Zeus: See how men blames the gods.
They say that misfortunes are from us, but instead they are..
..from their madness and they get a part..
..in which destiny appoints them. *Od.1.32*
Athena: Our father, Zeus, son of Chronos *Time*,..
..my heart breaks for Odysseus who suffers temptations..
..and toils so far away from his kin.
Don't you sorry him? Wasn't he dear to you..
..when he made sacrifices near the Greek ships on the Troyan plain?
Zeus: Athena, my daughter, how would I forget Odysseus,..
..who is so above others by his wisdom and cunningness?
But it's the earthshaker Poseidon who is angry..
..because Odysseus had blinded his son.
And he doesn't want to kill him, no, but to make him roam..
..as far away from his fatherland. But Poseidon can't go on..
..against all of us who wish that Odysseus return.
[Narrator: Athena, the daughter of the god, stopped all the winds to blow.]
[She only let Boreus to calm the waves..]
[..afore Odysseus, so he can grasp the land and kiss the earth.]
*According to Homer sea goddess Leucotea took pity on him and throws him her veil. -Od. 5,333*
[So near the creek, he say:]
[Lord, who ever you are, I am saved from the sea.]
[I give myself to your arms and I am in debt to you.]
[Have mercy on me.]
[Like someone who hides himself near the ash, so he is all covered with it..]
[..but he holds a small flame because he has no other to lit him a spark..]
[..,so Odysseus was covered with leaves.]
[Then Athena pour a dream over his eyes, and she went..]
[..to the city of the Feacians to prepare for his arrival.] *Feaci is modern Corfu*
[Like breath she gets into the room, where one girl..]
[..with a name Nausica sleeps. Hovering over her head..]
[..she get into her dream taking form of her beloved friend.]
Nausica, you forgot your mothers instructions?
The laundry is still here unwashed.
Your wedding day is approaching when everything should be ready..
..and polished in a house.
You know very well how many young boys want you here in Feacia.
And your girlfrends are awaiting you. C'mon we are going to the river..
..to wash laundry, and if there be many of us we'll finish that earlier.
Let's burden the mules with laundry, it's easier,..
..for you and for us.
We are going to catch a day till you wake up.
[Narrator: Terrible, covered with salt,..]
[..Odysseus shows himself to girls who fled terrified.]
[Only Nausica stays. Athena encourages her.]
[Odysseus didn't know should he fall on his knees in front of her..]
[..or beg her from afar so she doesn't get scared.]
Lady, are you a goddess or a woman?
You are so atractive that you look like to me like some divinity.
Maybe you are from the immortal daughters of Zeus?
And where did you see that the daughters of Zeus wash dirty laundry?
You didn't flee. You are not afraid of me?
- To be afraid? No, why should I? - Tell me please,..
..what is this country? Last night sea has throws me here,..
..on this beach. I don't have a clue how much time I have endured.
Come, I beg you. I'm not hiding any treachery in my heart.
I'm not a criminal. Please, have mercy on me.
Take it. Wash yourself and get dressed. My sisters will help you.
[Narrator: After he washes and dresses, Odysseus goes a little further away..]
[..from them. And Nausica thinks:]
[..Wasn't some of the gods coming among them.]
[First he looks teribble, and now he is like one of them.]
[Ah, if he would wish to stay among us!]
Three times happier your mother and father,..
..three times happier your brothers and friend.
But more happier of them is those that took you to his home.
-Do you wish to eat? -Yes.
I'm Nausica *burned ships*. And you?
Here lives the Feacians, peaceful people. Don't be afraid.
- I'll take you to my father. - Who is your father?
- Alcinous, king of this people. Don't you trust me? - No, we'll go.
I told you not to follow me so close.
- But how should I find the city? - You'll find it yourself.
I don't want that someone says: 'That stranger..
..takes Nausica to her home. Why does she need this stranger?'
They think I want to merry him, or that I'm..
