Odyssey: A Daily Odyssey through Homer’s The Odyssey
Sep 7, 2026 · 12 min · 7 segments
The reckoning long delayed finally arrives, spoken among the gods before it crashes down upon mortal men. What was warned against is now answered in full. In this passage of *The Odyssey*, Zeus…
Landon SolanoHost
But as for me, I will soon smite their swift ship with my white bolt, and cleave it in pieces in the midst of the wine-dark deep.
This I heard from Calypso of the fair hair, and she said that she herself had heard it from Hermes the messenger.
But when I had come down to the ship and to the sea, I went up to my companions and rebuked them one by one.
The skins were creeping, and the flesh bellowing upon the spits, both the roast and raw, and there was a sound as the voice of Cain.
Then for six days my dear company feasted on the best of the Cain of Helios, which they had driven off.
But when Zeus, son of Kronos, had added the seventh day thereto, thereafter the wind ceased to blow with a rushing storm, and at once we climbed the ship and launched into the broad deep, when we had set the mast and hoisted the white sails.
But now when we left that isle, nor any other land appeared, but sky and sea only, even then the son of Kronos stayed a dark cloud above the hollow ship.
And the ship ran on her way for no long while, for of a sudden came the shrilling west, with the rushing of a great tempest, and the blast of wind snapped the two forest days of the mast, and the mast fell backwards, and all the gear dropped into the bilge.
And behold, on the hind part of the ship, the mast struck the head of the pilot, and break all the bones of his skull together, and like a driver he dropped down from the deck, and his brave spirit left his bones.
Like seagulls, they were borne round the black ship, upon the billows, and the god reft them of returning.
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But as for me, I will soon smite their swift ship with my white bolt, and cleave it in pieces in the midst of the wine-dark deep.
This I heard from Calypso of the fair hair, and she said that she herself had heard it from Hermes the messenger.
But when I had come down to the ship and to the sea, I went up to my companions and rebuked them one by one.
The skins were creeping, and the flesh bellowing upon the spits, both the roast and raw, and there was a sound as the voice of Cain.
Then for six days my dear company feasted on the best of the Cain of Helios, which they had driven off.
But when Zeus, son of Kronos, had added the seventh day thereto, thereafter the wind ceased to blow with a rushing storm, and at once we climbed the ship and launched into the broad deep, when we had set the mast and hoisted the white sails.
But now when we left that isle, nor any other land appeared, but sky and sea only, even then the son of Kronos stayed a dark cloud above the hollow ship.
And the ship ran on her way for no long while, for of a sudden came the shrilling west, with the rushing of a great tempest, and the blast of wind snapped the two forest days of the mast, and the mast fell backwards, and all the gear dropped into the bilge.
And behold, on the hind part of the ship, the mast struck the head of the pilot, and break all the bones of his skull together, and like a driver he dropped down from the deck, and his brave spirit left his bones.
Like seagulls, they were borne round the black ship, upon the billows, and the god reft them of returning.
