodcarve from her. She and Penelope get along great and she's definitely the "life of the party". (it's MY headcanon and I can do what I want!!!) While Laertes loves his trees and plants, it's even better when he can share that knowledge and passion with his wife who creates something entirely new with that plant (aka wood). "That's walnut you know. Did you know it blahblahblahblah".

Ctimine actually takes a lot after Laertes but mostly in the "kind of quiet" way but she's the type to make one-liners that make everyone in the room laugh. (that she gets from her Mother. I actually want Laertes to be kind of awkward lol) It's a "she doesn't talk much but when she does. You should listen because she's fucking funny." She actually likes plants as well. (as a child she would find out what stuff tasted horrible and then dare Odysseus to eat it. And ofc he did it basically every time. "Eat a raw Olive, idiot. >:) " ) and probably was more into herbology and its uses. When Odysseus comes back, she and Laertes want to know every detail of the Lotus and the Moli Root.

Penelope has a sweet tooth! Also, I have her quite short despite being a Naiad as I have a headcanon that like a lot of fish, water nymphs grow to the size of the body of water they're in. Or in this specific case, BORN in. Penelope was born in a creek/stream🥲 Her mom dove into the nearest source of water and that was it. (kind of goes along with her duck myth) She also canonically says the most out-of-pocket shit (remember the sneeze of death???) she's a "weird girl". She has been "weird" since the beginning. Weird girls are hot as fuck, you cowards!

Penelope: One time, I fell asleep at the bottom of the river and I woke up to a catfish trying to eat my arm. Mom and I killed it and ate it afterward. Odysseus, twirling his hair and giggling: You showed that catfish who's boss. You're so hot. Please be my wife

(That's all you're getting on her. The Wife of all time will be getting her own headcanon post all to herself because she deserves it. I am doodling lil hearts around her face. *I am shot by Odysseus*)

This'll probably be my most unpopular one but yeah. Odysseus isn't the shortest of the Achaean kings. He's actually taller than average (great grandchild of Hermes genes and his mom is tall. Laertes is shorter.) and while shorter than the other kings. The title of the shortest goes to Diomedes. I love the thought of this absolute killing machine being the shortest in a "He's small? What can he do?" and then he just fucks everything and everyone up. He's a chihuahua. Small, full of rage, "loud of warcry", and always wanting to fight. >:)

That's all for now. Honestly, thank y'all so much for being so sweet. It really means so so much. I was kind of afraid I was too "fluffy and soft" to make content for the Odyssey fandom as while yes, they've all done monstrous actions and I definitely still plan to have them steal, lie, barter, fight, etc. I kept getting worried if I was just making shit too soft you know? Too fluffy. Too "romantic". I have him sneak into a garden and cut someone's flowers for his wife but would he even do that?? Is that too nice of him?

I wear my heart on my sleeve and in my writing, I'm the same way. :D Just how I am! And I'm having fun!

#btw. the joke with the catfish is also because those fish are fucking disgusting. gummy bottomfeeders. 2x the grossness for the wife #And Odysseus still loves this hot woman as he should #I'm sorry for the babbling at the bottom! I'm just really happy and really appreciate you all😭 #my headcanons #I guess??? idk #I have already gotten one “He wouldn't fucking say that” anon a while back and I just got squashed😅 #I didn't post it because...yee #I didn't mean her calling him a dog in my fic as in “dog-eyed” like the insult??? like blhe slkdjf #BUUUUUT I'm just gonna chill and do whatever the fuck I want now. and no longer worry too much :D I got my homies ❤ #Mad rambles #shot by odysseus

[pokemonacademy]

The Odyssey is funny, actually

Y'know, when I was listening to the audiobook of The Odyssey, there were a lot of parts that I found funny, like that part where Telemachus started crying after he made a speech and almost everyone in the room started feeling sorry him- y'know, the antagonists who were bullying him? Like- "Damn, did we go too far?" kinda thing? And then there's the part where Odysseus' crew opened the bag of winds and when Odysseus learned what happened, the book described how, at that moment, he wanted to jump off the ship. It was a total GODAMMIT moment for him. Most importantly- Odysseus being a total prick, that's why we love him- the dude has killed all his wife's suitors so he visits his depressed father who had lost his wife and had thought lost his son... what's Odysseus' first thought when he sees him? "Do I come up and hug my dad or do I test him if he could recognize me?" ...Yeah, our lovable bastard decides to test his depressed dad. He lies to Laertes like it was a walk in the park... for what? Idk. For lols? Anyway, he does feel bad once his dad started breaking down at the thought of his dead son, and finally reveals himself. But yeah, Odysseus tried to prank his dad in the finale of The Odyssey. Everyone has to know that.

#The Odyssey #Odysseus #Telemachus #He's such a lovable bastard #but he's our bastard #He's such a prankster??? #Like he went too far but also- that was relatable actually #“Hey let's see if my dad will recognize me hehe” #It's also hilarious how he made up stories about himself on the fly especially in front of Athena and she was proud of it #Or how while he was in disguise he was praising himself HAHAHAHA

[asagisnobody]

Ok, here there are my headcanons on the Odyssey:) let's start from the beginning:

Arcesius (or Archesius) was Eurodia and Zeus' son. I think we don't actually know anything about these characters, but if I'm wrong, tell me. So. Eurodia was a wonderful girl when Zeus fell for her. It happened what it happens when Zeus is involved. And then Arcesius was born. Even if she was pretty rich, she lost everything because it's ancient greek, she had no husband but a son. So Arcesius grew up hating a lot of people. When he was old enough, he married a daughter of a rich important man- Calcomedusa. Taking advantage from his condition of demigod and his new economy position between nobles, he manipulated them pretty bad, and reunited a really divided country into the kingdom of Ithaca and the western Islands.

Eurodia was really sick when he became king. She died a bit after he built for her a palace in Zante. To keep the nobles at their place, he developed piracy in the kingdom. A little after, Laertes was born. He looked so little and sick that everyone thought he would had not survived too much. Instead, he did. Calcomedusa never looked after him, instead she closed herself in her rooms claiming that the house would have been cursed by a god.

Laertes grew up being tall and really skinny. When he was 17, he noticed how in the fields farmers were not working, ships were not sailing from the port. No ambassadors around. He got that the situation with piracy was going out of control. But, when he tried to do something, Arcesius got mad and send him with his mentor Damastor at Zante. Before going, his mother told him that everything was about to change. During this "exile" he learnt to shut up. To gloss over. When he came back Ithaca, he reunited the crowd against his own father and, one night, when Arcesius was drunk, he faced him. Arcesius was quite surprised because Laertes was not surely a brave person. But he left him the throne pacifically. And Calcomedusa disappeared a day without anyone understanding why.

let's talk about Laertes for a bit. He was a calm guy actually. Really honest and wise. But at the same time, he has a lot of nervous tic, as moving his foot.

decided to fix Ithaca's reputation, he went in Sparta and met Tyndareus and Adrastus. During a dinner with some kings, he met Autolycus too. I think I'm gonna talk about him in another post because it's 11 am and I'm hungry... Ok, so Autolycus saw this guy and decided that he was perfect for his daughter. He tooks Laertes to the mount Parnassus where he met Anticleia. She didn't actually want to marry him because she didn't want to get married. But then Laertes told her that he didn't wanted to married her without being happy because he didn't want to see her as sad as his mother had been. This thing hit Anticleia. Weirdly, Autolycus let Laertes being there for long. Till Anticleia actually approved to marry him. Sisiphus flirted with Anticleia a year before, but nothing really happened because she had a really not so nice personality. She put a knife in his hand and Sisiphus decided to go away as fast as he could. She took from his father, what else can I say?

After two year, Anticleia was pregnant and Laertes in war, she sent in exile Arcesius after he insulted her for being Autolycus' daughter. Laertes was quite angry, but, as always, he shut up.

When Odysseus was born, it was a stormy night. And in the moment Autolycus appeared and gave him his name, a lightning tore the sky. Gods did not like that name so much. I mean- who would? It was the first time Athena saw that little guy.

a year later, Jason was about to go on the Argo to find the golden fleece, when Laertes decided to do something in his life and, promising that he would search for political alliances during the travel, he convinced Anticleia to let him go. I could talk for hours of the Argonauts but I'm not gonna do it.

While Laertes was away, Odysseus started speaking pretty fast. When he was five, his mother finally let him go freely in all Ithaca. That's how he met a lot of his future crew member. With Eurybates, who he already knew, he made sure to have allies for his future kingdom. And friends. Like Sinon, Polites, Perimedes etc. Some of them were bad choices, Odysseus.

When finally Laertes came back, when he was six, (I actually do not know how long has been the Argonauts' spedition), he had basically no relationship with his son. And he was pretty a shy person, not the kinda who can fix this thing in half a minute. So their meeting were like:- how are you? - uhm, fine thank you. - good.

Ctimene was born a little after. She was a lot quieter than his brother when she was small.

When Odysseus was about to become ten, Laertes took him to an hunt. He left him away from the fight, but in the evenings they were camping, he taught him how to use a bow.

And then, he met his grandfather for the first time. I won't talk about the hunt bc I'm making a comic from it. And I'm getting you bored, I know.

The boar was Athena's. But not for finding heroes as in Epic. Autolycus dared to destroy one if his temple and she decided to punish him with a magic boar.

when she saw that a little ten year kid had been able to kill her boar, she went to kill him. But actually she was interested in him. A month after the hunt, Odysseus went home from the Focis and some week after he was able to walk again. Them Athena, under the face of a young girl, came to him. She was impressed by him, so she decided to look after him.

he knew that girl was weird. But when he found out she was Athena, their friendship doesn't change so much.

When he was twelve he met a man who claimed to be a diviner. Odysseus does not believe to him. After a talk in private, he discovered that the man was called Haliterses, and he was looking for his sister, who was disappeared in Ithaca. Thanks to the young prince, the man who killed her was punished. Odysseus first and Laertes then investigated on this case. Haliterses was so impressed on the young prince that he swear he would had helped him in any way. You know what it happens in the Odyssey.

hey now it's the time to talk about Ody!! I imagine him with this big blue eyes, deep as sea, always cold but at the same time so deep. Easy-going and really emotional sometimes, but only when he is not in public. His empathy is great, he's able to read other as noone can, that's why he is able to become someone other so easily.

Ok, that's enough for today. After I have basically no other headcanon. Maybe I'll say something about Autolycus after. Thank you for being able to arrive so far reading this post. And if something is from someone's headcanon I'm sorry I didn't know, I'll credit you if you tell me. And sorry for any grammatical errors.

