Odysseus tries to convince his crew to sail pass the island of Thrinakia, but exhausted by the last adventure, they insist on landing to rest. Once on the island, Odysseus warns his crew to stay away from the cattle of Helios. He tells them that Helios is always watching. Stranded on the island due to a violent storm, their food supply was scarce. They scoured the island for food, but none was to be found. Odysseus went to the other side of the island to pray to the gods, in hopes that one of them would help. In his absence , his men lead by Eurylochus slayed one of the cattle. When Helios found out, he was furious. He told Zeus that the men must be punished, otherwise he would never take the sun across the sky again and it would be night forever. When Odysseus sets sail again, his ship is struck by a thunderbolt sent by Zeus. The ship sinks and all of the men except Odysseus drown. Odysseus survives by clinging to a piece of the wreckage. Eventually he floats to Ogygia and lives with Calypso for some time. Then he makes it to Phaeacia which is where he is now.
|