Odysseus Part 10

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“Who blind you, brother?” His other brothers came running from the other caves to see the injured Cyclops.

“Not of Man”, was all he could say as he nursed his blind eye. The other Cyclops on hearing the word ‘not of man’ must had meant to them are the Gods. They do not want to offend the Gods and start off another war like the one with the Titans. So they left him without assisting him. At the next dawn, his sheep called out to be released, so Cyclops moved the boulder, but he felt every sheep that leave the cave so that no man can escaped. But we were hiding underneath the thick fleece of the sheep and we soon followed the sheep out. As we left the cave, and got into our boats, I can’t help myself to challenge Polyphemus to see us sailed away.

“Not of Man has left your cave. Come and see who is the one who calls himself Not of Man”. Since Cyclops can’t see, he keep on stumbling and knocking himself to the walls of the cave. And soon he was at the beach but we were into our ship. As we were sailing off, Polyphemus roar out to us.

“Tell me the name of the one who blinds me? Tell me who is Not of Man.”

“Odysseus, is my name. “ I replied. And much to my coming regrets. I can hear him calling to his father, Poseidon for vengeance.

The ship of mine was swept up by the wind and moved to the open sea where we meet the other ships. But it was not a pleasant voyage as we battle the waves and wind again. Poseidon made us feel his wrath and again we were tossed like broken dolls. Some ships were lost with their crews, but mine survived it. The other Gods may had intervened as we found an island during that voyage.

It was the island Aeolia. After our two bad experiences, only my ship was sent in to check the island. But here we find a good host who took us and gave us hospitality. His name was Aeolus, who is the ‘Keeper of the Winds’. A many grand feasts was set for us as Aeolus was lonely and he desires our company with the tales which we are to tell him. So I told him of the Trojan War. He listened for days and was impressed with the heroic of all the heroes. I spoke to Achilles, Diomedes, Big Ajax, Menelaus and also Agamemnon. On the Trojan, I spoke of Hector, Paris and Aeanas.

But he was so grateful for us to tell him many tales that will entertained him for some time. He would give me a wind which will sent us home to Ithaca. But he gave me on other gift; the winds of the world in a big bag, and the one West wind which he kept in the skin bag.

“Open not the others but this one. I will not cautioned you again. The west wind was the one you needed for home.” We boarded the ships and bid our farewell to Aeolus. I opened the skin bag to released the wind that will take us home. It was a smooth sailing of nine days and even our oars are up, the sails moved by itself. I dreamed of Penelope and Telemachus. Soon we find ourselves within sight of Ithaca, and we rejoiced to be back. I can see the fields and the farmers sowing the seeds. I can see the sight of the palace and I think the very tree which I used to climb as a boy. But unknown to me, two of my men went to my place and peeked at the other bag. When they did that, the winds were released and we soon find ourselves being blown back to the sea. I yell for assistance from the Gods, but there was none given. We tried to steer and even changed the sails but nothing worked. Soon we find ourselves back on  Aeolia.

“No! This can’t be.” I fell to my knees and begged for forgiveness from the Gods. Why did they do this to us when we are so close to home? I took the boat back to Aeolia to beg for Aeolus the wind again.

“I cautioned you and yet you do not listen. Now you will sail for the ten years to go home. Be gone as I am no use to you nor you to me.” He dismissed me with the winds that swept me back on my ship.

“What fate has you drawn for us, Zeus? You mocked us with your works and you take our life's for your plaything. Do you have even have a mortal heart in you? I think not.”  For six days and night we sailed in the calm seas but not of the men. There are some who are resigned to their never ending voyage. Even some wanted to end their life's then but we stopped them. For days it was only rowing and sailing until we soon find ourselves faced with a day that has no nighttime. Its only daylight for forever. Just as we thought of diverting our directions back, we saw the island on the horizon.

“Odysseus, we lack fresh water. Can we land there just for it? Not one day but only for a short while. We will go in fast all of us and fetch our water.” Its a gamble after our last few islands, so I approve it. We sailed close and I told them I will keep a lookout from afar so that at any sign of trouble; and I will blared on the war horn if there is. The eleven ships moored at the beach and the men ran in for the streams and fresh water while a patrol was sent to scout the land. It was led by Meus as he proved his worth as a  warrior.

