Song Review!!

Song Review

Hey guys its Penelope again. It has been many years since I have seen Odysseus. The other day I came across a song that my friend showed me. I am honored to hear a song dedicated to me and my life’s struggles. The song is called “The Stranger with the Face of a Man I Loved” by Sarah Kirkland Snider. This song comes as one of many songs about my life from Snider’s new album. These songs do have words, but also have powerful orchestral instrumentals. The name of her new album is Penelope.

This song brought me mixed emotions, while I was flattered to hear a song about me and my situation at home, I was also saddened by being reminded of my long gone husband and how the people around Ithaca have much forgotten about him and the great legacy and great name he has made for himself and his family. I do believe that this song shines a bad light on Odysseus. Some lyrics imply that he has lied to me forever and that he just left me here in his palace to die. This is not true.

This song is very much about how I felt when he first left. I never thought that I would be able to get over him leaving and would never forgive him for leaving me and Telemachus in Ithaca for the past twenty years. This song represents my feelings of distrust towards Odysseus when he first left. He told me he was leaving, but once I found out he would be gone for years I felt that he had betrayed me. I am not happy that Odysseus left, but I know that he had to go fight. Any good king of land would certainly not hesitate to go off to war to insure a safer future for the children of Ithaca.  I cannot say I am happy that he had to leave, but this is the truth of the lives of all leaders. They must go to war.

The song is very powerful. My favorite part of the song is when it pauses and goes into a very scary tone. The whispering voice in the background of the song makes it even more haunting. I believe this part is meant to be very crazy and haunting because it represents how I was not fully all right after Odysseus left for war. My favorite line of the song is when a whispering voice proclaims “He left me here Half a life ago But this is where he came The stranger with the face of a man I loved”. This may not seem very important, but it illustrates that one of the last things that I have to remember my husband by is his palace and all of the fine artwork and riches that live inside of it.

That is all of the remembrance I can handle for one night. I hope that you enjoyed my post. If you are interested listen to the album Penelope by Sarah Kirkland Snider and it will give great insight as to how my life has been since Odysseus left. Thanks for reading. Good night.

Do the Gods Have Too Much Power?

Hey it’s Penelope here again. By now these blogs are natural and are a good way to spend my time while waiting for Odysseus to return. I have been thinking a lot about the gods lately and if they are really using their great power for good. I know that only the most powerful are allowed to sit atop the great mount Olympus, but nowadays it seems only some gods are on my side. Many stories have run through the palace of acts of cruelty and acts of kindness from the gods towards people. Some of these stories involve my husband, and trouble me deeply.

Poseidon is one of the most powerful gods in the whole universe. He rules over the bodies of water and he can control hurricanes and other weather patterns. He has been mad at my husband ever since some incident on the island of some Cyclops. Apparently Odysseus was captured by his son named Polyphemus who was threatening to kill my husband and his entire crew. I know that whatever choice Odysseus made was the right choice and that if hurting Polyphemus was not necessary it would not have been done. Poseidon has used his great ruling powers for many years trying to keep Odysseus from making his great sail home. If the gods did not have their great powers then Odysseus would have been home in Ithaca for many years. This is why I feel that the god’s powers are not always good.

Athena is my favorite goddess right now she uses her great godly powers to help mere mortals. When Odysseus was trapped at sea I heard that the only one to help him was Athena. She even stood up to the great gods on Olympus and told them that Odysseus needed help. One of these gods that she stood up to was her father the great Zeus. Zeus is the greatest god of them all and has the power to change the way the earth turns. Athena was watching the earth and witnessed the hardship that Odysseus was going through. She used her great power to help guide him to safety. Athena truly embodies all that a goddess’s powers should be used for.

Overall I am happy that there are more powerful superior beings living with us. I know that the gods do not punish anyone without good reason. Even though sometimes they are a bit harsh, but I feel very reassured having someone who is very powerful watching over me at all times. This assures me that if I am in trouble I will have someone backing me up watching over me. Having the god’s powers backing you up is truly the most reassuring gifting that any human can ever be given.

I don’t have much else to say. If you have any views on how much power the gods have please comment. I have to go now. Goodnight talk to you later.

This picture is of Athena one of my favorite Goddesses.

Hospitality, please!

Hi again,

Here in Ithaca we really appreciate hospitality. And I really hope Odysseus and Telemachus are receiving lots of it wherever they may be. As for me, the last time I received some Greek hospitality was a couple years ago when I visited my girlfriend and her family. Since, then I haven’t been out the house much except to grocery shop. 

As for the suitors, Telemachus and I have been very hospitable. Perhaps, that’s the reason they stay so long. I’m not sure if I should disobey an ancient Greek virtue and take the wrath of the gods, or continue to be virtuous and watch my home fall apart…

I remember the day the suitors first came. It began with a few nice gentlemen and before I knew it, a swarm came in through the windows and doors. At the time when Odysseus was certified as MIA, many people came to my home to send their condolences. The last to come were two suitors who offered to keep me company and run the household at Odysseus’ absence. Actually, they kept their promise for about 10 years and during that time seven other suitors joined the household. The men were a huge help because it was very difficult for me to cope AND do my chores. Not until two years later did things get out of hand. In the time when I was finally recovering from my depression, more and more suitors showed up to my house each day. The responsibilities that they took on before have now been totally disregarded. Now I live with 50 strangers.

