Sea Perils And Defeat

Lucius :

After visiting the Underworld and speaking with the prophet Tiresias and Odysseus' mother, we returned to Circe's island. Circe warned Odysseus about the perils ahead. We will have to pass the Sirens and resist their song and then we have a choice, brave the Prowling Rocks and have everyone be destroyed or lose six men to Scylla and sail quickly past Charybdis. The decision Odysseus makes is to lose six of our men to Scylla. In order to pass by the Sirens safely Odysseus puts beeswax in all of our ears so we won't be tempted to steer toward the Sirens Island, and he then ties himself to the mast of ship so he can hear the song but not harm himself or us. To our delight the plan worked. Then we entered the rocky water and avoided that by steering towards Scylla's cave. She ate six of our men and then we booked it safely past Charybdis. Against Odysseus' wishes we landed on the Island of the sun god Helios, and we ate his cattle. Helios becomes angered and Zeus sends a thunderbolt to sink Odysseus' ship to compensate for Helios' loss. Odysseus survives and drifts to the home of Calypso and remains there for seven years.