He told me later, they came upon a husky young girl who was almost their height but of a young mentality. She led them to her mother who is huge in frame and hideous in looks. Initially the mother was kind and courteous until one of the warriors who spoke out on her deformity and caused her to screamed for her husband.

“Who intrude on my home?” He is a larger person, bigger than even Cyclops and he is nasty. He grabbed the man who insulted his wife and tore the man into two. The rest of the patrol on seeing their warrior tore apart, toom their arms to fight the giant, but soon the place was swarming with giants. The men withdrew and ran for the ships. They holler on seeing the others to board the ships and to row away. As for me, I saw behind them were more giants who are chasing the patrol. It looked like about twenty giants in the chase. The men boarded the ships and rowed hard. But the Giants are quick on their feet and was soon on them. For some of the Giants they stood a distance away, and threw boulders at the ships. The boulders landed on the ships and sink them, while the warriors jumped out to swim. For those who swam to the beach, they are met by the Giants who tore apart. Its a massacre. There is no way to fight man of his size with our swords when they cannot feel the slash.

“Sailed for the beach.” My ship moved closer and we grabbed the survivors. I tried to save many more but there is only so many I can take.

“Hoist sail. We move on. We can’t do more for them.” We sailed without looking back. On my last look, I see one of my men being torn apart by two giants. We ignored their calls of help. We closed our ears to the noise of the dying men. But we could not close the image of such acts for many nights.

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We huddled in our own places as we closed our mind to the previous plight. We are now left to forty six men and one ship. We started with twelve ships and over a thousand warriors and now we are down to one twelfth. Neither of us spoke much except the few words to move someone’s legs or body so they can walk through. Even the meals are shared in private when in previous days, it will be shared and joined by jokes. We stopped at islands but we did not land at the islands; we only moor at the cliffs and drink the dripping water. I looked at the men who were once warriors now reduced to broken men. But I led this men before; we fought together and we dressed each others’ wounds. Today they sit there like strangers.

We chanced on another island but none of them moved. I stood by the helm and I decided that as the leader I would do the deed. I don my armor and took my bow with me to land on the island. I landed on the beach and walked inland to the highest summit I can find. It was a long trek but I prevail to the summit. I stood there and looked the horizon. I spied what look like a palace at the center of the island risen from the forest surrounding it. Its a white rock of a castle that is made to looked like a palace. It should be spacious given the size of it, and its probably rival that of Troy. It could a retreat for the King or the Gods. I see some smoke from it and that tells me that the place is inhabited.

But its a long walk but one that I needed to take. I walked through the forest and came upon the palace walls. The trees grew right to the doorsteps of the palace and even some creep up the walls to a height of the wall but not over it. I knocked on the gate to rouse the occupants so that I can get some answer for food and drinks.

But a bird came to land on my feet; twirling it wings and chirping away. It then flew up and went by my face brushing as it flew by. It was a small bird, with beautiful colors on it feathers. I brushed at it, but it flew away but not far. It flew up to the nearest branch and perched there. It quips form there as if its talking to me.

“You are the person I am to talk to? So tell me, bird. Who governs this palace?” I am listening but nothing said from the bird made any sense. But it keep on chirping and I grew tired. I walked back to the gate and the bird went into a frenzied. I stopped and looked at it. I stepped back and the bird went back to its chirping. If I am not allowed to go in, I must as well go back. I followed my trail and saw a deer on the trail. I took out my arrow and shot it. I lugged it down to the beach and gave it to the men. After a diet of many food, the deer was the best they could get now. It brought on them the previous mood and now I have my warriors back. We feasted on our own hunting meat and we ate to our fill.

Morning comes and its time for them to decide.