But, in order to gain favor with the gods, the most important thing a mortal can do, I will continue to be hospitable. I will continue to provide a hot meal each night and a warm place to sleep for those who choose to spend the night. I will also try my best to keep a positive outlook and act as friendly as I can. The good fortune I send out will return to me and to my family. It won’t be long until my dear Odysseus returns and the gods will surely show the suitors their dismay.

Speaking of the gods, I am sure that Athena, daughter of Zeus, goddess of war, wisdom, and strength will keep sweet Odysseus and young Telemachus safe. Odysseus has been paying tribute to Athena since he was a young boy, and when we got married our family continued the tradition. So hopefully she is watching them both and I pray that she leads my men to hospitable places on their journeys back home.

ATHENA!!!

But it is getting late, and I have a big day tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day when we slay two goats; one to sacrifice to Athena, and one to Zeus. I will need help from the suitors since Telemachus is not here to help me this time around. I’m so happy to see that I have a few readers. It is a relief to know that my blogging is somewhat substantial! I must be getting to sleep though, Good Night!

Are Cunning and Disguise Really Good Traits ?

Disguise and Cunning

            These days you don’t know who is lying and who is telling the truth. Even I have been lying over the past years. My own son left me the other day and set sail to find his long gone father. Some people frown upon the cunning and disguise that is talked about in today’s society, but I have found it to be necessary at times to tell the occasional lie. I have been living in a house infested by sluggish suitors for the past few years. All of them fighting to receive my love. I have greatly missed Odysseus over the past twenty years, and I have not considered remarrying any of the suitors.

            I had to make a plan to trick them into thinking I would marry, but truly I do not. I set up my sewing materials in the great halls of my palace, and declared that I would remarry once I had finished sewing a great blanket. All day long the suitors would watch me sew and waiting for me to finish. I made sufficient progress every day, but at night with the aid of a few of my maids we unspool all of the day’s work and start again the next day. I planned do this until my love Odysseus comes home. My plan was eventually foiled and the suitors found out about my scheme. My cunning was frowned upon by all of the suitors, but for me and my son Telemachus we knew this scheme was an appropriate way to buy time.

            There are times when disguise and cunning are used for all of the wrong reasons. For example the story of Agamemnon’s son Aegisthus. Aegisthus was a kind soul, I had gotten to know the story of him after Odysseus and Agamemnon became such great friends after fighting in the Trojan War. News would pass home about the stories of the two great warriors in battle. Aegisthus had disguised himself during the war and had attacked and killed Orestes father. Orestes was not usually a violent soul, but he was provoked by the cunning of Aegisthus. Orestes devised a plan to regain his revenge and he himself disguised himself in the city and murdered Aegisthus. I would never use my skills in disguise to kill someone and I find it wrong that anybody would kill people while not in matters of self defense but in shrill rage.

            My favorite story of disguise and cunning and the great advantage that it gives people during war is the story of my own husband Odysseus and his army’s great plan to build the Trojan horse. The story of the Trojan horse is that while setting a siege outside the Trojan walls Odysseus and his men built a great wooden horse tall as the skies and hid inside it. The horse was given as a gift to the Trojan people as an end to the war, but at night Odysseus and his men popped out and captured all of the Trojan people. This technique won the war and saved the lives of many people from Ithaca who would otherwise have died. These are just my views on the theme of cunning and disguise. I would love to hear some other thoughts about the topic.

<-Trojan Horse

Goodnight! Be ready for another blog soon.

First Blog!!

Hey, it’s Penelope! Recently, I have been finishing household tasks such as cooking and cleaning much earlier than I used to and have found lots of time to blog. I actually have been wanting to blog for the past few months, but haven’t been able to find the time.  For the past 20 years my husband Odysseus has been missing. It is very troubling because I am not sure if he is dead or alive. I cry most of the time. He is known throughout our hometown of Ithaca as a hero; famous for his cunning plan of hiding troops in a large wooden horse during the Trojan War. Whenever I go down to the market to pick up some fresh produce, people always ask me about Odysseus. I must hold back tears when I tell them that Ithaca’s hero has been gone for quite some time. Anyway…since then a host of suitors have inhabited my home. I mean, I really don’t blame them; I’m beautiful, my house is large and comfortable and my son, Telemachus is great company. But it wouldn’t hurt if they would lend me a hand around the house.  They gobble up all my food and I haven’t seen the house completely clean for years. It’s as if I’m living with a hundred swine. All they want is my hand in marriage, and they will not stop their quest until I marry one. But all I can ever think about is Odysseus, and I must remain faithful just in case he still walks the earth. To lift my spirits, Telemachus bought me this nice iPhone so that I can finally try blogging. I must admit it has helped keep me sane because I finally have someone to vent to. Also, beating my high score on Angry Birds is keeping me entertained. So thanks readers, for supplying an outlet. I really wish Odysseus were here though, so that the three of us could be a family again. Telemachus has missed a lot of his development since his dad left when he was so young. Plus, he’d clear my home of these suitors in one swoop. If only he could see the mess these ungrateful, manipulating ingrates have down to our palace. They walk all over Telemachus, always calling him a spineless baby. Because I am a woman, there is not much I can do to help the situation. So I remain passive and friendly, even though they truly do not deserve my hospitality. I find tranquility in weaving a web with lovely yarns Odysseus’ mother gave to me when we got married. The yarn is made of the finest wools and the bright bold colors come from wild berries and flowers.

Tonight I didn’t cook, but let the men eat the lamb I cooked last night. I wasn’t hungry. Instead I found refuge in my bedroom from the reckless singing and dancing from the suitors downstairs. After this blog, I may do a little weaving and check out early. Good night!