When we meet Odysseus

BOOK 5

The gods meet again and it is decided that Calypso is to let Odysseus go home, and the messenger Hermes is given the task of delivering the news. We find Calypso at her loom, again proper hospitality is shown here, she gave Hermes ambrosia and red nectar to eat and drink. She is none to happy about the message Hermes delivers, but she will obey. Then we find Odysseus he is on the beach, homesick and crying in despair, he is at a low point. Calypso informs Odysseus that she is going to let him go home, he builds a raft, and she provides other provisions for him. When the raft is done he sets out, things were going well for the first seventeen days. Then Poseidon sees him, and he makes it rough for Odysseus causing him to almost drown in the sight of dry land. But make to dry land he does and sleeps under an olive tree.

Whew, it was pretty intense for Odysseus before he made it to dry ground, but you know he had to make it, the story can not end with him drowning at sea. A good storyteller could have lots of fun with book 5, especially at the end.