#odysseus #greek mythology #headcanon #it's just me myself and i talking to me #Laertes #Autolycus #Anticleia

[the---hermit]

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

This review might contain spoilers so consider yourselves warned

The Odyssey edition I recently got included after the main text many other works regarding the story and this was one of them. I was really excited to read this since it had been on my radar for a while, and reading this right after reading the original work felt perfect. I won't lie to you it was a big disappointment. This is supposed to be Penelope's version of the story, but I really did not like a lot of things. The writing is nice and the idea is very cool, but there were a lot of elements that really annoyed me. The first being the portrayal of Helen. I was expecting a feminits retelling with women supporting women, and I just got the age old narrative of Helen is the cause of the war and should be blamed for it, plus she is only her looks and is kinda cruel with people, she uses seduction to play and have fun with those who are around her and so on. This really pissed me off, especially because at the beginning of the story when Penelope is quite young and we get this description of Helen, Penelope comes out of it as your typical "not like other girls" girl. Helen is bad because she is pretty and uses that in a negative way, whereas Penelope is not the pretties but she is smart and maids make fun of her because she is naive. Honestly that was a huge nope for me. And in the rest of the story this sentiment of Helen being the one to blame for the war is repeated several times. As If that wasn't enough basically all characters are negative. Telemachus is a bratty young boy who acts like a man and probably wants his mother dead, and although I get the emphasis on how annoying he is towards his mother (because that is very much present in the original work) the fact that basically everyone comes out as bad including him fell a bit flat for me. The older maid always seems resentful, Odysseus' mother blames Penelope, Laerte avoids her completly. The only positive characters in this story aside from Penelope herself seem to be the 12 young maids who are always a collective being. But at the end of the day they are good because they do what Penelope asks for them even though that might mean enduring violence, and at the end they pay for it in a brutal way. I don't know, I am not happy with this book. There were a couple of interesting points, one being these 12 maids than in a way are seen in a better light in this version of the story which was nice compared to the original text were they are just portrayed as greedy women who turn their back on Penelope and Odysseus in favour of the cruel suitors. The other interesting element that I liked was the way Penelope takes the fantasy element out of her husband's stories. The fantastical adventures are stripped of their lies and they become mundane and un-epic. That was a cool touch, but these two things aside don't balance out how annoyed I am at the portrayal of Helen and everything I talked about. I am left wondering whether I missed something or read the story wrong. I was surely not expecting to have such a bad experience with this book.

#if you read this and loved it i would love to get a different perspective on this book #book #bookblr #booklr #books #book review #book rec #book recommendation #reading #the penelopiad #mine #the---hermit

[aaronofithaca05]

Streams and moons 🌊🌙

Part 1: Odysseus death

This fic is about Odysseus´s death and underworld journey

Warnings: painless death

The day had come.

All of them were around their bed. 

Penelope was there dazzling as ever, as if the years had never passed sulking the dying king with silver streams. Telemachus beside him as the oak he was: strong, quick, he was his father´s image;  and all the palace at the feet of mighty Odysseus, at the gaze of the cunning.

He laid there in a nest of leaves and flowers in the middle of a full summer night while the fields toasted by the yearly drought were asking for the needed pearls of the sky.

The night was soft and warm as wool while the gentle summer wind felled the stars before he drew his final breath.

It was a flame that his teary eyes saw, how it flicked like his hard breath.

“Penelo..” he tried to say with his raspy voice, clogged with saliva and tears. He couldn't end it though as he felt their tears around the olive bed, their cries and wrath faded as seafoam on the shore. 

He was wet, he felt the seawater in his mouth as he dropped closer to the darkness below, as the twigs birthed the stars and his voice echoed in the leaves he knew his limbs were not feeling.

“What if I was a monster?” He thought amidst his tears  for the last time as he drew further of the light. As his soul discarded his old body, he remembered the pears in their field, he remembered the walls, the infant cries, he remembered the sea, the songs, 

Her voice. 

Before he could think, he was met by a butterfly cloud that had sprung from Penelope's hair, flowers that were born from her eyes; pale and soft as the rosy dawn before in the dark sea their wings became. 

-“Thanatos” He said while weary of the figure´s silhouette,

-“Odysseus son of Laertes, man of many turns, king of rocky Ithaca and fierce warrior of the Argives, your time has come ”. Thanatos said in solemn speech.

-“Did I really…” Odysseus tried to say while his eyes sank deeper in the man's face.

He was scared, it was true, the Fates had really cut his thread. 

Before Thanatos could lend his hand and let his soul be taken to the Styx, a winged dizzy light appeared before their eyes.

“Howdy!, who do we have here?” said a young man dressed to the brim in light.

Odysseus thought what was happening, “That voice wasn't proper of the Dead; it felt out of place in the gloomy entrance to the Styx; the vitality it gave, the quickness and wittiness was not of a normal chthonic deity I feared. No, it came from a living god” were his thoughts.

Before he could properly react to this sighting, the sunny figure spoke.

“Thani; back off please you are stealing my soul”, Hermes said in a gleeful tone.

“Good you took the Moly and my advice”, raising an eyebrow before adding: 

“ It would have been awful scorting you so young”, he said sarcastically while looking the faded face of Odysseus.

 “Look at you, with grey beard and hair, that's how I like them, with a happy ending” he proclaimed as a victory.

Part 2 ->

To all my moots, thank you!: @jarondont, @iroissleepdeprived, @nikoisme, @perroulisses,@poshgirlsstuff, @orchestrated-haunting, @katerinaaqu @incorrecthomer, @dootznbootz, @nyx-of-darkness-1620, @sunshines-child, @random-krab, @ironspdr6700, @fangirlofallthefanthings, @twomanyfandomshelp, @thehighpaladin, @the-decapod, @myblacknightworld, @simugeuge, @itszorrito67, @incorrectatlas @tunguszka20!.

#streams and moon #fic #odysseus #the odyssey #greek mythology #telemachus #penelope #thanatos #hermes

[fivesevenseveneight]

Hi I am asking about your Penelope headcanons and listening so intently. I love your design for her btw!!!

thank you for enabling me okay here we go

she was a botanist! you may think it would be tough to be a botanist in a world where plant are all but extinct. and you would be right. it is very illegal, in fact. but our girl stays silly

penelope grew up reading stories about the plants that used to exist before labyrinth spread across the entire planet and wiped out basically all wildlife

since plants are very much antithetical to the olympians’ whole… thing, botany is very illegal

her mother was a secretary of poseidon (since in the mythology, penelope’s mother was a naiad, a type of water spirit). poseidon had an extensive entourage of personal assistants. penelope spent a lot of her childhood learning how to do the same work, preparing to take over for her mother when she died (but that part sort of went over her head. olympians live a very long time and don’t like change, so a lot of their assistants come from a long line of people who did the same work.)

penelope’s mother often took her to work with her. it was mostly boring admin stuff and young penelope got bored easily. she brought books to read while her mother worked; mostly history ones. but she never got past the first dozen pages or so. the bright illustrations of the world as it once was captivated her. she paid no mind to the propaganda explaining how harrowing and dangerous and uncivilized the pre-city world was. the plants and colors were so beautiful, and she wanted nothing more than to catch even a glimpse of the world she read about. from that moment, penelope fell in love with plants. it didn’t matter that she’d never seen one and likely never would. penelope would go to the ends of the city to find the worlds of life she read about.

of course, she needed more realistic goals, you know, work to do for money while she chased her secret passion. penelope’s first job was doing minor administrative work in one of poseidon’s workshops. it was smaller then, but as she got older and better at her job, it became one of poseidon’s leading factories. later, penelope’s studies into mechanical engineering (she spent a summer drawing up plans for a rudimentary irrigation system and found that she had a knack for it) even led to one of her designs being implemented in the facility, becoming the sleek industrial laser nicknamed the Cyclops. (years later, a grief-stricken and vengeful Ulysses would break into the workshop and steal the diamond at its core)

penelope quickly became known for her skill in mechanical engineering and led teams to implement new designs for poseidon’s factories. this is where she met ulysses. each could match the other’s wit and brilliance, and they hit it off right away. ulysses even shared her passion for plants, though for different reasons. she often confided in them about her research, and they worked together to search for what plants may be left

less significant but very important to me: ulysses and penelope were in a queerplatonic relationship. they would often affectionately refer to the other as “my partner — research partner, that is.”

a few years after they married, ulysses was asked to take part in the ilium war, to test out their designs and strategic knowledge on the battlefield

meanwhile, penelope continued their search for the last plant life. having a spouse off at war came with financial aid. penelope took advantage of the extra income to take time off work, time which she used to focus on her and ulysses’ secret project

while ulysses was at war, penelope had to keep up some ruse to be able to continue her research in secrecy. i have a few concepts i’m working with, but none that i’m really set on yet. you know the myth of how the real penelope spent years weaving a shroud for odysseus’ father laertes, but each night would secretly unravel the day’s progress so that she wouldn’t have to marry one of her suitors? i want something that mirrors that, but i haven’t settled on a concept yet

then, in the final year of the war, she found it. daedalus and the mechanisms got it wrong. ulysses didn’t find the last relic of the natural world. penelope did

the mechanisms have proven to be unreliable narrators, and i find it hard to believe that penelope had nothing to do with the vault named after her and the revolutionary discovery inside it

it was ulysses’ idea to use the seed she found to incite revolution. it wasn’t that penelope had never thought of what her success could mean for the world; she just enjoyed the discovery for its own sake. her ambition had more to do with personal victory, knowledge, and preserving the beauty she knew existed in the world. she never wanted to change the world, at least not the way ulysses did.

anyways i have many feelings about her but this is the most i can articulate right now. please feel free to add more thoughts or ideas! i would love to talk about her

#asks #penelope udad #ulysses dies at dawn #the mechanisms #the mouse squeaks

[dilfaeneas]

Odysseus spent a year on Circe's Island, a kind break from everything that came before

#tagamemnon #greek mythology #greek heroes #ancient greek mythology #post the fall of troy #classics #the iliad #the odyssey #odysseus #odysseus 'i did what i had to do' laertes #trojan war #circe #odysseus x circe #ClassicsTober #ClassicsTober23

[reushq]

ABOUT

Name: Scylla Vardanyan. Suggested Occupation: Biomedical engineer for Scalpel. Age: 39. Gender & Pronouns: Cis woman, she/her. FC Suggestion: Angela Sarafyan. Can be seen: Decorating her new lab, taste-testing Pontius drinks, studying facial features on a 3D holo, shaking hands with new colleagues, closely reading Pandora articles and all its comments, pointedly ignoring people when her headphones are on.

STATS

Influence   ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Charisma   ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Protection  ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Information  ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Experience  ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

CODEX

It is through a broken bird  found in the empty endless fields that Scylla first learns of decay and death, when she takes home not a feather, but a bone. The next lesson is in her mother's illness, the stiffness of her body before she even dies. When she does, something stubborn in little Scylla decides she has little interest in the concept of mortality.

Brilliant, creative, still young, Scylla knew she was meant from greater things than her hometown offered, that Feneos had plenty of space to run but not enough to grow, and it would be a misjudgement of character to say she was sad to leave. The scholarship to GemTech comes after hard work at the fresh age of seventeen and I remember seeing her pack few belongings, among which were magazine clippings on RheSeq, into a generations old suitcase and getting on the first train to the city.

At GemTech, Scylla flourishes. There are people like her, there: geniuses, people who are so clever that normal life feels boring. Competition, egging on, just doing shit for the fuck of it, the group band together under the name Scalpel, a knife that will rip open the heavens. It is there that Scylla finds her passion: the potential malleability of appearance. A body is but a vessel, and vessels can be made, broken, recreated, reinvented. If not inside the womb, then outside of it, by human hands and cutting-edge technology. In these labs, human arrogance develops ontop of the science (There is no need for the most human of things – a fear of death – when you can control life).

But not everyone thinks as her, and that is if you ask her, the main problem. Scylla only pretends to agree, when all of Scalpel is accused of going too far. We know how the story went for Charybdis, who caught so much of the brunt. Scylla’s reputation was stained, too, but it was the kind of stain you can wash out if you rub long enough. I wonder, if she ever felt guilt over making her friend a scapegoat for their shared sins, but never once did she show it.

