Book 18

Ok, so quick summary of what has happened recently caz I gots lots to say.  So, another beggar named Iros comes the the manor, challenges me to a wrestling match unaware of who I am.  I make quick work of him and the suitors congratulate me on my victory with a feast.  Then Penelope comes down to the hall for a visit looking as beautiful as ever! And she tells all the suitors to bring her gifts.  Then I get in a argument with Eurymakhos, and the suitors get drunk and go home.

I had some really philisophical moments today!

I realized that of all the creatures on this planet mankind is the weakest.  Everything we do say, and all the things that are meant to be, are all for the most part planed out by the Gods themselves.

You cannot pretend as if you are some kind of great godly being when in reality, the Gods are just helping you along making sure you do not mess up.  I did, thinking that I was all powerful, and look at how I ended up?  Getting trapped on an island after a long war because I gave myself too much credit.

Men cannot act as if what the Gods gave them was natural.  That would be exactly like breaking an unwritten rule.  A man should happily accept whatever the Gods gave to them.

If men try to take advantage of other men using the luck that they earned or not, they should be punished.  Although the Gods did not speak or say it, men are equals and no man should take control of another.  

www.santarosa.edu/.../ athletics/mens-wrestling/

This is me fighting against the other beggar Iros.

Book 17

WOW!  That hurt a lil' bit.  But once I reveal to them my true identity, Antinoos, and all the suitors are going to pay.  So, I went to the castle disguised as a beggar, and ate with the suitors.  Meanwhile, Telemakhos had went back to the castle and told Penny about what he had heard of me, while a worker than said that I was in Ithaca.  So then me and Antinoos get in this fight, and he throws a stool at me! So then Penny wants to meet the beggar that the suitors are beating up, but I do not wanna go cause I think that would make the suitors jealous.

Now I wonder what woulda happened if I woulda visited Penny. I mean Antinoos is already ticked off. I wonder if he would have tried to kill me thinking that I was a threat to him marrying Penny. But if that had happened, then it just would have started the inevitable battle between us and the suitors. So, I guess you could just say somethings are destined to happen. No matter what, we will fight the suitors, and we will win. Odysseus will rule again. 

www.mMlahanas.de/.../ Texts/Odyssey/Odyssey17.html  This is me getting hit with the chair.

Book 16

I think this is one of the first times in my life that I have ever cried.  Well, besides the whole every single day for twenty years on Kalypso's island, but besides that.  Me and my boy Telemakhos were reunited, and it feels so good.  So I was at the swineherd's cabin, and Telemakhos walks in, having no idea who I am.  Then the swineherd leaves, and I reveal my true identity to him, and we have an emmotional moment.  Then, we start to plan ways on how to get rid of those suitors.  Its a pretty cool plan that involves me dressing up as a beggar, but that I'll save for another time.

So I think I have some work to do before Telemakhos becomes the great man he is destined to be.  But I think that tells you that it is not all going to happen on its own.  Telemakhos needed me to be there for him, so I can raise him correctly, but I messed that up pretty badly.  I am going to attempt to be the man I should have been, and give Telemakhos the true pride of being Telemakhos, son of Odysseus.

www.rickgunnphotography.com/ project.php

that is me and Telemakhos being reunited.

Book 12

Continuing my story......

Now where was I?  Oh yea, so we went back to Circe's island to fetch our fallen brother's body, and spend the night there.  Then we continue our journey heading towards home.  Our next obstacle came when we were passing the island of the Sirens, so I put earwax in my soldier's ears, and had them tie me down so none of us would be trapped by the deadly seductive singing of the Sirens.  Then we have to sail in between a giant whirlpool that swallows ships whole, and the island of a six headed beast that eats one sailor per head each time he gets the chance.  Later, we went to the island of the Suns, and the crew wanted to take a pit stop there, so we stop.  After a storm beaches us there, we eventually run out of food, and my stupid crew begins taking the cattle of the sun, just as the prophet told us not to.  When we leave, Zeus is told of our wrongdoing, and sends a terrible storm that kills all except me, and that leads to me being stuck on Kalypso's island.

I just so not understand why my crew never ever listens to me!  First, they opened the bag of winds, right as we were about to get home.  Then, they eat the cattle of the sun when I gave them strict instructions not to.  And they all unfortunately perished.  Why don't they listen to me? Well, I hate to say it, but I think part of it is jealousy.  They wish they could be me.  And they dont like how I give the orders, and tell them what to do.  But I deserve my position! I worked hard.  Maybe thats another reason that they are MY soldiers, or were my soldiers, they are low in the brain area.

www.beastsofrevelation.com/

This is the 6 headed beast that killed 6 of my men....