..gone to river just to find it there.
Who knows how Feacia nobles will react!
It may hurt their pride. They can accuse you.
The girl will think that I gladly meet with strangers..
..before public wedding?
And remember, when you come to court..
..first you'll beg my mother!
Athena, my protector, hear me at least now..
..like you hear me when I was drowning.
Where are you? Why you didn't show to me among the waves? What are you afraid of?
Help me that the people of this land accept me.
[Narrator: Athena,taking form of a little girl,..]
[..heared him, but didn't show up..]
[..not to anger her fathers brother Poseidon.]
[But still she whispers: "Go in silence.]
[I'll guide you. Don't turn arround..]
[..till you come at Alcinous court. And don't ask anyone on anything.]
[That's the court you asked for.]
[There you'll find Feacians waiting for you..]
[..because they already made notice of you.]
[Feacians don't like strangers and those coming from afar.]
[They ask you much. They'll look astonished and suspicious.]
[But don't get discouraged. Be brave. Bold man..]
[..overcome every temptation, wherever he is."]
Queen, my respect. I'm not coming as an enemy..
..and beg your hospitality *Gk: Xenia,considered sacred*. Let you, your court and your people..
..enjoy every bless from the gods.
The queen, in name of Zeus, patron of hospitality,..
..please help me.
You do good to please the queen.
Her name is Areta. She is the daughter of her husband Alcinous brother.
They are both offsprings of Poseidon, lord of the watery abyss,..
..and of Peribea, descendant of Gigantes.
They are of diwine origins, so beg them..
..carefuly and wisely. But know..
that it's Areta who maintains the peace among folk.
Because they care much about their bride.
[Narrator: For so long he had an empty stomach, so now with gluttony he ate and drank..]
[..angry on his stomach for always wanting more..]
[..to set away heavy thoughts and worry. And it was abominate for him to eat..]
[..like that, in front of all, but he knows..]
[..that his hosts wants that: to watch him, study..]
[..who he is, what kind of man and how much he can eat.]
*relaxing music*
You are nicely welcomed as a guest, like sacred laws commands..
Now, we want to know who you are, where you come from, and how you got there.
I'm a sailor and my homeland is far away..
..and many calamities have fallen on me. - OK, but what's your name?
Name of the shipwrecked? Of those without kin or property?
What name would you like to hear?
He doesn't look like punk.
- You said you are alone? - Yes queen.
- When have you stranded on our shores? - Yesterday,..
..I've arrived on a beach near the creek.
- And the ship and the companions? - I've had a ship and companions,..
..but long ago. - You have sailed alone on open sea?
- Yes queen. -How? - On raft. For 18 days..
..I've traveled. I've exhausted all food and water.
I had lost any hope till I saw your land.
- From where do you come? - Before 8 years, winds..
..and sea currents throw me away to west,..
..in inhabited areas. A storm wrecked my ship..
.. straight on the rocks of the island Ogygya.
All my companions died, and I was saved by a nimph.
Her name is Calipso. She concealed my wounds..
..but she also wanted to keep me for herself even when I begged her..
..every day to let me go home.
And then, last month she let me leave.
So I built a raft and sailed.
- You said that you stranded yesterday and come to this court alone..
..but where did you get clothing? That belonged to one of my sons.
Who gave you that? How did you get clothing?
- Your daughter. She was the first person that I encountered..
..on the banks of a river where I woke up.
She first took pity on me.
My daughter is still young and easily makes mistakes.
She wants to bring you here and she announced your arrival.
Don't castigate her. I asked her not to do so..
..in respect for her..
..and fear that you may reproach her. - Now it's ok.
No Feacian is angry, but you both have risked too much.
Hospitality *xenisa* is very important to us..
..because we know envy and evil. This land..
..isn't our homeland from time immemorial.
We used to live on one island near Cyclops *Hyperia by Homer*..
..who constantly disturbed us. My father then decided..