The acquisition by Aegean Waters comes six years after Scalpel’s first major scandal. Do not ask of me what Scylla thought, who did not sit in on most negotiations, who both scowls and smiles. She has always been the tumultuous type, one hard to satisfy, one so proud of Scalpel and herself and wary to give either away. However, I do remember thinking that the smile on her face when she saw the lab reserved for her in CETO was genuine. Don’t get that excitement, wrong, though: Scylla has manufactured herself, as she intends to manufacture others. She is not virtuous, not kind, not good. There is no need for that, not when you’re clever.

CONNECTIONS

Familial connections: None.

Professional connections:  Poseidon (recent employer, should at least attempt to befriend), Circe (a brilliant mind yet a bit of a bore), Hephaestus (money man, point of interest), Aphrodite (what a gorgeous face … and has noteworthy PR skills too, of course), Hermes Rhea (fellow prodigy, wants to pick mind), Patroclus (colleague, crossed paths in Arcadia before), Alecto (Pontius newbie, just like her) Social Connections: Charybdis Kim (a necessary and worthy sacrifice), Odysseus Laertes (potential political block in the road), Zeus (media thorn in side), Athena (former university connection, has too many morals), Hypnos (intriguing scientist),  Clytemnestra (not-so-friendly competition), Thersander (supposedly grew up in the same area).

ORIGINAL CHARACTER WRITTEN BY MAR.

#a. #t. #pt. #scylla. #oc.

[mythologyfolklore]

Ares and Athena through the years - Ch. 15

Chapter Fifteen: The Odyssey, Final Part

.

After turning Odysseus into an elderly and ugly beggar and letting him know, what his son was up to, Athena flew to Sparta to inform Telemakhos, that he had to return home.

Odysseus himself on the other hand wandered through the landscape, until he found the house of his swineherd. There he was attacked and nearly ripped apart by the guard dogs. Fortunately, the swineherd saw what was going on and drove the dogs away.

After inviting him into his home and giving him food and drink, they bonded over their misery and Odysseus was pleased to hear, that Eumaios (that was the swineherd's name) wished for nothing more than his true king's safe return.

The “beggar” told a fib, that he had once been a rich man from Crete, but then had been struck by fate and now had nothing, but the rags he was wearing. He also lied, that he had heard of hims- uh, the great Odysseus. Eumaios was obviously sceptical, like any sane man would have been.

Seeing, that he wouldn't convince the other, the disguised hero suggested a bet and the swineherd agreed.

Then the latter and his fellow servants slaughtered a pig, sacrificed to the gods and the local Nymphai and then shared the meat with him and among themselves.¹

Later Zeus apparently thought it would be funny to let it storm and rain all night long.

Since Odysseus had nothing but his rags, he tricked the swineherd into letting him borrow his cloak.

Then everyone lay down to sleep.

Alone Eumaios didn't stay inside the house and preferred to sleep with the pigs outside.

Odysseus noticed and his heart was warmed at this display of dutifulness and loyalty.

.

Meanwhile, Telemakhos was having the time of his life in Sparta at the wealthy court of Menélaos and Helene, the godlike and glorious pair.

One night, he was visited by the goddess Athena in a dream.

“It's time to go back home”, she urged, “Even her family is pressuring your mother to remarry. Return home, before it's too late and she will be forced to take a new husband. You know what always happens, when a woman remarries. And another thing: her suitors are lurking along the channel between Ithaka and Samos, plotting to murder you. Sail another way home, at night and land at a more secret spot on Ithaka. Once there, spend the rest of the night at the hut of Eumaios, but send the ship and your companions to town.”

In the morning Telemakhos and his new friend, Nestor's son Peisistratos went to Menélaos and Helene and informed them, that they wished to depart. The king and queen quickly went to prepare splendid guest presents for the young men, beautiful items of both material and personal value; despite everything, neither Menélaos nor Helene had lost any of their generosity.

“Farewell”, Menélaos spoke, “And say hello to Nestor from me. He was like a father to me too², when we were at war with the Trojans.”

The two young men promised to do so.

Right in that moment, an eagle swooped down from the sky to kill a goose in the yard, startling several servants.

Peisistratos turned to Menélaos: “What does this mean? Is this omen directed to you or to us?”

Menélaos thought hard, but it was Helene, who answered: “Allow me. I know what it means, for the King of the Skies himself is my father. It's simple: the eagle that just slew the goose is Odysseus, coming home from his wanderings. The goose stands for the insolent suitors he will vanquish. Your father, Telemakhos, will soon be home or is already there and plotting his revenge.”

“Oh, may you be right!”, Telemakhos cried, “And I shall honour you like a goddess, if so!”

They said their goodbyes and left.

First the two princes returned to Pylos and Telemakhos dropped his new friend off.

“Say hi to Nestor and give him my apologies”, he spoke, “But I can't waste any time here and need to get home quickly.”

Peisistratos grinned: “Knowing my dad, he'll insist that you stay as his guest for a few days. He's really bull-headed, you know. Doesn't take 'no' for an answer. So you better sneak away, before he notices you.”

Telemakhos grinned back, said goodbye and quickly went back aboard.

The ship was about to leave the harbour of Pylos, ere Nestor could catch them and throw a hissy fit, because they hadn't even stopped long enough to say hi, when a stranger approached Telemakhos. He introduced himself as Theoklymenos a fugitive from Argos and gifted seer and begged the prince to take him along, as he was being pursued. Telemakhos pitied the man and consented.

On their way across the sea, the gods sent them good wind and they made quick progress.

When the sun went down, Odysseus' son bid the crew to make a detour to a more remote shore of Ithaka under the veil of darkness.

.

Meanwhile Odysseus was sitting with Eumaios and the other men at dinner.

Still wanting to test his hospitality, he informed the swineherd that he wanted to go to town the next day to beg. Or he could go and offer his services to the suitors for just a bit of food.

Eumaios stared at him, aghast. “Are you suicidal? Those men are violent and impious and have servants of their own, young and well-dressed men with pretty faces. No, stay here, where no one is bothered by your presence. But Odysseus' son will soon come home, he will give you food and clothes. Then you can go wherever you like, just … stay away from those brutes.”

Odysseus relented, wishing that Zeus would like this serving man as much as he did.

“But tell me about Odysseus' family”, he requested, “How are they doing? Who of them is still alive and who has descended to the underworld?”

“Well …”

Laertes was still alive, but living in misery away from the palace and wasting away from grief for his late wife and missing son. The old queen had passed away from heartache.

“… As for our queen Penelope … well, we can't expect kindness from her, ever since those cursed men have invaded our home and brought nothing but bale. As much as we want to speak to her, she has enough grief as it is.”

.

Later Odysseus and Eumaios were tending the fire, when the former noticed the dogs running around with wagging tails.

“Someone's coming, but the dogs aren't barking”, he pointed out to Eumaios. “That must be someone you know.”

He had just finished his sentence, when a young man about twenty, with chestnut hair and sharp mossy green eyes, entered the yard. Eumaios promptly dropped everything and went to welcome him, like a father would welcome his sorely missed son. There were lots of tears from the older and kind, soothing words and smiles from the other.

Odysseus' heart almost stopped, when he recognised his own son and he really wanted to be part of that, but had to contain himself.

Oh gods, how my baby boy has grown!

“How is the situation?”, Telemakhos inquired.

“Still awful.”

“Ah, nothing has changed then. Anyway, good to see you, my friend. And may I ask, who is this guest of yours?”

Eumaios related to him what he had heard.

The prince frowned. “Oh … oh dear. I will see, what I can do. Eumaios, I think you should keep him here for now. I will bring guest gifts to him and provisions, so he won't eat you poor. I would rather not allow him to go up to my hall, where the suitors are vying for my mother's hand. Their blasphemy and impertinence knows no bounds and it would break my heart to see them mistreat and disrespect this poor fellow.”

Odysseus took the opportunity and cleared his throat: “Excuse me, if you don't mind? I already heard about the behaviour of those men. That sounds really outrageous. Why do you just let them do as they please in your father's house? If I was your age or, say, the king himself, coming home from his wanderings, I would make them pay for their impudence in blood!”

Sadly, his son told him what the problem was.

Then he asked the swineherd to go up to the palace and tell Penelope, that her son was back home and would come to see her the next day. So Eumaios did.

.

This was just the moment Athena had been waiting for.

She appeared to Odysseus (but not to Telemakhos) and waved at him. He understood and followed her outside. The dogs sensed her presence and all began to whimper and cower in fear.

“It's time”, Athena spoke, “for your son to know you, Odysseus. You need to begin to plot the demise of your enemies together with him. I will be near at all times, for I too thirst for battle.”

With that she stripped the illusion off of him and restored him to his younger, vigorous and noble-looking self.

“Go back”, she said, “Your son has been wanting for you long enough, don't you agree?”

.

Telemakhos was thunderstruck, when the stranger returned from the outside as a strong, kingly looking man in his prime.

“Did you just … shapeshift?!”, he gasped, “Zeus have mercy on me! You're a god! Oh please, show us kindness and we will give you the best sacrifices we have to offer-”

“Whoa there! Settle down!”, the other man cried, “Don't compare me to the gods, it's as blasphemous as it is embarrassing. I'm your father! The man who has been kept away from you for twenty years! I'm home!”

And embraced him tearfully.

Telemakhos' head was spinning. “W-wait! This is too good to be true! I can't believe such a crass thing! How do I know, that I'm not being deceived by a Daimon? You can't be a mere mortal, you went outside as an elderly beggar and returned as a nobleman in his prime!”

“This was the will of Pallas Athena”, the older man explained, “She cast an illusion on me to make me unrecognisable and now she has stripped it away. It is easy for the gods to beautify or deface mortals at will.”

The younger man looked the other in the eyes. Often had he heard from others (especially his mother), that he had his father's eyes. And when he looked into the other's, they were the same as his own, only sharper, older and more melancholy.

Now Telemakhos burst into tears himself, hugged back and they both cried their hearts out.

Once they calmed down, Odysseus told his son about everything that had happened to him.

Then father and son began to make plans on how to proceed further.

.

At the palace, Telemakhos' companions and crew arrived, at the same time as Eumaios.

They informed Penelope, that her son was home and would be joining her soon, which made the grieving queen feel significantly better.

The suitors were miffed at those news and collectively went out into the yard to plot.

Their leader Antinoos (who also was one of the biggest dicks) suggested, that since their ambush had failed, they should try again and kill him more discreetly, before he could tell anyone, that they had tried to kill him.

Right in that moment, a livid Penelope herself stepped outside.

“YOU!”, she shouted furiously at Antinoos, “You bale-smith! You insolent fool! People used to say, that you're one of the best in counsel and speech, but I have seen nothing but the opposite from you! Have you forgot, that the King of the Skies himself is witness to all supplicants? Need I remind you, how your own father came here as a fugitive? A former pirate, who had incurred the wrath of both the people of Ithaka and of our allies, the Thresprotians, for attacking them! They wanted to kill him and raid his property, but my dear Odysseus intervened. And you! All you ever do here is consume his own goods without compensation, woo his wife and now you want to murder his only son! Cease your murder plots this instant and tell the others to do the same!”

It was Eurymakhos, who intervened and assured the angered queen, that no one was seriously plotting a murder (which was a lie; the only one who wasn't plotting was Amphinomos).

Penelope gave everyone a death glare and returned to her chambers, where she cried herself to sleep.

.

Next morning, Telemakhos decided, that he shouldn't let his mother wait any longer and prepared return to his palace.

Eurykleia, the old first maid saw him first and ran up to welcome him home. She was quickly followed by the rest of the household staff, until Penelope herself exited her chambers to see what was going on.

Tearfully she embraced her son and welcomed him home.

