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Odysseus is found on the Phaaecians, an island ruled by King Alcinous. Once he is fed and
treated according to the proper Greek custom, he identifies himself and retells his adventures in the
form of a flashback.
Odysseus tells of the love given to him by Calypso and Circes. He then
denies having loved them by remarking that they "never won the heart inside me, never."
(212). He claims that he was thinking of his home/country.
Odysseus reveals that he and his men, after leaving Troy, arrive at Ismarus, which is
occupied by Cicones. Odysseus' men fight against these people, but their army retaliates
and kills many Greeks. To pay tribute to their friends' deaths, Odysseus and his crew cry out
3 times for each lost life.
11. What is the lotus? A type of flower/plant that make people drowsy and possesed almost when eaten.__________
12. Why is it so dangerous to Odysseus and his men? it slows them down from getting back to Ithica.____________________________________________________
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13. How is Odysseus able to leave this place? He ties the men back on the ship and then He takes his crew members and pulls them back into th ship. He additionally ties them up so that they can stop eating the lotus and come back to their senses._
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Odysseus is held captive by Calypso for seven years. Athena begs Zeus to help Odysseus
return home. Zeus sends hermes, the messenger god, to Calypso's island to order her to let
Odysseus go. He arrives wearing his golden sandals and carrying his golden wand and
goes to the spacious cave that she lives in. He finds her sing(ing) and stops to admire the
beautiful scenery. She shows proper hospitality by offering abrosia and Nectar.
Hermes gives Calypso Zeus' message about allowing the hero to leave her island for
good. She agrees to obey Zeus and looks for Odysseus. When Calypso finds Odysseus, he is sitting
on the headland with tears coming down his face. She lies and tells him it
was her idea to let him go home to Penelope. He builds a raft, but soon after he begins
his journey home it is destroyed by Poseidon. With goddess Ino's and Athena's help,
Odysseus is able to land on the island of the Phaecians where he hides himself in a forest
and sleeps.