Kirke turned into pigs all the Argonauts‘ crew. Just Odysseus stayed the same because Kirke wanted to have such a famous man as a lover. Together they had a son, Telegonos. Odysseus spent two whole years in her island, so probably it was not that bad… But one day he felt he needed to see Penelope again. Kirke advised him that if he wanted to go back home, first he should visit the underworld. And so he did.

He found the way to the underworld and there he saw many known faces: his mother, friends from the Trojan War, and also Achilles. The last one had many sorrows and left Odysseus telling him that he should try to live as much as possible and to enjoy every moment.

After his trip to the underground the hero went to join his crew, who had been turned back into men, and took the road again passing by the island of the Sirens. It was said that they sang so beautifully that it was not possible to resist their call to their island. However, whoever would step on their island would be cut in pieces and eaten after. But again Odysseus knew how to get away of this danger. First he stuffed the ears of his men with wax and told them to tie him to the mast of the ship so that he could hear the music without danger. He also ordered them that the harder he would try to get free, the tightest they should tie him. And so the ship could sail safely by the island of the Sirens.

Next they sailed past Skylla and Charybdis, where Odysseus almost lost all his men. After they arrived to the island of Thrinakia, where he slaughtered the cattle of Helios. When they were about to leave this island, a wild storm started and Odysseus lost his ship and all his men under the punishment of the gods.

His boat was stranded in Ogygia, the island of Kalypso, where he stayed for around seven years. Kalypso seemed to be really in love with him, since she promised she would make him immortal… and remember what Achilles had told Odysseus about leaving long? So, even if he didn’t know weather his wife and his son were still alive or not, or if he would still find all what he left at home, and although almost 20 years had past since he left, he decided to continue his way. A little bit of hope instead of eternal life.

With the help of the nymph Kalypso he built a raft and left. But, again, the gods were not by his side. A thunderstorm broke his raft and took him to a coast. It was the coast of the island of Scheria, exactly next to the village of the Phaeacians, a hospitable people. Alkinoos picked him up from the beach in a condition that he seemed everything but the great hero Odysseus. That night there were big celebrations with music and songs. Some songs talked about the well-known hero Odysseus, and at that moment the shipwrecked started to cry and told his story. The Phaeacians offered him their help and this way he finally managed arrive to Ithaca… after two years with Kirke and seven with Kalypso.