“My sweet light!”, she sobbed, “I feared I would never see you again. How could you just skulk out of my house without telling me?! Now you must tell me all about your journey!”

“Later”, Telemakhos promised, “First we need to properly invite the stranger I brought along from Pylos. And I really could use a bath. As for you, freshen yourself up and go to the house altar with the maids. Pray to the gods and promise them the best sacrifices we can give them, if Zeus will grant us retribution at last.”

Penelope did so.

.

When the young man came out refreshed, Athena made him more handsome than he already was, so that everyone who saw him stopped to marvel at his stateliness.

Maybe I should add 'Goddess of beauty' to my domains, she thought drily. Aphrodite's face would be absolutely priceless!

The young prince ignored the empty wheedling of the suitors and sat with his father's old companions, who asked him about everything that had occurred to him.

Later he finally reported to his mother what he had learned on his trip.

At that opportunity, his guest Theoklymenos approached Penelope and proclaimed, that Odysseus was already home and would soon end the wrong-doings of the suitors. Penelope didn't believe him, but still promised him riches, if his word came true.

.

In the meantime Odysseus (again disguised as a beggar) and Eumaios were going into town.

On the way they met the goatherd Melantheus, who immediately began to mock the two.

Eumaios scowled: “If Odysseus was here, he would shut your mouth!”

“Hah!”, Melantheus barked, “This will never happen! Your Odysseus is dead and will never return! And I hope that Telemakhos will soon be dead too!” The goatherd cackled and left.

Odysseus' blood was boiling, but he had to contain himself.

The two continued on their way.

.

As they came near to the royal palace, someone noticed them: Argos, Odysseus' faithful dog.

Twenty years before, the king had tamed him to be his hunting dog, but hadn't got to take delight him him, as he had been torn away from home. A long time ago, Argos had been well cared for and a stately dog, but these days he lay in a corner, neglected and plagued by ticks and fleas.

As soon as he heard the voice of Odysseus, he weakly lifted his head and ears.

Recognising his master, Argos happily wagged his tail, but was too weak to approach.

Odysseus saw his faithful pet and wanted to cry.

But he blinked away his tears and instead asked Eumaios: “Why is that poor dog lying there beside the dung heap? He must have been such a fine and good pet once. Was he a swift hunting dog, or was his owner just keeping him for luxury?”

“The former”, the swineherd answered sadly, “And if he was still in the same shape as he was, when our lord departed for Troy, you would be dazzled by his speed and strength. He was the best hunting dog a man could have. But now, that his master is away, the faithless servants neglect him.”

Odysseus' heart shattered, but he couldn't show it.

But Argos, having seen his master again after twenty years, finally passed on.

Seeing, that his faithful companion was no more, Odysseus swallowed his tears and continued on his way with Eumaios, hating that he couldn't grieve for his good boy openly.

.

They had just snuck into the hall and Telemakhos had given Odysseus some food.

After eating that, Athena advised him to beg the suitors for mild alms, just to see who had a modicum of decency.

He did so and most were pitying enough to give him some food.

But when Melantheus, the rude goatherd from earlier, told them that the swineherd had brought the beggar here, Antinoos verbally attacked poor Eumaios for his “impertinence” in bringing another freeloader here (which was hilarious, since the suitors were all freeloaders).

Eumaios was visibly upset, but kept his composure.

Telemakhos came to his aid. “Leave him alone”, he snapped at Antinoos, “And the stranger too! Really and that wants to be the future husband of my mother! Give him alms – it's the duty of the rich to the poor.”

Antinoos made a snappish retort and went back to his own meal, without complying.

The others had no objection to giving just a bit of food each of them; after all their meal was abundant.

But when the hero politely asked Antinoos for just a crumb of bread and the other just insulted him, Odysseus reproached his disrespect and unkindness. This made the suitor so angry, that he threw a chair at the older man. He didn't even stagger, but his anger grew and grew, though he still contained himself.

Even the other suitors were indignant at this and they chewed him out; after all everyone knew that sometimes the gods themselves came down from the heavens as lowly travellers to test the righteousness and hospitality of mortals.

Yet their irritation was nothing compared to the anger of Telemakhos, Penelope and some of the maids, who collectively wished to see this disrespectful prick dead.

The hero in disguise meanwhile sat in a corner and ate what he had been given.

.

Later Iros, another beggar from the city came to ask for food.

When he saw the older man sitting by the door, he told him to go away.

Odysseus glared and refused, saying there was enough for both of them.

Then the two beggars got into an argument.

The amused suitors suggested a fight and the winner would receive one of the big goat stomachs that were roasting above the fire.

The younger beggar had confidence in his youth, while Odysseus just considered, whether he should kill the other with one blow or just break his bones.

He decided on the latter, royally kicked the other's arse and dragged him out of the hall.

Impressed by the show and by his fighting prowess, the other men awarded him the promised goat stomach.

One of the friendlier ones, a young man named Amphinomos, toasted to him and wished him good fortune. Odysseus found this endearing and warned the younger to watch his back. This made Amphinomos so uncomfortable, that he spent the rest of the night brooding about it.

Not that it was of any use; his fate was already decided by the gods.

.

Soon after, Penelope came outside to speak to her suitors.

Athena had done her thing again and restored her to the full flower of her youth, while she had been asleep, so the suitors would be so captivated by her beauty as to cater to her every whim.

And indeed, they were struck by desire and began to ooh and aah, when they saw the woman they were wooing step into the room, albeit her face was veiled, as usual when she left her chambers.

Penelope whoever first said to her son: “Really, my son, you were more sensible when you were younger. How could you just stand by as these men here abused the poor stranger so terribly and disgracefully?”

“Your anger is completely understandable”, Telemakhos responded, “However, you must remember, that it would have been me against all of them. I have no helper here, there was nothing I could have done. All we can do is pray to Father Zeus, Pallas Athena and Phoibos Apollon, that these brutes will suffer a fate like Iros or worse.”

Thus they spoke to each other, until Eurymakhos approached them, another really unpleasant individual among the suitors.

“Oh shrewd daughter of Ikarios, if everyone saw you now!”, he cried, “You would have a lot more suitors in your hall by tomorrow, for you're the first of women in beauty, growth and mind.”

“I'm not nearly as beautiful as I once was”, Penelope replied, “My beauty and growth have been diminished by grief for the awesome hero, whom the gods took away from me. If he came back to me, my happiness alone would restore my beauty, but now I waste away without him by the will of the cruel Moirai. Before he left, he entrusted his states into my care, that I would watch over them and over his dear parents and that, once our son has grown into a man, I should leave the house and remarry, if I wanted to. That dreaded day is nigh and I will be forced to agree to the remarriage I loathe so. Your conduct causes me additional pain; never has there been such usage among suitors! Any honest men wooing and competing for a wealthy woman would bring life stock of their own to eat and rich gifts for the bride's family – instead of consuming the goods of another without any compensation.”

This prompted the men to send their servants to fetch precious gifts from their own quarters.

Penelope accepted them and retreated to her chambers, while her maids carried the valuables after her.

Odysseus' heart swelled with pride at how his dear wife had beguiled these men into showering her with gifts.

That's my wife!

.

In the evening, after Odysseus had endured more abuse from some of the worse suitors, Telemakhos had finally ordered them all to go to bed and sleep off their rush.

Finally alone, he and his son began to put their own murder plot into motion, first by hiding the armour and weapons of the suitors.

When Athena conjured a golden light to lead the way in the dark corridor, Telemakhos became aware of her presence and ooh-ed and aah-ed.

His father shushed him, saying that now was not the time to question anything and that this was simply the way of the Immortals, to stand by the mortals they liked, while remaining unseen.

Once they had hidden all the weaponry, Telemakhos went to sleep.

Alone again, he continued to hold counsel with Athena, until Penelope entered with some of her maids.

While the servants tidied up the mess the suitors had made earlier, one of the young girls insulted Odysseus for no reason. He just got to make a warning retort, before the queen herself interfered.

“Enough! Don't think that I don't notice your perpetually outrageous behaviour! Now shoo! For as you all know, I wish to talk to this man.”

The first maid brought a chair for Odysseus and all servants saw themselves out.

.

Once they were alone, Penelope addressed him: “So, won't you tell me, who you are, who your parents are and where you come from?”

“I will tell you everything”, Odysseus said, “except for that; my story is very depressing and will just make us both more miserable. I don't want to anger anyone by bawling inside your home, like a sad drunk.”

“I can't become more miserable than I already am”, Penelope returned and told him of her own misfortune.

For many years, she had been waiting for her husband to come home. After sixteen years, everyone apparently had decided, that she was now a widow – even though there was no proof he was dead – and men from Ithaka and the surrounding islands had come to woo for her unwilling hand.

She had claimed, that she needed to weave a fine burial shroud for her father-in-law. They had relented to give her the time to finish it. So she had weaved by day, but each night she had loosened the threads, so she'd had to start anew. This trick had worked for three years, until some treacherous maids had caught her and ratted her out to the suitors.

“Now I'm running out of excuses, my parents are pressuring me to remarry and my son is sick of these men consuming his property. I'm at the end of my wits. Even so, tell me your story.”

Odysseus yielded and served her the same made-up tragic life story he had told everyone, who had asked. He also claimed that he had met hims- uhh, the great hero Odysseus and hosted him for a few weeks, before sailing on to Troy.

This made Penelope burst into tears and wail for her husband, who was sitting in front of her, but she didn't know.

He really wanted nothing more than to hug her and never let her go, but he still needed to keep his act up.

“Just to be sure”, the poor woman sniffled, “Describe him to me. Just as you remember him.”

Odysseus frowned: “Oh dear … this will be tough, after all it was twenty years ago! Let's see …”

And described in great detail the very attire he had worn on the day he had sailed from Ithaka.

She cried harder, recalling that she had made the clothes for him.

After calming down, she accepted his tale.

He promised her, that her husband – ahem, was already here, ahem – would soon be coming home.

She didn't buy it, but ordered for someone to wash his feet.

.

The one chosen for this task was an elderly servant, whom Odysseus recognised as his nurse.

Eurykleia noted that he resembled her missing king.

“I used to hear that a lot”, he told her, “That he and I looked similar.”

She filled a basin with water and he scooted away from the fire into the shadows, fearing that she would recognise him.

.

As the old woman was washing his feet, her fingers brushed over the scar on his thigh.

She froze and old memories flooded her mind …

.

Antikleia had just given birth to her and Laertes' child.

The nurse was holding the screaming baby in her lap.

Suddenly the door opened and in came the mother's father: Autolykos, son of Hermes and a shapeshifting thief.

His teal-coloured eyes skimmed over the scene and he smiled.

Eurykleia lifted the baby from her lap and handed him to his grandfather.

“Come and say hello your grandson”, she invited him.

As soon as the baby boy sat on his grandfather's knee, he stopped wailing and stretched out his arms.

Autolykos laughed and held his finger out for those tiny hands to hold.

The nurse's smile broadened at the sight and after exchanging a glance with the proud parents, she asked the old man: “Do you want to pick a name for your grandchild?”

The demigod thought for a moment: “Hm … I was wroth at the world, when I came here. Give him the name I tell you: 'Odysseus', 'The Wrathful One'. For his life will be a hard, but glorious one. When he comes to age, send him up to my own property. For I have many presents I want to give to my grandson, when he becomes a man.”

When Odysseus grew to age, his parents sent him to visit his grandfather and uncles.

They welcomed him happily.