..to move the people to some island away from the common routes.
On this island. And what kind of island is this? You would never know about that stranger.
Our island is called Sheria *Corfu by concensus*,..
..and the shores and the river on which you came, no one can describe..
..to someone else. Solitude is our price for peace.
It's big price, but it's worth it.
Now you know why we mistrust strangers.
Father, that was all in my dream.
- No, say nothing. Your father does have a point.
- What dream? - A sudden puf of air comes to my room..
..and I see one friend of mine, daughter of your..
..helmsman Dimantes.
She said: Nausica,why are you so careless? Laundry..
..waits unwashed. Lets together wash yours..
..and your brothers laundry." So I went to the river..
..and found this stranger. - Did you dream about him also? - No.
I don't know who you are, but a dream has announced you.
Innocent dreams are somethimes a warning..
..which are send by someone and not for nothing. Thus, stranger,..
..you are welcomed among us.
*Music starts...sound of wind*
[Narrator: But Alcinous saw..]
[..that the stranger didn't go to rest and that something troubled him.]
[He decided to tell him what was foretold..]
[..about the destiny of Feacians. It was important that the stranger,..]
[..whoever he was, be informed.]
Why are you not resting? Aren't you tired? Go to sleep.
- The sky over the Feacians is very clear. - True.
Stars are brightier here. Sailors cannot go astray..
..gazing at this sky. - How much time I've watched..
..in these stars to find a course! For years I've searched in vain..
..to show me the route to known land. - Your homeland?
- Yes. But even these brightest stars couldn't tell me.
But they tell me that I'm not far away.
I see that clearly by inclination of Big Dipper. *Ursa Major used in navigation*.
You have too much luck, because it's hard..
..to get to us. From there every path is reachable, and our ships..
..steered by clever minds, sail..
..on sea roads without deviation. - I saw on your ships..
..the stretched hand on prow. -Yes, warning.. *pulen-used to scare aledged sea monsters*
They don't bow to those with evil intentions.
And this one here, why do you assembly him?
Because it's not destined to sail. Long ago my father foretold..
..that our ship will one day return to the homeland..
..man abominate to Poseidon..
..and that god will be angry because of that.
So this is sacrificial offering.
We wish that he calms the fury of the sea.
Now, it's the storm season anyway.
It's dangerous to sail at sea. Why do you not delay?
-Till the spring at least! -I wish to stay, but..
- For how long? How long you would keep me here? A year?
A year is too short. You were on the island Ogygya for 7 years.
Yes, 7 years, endlessly long..
..or endlessly short.
How distant is that island? *Ogygya-prob. Gozo near Malta*
-And where is it? -In the western sea, but I think it's very..
..far away because the stars are on different places then here.
I've traveled 18 days, with favorable winds in one moment,..
..and contrary sea current in another moment, so I cannot tell precisely how distant it is.
- Is it beautiful? -Perfect, even god would rejoice..
..looking at those meadows full of lillies,..
.. and those forests. *bird song*
No news ever comes. Even the wind was calm.
- Who is that Calypso? Goddess? Sorcery?
- Immortal. - How does she look?
I can tell you the colour of her eyes..
..and her hair is long and handsome like yours. Calypso is a nymph,..
..and daughter of Atlas, so they say.
- She kept you imprisoned? - She kept me imprisoned.
Without companions, without a ship to go...
Were you so nostalgic?
- That imprisonment, was it hard for you? - By day, yes. But by night..
..memories would fade away..
..and I would fall asleep in Calypso's cave.
But when I woke up, the return would torment me like before.
One morning she found me sitting on a seashore and looking at the horizon..
..and told me: You torment yourself. Your homeland is in the direction of the Great Bear *north*.
Last night the crows croak too long.
You have been sleeping. But suddenly, a seagull flew towards me.
He flew straight into the cave. It seemed that he searched just for me,..