Book 11

I am jumping right back into the story.  

So I do what Kirke tells me to do and head for the underworld, make a quick stop on the way, and talk to the prophet she told me about.  I attract the souls, and first one up is Elphenor, the dummy who fell off the roof right before we left Kirke's island.  He tells me that he really wishes to have his body recieve a proper burial.  Then the prophet comes along and tells me my destiny, which is to return home, and be reunited with my family, but if I screwed up, it could take a much longer time for me to follow my destiny.  Oh, and he also told us how Poseidon was ticked of that we stabbed his son Polyphemus in the eye, and that he was punishing us.  After the prophet left, I spoke with my mother, who died waiting for me to return, and some old war buddies like Agamemnon (who was killed by wife).  Then I saw Tantulus who was being punished in the underworld by having a task he could never complete.  THATS ROUGH!  All the sudden, all these souls come around asking for news, and it is time for me to go. 

I want to go into a little detail about this Tantulus thing.  No one deserves that kind of punishment ever.  Let me clarify.  Tantulus is surrounded by water and fruit, but whenever he reaches for it, it stretches away from him, leaving him starving.  Also, another guy named Sisyphis has to push a rock up a hill, but whenever it gets to the top, it rolls back down.  I think this tells you a little something about Hades.  But, is it his job, or is he truly just a creep?  Personally, I think it is a little bit of both.  He is the Lord of the dead, but he does not need to torture for eternity.  He needs to take a chill pill.  But, I guess the job suits him, a crazy job for a crazy guy....

ancienthistory.about.com/ b/2007/10/29/greek-m...

This is Tantulus trying to reach the food and water.  So sad.

Book 8

Ok, Ok, yes I cried.   But I mean, he was singin' bout the Trojan War and all, and I could not hold it back.  Alright, time to once again start at the beginning.  So King Alkinos called an assembly to see if I could be helped in returning home, which it turned out, I can.  After, he took me to a festival where they had tons of sporting competitions and other things.  At one point, when a man was singing of the war, I could not help but shed a couple tears.  Then came the sporting part of the party.  I was just coming to this party to chill out and have a good time, but then this guy challenged my abilities, so I had to show just how athletic I can be.  This really shut the guy up!!! You shoulda' seen the look on his face.... So anyway, then the King tells all of his best men to start giving me gifts and then we go to another party.  Then another guy starts singing about me and Achilles, and I cried again, not gonna lie.  And this made the King a lil' suspicious of me, so I told him a bit about myself.  WOW.  That was a lot of stuff!

It is just amazing to me how nicely I was treated while I was with the King.  Even with the help from Athena, it is just amazing.  They offered me food and celebrated with me without even knowing my name or my intentions.  They even gave me gifts, still not knowing who I was.   But why?? I think it has something to do with pleasing the Gods, and if it does, the Gods are quite pleased.  I wanna even take that one step further and ask myself which God, and if I were a betting man, I would put my money on Hestia, Goddess of Hearth.  But even if it had nothing to do with Gods, those people were just geniunely good people.  If I ever go on vacation, that is exactly where I am going.  Put that in my good idea folder.

www.mlahtanas.de/Greeks/ Mythology/Odyssey.html   This is me competing in the games and proving that guy wrong!

Book 5

OK, so alot has happened in the last 20 or so days.  The grey eyed Athena talked to Zeus, and convinced him into letting me leave this island.  So Zeus sent his home boy Hermes down to tell Kalypso that it was time to let me go.  Kalypso reluctantly agreed because she did not want to anger Zeus.  So Kalypso gives me some wine and bread, lets me build a raft, and boom, I am off the island.  After seventeen days of sailing, I finally spot land, but at the same time, Poseidon returns home from his vacation in Asia and spots me.  He does not want me to get to land, so he sends some storms after me.  But right as I am about to drown, the goddess Ino swims up, gives me a magical veil so I will not drown, tells me to ditch the raft and swim, and so thats what I do.  I swim for two days, then long story short I break a few bones and end up on land, and that is where I am right now.

Alrighty, so now that I am off the island and have had a chance to reflect, I have to admit I have been doing alot of thinking about what Kalypso said about why she was more appealing then my wife.  And in reality, she is.  But why??  Well, this is what I came up with.  One, Kalypso is just too perfect.  Perfection may sound quite good, but in reality, you dont wanna end up with it, trust me.  Second and most important, I love Penelope, and one beautiful girl cannot spoil that.  Oh, and the fact that no matter how long I am with her, I will still not feel like I am at home, which is something that cannot be changed.  Eh, doesnt matter.  IM FREE.

This is me swimming to shore for the first time in 20 years.

www.dkimages.com/.../ Unassigned-44.html