Later the day, he and his uncles went out to hunt, but he was attacked by a boar. He managed to kill it, only after the beast's tusks dug into his thigh, ripping away a chunk of his flesh.

His uncles took care of the wound and carried him and their spoils back to their father's home.

Autolykos healed his grandson and sent him back home to his parents with lots of presents.

There Odysseus told everyone how he had got that scar, which later on became one of his trademark features.

.

Eurykleia burst into tears and sobs: “It's you! You're Odysseus, my dear child! And I didn't even recognise you, before I touched your scar! You're back!”

In her joy she wanted to go and tell Penelope the good news, but Odysseus grabbed her.

“Not a word!”, he hissed, “Do you want to get me killed?! Keep your mouth shut! For if a god vanquishes the suitors through me, I will spare no one, not even you, my nurse.”

Eurykleia smiled crookedly, completely unfazed by the fact, that her master was gripping her by the neck. But she promised to remain silent.

“When you have defeated them”, she whispered, “Shall I tell you the names of the disloyal household members?”

“No need, I'll spot them on my own”, he declined.

She went to get new water and finished washing and salving his feet.

Odysseus scooted closer to the fire again to warm himself and concealed the scar with his rags.

Penelope, who had been distracted the entire time, continued their conversation from earlier.

“Before we go to bed, there are a few more things I want to ask you. Your words and behaviour have shown that you're a witty and clever man, so I would be obliged, if you could interpret this dream for me: I was standing in my yard and geese were picking up grain from the ground, when an eagle swooped down from the sky and killed all of them. I wept for the loss, when suddenly the eagle began to talk! He told me, that he was my beloved Odysseus, that the geese were my suitors and that he would be coming home soon to smite them all. Then I woke up. What does it mean?”

“Exactly as Odysseus told you”, the hero replied, “What you saw was the near future. He will come home and kill them all. It's as simple as that.”

Not quite that simple, but whatever.

“I don't know”, Penelope said doubtfully, “But I have an idea: tomorrow I will hold a competition. My husband has an extremely strong recurved bow that so far only he has been able to string. I will put up twelve axes with hollow heads and only a man equal to my husband will be able to string the bow and shoot an arrow through the twelve axe heads.”

I'm so in love with this woman!

“That's an amazing idea!”, Odysseus praised her. “Waste no time in holding the competition. But now it's time to sleep; soon it will be morning.”

She bid him good night and went to bed.

As he lay down near the fire, he noticed some of the maidservants sneaking out of their rooms into the suitor's quarters. He fumed with anger, but swallowed it – he had seen so many more outrageous things after all.

Right as he had finished that thought, he heard Athena's voice.

“Why are you still awake?”, she questioned, “Does it not soothe you to come back to see your wife still being so faithful to you after all these years? And that your child has grown into the best son a man could wish for?”

“You're right”, he agreed, “But I have worries – I don't think I can stand against so many suitors all by myself. And if I do, what will happen hereafter? Many will be angered at the murder of the entire noble population of my kingdom and those around.”

He heard her huff in frustration, before she began to scold him: “Alright, Odysseus, listen up! First off, where is your courage? Have you left it behind in Troy?! Secondly, have you forgot, that I'm always looking out for you? Many other men trust lesser companions than a god and you're still so doubtful? With me by your side, Odysseus, you could defeat hundreds of men – you did back in the Trojan War, just as Diomedes and Menélaos did. You know that. Mark my words, son of Laertes: in the morning you, your son and I will slaughter those many foes and leave none of them alive. As for the aftermath, leave that to me. Now sleep, for you need to rest before the fight tomorrow.”

Then he felt an irresistible exhaustion, as the great goddess put a deep slumber onto him.

.

Soon rosy-fingered Êôs brought the dawn.

Odysseus was woken up by the sound of his dear wife weeping.

Distraught by the sound and still nervous because of what was to come, he prayed for a sign from Zeus.

The King of the Skies heard and let it thunder.

In the yard, several women grinding corn to flour heard it and began to murmur. When Odysseus heard them wish, that today would be the last meal for the suitors, his heart was glad.

Soon Eurykleia shooed the maids out of their beds.

“Today is a day of celebration!”, she announced, “So off to work with you all! You know your tasks.”

The maids, significantly more awake at the news, hurried to do as told.

As they were scurrying around, the suitors swaggered him, some more hungover than the others and all rather grumpy at being woken up so early.

They were followed by Eumaios, who drove several fat pigs into the kitchen, before joining Odysseus in his spot beside the fire.

“Are they still disrespectful to you?”, he inquired.

The disguised hero scowled: “Yes and I wish they were dead.”

“Most here do”, the swineherd muttered.

As they were sticking their heads together, the goatherd Melantheus passed by.

“Are you still here, beggar? Fuck off and bother someone else!”, he snapped at Odysseus.

The latter didn't reply, just silently plotted the other's demise.

The rude goatherd was followed by another man, Philoitos, the local cattle herd.

“Sorry for that”, he apologised for the other, “He may officially be the goatherd, but his actual profession is being a prick. Greetings, good stranger! May you have better fortune in the future, though you live in misery right now. Gods, you look just like I remember our true lord Odysseus! I could tell from the very moment I saw you. Perhaps he suffers the same fate as you and has to wander the earth, ragged and begging for his bread. Meanwhile I am forced to drive the cattle he entrusted to me back then to this house for invaders to eat. Oh, if only he would finally come home and kill them all!”

Oh thank Athena, another ally!

Odysseus promised him and Eumaios, that what they were praying for would happen soon.

.

At the same time the suitors were still plotting how to discreetly murder Telemakhos, when they saw an eagle carrying a dove in its talons.

“It's not going to work”, Amphinomos spoke up, “Let's have breakfast instead.”

So they did.

After breakfast, they gathered at the shrine of Apollon to sacrifice to him and the gods, before eating the rest.

.

Apollon meanwhile was glaring down onto the scene.

“Get the fuck out of my sanctuary, you putrid scum!”, he snarled, “Get out! I'm not granting your worthless prayers!”

Zeus patted his son's shoulder. “There, there. They'll be dead soon.”

“I know, father”, the younger grumbled.

.

In Odysseus' palace, the king in disguise had grown even angrier than he already was, as Athena had warped the sanity of the suitors to rile him up more.

This didn't go completely unnoticed by Theoklymenos, the seer from Argos. He felt the presence of the war goddess and observed the nasty scene.

The suitors' faces distorted strangely, they were laughing unnaturally, while crying at the same time, the meat they were eating was bloody and they somehow sensed coming bale.

But when the prophet told them of what he was seeing, he got laughed at.

“The man is insane!”, Eurymakhos claimed, “Perhaps we should accompany him to the market place, since he sees only darkness here!”

“No thank you”, Theoklymenos replied nonchalantly, “I have functioning eyes, ears and feet and a perfectly sound mind. With their help, I'll leave this house now, for I see nothing but bale for you all, who commit outrage in Odysseus' house and disrespect everyone here. Farewell.”

Then he walked out like a boss.

.

While all this was happening, Penelope had gone into her husband's armoury to get his strongest bow, arrows and twelve axes.

She set the weapons up, gathered the suitors and proclaimed: “Alright, you freeloaders who had no other excuse than that you want to seek my hand in marriage! It's time that you earn it! Here I have my husband's strongest bow. The one of you, who strings this bow most easily and use it to shoot an arrow through all twelve axe heads, will win my hand.”

Eumaios and Philoitos wept, when they saw their lord's bow, but were mocked by Antinoos.

Latter hoped to be the one to win the competition – little did he know, that he would be the first to die by that bow and arrows.

But it was Telemakhos, who came forward first. “Let me try first, if I'm yet capable of wielding my father's priced weapon”, he requested and it was granted.

He readied the bow and tried to string it three times. But just as he was about to succeed, Odysseus gestured for him to stop now. Pretending to be disappointed, he stepped back.

One by one, the suitors attempted and failed to string the bow of cunning Odysseus and sat back down with huge dents in their pride.

While they were making fools of themselves, Odysseus and the cattle- and swineherd had left the room for a little.

“Tell me, you two, the truth and nothing but: if Odysseus now came home to reclaim his property, would you follow him or the suitors?”

“Odysseus!”, they responded in unison.

He smiled. “Good, because he's already here! It's me! After twenty years and many a misadventure, I'm finally home. And I see that of all my servants only you two and Eurykleia truly longed for my return; I heard none of the others pray for me to come home. But you shall know the truth: once I have vanquished the suitors, you two shall be rewarded with riches and a wife. You will be friends to my son and me. And should you be in doubt; see this scar on my thigh, done to me by the tusk of a boar, when I was hunting with my uncles on Mount Parnassos.”

They saw the treacherous scar, gasped in shock and tearfully hugged their rightful king.

“Now, now”, Odysseus stopped them after a while. “I'm afraid we need to postpone the happy reunion to later. Now you need to do exactly as I say: when we go back inside, I will ask to have a turn with the bow. They will refuse me, but you, Eumaios, give it to me anyway and then go to tell the women to go to their quarters and stay there, no matter what. You, Philoitos, go and lock the doors to the yard.”

Then the three snuck back inside.

There Eurymakhos was currently trying to string the bow. After a while he gave up, complaining loudly about how humiliating it was, that no one could even string the bow of godlike Odysseus.

“Eh, who cares”, Antinoos responded, “Who wants to string bows today anyway, it's the holiday of Zeus! Let's let everything lie and try again tomorrow.”

He sounded like a huffy child.

This is priceless!, Odysseus thought and smirked for a second.

Just as they had put away the bow and its string, the war veteran requested, that – just for the heck of it – he could have a shot at it (pun intended).

He met with much protest from the suitors, but Telemakhos and Penelope scolded them.

“Don't be stupid!”, Penelope snapped at Antinoos, “It's not like this homeless man, who isn't even competing for my hand, is going to take me home as his wife, even if he manages to string the bow – unlike you all. Leave him alone.”

“That he should marry you isn't our greatest concern”, Eurymakhos explained, “But we will become a collective laughing stock, when the people find out, that we failed to string your dead husband's bow, only to lose out to a beggar.”

“That's coming from you?”, Penelope retorted, “Your behaviour alone is a humiliation, that you intrude into another's home and waste wealth that isn't yours! Never once have you all acted like honest men! Furthermore, this man is well-built and prides himself in being a great man's son. If Apollon grants him victory, I will shower him with many gifts, so he may go on his way – and there is nothing you all can do about it!”

Telemakhos agreed, yet surprised his mother by sending her to her own quarters.

As Penelope left the room, Eumaios picked up the bow, handed it to Odysseus and then went to Eurykleia to instruct her as his king had told him earlier.

Philoitos skulked away to do his part of the plan and lock all the doors to the yard.

Odysseus took the bow and strung it with ease. As he tested the sinewy string, it vibrated musically under his fingers, like it was supposed to.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the suitors blanch. And they grew even paler, when he took an arrow and shot it through the twelve axes.

In that moment, it thundered.

He ripped his rags off, turned to his son and smirked: “Now, how about we serve these noblemen a supper like they've never had before?”

Telemakhos smirked back and pulled out his sword.

The first arrow hit Antinoos in the jugular, right as he was raising his cup.

The others jumped up, screaming reproaches at Odysseus.

But the hero growled darkly: “You dogs thought I would never return from Troy, did you? You plundered my property, had your way with my maids and wooed my wife, while I was still alive, but now you're going to pay!”

Eurymakhos tried to reason and promised rich compensation, but the answer was another death threat. So he spurred the other suitors on and they chose to fight, only to be felled by Odysseus' arrow.

