This long document details the story of Odysseus and his journey home after the Trojan War. It describes how Cassandra foretold what would happen but was not believed. The Greeks sacked Troy and dragged Cassandra from the temple, angering Athena. She caused storms that destroyed many Greek ships. Telemachus sought news of his father from Nestor and Menelaus, learning Odysseus was trapped by Calypso. The gods then freed Odysseus, but Poseidon caused more troubles during his journey home, which included encounters with the Lotus-Eaters and Cyclops. Athena eventually helped Odysseus safely reach the Phaeacians.

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

3. The Trojan War begun.
The Greeks killed the Trojans
and ravaged the whole city.

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

5. Athena’s wrath was
ignited and became deep.
She wanted to make the
Greeks terribly punished.
She talked to Poseidon to
destroy all the Greek’s
ships by wild whirlwinds.
Menelaus was driven to Egypt and the
sacrilegious Ajax got drowned for telling he was
one that the sea could not drown.

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

7. Meanwhile in Ithaca,
everyone believed that Odysseus
was already dead; except for
his loyal wife Penelope and his
son Telemachus.
-People assumed that the queen
should marry again that’s why
men came to woo Penelope but
she would have none of them,
determined to wait for Odysseus.

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

9. Since the men would never leave
until the queen marry one of them,
Penelope had a plan. She said she
couldn’t marry until she had woven a
very fine and exquisitely wrought
shroud for Odysseus’ father. The men
agreed and waited.
Penelope’s condition was just a
trick. She unwove each night what she
had woven during the day. But sadly,
the trick failed when one of her
handmaidens told the suitors and they
discovered her in the very act. After it,
the men became more insistent and
unmanageable.

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

11. Athena, well-pleased of
the gods’ decision, glided
down to Ithaca.
The goddess was exceedingly fond of Telemachus
because the prince was a sober, discrete young man,
steady and prudent and dependable. Athena thought
it would do him good to take a journey while
Odysseus was sailing home.

12. Athena disguised herself
to look like a seafaring man
and went to Telemachus.
They shared food and wine
while talking.
Athena advised him to try to find out something about his
father’s fate. She said Nestor and Menelaus could say where his
father is.
Telemachus followed Athena’s advice. He asked ship and rowers
from their kingdom but he got no answer except jeers and taunts. In
despair, Telemachus silently prayed to Athena. Athena heard him and
came in the appearance of a mentor and gave him a fast ship.

13. Telemachus sailed to Pylos, Nestor’s kingdom.
Nestor didn’t know something about Odysseus but he
advised the young man to ride on a chariot with one of his
sons and go to Menelaus.
Telemachus arrived at
Sparta and was given a princely
welcome together with Nestor’s
son.
-silver bathtubs, sweet-smelling oil, purple mantle
clothes and rich food on a shining table.

14. Menelaus courteously accommodated the princes.
Menelaus began talking about Odysseus which made
Telemachus’ teardrops fall. Helen the beautiful joined them.
Menelaus shared his experience in Egypt here he got
stocked. A sea-goddess helped him to get information from
Proteus. He got informed that Odysseus was at that time
under the territory of the nymph Calipso.

15. Meantime, in Calypso’s lovely
island which had become
Odysseus’ hateful prison,
Hermes was sent by Zeus to
convince the nymph to free
Odysseus.
Calypso didn’t want to let
Odysseus go after the benefits
she has given him but it was
Zeus’ command. She helped
Odysseus build a strong raft and
gave him enormous supplies.

16. Odysseus journeyed safely in 17 days but in the 18th,
Poseidon saw him. The god found out the other gods’
plan but he said to himself,
“I think I can give him
even yet a long journey
into sorrow before he
reaches land.”
Poseidon brought all the
violent winds blinding the
sea and land with storm-
clouds.

17. Odysseus thought he
would die already, but a
kindly goddess, Ino, pitied
him. Ino helped him by giving
him her veil so that he could
swim safely to the shore.
Poseidon continued
giving him huge waves until
he felt satisfaction. Athena
took over the waves when
Poseidon’s gone, saving
Odysseus.

18. As planned by Athena, Odysseus reached the country
belonged to the Phaecians, with a good king named Alcinous.
The queen was Acrete and their daughter was Nausicaa.
The princess went to the river where Odysseus was to wash clothes with
her servants. Odysseus was awaken by the girls’ voices. The girls ran away
in terror except for Nausicaa. The two had a talk and became friends.
Nausicaa advised him to talk to the queen for help because what the
queen says is what the king does.

19. Odysseus was favored by the queen and was given ships and men
to sail. They reached the Island of Lotus-eaters.

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

21. Their next adventure was with the
Cyclops Polyphemus.
-A number of comrades died.
-Poseidon got even angrier because
Polyphemus was his son. The god
swore that Odysseus should reach his
own country again only after a long
misery and when he had lost all his
men.

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

23. See part 2 for the continuation… 