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Calypso
• Calypso; noun, from the Greek word
kalypto meaning ‘to hide’ or ‘to
conceal.’ Roughly translated, Calypso’s
name means ‘concealing the
knowledge’.
• Calypso is a sea nymph who is the daughter
of the Titan god Atlas. Calypso has both
positive and negative attributes in Greek
mythology. Her most well known symbol is a
dolphin. She is known for being a concealer
and a seductress that can divert people;
especially men from their goals. However,
she has a positive symbol; which is being a
rescuer, more specifically rescuing
Odysseus. Calypso lives on the island Ogyia;
which is also known as Calypso’s island
because it is where she was held prisoner
after supporting the Titans in the war with
the Olympians.
• So, let’s go back to the very beginning
when Calypso first met Odysseus.
Odysseus was just fresh from battle
when they first met after the Trojan War.
He was washed upon the shores of
Ogyia after drifting through the ocean
for 9 days when his ship was
overturned. He was the only survivor.
She took pity on him and took him in
and cared for him on her island.
• During that time, Calypso fell deeply in
love with Odysseus. She then
persuaded and seduced him to become
her immortal lover with the same
eternal youth. Eventually, Odysseus
succumbed to her persuasion and
Calypso held him captive there for a
long 7 years. It is said that during that
time that Calypso also bore Odysseus a
son; Latinus who would become half
mortal, half immortal.
• Calypso’s role in ‘The Odyssey’ all
involves Odysseus. She was using all
her power to make Odysseus stay with
her, even against his strong will to
leave. She was using concealment,
seduction and persuasion to try and
win him over. Although Calypso might
be seen as a hero for rescuing
Odysseus; she was also a problem.
• Calypso was definitely doing a very
good job of distracting Odysseus from
reaching his goal to return home.
According to ‘The Odyssey’ and what
other sources also say about Calypso, I
believe she is the main reason why it
took Odysseus so long to return home.
Only her fear of the power of Zeus
made her release Odysseus, and she
could not refuse him because he was
the King of the Gods.
• So her relationship with Odysseus was
definitely unfair and one-sided. Although
there may have been some true two-sided
feelings at one point, Calypso had control of
the relationship. Their relationship in ‘The
Odyssey’ is somewhat different to how it is
described from other sources. In ‘The
Odyssey’ Calypso seems to let Odysseus go
quite willingly after Hermes’ visit. She even
gives him food and supplies and tells him the
way home. She seems more gracious
towards Odysseus as he tells her how he
really feels; and in his heart his must return
to Penelope.
• It is believed that Calypso went through
great suffering after Odysseus left her;
so much so that she even tried to take
her own life. Could Calypso, a sea
nymph really feel that strongly for a
mortal man? Was she really, a good
person? What do you think? Was
Calypso really the myth of diversion or
the eternal temptation of passion?