Kalypso

ka lip SO

Καλυψω

Calypso

The Queenly Nymph

In The Odyssey by Homer, Kalypso (Calypso) is said to be the daughter of Atlas. Yet Kalypso is also said to be the daughter of Tethys, who brought forth a separate race of Okeanids. Kalypso is one of Tethys’ three thousand daughters ... Styx, Metis and Eurynome are her sisters, just to name a few. (Theogony, line 359)

After the fall of the city of Troy, the hero Odysseus was washed ashore on Kalypso’s island, Ogygia ... his ship had been smashed and all his shipmates drowned. Kalypso fell in love with Odysseus but, by keeping him on her island, she caused him much sadness. Kalypso wanted Odysseus as her husband but he was determined to return to his home. She tried to charm him but, as the years passed, poor Odysseus still wept for his lovely wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachos (Telemachus). During their time together, Kalypso and Odysseus had two sons: Nausithoos (Nausithous) and Nausinoos (Nausinous) and perhaps a third son named Telegonos (Telegonus) who was probably the son of Kirke (Circe) and not Kalypso. (Theogony, line 1017+) (Taking of Oichalia (Oechalia), fragment 2)

After Odysseus had been with Kalypso for seven years, Zeus sent Hermes to order Kalypso to free Odysseus and send him on his way home. Kalypso greeted Hermes and honored him with ambrosia and red nectar ... he told her of Zeus’ demands as they ate. She was upset that Zeus would ask her give up her lover but she said that she would not refuse. Hermes told Kalypso that if Odysseus wanted to stay with her, then Zeus would permit it, but if Odysseus wanted to leave, Kalypso could not use her charms to stop him. Kalypso thought that Odysseus might change his mind if he understood her love and power ... she offered Odysseus immortality and eternal youth but he was determined to return to his home or die trying. Kalypso accepted her fate and agreed to let Odysseus leave unhindered. She refused to supply Odysseus with a raft or ship but she gave him some tools and the skillful Odysseus built a raft for himself. When it came time to leave, Kalypso in her loving nature, gave Odysseus provisions and sent him on his way with a fair wind to speed him home.

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Nymphs

Nymph is a general term for maidens who occupy rivers, springs, mountains, or any type of natural setting. The name Nymph literally means Bride ... there are several specific types of nymphs:

Okeanid (nymph of the ocean)
Naiad (nymph of a river, lake and spring)
Dryad (nymph of an oak tree)
Hamadryad (nymph of a tree)
Sylph (nymph of the air)
Oread (nymph of a mountain)

The Meliae (Meliai), i.e. the Nymphs of the Ash Trees, were created when the Titan, Kronos (Cronos), attacked his father, Ouranos (the Heavens) ... the blood that issued from Ouranos’ wounds produced the Furies, the Giants, the Nymphs of the Ash Trees and the goddess of Love, Aphrodite. (Theogony, line 187)

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Kalypso in The Odyssey

(listed by book and line)

The line numbers listed here correspond fairly well with the Lattimore and Murray/Dimock translations of The Odyssey. Other translations (Fitzgerald, Fagles et al) do not correspond as well but, with a small amount of effort, you should be able to find the reference you need regardless of the translation you use. Richmond Lattimore (ISBN 0060931957); A.T. Murray/George E. Dimock Vol. I & II (ISBN 0674995619 and 0674995627); Robert Fitzgerald (ISBN 0374525749); Robert Fagles (ISBN 0140268863)

