Odysseus (Ulysses)

Odysseus (Ulysses)

Odysseus, hero and king of Ithaca, sacked several cities of Thrace before returning home after the Trojan War. Through the enmity of the god of the sea, Poseidon, the journey lasted ten years, during which he lived through various adventures. He landed first on the island of the Lotus-Eaters, where some members of the crew ate the lotus. Odysseus, having blinded the Cyclops Polyphemus—son of Poseidon—incurred the wrath of the god of the sea, who unleashed winds that drove his ships off course, sank them, and finally killed the entire crew. During his travels, he had two love affairs: Circe, a sorceress who had turned his sailors into pigs, and Calypso, a sea nymph with whom he remained for seven years before his longing for his home and his wife won the compassion of the gods.

Without Poseidon’s knowledge, Athena and the other gods helped Odysseus build a raft and set course for his homeland; when Poseidon discovered this, he flew into a rage and sank the vessel. Odysseus managed to reach the shore, where he was found by Nausicaa, the daughter of Alcinous, king of the Phaeacians, who, at the risk of incurring Poseidon’s wrath himself, helped Odysseus reach Ithaca.

Sirens

The Sirens were bird-women, creatures similar to the harpies (half birds, half witches). When they sang, they appeared to be beautiful maidens, but those who succumbed to their charm soon discovered their true nature.

According to legend, the Sirens had been companions of Persephone before she was abducted by Hades; as they had failed to save her, the goddess transformed them as punishment into strange creatures. The song of the Sirens deceitfully extols the pleasures of the underworld, but they also possessed prophetic powers.

The Sirens lived on the island of Anthemoessa, where lay the bones of the sailors who had been lured by their delightful songs. Jason and the Argonauts, before Odysseus, had survived the song of the Sirens, but only because Orpheus, the bard, drowned out their singing with his lyre.