“So saying, he sent me forth from the house, groaning heavily. Begone, for thou comest hither as one hated of the immortals.’ In no wise may I help or send upon his way that man who is hated of the blessed gods. Then their father answered and said: `Begone from our island with speed, thou vilest of all that lives. “So I spoke and addressed them with gentle words, but they were silent. Without wind to move them along, they are dead in the water and completely reliant on manpower alone to continue: The crew is punished for their foolishness and greed by the need to row the heavy ships by hand. Having squandered his first gift, Odysseus has lost favor with him and now must journey on without the winds to help him. Cursed by the GodsĪeolus hears Odysseus’s pleas for help, but he is unmoved by the mortal. The resulting storm drives them all the way back to Aeolus’ island. Zeus’ curse is unleashed, along with the rest of the winds. With all the wonders they have seen, they begin to believe the bag contains gold and silver, and perhaps magical items.ĭetermined to see what their master has not shared with them, they open the purse given by Aeolus. Surely, the keeper of the winds with all his treasures and his rich feasting must have given Odysseus gold and silver at least. Grumbling amongst themselves, the crew decides that the generous Aeolus must certainly have given Odysseus a grand treasure. They have traveled and served their captain well, and they have come home empty-handed. They barely have the supplies they need to survive another few days, let alone another journey. There is nothing behind them but death and destruction. They have experienced horrors and battles and loss. The familiar shores of Ithaca are in sight, and they are nearly home… but what have they gained? So close to home, the crew begins to grumble among themselves. When the shore is within sight, he sees the watchmen lighting the beacons along the shore and finally falls asleep. Odysseus, unwilling to take any more chances, takes the wheel himself. His generous host provides them with a month’s worth of hospitality before sending them on their way with an even greater gift- a bag containing all of the winds except the West wind, which he sets free to drive the ship toward Ithaca.Īll is going very well. Unfortunately for Odysseus, the story doesn’t end there.Īeolus feasts Odysseus and his crew. The Odyssey book 10 summary would be to say that Odysseus escaped the cyclops to join a party at the home of the keeper of the winds and nearly returned home. He comes to the Aeolian isle, where Aeolus and his twelve sons and daughters live with his beloved wife. In book 10 of the Odyssey, Odysseus has better fortune, at least at first. With the gods now against him, he sails once more for Ithaca. In so doing, he incurred Poseidon’s wrath, who happened to be the father of Polyphemus. To escape the beast’s cave, he and his men drove a sharpened log into its eye, blinding it. Odysseus has lost six men to the cyclop’s endless appetite. As the Odyssey book 10 begins, Odysseus and his crew come to the island of the god of wind, Aeolus. Having blinded the dreaded cyclops, Polyphemus, Odysseus escaped his island and sailed on. In the Odyssey, books 10 and 11 are known as “Land of the Dead.” The Odyssey proceeds with Odysseus continuing his quest to return to Ithaca.
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