01.014 - The nymph Kalypso (Calypso) kept Odysseus on her island so that he would eventually be her husband
01.052 - Kalypso (Calypso), the daughter of Atlas, inhabits a wooded island which is the navel of all the waters
01.086 - Athene (Athena) suggests to Zeus that Hermes, slayer of Argos, be sent to the island of Ogygia to tell the nymph, Kalypso (Calypso), that Odysseus must be allowed to proceed on his homeward journey
04.557 - Proteus told Menelaus that the nymph, Kalypso (Calypso), held Odysseus captive on her island
05.006 - Athene (Athena) remembers that Odysseus is being held captive at the nymph’s house, i.e. Kalypso (Calypso)
05.014 - Athene (Athena) reminds Zeus that the nymph, Kalypso (Calypso), detains Odysseus on her island
05.030 - Zeus tells Hermes to inform Kalypso (Calypso) that Odysseus must be given a raft so that he may leave her island
05.057 - Hermes finds Kalypso (Calypso) at home in her cave
05.063 - The home of Kalypso (Calypso) is a mere cave but the description on lines 63-74 make it sound like a beautiful and enchanting place
05.075 - Argeiphontes (Hermes) stands before the cavern of Kalypso (Calypso) and admires the natural beauty of her home
05.077 - Kalypso (Calypso), the shining goddess, recognizes Hermes and invites him into her home
05.085 - Hermes is questioned by Kalypso (Calypso) as to why he has come to her island
05.096 - Hermes ate and drank with Kalypso (Calypso) and then told her of Zeus’ message and how she must release Odysseus so he can return to his home
05.116 - Kalypso (Calypso) tells Hermes that the Immortals did not object when the other gods and goddesses took mortal lovers
05.145 - Argeiphontes (Hermes) warns Kalypso (Calypso) that she should obey Zeus or else face his wrath
05.148 - After Argeiphontes (Hermes) leaves Kalypso (Calypso), she goes in search of Odysseus
05.159 - Kalypso (Calypso) tells Odysseus that she will allow him to leave her island
05.180 - Odysseus is afraid that Kalypso (Calypso) is not going to allow him to leave her island and makes her swear an oath on Styx as to her sincerity
05.192 - Kalypso (Calypso) leads Odysseus back to her cavern and seats him in the same spot where Hermes had been seated
05.202 - Kalypso (Calypso) asks Odysseus if he is sure he wants to leave her island and warns him of the many hardships he will endure if he decides to leave
05.241 - Kalypso (Calypso) showed Odysseus where to find trees to construct a raft and then left him to his work
05.246 - Kalypso (Calypso), the shining goddess, gave Odysseus an auger to help with the construction of a raft
05.258 - Kalypso (Calypso), the shining goddess, gave Odysseus sails for his raft
05.263 - After five days of work, Odysseus was ready to leave on his raft; Kalypso (Calypso) gave him wine and food for his journey
05.276 - Kalypso (Calypso) tells Odysseus to keep the constellation of the Bear (Kallisto (Callisto) Ursa Major) on his right as he crosses the sea on his raft
05.321 - When his raft was torn apart by the waves and Odysseus was plunged into the water, he was weighted down by the clothes Kalypso (Calypso) had given him
05.372 - In the storm-tossed seas, the goddess, Ino, gave Odysseus a veil to keep him afloat so he removed the clothing Kalypso (Calypso) had given him
07.245 - In the hall of the king of the Phaiakians (Phaeacians), Odysseus tells queen Arete about the daughter of Atlas, Kalypso (Calypso), and her island, Ogygia
07.254 - In the hall of the king of the Phaiakians (Phaeacians), Odysseus tells queen Arete about Kalypso (Calypso) and her island, Ogygia
07.260 - In the hall of the king of the Phaiakians (Phaeacians), Odysseus tells queen Arete how he was the prisoner of Kalypso (Calypso) for seven years
08.452 - In the home of the king of the Phaiakians (Phaeacians), Odysseus was given his first bath since he left the island of Kalypso (Calypso)
09.029 - In the home of King Alkinoos (Alcinous) of the Phaiakians (Phaeacians), Odysseus tells how Kalypso (Calypso) kept him on her island so that he would become her immortal husband
12.389 - After Odysseus’ crew had eaten the forbidden oxen of Helios, Odysseus remembered that Kalypso (Calypso) had told him that Hermes had predicted the event when he had visited her home
12.448 - In the home of the king of the Phaiakians (Phaeacians), Odysseus says that he will not repeat the story of his stay on the island of Ogygia, home of Kalypso (Calypso)
17.143 - Telemachos (Telemachus) tells his mother, Penelope, the story Menelaos (Menelaus) had told him in Sparta; Proteus told Menelaus that Odysseus was alive on the island of the nymph Kalypso (Calypso)
23.333 - Odysseus tells Penelope about his stay on the island Ogygia, home of Kalypso (Calypso)

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Nymphs in The Iliad

(listed by book and line)

The line numbers listed here correspond fairly well with the Lattimore and Murray/Wyatt translations of The Iliad. Other translations (Fitzgerald, Fagles et al) do not correspond as well but, with a small amount of effort, you should be able to find the reference you need regardless of the translation you use. Lattimore (ISBN 0226469409); A.T. Murray/William F. Wyatt Vol. I & II (ISBN 0674995791 and 0674995805); Robert Fitzgerald (ISBN 0374529051); Robert Fagles (ISBN 0140275363)

06.420 - Andromache tells Hector that when Achilles killed her father, Eetion, the Nymphs of the mountains planted elm trees on his burial mound
20.008 - Zeus called all the Immortals to Mount Olympos (Olympus) and every nymph came forth

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Nymphs in The Odyssey

(listed by book and line)

06.107 - Artemis dances with the nymphs in the mountains
06.123 - The confused Odysseus awakes on the island of the Phaiakians (Phaeacians) and hears the voices of young girls; he is reminded of the nymphs of the high mountains, the meadows, rivers and springs
09.154 - On the island of the Cyclops, Odysseus says that the nymphs, daughters of Zeus, began to herd the goats when Eos (Dawn) appeared in the sky
10.350 - Odysseus describes the nymphs who serve Kirke (Circe); they are daughters of the springs and rivers
12.132 - The nymphs, Lampetia and Phaethousa, daughters of Neaira (Neaera) and Hyperion, watch over the herd of Helios on the island of Thrinakia (Thrinacia)
12.318 - After landing on the island of Thrinakia (Thrinacia), Odysseus and his crew berthed their ship in a cave used by the nymphs for dancing
13.104 - Arriving on the island of Ithaka (Ithaca), the Phaiakians (Phaeacians) leave Odysseus at a secluded harbor with a cave that is sacred to the Naiad nymphs
13.108 - In the grove sacred to the Naiad nymphs on the island of Ithaka (Ithaca), they weave sea-purple webs on stone looms
13.348 - Athene (Athena) tells Odysseus that he is on his home island of Ithaka (Ithaca) and shows him the sacred cave of the Naiad nymphs
13.350 - On the island of Ithaka (Ithaca), Athene (Athena) explains to Odysseus that the sacred cave of the Naiad nymphs is used for their sacrifices
13.356 - Realizing that he was on the island of Ithaka (Ithaca), Odysseus raised his hands and prayed to the Naiad nymphs, daughters of Zeus
14.435 - The swineherd, Eumaios (Eumaeus), puts food aside as an offering to the nymphs and to Hermes
17.211 - As the swineherd, Eumaios (Eumaeus), led Odysseus to town, they passed a fountain of cool water surrounded by a circle of poplar trees; at the center was an altar of the nymphs
17.240 - Odysseus prays to nymphs of the fountain, daughters of Zeus