“Men of Ithaca. I stand with you as your leader today again. You were not the men I took with me for the voyage. So tell me now are we back to be one or we are still the same as we were two weeks back. I cannot be bring in a deer once a week but not everyday. You have to learned to be warriors again. Do you become one or not. I find a palace inside the forest but it has to be approached. Before you said aye, let me remind you since Troy, all our adventures has been against us. We lose friends then, but we may lose more as warriors. But those we lose were warriors and they died as one. In this new palace, we could be feasted with food and drinks but our host could be worse than the Cyclops or the Giants. I am not keen to be served as someone’s food again. But again, my hunger occupies part of my mind too like your too. I will give you your warriors’ oath back but I will asked of you in the next adventure, we split in half to do the task. One to stayed back while another check the palace. If there is food and drinks, it will be shared equally by all when the one who checked return. If they don’t return, the first will sailed like our previous adventure for the safety of the sea.” I looked at the men and I can see the men are coming back to be replaced as warrior.

“Aye, we will be warriors.” Its spirited but I can feel the tension in some. So I split the men into two group of twenty two each. I had Eurylochus as my co-leader. He will lead one and I take the other. From my helmet, I put in two identical shell but one is etched the words ‘Go’. Eurylochus and myself drew the shells and read the shell. Mine did not have any writing it. Eurylochus picked up his helmet and walked with his group of twenty two men. He did not wave goodbye nor did he complaint of anything.

It was much later when I met Eurylochus.

The group led by Eurylochus reached the palace, and they can smell the food being cooked inside. It smelled like roasted pig and the words reached the others. Soon they chanted the word among themselves. The bird came as it did for me, to coax the men to retreat. But the men has smelled food and they crave the food. One of them actually cursed at the bird for telling them to turned back. He chased the bird away. It flew away and it chirping was that of sadness. The group walked into the palace, and walked the pathway in. It passes by the garden that is well trimmed and flowers were aplenty. The came to a fountain which they took a drink. When they looked at the pool of water, they had the urge to washed their face. The smell of the food permeates the air and the men grew ever impatient.

They walked down another walkway and came upon some wild animals; tigers, lions and wolves. The men drew their swords  but the animals just walked up to them and licked their shields. None of these normal wild animals roared or attacked them. They just rubbed their body against the men. Eurylochus could see their savagery in the animal eyes but this is freaking him out. Nevertheless, they walked on with the wild animals in tow. And soon they are in the palace interior into a big hall. There is a large ceiling in the hall and its spray was magical. Its showed different images of animals. But a woman’s voice soon called out to us in a songlike voice. 

The men stood by and watch the lady sings her words that hold them in attention. But not so for Eurylochus who just shakes his head. He thinks it sounds like those sirens who lure the sailors. But the men are all attracted to the sounds and they are like children listening to a choir.

“Remember the sirens. Remember the lady who led us to the Giants. Wake up, you men of Ithaca.” Eurylochus shouted above the sounds of the woman but the men are not listening. Then he find a whiff of wind and he was out of the place. He is outside now and there are noise in the palace. He hit at the gates but it will not opened. He peek through a window and saw the lady is weaving a loom and the picture is of their adventure. The men are all seated on a long table filled with food and drinks. There they feast and laid open their tales to the lady. Trails of food and drinks came in carried by servants and each of the warrior felt like a King. They sang and drank to their heart content. They ate like swine and behave like one in the pen. Then they sat back on their seats in full contentment. Just as then the lady who weave the loom stood up.

“You abuse my hospitality. I invited you and you disgraced me with your manners like the swines you are.” She took from her side a wand and waved it. The twenty two men became the swine as she described. She then had them shooed to the back of the palace where they feast on leftover vegetables and others. Eurylochus ran back to see me.

“They are no more of men.” Those were his exact words when he saw me.

I lost many men since we decided to return back home. And these are the last twenty two are going back as swine or man. I grabbed my armor and bow to walked up the same trail.

“Bold you are, Odysseus. Our King you are. But we cannot allowed you to be a fool to take on the witch that took our friends.” I turned my attention to the remaining men to faced them.

“No one may stopped me. At their own peril. I will returned with them or I will die with them. Sailed if I am not back in two days.” I walked on and no man dares to stop me.

I saw the bird again but this time its perched on the shoulders of a God, Hermes.