Amphinomos attacked, but was slain by Telemakhos.

“Let me get you armour and more weapons”, he offered and his father urged him to do so, before he ran out of arrows. Telemakhos returned with a full armour and Odysseus put it on, once he ran out of ammunition.

One of the suitors sent Melantheus to fetch arms for the suitors. But the goatherd was soon spotted by Eumaios and Philoitos, who proceeded to bind him and tie him to a pole, before arming themselves and returning to fight by the side of their king and prince.

.

It was at that moment, that Athena came down, again in the guise of Mentor.

He obviously recognised her and asked for her help, while the suitors, who didn't recognise her, screamed for her to do the exact opposite.

This angered her and she spurred the war veteran on.

But before she would grant him a devastating victory, she wanted to feast her eyes on his battle prowess.

So rather than fighting along, she diverted the spears the suitors threw, while those of the four defenders hit their marks without fail.

After all four of them (she couldn't help but be surprised at the prowess of the cowherd and the swineherd) had slain about a dozen more suitors, she finally interfered for real.

She flew up to the ceiling and raised up the terrible Aigis.

The suitors froze in fear.

That just made it easier for Odysseus and his companions, who came upon them like birds of prey.

From here the suitors were massacred without mercy.

Only two men were spared at the request of Telemakhos: the singer Phemos and the herald Medon, who had both been made to serve the suitors against their will.

The two men were sent out and Odysseus looked around to check, if any of the suitors were still alive. But he and his son and comrades had slain them all.

Athena, having done her part for now, left.

.

“Go and get Eurykleia, my son”, Odysseus asked his son, “I need to talk to her.”

Telemakhos nodded and came back with the old nurse. When she saw her lord stand amidst all the corpses, like a lion or a wolf, she rejoiced.

But Odysseus shushed her. “Rejoice on the inside, old mother. It's not appropriate to cheer over slain men. I defeated them only, because the gods willed it so, for they showed no respect or reverence, while they were still alive. But now tell me, which of the maids are treacherous and which are innocent.”

“Of the fifty women who served your family, twelve betrayed them”, Eurykleia reported, “But now I will go upstairs and tell your wife, that-”

“Not yet”, Odysseus forbade. “First bring the traitors, so I may judge them. As for you three” – he turned to his son and the cow- and swineherd – “You can start carrying the bodies outside. Order the women to do the same and clean up the mess afterwards.”

This happened and once everything was clean and tidy, the guilty maidservants were driven into the yard and hung high.

Odysseus purified the halls with brimstone and Eurykleia called the remaining maids.

With tears of happiness, they embraced their king and welcomed him home.

And he also wept with joy, as he recognised them all.

.

Good Eurykleia ran upstairs to the chambers of Penelope as fast as her age allowed.

There she woke the sleeping queen: “Wake up, wake up, my dear child! Go downstairs, so you may see what you have been longing for for twenty years! Our lord, your Odysseus, he is finally home! He has destroyed the insolent suitors and he is back!”

Penelope glared weakly: “Have you woken me up, just so you could mock me? Have you gone mad, that you tell me such cruel things? I know it in my heart, my Odysseus is gone and will never come back to me.”

“I'm not mocking you, dear, I promise! He has been here for days now: it was the stranger the suitors always offended! Telemakhos knew the entire time, but kept it to himself, until all of the suitors were defeated!”

Now the queen leapt from her bed and tearfully hugged the older woman.

“Tell me all!”, she pressed, “The truth and nothing but the truth! How is it possible, that he alone defeated so many?”

Of course Eurykleia hadn't seen any of it; she had been in the servants' quarters with the other maids. But she told her queen what she knew.

Penelope was still in doubt though: “I don't believe it. It's too good to be true! Surely it was a god, who smote them all for their disrespect.”

“No, no! Listen; he has the scar on his thigh – the one he received, when a boar attacked him, while he was hunting with the sons of Autolykos. It's really him, I promise! If what I say is untrue, you may have me executed!”

The queen – wary as she was – still refused to believe her, but followed her downstairs anyway. Though Eurykleia could see that (deep down), the younger woman was hoping, even though she refused to act on it.

When they came into the great hall, Penelope saw Odysseus leaning against a pillar, waiting for whatever she would say upon seeing her husband.

But Penelope seemed dazed, almost numb even.

Telemakhos was frustrated by this and chided his mother: “What's with you? Why aren't you sitting with your husband and questioning him? Did you wait twenty years for him to come home, only to see him and just stand there and not even say anything? Has your heart turned to stone?!”

“No, no, I'm just stunned”, Penelope clarified, “My heart is so paralysed, that I can't bring myself to question him or even look him in the eye. But if he's really my Odysseus, I will find out myself.”

Odysseus chuckled: “Give your mother some time to let it sink in. Let her test me to her heart's content. She doesn't recognise me, because I'm looking so dirty and messy right now. But my son, we have some urgent matters to discuss. Don't forget, that we just killed the entire nobility of my kingdom and have to deal with the consequences.”

“Well, it's said that no mortal man can rival your cunning”, Telemakhos replied, “So, do you have a plan? Whatever it is, we'll follow you.”

“Good. And I do have a plan: order everyone to decorate the place, put on their best clothes and celebrate loudly, so that anyone who passes by might think that a wedding is taking place here. This ought to buy us some time, because no one must learn of the earlier massacre, before we have been to my property in the country and prayed to the gods, that they might give us a sign on how to proceed from there.”

The household staff did so and indeed, everyone outside thought, that Penelope had now chosen to marry one of her suitors.

Later that evening, Eurykleia drew a bath for Odysseus, salved him with olive oil and gave him fresh clothes and it seemed a god had made him look taller and more splendid.³

When he was all freshened up, he returned to where he had sat before.

“Still not looking at your husband?”, he asked Penelope, “Have I endured twenty years of hardship, only to come home to a wife, who ignores me and holds me in low regard?”

Penelope didn't answer, which frustrated everyone.

“Well then”, the king huffed, “Eurykleia, make me a bed somewhere, since I'll sleep alone tonight, apparently.”

Now Penelope finally spoke again: “I don't hold you in low regard at all, strange man. Eurykleia, go and make his bed in front of the bedchamber that he himself crafted a long time ago.”

Now she was testing, the old nurse could tell.

“What?!”, Odysseus exclaimed suddenly, “What is it that I have to hear? Only a god would be able to relocate my bed at all! I crafted the bedchamber around the huge olive tree, that was growing in the yard back then, and carved the bed with its wood, adorning it with ivory, gold and silver! It's impossible that anyone relocated it, let alone could push it through the door!”

But only Odysseus could know this and that was the irrefutable proof.

Now she burst into tears, embraced her husband and showered him with kisses. Odysseus cried also and held his wife tightly.

All the while Eurykleia was sobbing in the background, because now everything would be fine.

.

Athena smiled onto the scene.

Having done that part of her work, she saw herself out and went to persuade Êôs to postpone her tour across the sky for a few hours.

Her mortal friend and his beloved wife should have enough time to our their hearts out to each other and to get a little rest before the trouble that was to come soon.

.

Hermes laughed at the souls of the suitors, when he came to guide them to the underworld.

“I don't know, what you expected!”, he cackled, “Odysseus is my great-grandson! Whatever made you believe, that you could take what was his without consequence? Or that you could disrespect the laws of gods and men and get away with it? How could you think that we wouldn't favour him? Well, either way you got what you deserved!”

The souls whispered among themselves; they probably would have grumbled, but the dead had faint voices.

The Messenger of the Gods lead them to the underworld, snickering all the while.

As they came to the underworld, Hermes found some of the heroes of the Trojan War skulking around.

He lead the newcomers to the dock of Kharon and the ferryman began to take the first of them down the river (apparently they had been granted the tiny mercy of getting a coin for Kharon).

.

When they had arrived on the other side, the Achaeans were chatting among each other.

“What happened to you?”, Akhilleus asked Agamemnon, “I always was under the impression that Zeus liked you? So how come you died a miserable death, rather than getting a burial fit for a king?”

“You're lucky, that you died a glorious death at Troy”, Agamemnon replied, sullen. “You got a splendid burial befitting a great hero like you were.”

Then he proceeded to tell Akhilleus all about it, which was rather boring for some (including Hermes, who chose to leave them behind to visit Hades and Persephone).

“Even in death you were honoured above all others!”, Agamemnon finished his account of the other's burial, only to start wallowing in self-pity.

“And me? What did I get for surviving the war?! Get this! I just got home from Troy, when I was murdered by my cousin Aigisthos and my slut of a wife!”

“Oh, that's so tragic!”, Akhilleus replied sarcastically.

Agamemnon ignored him and let his eyes wander over the newcomers, until he spied a familiar face.

“Hey! I know you! You're one of Menélaos' bastard sons! What happened to you?”

“Odysseus happened!”, Amphimedon groaned, “To all of us here!”

Then he proceeded to tell his uncle all about how they had wooed Penelope, how she had put them off for four years, tricking them and of how Odysseus had finally come home and killed them all.

“Damn!”, Agamemnon exclaimed, “Odysseus, you lucky man! You got one of the few good women in this world for your wife! The world will forever praise her loyalty! Unlike the daughters of Tyndareus and most other women, who are fucking disloyal whores-”

“Hey!”, Akhilleus barked, “Take your unmanly misogyny and shove it up your arse! No one cares about your unjustified grudge on your wife, whose innocent daughter you tried to sacrifice to the gods, who hate human sacrifice!”

.

Meanwhile Odysseus and Telemakhos had arrived at the home of Laertes, Odysseus' father.

“You and the servants go and prepare a boar for our meal”, Odysseus told his son, “I will see, if my father still recognises me.”

Then he went into the garden, where he found his old father tend to the plants.

Laertes looked so miserable and neglected, that Odysseus hid behind a pear tree and wept.

Once he had regained his composure, he approached the old man and addressed him: “Greetings, good man. You certainly are a talented gardener; none of the plants here look anything but splendid. I wish the same could be same for you. Please do not be angry, but you look awful. So, who are you and whose garden is this? Also, could you tell me, if it's really Ithaka I have come to? I have been marooned, so I'm not sure.”

Yes, he was about to weave more false identities.

“I met a man from Ithaka once and he boasted to be Odysseus, the son of Laertes. I hosted him, gave him many guest gifts and then he went on his way.”

Laertes looked up and responded: “This is indeed Ithaka, stranger. But Odysseus isn't here – instead bad and godless men are holding sway over this land. You poor man gave him presents in vain – if he was here and alive, he would gladly repay you in kind, as it's the custom. But he's gone, he'll never return …” He choked and cleared his throat. “But who are you and where do you come from? How much time has passed, since you welcomed Odysseus in your home?”

“My name is Eperitas, I come from Alybas”, the younger man lied, “And he came to my home five years ago. Oh, the poor man! And the omens seemed so promising, when he departed! He was so glad and eager to get home!”

Laertes broke into pitiful wailing, grabbed a fistful of ash and threw it onto his head.

Odysseus' heart broke and he hugged the other. “My dear father, it's me! Cry no longer, I'm not dead! I'm home! I have slain those who wooed my wife and ended their outrage!”

Laertes stared at the other. “What … is it really you?! Give me a sign, before I believe you!”

The younger man pulled up his chiton to reveal the scar on his thigh.

“Do you remember, when I grew to age and you sent me to my grandfather Autolykos and his sons, so that I might receive the gifts he had prepared for me? How I returned to you with the presents and this scar I got when I went hunting with my uncles and was attacked by a boar? And here another sign: when I was a child, you gave me many fruit trees: ten apple trees, thirteen pear trees, forty fig trees and hundred stocks of wine. And you promised me, that they all would carry heavy fruit and bring bountiful harvest. Do you believe me now?”

