In this passage Odysseus is essentially battling with the greek god of the oceans, Poseidon, in a desperate effort to end his 20 year journey home. This passage exemplifies the wrath and impact a god like Poseidon can have on a mortal mans life like Odysseus. This passage also introduces Ino daughter of Cadmus, a mortal woman made immortal dawned goddess of the sea's salty depths. She pities Odysseus and aids him in surviving this endeavor as best she can. This passage was particularly interesting to me because in the face of extreme opposition in this voyage Odysseus never falters in being an incredibly clever and cunning man. Odysseus never shows blind faith in the all powerful greek gods and he, instead of following Ino's instruction, breaks down the situation he is in and decides to attempt to survive on his ship for as long as possible before plunging into the sea and swimming for land. This is important to note because Odysseus is one of the only greek men that was ever able combat the motive of the gods with his own motive in mind. Odysseus in acting solely for his own survival which he places in his own hands, essentially taking it out of the gods that created him. Whether he is truly capable of doing this or not is uncertain but Odysseus is one of the few who is willing to try.





"My poor good man," said she, "why is Neptune so furiously angry with you? He is giving you a great deal of trouble, but for all his bluster he will not kill you. You seem to be a sensible person, do then as I bid you; strip, leave your raft to drive before the wind, and swim to the Phaecian coast where better luck awaits you. And here, take my veil and put it round your chest; it is enchanted, and you can come to no harm so long as you wear it. As soon as you touch land take it off, throw it back as far as you can into the sea, and then go away again." With these words she took off her veil and gave it him. Then she dived down again like a sea-gull and vanished beneath the dark blue waters.

But Ulysses did not know what to think. "Alas," he said to himself in his dismay, "this is only some one or other of the gods who is luring me to ruin by advising me to will quit my raft. At any rate I will not do so at present, for the land where she said I should be quit of all troubles seemed to be still a good way off. I know what I will do- I am sure it will be best- no matter what happens I will stick to the raft as long as her timbers hold together, but when the sea breaks her up I will swim for it; I do not see how I can do any better than this."

While he was thus in two minds, Neptune sent a terrible great wave that seemed to rear itself above his head till it broke right over the raft, which then went to pieces as though it were a heap of dry chaff tossed about by a whirlwind. Ulysses got astride of one plank and rode upon it as if he were on horseback; he then took off the clothes Calypso had given him, bound Ino's veil under his arms, and plunged into the sea- meaning to swim on shore. King Neptune watched him as he did so, and wagged his head, muttering to himself and saying, "'There now, swim up and down as you best can till you fall in with well-to-do people. I do not think you will be able to say that I have let you off too lightly." On this he lashed his horses and drove to Aegae where his palace is.

But Minerva resolved to help Ulysses, so she bound the ways of all the winds except one, and made them lie quite still; but she roused a good stiff breeze from the North that should lay the waters till Ulysses reached the land of the Phaeacians where he would be safe



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