King of Ithaca (Adventures of Odysseus)

Sensing a presence, he turned to see Odysseus standing at his shoulder. The prince’s arms were behind his back and his gaze was fixed firmly ahead. It was the same look that he wore when at the helm, observing the wave caps for the best currents and watching the distant clouds for warnings of a change in the weather, whilst keeping an eye on the shoreline for safe anchorages along the way. He looked as strong as a bull, his burly frame unfazed by the blustering wind that had been tearing the air from Eperitus’s lungs. One could almost believe there was no wind, were it not for his narrowed eyes, the flapping of his red hair and the billowing of his great black cloak.

‘You know, Eperitus,’ he said, his smooth voice perfectly audible in the wind, ‘I wish I wasn’t here. Not very heroic, really, am I? Not for a prince of his people.’

‘What do you mean?’ Eperitus asked.

‘I mean that to be great a man must leave his home and family and go out into the wider world, seeking to carve a name for himself in the ranks of his enemies.’

‘I suppose it’s hard to win fame by staying at home.’

‘But that’s exactly what I’d rather do,’ Odysseus sighed. ‘Part of me dreams about slaying monsters, sacking cities, ravishing beautiful maidens and coming home laden with gold. What man doesn’t? And yet in my heart I could wish for nothing more than sharing meat and wine with friends in the great hall at home, talking about the local girls, the harvest and fishing. The closest I like coming to adventure is listening to a good story around a blazing fire.’

Eperitus envied Odysseus his contentment in such things, but never having experienced a true sense of happiness in his own home he could not understand it. All he wanted was to see the world and write his name into one of the tales that Odysseus liked to hear beside the hearth.

‘So why leave Ithaca?’ he said.

‘For the same reason that you left Alybas, I assume,’ Odysseus replied. ‘To prove myself! To achieve something that will allow me to go home to my people and hold my head up high.’

‘That isn’t why I left Alybas,’ Eperitus muttered.

Odysseus seemed not to hear. ‘Of course, it’s unlikely Helen will choose me above her wealthier and more powerful suitors, and it’s probable Tyndareus has already chosen her a husband. Which makes me wonder what the idea is behind this gathering of kings and princes – it’s a lot of trouble to go to for nothing. But either way, I may be able to form friendships and alliances that will carry weight back home. That’s the real reason my father sent me on this journey. But tell me this, Eperitus: do you think the most beautiful woman in Greece might choose me for a husband?’

Eperitus considered the possibility, matching what he knew of Helen’s legendary beauty to the little he had learned about Odysseus. ‘You’re as likely to be chosen as any other suitor. You’re a prince, soon to become a king. You have wealth and power, and you’re a great warrior – any sensible woman would be out of her mind to reject you.’

A great shout followed by laughter came from the benches. Some of the escort were playing a game with marked ivory cubes, and their constant chattering and clamour had become a feature of the voyage. The game would shortly be broken up, though, as the sun was already dipping beyond the island of Zacynthos to the west and the helmsman would soon be seeking a convenient landfall.

‘The problem is that a woman as desirable as Helen can afford to pick and choose between suitors,’ Odysseus said thoughtfully. ‘Have you ever been to another palace outside of Alybas?’

‘Of course,’ Eperitus confirmed. ‘Your own.’

Odysseus laughed. ‘Well-travelled indeed, I see. And how does the palace at Ithaca compare to the one in your own city?’

‘They’re about the same. Yours looks older, but has more servants and guards.’

Odysseus nodded sagely. ‘Well, my friend, the nobles that we’ll meet in Sparta come from much grander places than you or I. They have wealth beyond your most fantastic dreams. My beloved Ithaca is little more than a hovel compared to the cities they rule. Wait until you see Tyndareus’s palace – that’ll give you an idea of the power and wealth of the men I’m competing against, and why it’s likely Helen will choose another before me. In truth, the odds are too heavily stacked against me.’

‘You must believe you have a chance, though, or why would you go?’ Eperitus insisted.

‘In the hope of forming alliances, as I said, and perhaps of bringing something back that will make the journey worthwhile. And also for my father’s sake. It’s his command, and a father must be obeyed, don’t you think?’

Eperitus shifted uncomfortably under Odysseus’s searching gaze. ‘That depends upon what your father expects you to do.’

‘Then can a man have more wisdom than his father?’ Odysseus challenged, his voice firm but no less persuasive. ‘Can any son rightfully contest his father’s authority and expect his own children to obey him?’