Laertes cried out in happiness and embraced his son tightly.

Then he fainted.

When he awoke, he found himself in his son's arms and cried some more, before taking a deep breath and calming himself.

“My dear and only son, I'm so happy! The justice of the gods still exists in this world, that you defeated all of the foes in your own home! But what shall we do now? You killed the entire noble population, the people will riot.”

“Don't worry about that yet”, Odysseus told him gently. “First let's go inside. We'll get you fresh clothes and a bath, also lunch will soon be ready.”

Inside the house Telemakhos and the two animal husbandmen were busy cutting the pork and mixing wine.

A maid drew a bath for Laertes and gave him good clothes.

When the former king came before his son and grandson, they marvelled.

“You look so much more gracious now”, Odysseus marked, “A god gave you splendour and made you taller, just like the Bright-eyed Goddess did for me!”

“Certainly”, the old man agreed, “But I wish they would have granted me the even bigger pleasure of being there yesterday to stand by you, when you fought off the suitors! You would have seen, that I still am capable of fighting!”

Odysseus almost chuckled at his father's zeal, but didn't want to seem condescending or doubtful.

When the two former heroes came into the dining halls, the servants ooh'd and aah'd, as they recognised their king.

“You can marvel later”, he told them, “It's time for lunch, as we're all hungry. Do sit with us! There is enough for all!”

Now the staff cheered and they all gave the long-lost ruler a warm welcome.

.

Unfortunately, while they were having lunch, Ossa, goddess of rumour, flew through the city and soon everyone had heard about the gruesome demise of the suitors.

Their relatives came to the palace to pick up the dead and bury them.

When they had done their work, Eupeithes, the father of Antinoos, rallied the people and riled them up.

“This man truly has done great wrong to us!”, he shouted, “Twenty years ago he took away many ships to Troy, only to return ten years too late and all alone. And now he has slaughtered all our children! Up, that we may avenge this misdeed done to our sons!”

But before the crowd could respond, Phemos the singer and Medon the herald, stepped forward.

“People of Ithaka! Odysseus did not act without the approval of the gods!”, Medon declared, “I myself saw a deity at the king's side and it was none other than the bright-eyed daughter of Zeus! She was wearing the guise of Mentor, but I saw her for who she was. She fought by his side, by instilling fear into the suitors and by giving him courage and strength. He had the favour of the gods and he was in the right. What happened was the will of Zeus.”

His words made the listeners shudder in fear.

Now another man rose to speak, Halitherses the prophet. “Hear me, men of Ithaka! It's because of your cowardice, that you are now burying your children! For you listened to neither me nor to Mentor, when we bid you to stop your sons' outrageous behaviour. You didn't stop them, when they committed blasphemous acts, harassed the wife of the best of men and wasted away his own property, believing he would never come home and make them face the consequences! So listen to my counsel for once in your lives: stay here, before a self-imposed doom meets you all!”

Half of the men screamed in protest at this suggestion, while the others heeded the prophet's words.

The crowd divided into two groups.

Eupeithes lead those who agreed with him into the country – thinking, that he would avenge his son, unaware, that he was on his way to meet his fate.

.

On Olympos Athena saw what was going on and went to her father to report.

“What is your plan, father?”, she wanted to know, “Will you cause more bloody conflict or shall there be peace?”

Zeus laughed: “My child, hasn't it been your plan all along, that your mortal friend should get home, take revenge on the suitors and reclaim his kingdom? Do as you please, but my will is this: now that Odysseus has avenged himself, let there be peace and companionship. Let the murder of their sons and brothers be forgotten. Let there be harmony among the people, companionship and bountiful harvest, as it was before.”

With gladdened heart Athena descended from Olympos to earth.

.

In the country estate, one of the servants looked out of the window, only to turn back to Odysseus, frowning.

“My king, I'm afraid we have company.”

He pointed to a nearby hill, where Eupeithes and his allies were already seen.

Quickly everyone leapt up from the table to don their armour and weapons.

As they were arming themselves, Athena joined them, again in the guise of Mentor.

Odysseus understood immediately and said to his son, grinning: “Now, my son, I will show you how it's done. You shall see how your father earned his glory in battle as well as in strategy.”

Telemakhos grinned back at him. “Father, you will see, that I'm not a coward and you won't be ashamed of my bravery in battle.”

“My son and my grandson competing in fighting prowess and bravery!”, Laertes rejoiced, “This is the best day of my life!”

“Mentor” smiled at the former hero and said: “Come, Laertes my old friend. You too should arm yourself and make a prayer to Zeus and the Bright-eyed Virgin.”

Then Athena breathed powerful valour into him.

With renewed strength and vigour, Laertes grabbed a spear and threw it right into the face of Eupeithes, where the helmet wasn't shielding it.

Meanwhile his son and grandson burst into the now leaderless ranks and slew their attackers left and right.

However before they could kill everyone, Athena decided, that playtime was over.

She appeared above the fray, that everyone froze in fear and/or reverence.

“Men of Ithaka!”, she announced with a thundering voice, “Cease the fighting and break apart, ere the earth is stained with your blood!”

After the parties had broken apart, Athena persuaded the quarrellers to make peace.

.

Thus ends the story of how Odysseus finally came home and regained his kingdom.

The stories of his deeds were passed on orally, from generation to generation.

Several centuries later, a blind poet dictated the glorious epics of the Iliad and the Odyssey to someone and they would be known for many more centuries to come.

Just like the name of the poet, who dictated them: Homer.

.

---

.

1) Only certain parts of a sacrificial animal would go to the gods: the fat and bones. The rest would be kept by the mortals. According to myth, Prometheus tricked Zeus into this. 2) Menélaos - just like Agamemnon - was the son of Atreus, who was a real nasty piece of work. So of course Menélaos would view Nestor, a far friendlier person, as more of a father figure. 3) In the Iliad Odysseus is described as not being very tall and looking relatively unimpressive at first glance.

#Greek Mythology #odyssey #athena #zeus #apollon #hermes #odysseus #telemakhos #penelope #menelaos #helen of sparta #laertes #eumaios #philoitos #eurykleia #antinoos #eurymakhos #and lots of other people #tw: murder #tw: massacre

[n10446052]

Development Update - Final Project Platformer Game

Odysseus Homeward Bound

The following is the narrative/dialogue that will be used for Odysseus Homeward Bound. As the main programmer in this game, I have started to implement the text using Dialogue Tree in GDevelop.

Narrative Breakdown

Opening Scene.

Scene Information: Underworld background scene. Text in text box at base of scene.

Actions: Click to proceed.

Dialogue: Tell me, O Muse, of that ingenious man who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of troy.

Underworld Scenes.

Scene information: Odysseus goes to the underworld. Underworld background scene. Odysseus image above text box.

Odysseus Dialogue: “I have finally arrived, here at the house of Hades. I call upon Hades and Persephone, and the innumerable spirits of the underworld, please accept these libations of milk, honey and wine. Please also accept these two sheep and drink deep of their blood.”

Scene dialogue: As Odysseus offers the libations ghosts appear before him and he makes a second plea. 

Odysseus Dialogue: “O Teiresias, most notable of prophets, please come forth and answer me.”

Scene Information: Teiresias appears before Odysseus. Image located above text box, on opposite side of Odysseus.

Teiresias Dialogue: “Odysseus, noble son of Laertes, why have you come here, to this land beyond the light?”

Odysseus Dialogue: “I seek your help Teiresias, I wish to return home to Ithaca but the Gods themselves are against me…”

Teiresias Dialogue: “Tis not all the Gods, Pallas Athene still toils for you, yet Lord Poseidon you must be wary of, for you killed his son, the cyclops Polyphemus. Take heed to what I say next for it will come to pass… You have a long way to go, for you must traverse the seas yet further and cross the lands of the sun-cattle. Be warned though, wily Odysseus, do not let your greed blind you for it will only bring misfortune… I cannot tell you more for my time has come to depart, however deep in these harrowed halls there is a parchment with the information you need and heroes to guide you… Go now…”       

[[Odysseus Dialogue: “Farewell shade, thank you for answering my call. I guess there is no other choice, I must traverse the halls of Hades.”]] 

Platform Scene 1.

Scene Information: Platformer instance 1 begins. Goal – seek out the parchment of Teiresias. Optional Goal – seek out the spirits of the heroes Achilles, Hercules, and Agamemnon.

 Hercules Scene.

Scene Information: Odysseus collects Hercules’ coin. Narrative dialogue event triggered. Click through action.

Hercules Dialogue: “Odysseus, wiliest of the Achaeans… I see you have wandered here as I once did in my days serving the Gods.”

Odysseus Dialogue: “The Gods and Lord Poseidon mock me… Only Lady Athena stands by my side, helping me bear the burden of their trials.”

Hercules Dialogue: “The Gods are as fickle as ever; I was the son of Zeus and they still heaped 12 labours upon me. You cannot escape them, only fulfil their wishes, and hope that in death you are granted respite. Go now, before death nips at your heels…”

Achilles Scene.

Scene Information: Odysseus collects Achilles’ coin. Narrative dialogue event triggered. Click through action.

Achilles Dialogue: “Hail, Odysseus, it is good to see you again, but what are you doing here, to dare cross the threshold of death…”

Odysseus Dialogue: “I came seeking the aid of Teiresias and still I search for his remaining prophecy.”

Achilles Dialogue: “I see… I cannot tell you its whereabouts but do not tarry here. I may be a prince among shades, granted a place in Elysium, but I would rather be a beggar above with nothing to my name. Death is not favourable and it will find you here if you are not swift.”

Odysseus Dialogue: “Achilles, chief amongst the Achaeans, do not mourn your place here for you are celebrated above, the greatest warrior that ever was and ever will be… I will be as swift as I can.”

CHANGE FINAL SCENE TO THESEUS 

Agamemnon Scene.

Scene Information: Odysseus collects Agamemnon’s coin. Narrative dialogue event triggered. Click through action.

Odysseus Dialogue: “Agamemnon? How did you come to the house of Hades? You were yet alive when last I departed the cursed shores of Troy.”

Agamemnon Dialogue: “Noble Odysseus, it was by neither the seas nor my enemies but my own wicked wife, Clytemnestra and her treacherous lover Aegisthus. I was slaughtered in my own home upon the premise of hospitality. A most disgraceful and traitorous act.”

Odysseus Dialogue: “Such cruelty! Zeus has ever hated the house of Atreus but to think such misfortune would befall you… I will mourn you and offer libations upon my return home.”

Agamemnon Dialogue: “Thank you Odysseus, you have ever been loyal. Now go, this place is not for the living and your time has not yet come.”

Parchment Scene.

Scene Information: Odysseus finds the parchment of Teiresias. Narrative dialogue event triggered. Click through action.

Parchment Dialogue:  “Noble Odysseus… Your next foes are both beautiful and deadly, their lavish songs lead only to death. You would be wise to cover your ears as they will not serve you. Linger no longer in this place for the dead are vengeful and envious of the living. They will trap you ‘ere long.”

Escape Scene.

Scene information: Background change to open sea/siren instance background.

Scene Dialogue: Successfully escaping the house of Hades, Odysseus makes his way to his crew and their boat. Parchment in hand and the prophecy of Teiresias to guide them Odysseus and his crew set forth to the dangerous waters of the Sirens.