“Odysseus, you rush to your death if you proceed on. Do you know who you are dealing with? She is Circe, a nymph with the powers of seduction. If you walked in like the others, you will end up as a swine or a tiger if you are lucky. Listen me well. There are ways to counter her magic. Take this flower and you will come out alive.” The little bird flew up and chirp away. “He is King Picu and was trapped by her when she took over the island. She is not evil but she was this due to her character to punished the evil glutton men.”

I took the flower from Hermes and put it in my belt. I soon find myself in the same hall as the other men. I had my fill and then I faced Circe.

“Do you think I can bring my men back now?” She looked at me from her loom and her face was all tensed up.

“Who are you to come here and demand? I will have you change into a hog and you can joined them.” She took her wand to wave on me, but I held the flower in my hand. Its aroma countered her magic and I was still myself. I took out my sword and placed it at her neck.

“Do that again, and you will be walking without a head. Can I see my men or you will see nothing soon.”

She relented and told her servant to take me to the pen. I saw like fifty over hogs but only twenty two came up to me. “These are my men and released them now.”

The servant had them brought to the Hall and Circe lifted the curse. The hogs turned to men again. I also asked that she removed the curse on the King Picu.

“I thank you for your kindness. We will not take leave of you and shall never come back again.” I was to leave the Hall with my men, when she stopped me.

“Pray tell me your name, dear sir.” I turned around and told her I am.

“Odysseus. A fine name for a true warrior. I bid you to stay and let me renew my hospitality to you and your men. Please allow me to undo my wrongs. I promised you no more magic or tricks.” I looked at her and see what may be reformed person sitting there. I sent for the rest from the ship and all came except for Eurylochus. I told all my men to take their seats and eat properly like real men. I too sat down and I spoke to Circe. She told me of her hatred for men as they are selfish and take what they want. They had no regards for the ladies and act so like the action of the hog. She punishes them for that. But she saw in me a noble self with selfless love for Penelope. She saw inside me the person who argue with Agamemnon for his lustful thoughts. She saw me how I detest even Achilles fighting over a lady. She know I fought in Troy on my oath as a warrior and not because of the oath I took with the others.

She also saw in me, the other quality of man she did not see before. She did called me ‘a refined brute’. She Asked me to show her the same love I have given for Penelope.

“I beg of you to show me love; real emotional love as its should be between lovers, and not the singular pursuit of lust. Show me what I lack in my life. Be with me for a year and I would not only let you go, but give you advise on your next passage of your journey.”

“Consider my personal qualities and not see all of them as the same to other man. I can show you love but I cannot be yours forever, for Penelope awaits my return. But I shall be with you for one year to reveal the same love I have bestow to Penelope. One year time and no more another day, but in that one year, I promised you sincere love and feelings. Can I have also yours in return for that time?’

“Yes, you would given that in full.”

The men who were listening as ever quietly just nodded their head as in agreement. Circe in kindness offered us to stay in her palace during that period so she can learned about us. It was a stay to last a year before we decided to leave for the sea again. Circe offered her protection and advise for our next passage.

 “You offend Poseidon when you blinded his son. He will make you sail forever as punishment. I may be able to help if you ever need my help.” She stand before me just ever hopeful I will changed my mind. 

“Thank you, my lady. I will call upon you when I am needed to seek your advise. But for now, we long to go home.” I had to declined her offer of further stay and so did the men as we have promised her one year of it and no more day to be added.

She said to tell me to visit the Kingdom of the Dead. I was to speak to Teiresias, the seer and he will tell me how to get home. We gather our things and was to move but no one noticed Elpenor on the roof with a goblet of wine in his hand. He saw us leaving and and he walked the roof with his unsteady legs. It was then he slipped and fell before He broke his neck and was to be breathe his last. Circe was to take care of his body after we left.

I saw King Picu on the outside and he was glad to be man again. He thank me and said he will now go about his land to help his people. I am ever grateful to him and we parted as friends.

“You are back? And they too? But how?” asked Eurylochus who has stayed away for one year to guard the ship, but no one answered him as we all boarded our ship. Nor did anyone noticed that Elpenor was missing till we sail far away.