Ε- Leaving Calypso's Island

Zeus called Hermes and ordered him to convey to Calypso his will to make it easier for Odysseus to leave the island, even helping him build a floating raft, with which he could reach the island of the Phaeacians, today's Corfu . From there, he could somehow return to his homeland. Having sent Hermes to Calypso, Zeus asked Athena to help Telemachus, whose life was in danger from the ambush of the suitors, and Athena swooped in to protect Odysseus' son.

Hermes flew like a shuttle over the vast sea and after a while met Calypso, who welcomed him before the hearth of her palace. Upon learning of Zeus's will, the sorceress raged against all the "jealous" gods, as it was her purpose to make Odysseus immortal and marry him, binding him forever to her side. But it was impossible to disobey the will of the father of the gods, so he replied to Hermes that he would accept the orders of Zeus.

Calypso met Odysseus gazing out at the ocean mourning and wistfully reminiscing about Ithaca, as he had been doing lately. The nymph reluctantly conveyed Zeus's orders to Odysseus, including that she would help him with whatever was needed to build a vessel to sail away from her island. Odysseus was thrilled when he realized that he would finally return to his beloved Ithaca. It took him only four days to masterfully construct a sailing raft, with the materials provided by the witch, and the next morning he set out on his return journey.

Unfortunately for him, Poseidon realized on the seventeenth day of the journey that Odysseus was in the middle of the sea and indeed that the other gods also participated in this betrayal. His anger overflowed, he slammed his trident into the sea causing a storm and giant waves that almost drowned the unfortunate Odysseus.

Odysseus tried in vain to hold on to the surface of the sea with his raft, finally after hours his raft was torn to pieces by the storm leaving him for two more days fighting the waves on a piece of wood. Fortunately for him the Nereida Lefkothea took pity on him, she gave him her handkerchief, with which he was kept safe on the surface of the water. The goddess Athena in her turn invisibly carried Odysseus' body to land. There Odysseus after a long time set foot on land, and as he was exhausted and without clothes, he slept among the foliage of the shore.