Calypso’s Story
Excerpt from the novel We First Met in Ithaca, or Was It Eden?
“Calypso, much maligned Calypso, loved Odysseus more than she had ever loved any man or woman or god or goddess — more than life itself. They lived together for seven years, but Odysseus wouldn’t agree to stay with her.
“She realized it was time to press the issue. He wasn’t as strong, as quick, or as virile as when he had first arrived. That was the problem with humans — they aged quickly. For him to be her permanent partner, he had to become young again, and stay young forever. Surely, he wanted that for himself. That would be an offer he couldn’t refuse — youth and immortality plus her, forever.
“After a swim, they lay side by side on the beach, savoring the sunset reflected on the clouds and on the sea. He rested his head on her naked lap, and she combed his hair with her long fingers, soothing him with a melody she had composed. Odysseus had a weakness for music, and Calypso’s voice rivaled that of the Sirens.
“Now was the time to petition Zeus and make Odysseus the offer. For seven years, she had procrastinated, wanting to keep the possibility alive in her imagination but fearing Zeus might deny her request. First she wanted Odysseus to commit to her, irrevocably. She had to be careful, take nothing for granted. He was wily and deceptive. That was part of his charm. She needed to bind him with more than marriage vows. She would promise to make him immortal on condition that he swear a sacred oath to stay with her forever, with the understanding that breaking that oath would bring down thunderbolts from Zeus. After Odysseus committed, she would ask Zeus to immortalize him.
“Caressing Odysseus with finger tips and tongue, she asked, ‘How could any man want more than what you have here and now? You have no need to work. You have food and drink fit for the gods. And whenever you wish, you can have sex with a goddess. Marry me and enjoy all this for the rest of your life.’
“‘Why do you ask me yet again?’ he replied. ‘I can’t stay anywhere or do anything forever. Unlike you, I’m mortal. We’re mismatched in wealth and status and nature. I’m just a plaything to you. And, to me, this paradise is prison. I’ve stayed here far too long. Let me leave. Now.’
“‘Stay and I’ll make you immortal,’ she offered.
“He laughed, “‘Immortal like Tithonus? Aging forever? Old and frail and in pain, with no hope of the relief of death? What man would be fool enough to wish for that?’
“‘I’ll make you young and keep you young forever.’
“He replied, ‘Nymphs can’t do that. Only Zeus can. ‘
“‘But Zeus has already granted my request.’ She lied with confidence, having practiced these words. ‘With one condition,’ she added. ‘His gift depends on your committing to me, with an unbreakable oath.’
“‘No,’ he replied. ‘Tell Zeus I don’t want it.’ He pushed her away, stood up, and walked down the beach.
“Calypso was in shock. Did Odysseus say no because he loved Penelope more than life itself? Would he rather return to Penelope than stay here and be immortal and forever young? She couldn’t believe that. This man had made love to her many times, passionately, skillfully, with obvious pleasure. Why would he abandon her to run back to a wife he hadn’t seen in twenty years? How could he choose a middle-aged mortal over her?
“No. He must have known she was lying. He must have thought the offer was a trick. He, a master liar and trickster, presumed that others lied too, and this time he was right. She shouldn’t have lied. She should have gotten approval from Zeus before making the offer.
“Of course, he wanted immortality. Unless he didn’t love her and thought he could never love her. Then eternal life with her would be torture to him. She couldn’t let herself believe that possibility.
“She would go to Zeus now. If Zeus refused her request, she could keep Odysseus as her prisoner. He would age as all mortals do. She would care for him when he needed care. She would love him even when he could no longer perform the functions of a lover, when she was but a nurse to him, helping him gently take his final steps to death.
“But if Zeus agreed, she would ask him to announce this offer directly to Odysseus, to secure his oath, under threat of instant death should he ever break it.
“That night, Calypso flew to Olympus and told Zeus, ‘I love this man. But there’s an imbalance between us that prevents us from bonding with one another. We’re too different in status and nature. I can share my wealth with him. I can call him husband. But only you can grant him youth and immortality. And without that, there can be no harmony, no likemindedness between us. Please, oh father of gods and men, grant Odysseus true eternal life, and not the hollow immortality of one who ages and becomes more frail every day. Rather, give him immortality like that of your lover and playmate Ganymede, young forever.’
“Zeus replied, ‘I’ve had far too many such requests. I reward a few heroes. And I let nymphs and goddesses, like you, perform a dangerous and rarely successful ritual to try to bestow immortality on their half-human offspring. But I won’t do that for mere lovers. The world would be overrun with immortals if I filled such requests.’
“‘Please have mercy,’ she pleaded. ‘Mine is not an ordinary love. I would do anything for Odysseus.’
“‘Anything? And you want to be equal to him in nature? And you believe that’s the only way the two of you can be likeminded?’
“‘Yes, Almighty One, Son of Cronos, Ruler of all that is and all that will be.’
“‘Granted.’
“‘What? Wonderful! Thank you.’
“‘Don’t be so quick to thank me. You may use your divine powers to return tonight to your island of Ogygia, but in the morning you will be human and mortal, a fit and equal mate for the man you love.’
“She took a deep breath, confused by this turn of events. But before she could object, Zeus was gone. Ganymede said that he was off to Ethiopia for a ceremony honoring his brother Poseidon, and that what was done was done. There was no appeal.
“She returned to her island and woke Odysseus with a kiss. ‘I did it,’ she said. ‘I wanted to make you immortal, but Zeus denied me that. So, instead, I asked him to make me mortal, and he granted me that. So, now we’re the same. There’s no barrier between us. We can bond and live happily together for the rest of our lives.’
“He laughed, ‘You expect me to believe that? That you gave up immortality for me?’
“Soon thereafter Odysseus tried to escape on a raft, as he had tried many times before. Calypso had always blocked him with her powers. Now that she no longer had those powers, she couldn’t stop him. Not knowing that, he was proud to have finally outwitted her.
“After he left, Aphrodite took pity on Calypso and sent her 108 suitors, the same number as Penelope’s. But Calypso sent them away. And, every day, she set up an easel on the beach and painted portraits of Odysseus from memory. And, every day, she grew older. And then she died.”