..like someone sending a sign. Do you now what that means?
The wind blew him, he was tired of flying.
He searched for a nest. You could catch him.
You could put him in a cage. - No, he's gone. So you too..
.. can go. - What are you talking about?
About what you are thinking for so long. About the return.
- Return? How? - Look at the sea. It looks different.
The sea is not invincible. I want you to believe in that.
Now, build a raft, set sail,,..
.. and take enough food and water. - Raft?
No, you are not serious.I don't believe you! - The magic is over.
- Swear! - Why?
Swear that you want to change your mind and that you want to release me!
No, it's not I who want you to leave, It's the gods who are stronger than me..
..but envious and malicious! I've saved you!
You were on mercy of the sea, your ship was demolished..
..and now the gods want to take you away.
I alone have nourished you and cared for you.
The seagull was god *Hermes* and he brings a message from Zeus.
So you can build your raft.
*Music*
- So, your arrival here was destiny appointed? - The gods show me a way,..
..which I search for. - Maybe you wish to stay? - Yes.
Stay with me. I'll make you immortal, unchangeble,..
..you'll be forever the same. - Never to die?
No. Like god! Without disease, without pain. IMMORTAL!
-Only to stay by my side. - No, no.
You never forget your love? All these years you think about her?
Don't be mad at me because of that. My dear and you cannot be compared..
..you are immortal and she'll grow old and die.
But anyway, I wish to go home, see her again and my son with her.
Then, let this be your route: between Levant *east*..
..and the Big Dipper *north* where the Pleiadees rise out of the sea *NE*. *Od. 5,270-277*
*Ursa Major rotate closer to north than today*
*The Pleiadees used for appointing seasons and favorable time for sailing*
*Gk.: Ploio=ship; Pleo=sailing*
*Homer (and Hesiod) are with their epics precursors of Astronomical and Greek science*
Stranger, that means that you could be immortal?
Maybe it means that man forgets himself..
..and people forget him. As you can see, I failed.
*sounds of sea and seagulls*
*Games which Homer describes in Odyssey..
..are precursors of olympic games*
Bravo, Eurimachus.
Greetings stranger. We shall now try competing with swords! Try with us.
Why are you inviting me? To mock me? Glorious games are for the youth.
There are people who maintain strenght..
..even after youth. - We'll be honored..
..that you take part in our games. - I'm not able Alcinous. Fatique..
..from traveling weakened me, and long absence..
..break my pride of combat and victory.
Leave him alone. This man is incapable to compete with us.
He looks anyway to me as some simple merchant..
..who thinks only about his load and profit.
You are talking too much and with malice. Obviously, the gods don't share..
..their gifts equally: To you they give handsome appearences,..
..but they deny you wisdom! My thoughts are far away from there..
..and I don't have youthful freshness,..
..but I accept your challenge anyway..
..because you have insulted me, rookie!
I accepted the challenge and won, but for years..
..I knew only about war, and war has dwelled in me.
So little was needed to awake it in me.
In me you have seen only a sailor, but you couldn't..
..see the warrior in me. - We don't want you to apologize for yourself.
That boy insulted thee, but tell us who you are?
Maybe your name is famous, judging by what we see.
Don't ask me for a name, instead..
..if you think that as a man of war I deserved respect of the Feacians
..please give me a ship, so that I can finally..
..return to my homeland.
*sound of waves*
*relaxing court music*
What you are thinking Nausica? You've grown up,..
..so listen: Till you are young, it's natural..
..to fall in love in someone who has suffered.
Those touch any one of us.
We give them more attention, because we feel urge to help them more.
But we shouldn't give more than we can,..
..or more than what is just, even if our heart forces us to do so.
His destiny isn't to stay with us. To us it's different..
..and I believe that he wants to return to his home and family.
*Gk. Nostos-Returns. Thus nostalgy*
asterisk@krstarica.com corrected by info@wiseoldgoat.com