Scene Dialogue: Having heard however of the sirens prophetic abilities, Odysseus makes the choice to listen to their songs and instructs his crew to bind him to the mast. Ever wily Odysseus however breaks free of his bonds and ventures into the lair of their sirens, called forth by their false promises…

Platform Scene 2.

Scene information: Platformer instance 2 begins. Goal – escape the lair of the sirens unharmed and return to the crew.

Scene information: Escape portal leads to final boss scene.

Boss Scene.

Scene information: Boss platform area. Goal – defeat the siren matriarch and return to the crew. Siren image above dialogue box.

Siren Dialogue: “You, Odysseus, who has murdered my sisters, I will not let you escape our lair. You will be ours to keep, driven mad by our songs and the futures you will never have! Now die, hero.”

Scene information: Boss encounter begins.

Closing Scene.

Scene Information: Background of sea and boat.

Odysseus Dialogue: “My crew I have returned. I have learned what we face next, the might Charybdis and Scylla. Ever our journey continues on but home will be ours one day…”

End Scene. 

#development #platformer #narrative

[insertfunnyusername01]

Argumentative Post 9/24

From what I have collected so far, women were not well respected in Ancient Greece. The Illiad painted this image that men were favored over women and because of this their roles were limited to bearing children and taking care of household duties. Mortal women were essentially controlled by their husbands except for maybe the wealthy ones. However, without women(both immortal and mortal) Oydsseus would not have made the grueling journey of returning home in The Odyssey. The roles of Penelope, his mother Anticlea, Athena, the goddess Ino, and more are imperative in his return to home.

Penelope, his wife, led the suitors astray for many years by undoing her loom. By doing this she gave Odysseus time he needed to return. Once he finally returned as a beggar I think she had a hunch that it was her husband. Penelope, unable to be easily tricked, put him through several tests in order to prove himself (stringing his bow and moving his bed). Her role in The Odyssey wasn't as helpful for Oydsseus as it was for herself and their son Telemachus but nonetheless it was just as important.

I would argue that the dialogue he had with his mother, Anticlea, in the Underworld gave him reassurance that he has not been forgotten about back home, and therefore gave him much needed strength to continue on his path. His mother telling him about his father, Laertes, "grieving continually" and how she eventually killed herself because she couldn't bear to live without Odysseus any longer I think really put in to perspective how long his absence was and how it affected others besides himself. Anticlea then mentions Penelope and his son, Telemachus, and how they are struggling to manage the house and suitors back home. Her presence led him to feel the raw acceptance of death but her pleas for him to "long for the daylight" left him to return to his journey.

Calypso technically did help in Odysseus's return home, even though she held him captive for several years, by allowing him to build a raft and leave. However, it's the goddess Ino who ultimately saves him after his raft was destroyed in a storm crafted by Poseidon. It's unlikely Odysseus would have survived the dangerous storm had it not been for Ino's temporary gift, the veil, which offered him protection.

Athena was arguably the most vital role in Odysseus's return to Ithica. Her loyalty and soft spot towards him was continously shown throughout the book. Athena came shortly after Odysseus's meet with Ino and rescued him. To briefly sum up some of the ways she helped: she stood before the Olympian Court and pled for Odysseus's release from Calypso, gave him the inspiration needed to fight through the storm after calming the winds, disguises him as the beggar, and much, much more. Without Athena's undenying guidance during The Odyssey, Odysseus (and Telemachus) were able to return home in one piece.

Although Odysseus was the king of Ithica, he did not have the power to manuever his way through half of the problems he encountered. It is because of that the roles of these women were equally important in this book.

#pols383

[flurgburgler]

things they said at sea

“I love him,” she says, “but I am not in love with him. I think somebody should be.”

James has such a capacity for love, Miranda explains. She's worried it’s going to waste, left out in the sun to blanch and blister.

Silver doesn’t know why she’s telling him this.

The sea stretches away from them to a far, wide horizon under a towering clear sky; the Walrus is nestled in the crook of the bay, seeming pleasantly still from a distance. A breeze rolling in from the water tugs at the loose strands of Miranda’s hair, rustles the palm leaves, and stirs the sand under their feet. Behind them they can hear voices and foot traffic from the little market; the wind carries the sounds over like smoke from a bonfire. It’s a small port on barely a spit of land, but it will make do to restock their fresh water supply before they reach Charleston. That’s what Flint said when they landed, and then he took off into town, jaw set and eyes forward.

The young Ashe girl is down by the shoreline, her shoes and stockings discarded and her skirts bunched up in her hands, as she dips her toes in the water. Ever inscrutable, Miranda bows her head and walks away down the beach to Abigail’s side, leaving deep, certain footprints in the sand.

“James,” Silver repeats, because he has never said it out loud before.

It’s already dark when Flint finds him, sitting in the same spot Miranda left him. He’s dug his feet into the sand; it helps him feel grounded under the vast canvas of night turning gently overhead. Even this little corner of the world seems larger than it should tonight––larger still when Flint comes to stand beside him, and although there are scarcely inches between them, Silver thinks Flint may as well be the horizon.

Silver remembers the stories he heard from the old women in Whitechapel who had grown up in the days when England still had wild country. They talked about the eldritch folk, and how to know something’s true name was to have power over it. They lowered their eyes and hushed their mouths when they caught John looking: it wasn’t for children to know. Now he looks up at Flint, whose face is spectral pale in the moonlight, and thinks: I spoke your name and summoned you.

“Everything all right?” he says at last, because he doesn’t like the silence.

Flint’s fingers twitch. He wants to fiddle with his rings, Silver knows, he’s watched him at it time enough. Poor, tired Flint. Can’t keep still, even when he stops. That mind of his always racing away to conquer some new boundary.

Conquer me something inside him calls like a wolf at midnight, and he wonders where that came from. I’m moon-struck over you.

“Get some sleep, Mr Silver,” the captain says, like he knows what he’s thinking.

Silver shrugs. “I don’t sleep well at sea. Never have.”

Most of the men say they like it well enough, the swell of the tide swaying them in their hammocks. Muldoon says it’s like being rocked in his mother’s arms. Well, Silver never had a mother to rock him, so what’s he to say to that?

“And you, Captain,” he ventures, “what keeps you awake at this hour?”

Flint sighs, and it’s a deep sound like hull timbers creaking on a dry day. For the longest while Silver doesn’t think he’s going to answer; he just watches him, Flint, this wight, staring out at the black sea with the moon in his eyes. Then at last, as though his tongue were made of stone and it’s all he can do to carve the words out, Flint says:

“I won’t be coming back this way.” He sighs again, and looks down at Silver in the sand. “And if I do I won’t be the same man that set out.”

“Like Odysseus?”

Flint cocks his head and peers at him through the gloom, and Silver thinks he catches a brief flash of teeth in the wicked light.

I did that, he thinks. I made him smile.

“Like Odysseus,” Flint echoes. “Perhaps.”

“But then who’s to be your Penelope?”

Silver gets up on his knees, and he knows he’s wearing a grin the captain would likely smack off his face if he were any other man, but he’s not any other man, he never has been.

“The comely Mrs Barlow, I should think?”

“Is that so?” and Flint’s voice is low and dark as the water. “But she wasn’t the one waiting for me here at the shore.”

The corner of his mouth quirks as though it’s considering a smile, and whatever Silver was going to say gets lodged in his throat.

“Get some sleep, Mr Silver,” Flint says again, and suddenly Silver wonders if that’s the first time he’s hearing it, and if the words that just past between them were ever real at all.

“You could have left.”

Silver sinks lower into the cushions on the window seat, wincing as what’s left of his leg throbs in protest at the sudden movement. “Could I now,” he mutters.

Flint settles into his carved-back chair, one elbow propped up on the arm-rest, cradling his chin in his hand. “I told you I wasn’t certain I’d be coming back. True, I couldn’t have predicted that particular course of events, but there was still the possibility that Miranda and I might…” He’s looking past Silver, out of the salt-fogged window at the empty horizon. It’s a pale, timeless day, and the cabin is flooded with watery light.

“You’re never one to pass up an opportunity,” he pressed. “I was absent, and we were docked at a mainland port, one the Walrus was never likely to visit again. You could have taken your leave, disappeared into the night; started again, as far from the sea as you pleased. I half expected you to.”

Silver fiddles with the fraying hem of his blanket. Nearly a week he’s been stuck in here, and so far the only thing he’s found to occupy his time is slowly unravelling this coverlet, one fibre at a time.

“Well I can’t now,” he says, and the words taste bitter on his tongue. “Even if I wanted to.”

“You misunderstand me.” Flint leans forward in his chair. “You are a lot of things, Silver, but you are not a coward. When it comes to a fight you’ll bitch and whine, but I’ve never seen you run––”

Silver laughs, a vicious spike of a laugh. “And now you never will.”

“Dammit, John, I wanted you to leave!” Flint slams his hand down on the arm-rest and Silver quiets at once. “We had a plan, Miranda and I––I was finished, I was out of this, and I thought…” He pinches the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. “You could have gone inland until you could no longer hear the seabirds calling, or taste the salt in the air, and been rid of this life you told me once that you so loathed.”

Silver pauses, his fingers halting their undoing of the delicate blanket. “John,” he repeats, because he’s never heard him say it out loud before.

He sighs and draws up his good leg, tilts his head and rest his cheek on his knee, watching his own weariness reflected back at him in Flint’s face. “Penelope had 108 suitors,” he says.

“What?”

“Penelope. While Odysseus was away, there were 108 men vying for her hand, and she had to put them all off for twenty years. Now, granted, you were barely gone two days, and nobody was trying to marry me, but…” He can feel the beginnings of a smile tearing at the edges of his composure, and Lord isn’t it simple just to fall back into this easy charm with him.

I’m coming back to myself, he thinks. He spoke my name, and here I am.

“So, you see, I had to stay.”

Flint makes a low sound in the back of his throat that could be a laugh, if Silver squints. He leaves his chair and comes to sit on the window seat in the space where Silver’s leg should be. Gently, he reaches out and takes the hem of the blanket from him, and if their fingers touch neither of them say a word about it.

“And is this Laertes’ burial shroud you’re weaving, Penelope?” he asks.

Silver scoffs. “Did you just make a joke, Captain?”

Flint says nothing, getting to his feet once again, and drawing the blanket up over Silver’s shoulders. As he leans down to tuck in the edges he presses a heavy kiss to the top of Silver’s head. Then, resting his forehead against Silver’s temple, he recites:

“And as when the land appears welcome to men who are swimming, after Poseidon has smashed their strong-built ship on the open water, pounding it with the weight of wind and the heavy seas, and only a few escape the grey water landward by swimming, with a thick scurf of salt coated upon them, and gladly they set foot on the shore, escaping the evil; so welcome was her husband to her as she looked upon him.”

Silver feels the curve of Flint’s mouth against his cheekbone, smells the sharp tang of the ocean embedded in his beard and his clothes. He settles into the warmth of his breath and his being, and feels his eyes closing as Flint says softly,

“Get some sleep.”

#silverflint #john silver #james flint #black sails #a slightly less vague drabble than the last one but drabble nonetheless #things they said at sea #i think that's just my general bs writing tag now #wow re-reading this i really go off about the odyssey i apologise

[dilfaeneas]

Just a little... encouragement one prince to another

#tagamemnon #greek mythology #classics #tw: blood #odysseus #pre fall of troy #ch: so polyphemus my social security number is #man just refused to ask calchas didn't he #he had to be extra about the whole affair #odysseus 'I did what I had to do' laertes