Ancient Greek mythology, which became the ancestor of the Hellenistic philosophy, gave rise to many gods and mythical creatures. Some of them enjoyed love, others were worshiped out of fear, and there were those that only the initiates knew about. Largely thanks to Homer's poems, information about the variety of ancient Greek legends and myths has survived to this day in an almost unchanged state. In the stories of Homer, the goddess Calypso appears not in the best light, although in reality her role in Greek mythology was more significant and important than the ancient poet showed.
Majestic Calypso: who is she?
The Greeks knew how to create in their myths a special world in which everything was very closely interconnected. They endowed their gods with extraordinary abilities, but at the same time admitted the fact that higher beings can manifest purely human weaknesses. Therefore, the main gods of Greece have such a number of children from mortal women and goddesses.
Parenthood Calypso is attributed to several gods. According to one version, she is the daughter of Atlanta and the Oceanidae, according to another - the Ocean can be considered her father. But in any case, Calypso - the pagan goddess of the seas - took a special place among the gods of Olympus. She possessed many mutually exclusive qualities, which seemed quite natural to the Greeks, given that Calypso was also a nymph. It was the nymphs who were the most amazing creatures in Greek mythology, able to combine the magic and vulnerability of the human soul.
The significance of Calypso in Greek mythology
Scientists still argue about the importance of Calypso in the life of the Greeks. Some experts assign her the role of an ordinary nymph living on a secluded island. But others argue that this topic is much deeper to consider.
The name that the goddess Calypso received at birth conceals a very deep sacred meaning. Translated from Greek, it means "that which hides." If we analyze all the features of the Hellenic mythology, we can safely say that Calypso - the goddess of the seas - was at the same time a deity who controlled death. This explains some isolation of her life on a distant and lost island, which is unusual even for nymphs and dryads.
Calypso endowed with many positive qualities:
- she was strikingly beautiful;
- could turn into a mortal woman;
- fluent in many musical instruments;
- wove canvases of stunning beauty;
- disposed of sea currents and winds;
- all sea inhabitants and many animals on land obeyed her.
Surprisingly, even the main gods of Olympus did not possess a similar amount of qualities at the same time. Even Zeus and Poseidon could envy such love and awe of the ancient Greeks, which Calypso caused - the goddess of the seas . It was they who sent the beauty to a remote place away from Olympus.
Calypso: the mythical goddess and amazing nymph
Ancient Greek mythology clearly separated the main gods of Olympus from lower creatures with divine roots. But the nymphs were something extraordinary. The goddess Calypso was part-time nymph, which explained her phenomenal capabilities and abilities.
The word "nymph" is translated from Greek as "virgin". Therefore, it is easy to imagine that the nymphs were young and beautiful virgins, personifying various natural forces. They were an integral part of all living things; without nymphs, flowers and trees could not grow, and rivers would not flow. Their nymphs had islands, valleys, mountains and forests. The most important and oldest of them were water nymphs. It is to them that the goddess Calypso belongs.
Her origin determined the future life of the nymph - she had to live in a mysterious island grotto about four sources with clear water, which symbolized the cardinal points.
Calypso - the goddess of the sea, wielding the power of a nymph
As already mentioned, the nymphs were very powerful sorceresses, many natural phenomena obeyed their power. Most of the water nymphs were guarded by all kinds of springs from the underground. Many of these sources had healing power, so the nymphs began to ascribe the glory of healers. They possessed the secrets of life and death, and could even resurrect those people who they liked a lot.
Nymphs were able to predict fate, and this is not surprising - in ancient times, rivers and springs were used as an aid to fortune telling. Young girls, dreaming of a bridegroom, often climbed the mountains and threw the alleged names of lovers into the spring. If a piece of paper with a name calmly floated and did not turn over, then the girl was prophesied soon marriage. Equally often, the river was the last argument in litigation when the associated suspect was dumped in stormy waters. In the event of his death, it could be argued that the gods did justice and that man was guilty.
Nymphs were fragile and tender, but in anger they can deprive a person of reason, which was considered the most cruel punishment in ancient times. Although, having repented of their deeds, they instead presented the madman with secret knowledge about the nature of things. So predictors and soothsayers appeared.
Surprisingly, the nymphs were not considered immortal creatures. Their life was finite, as was the nature of which they were a part. Therefore, the nymphs tried every day to live in fun and joy, and did not deny themselves love affairs with ordinary men.
Calypso and Odysseus - part of Homer's poem
Homer spoke about the goddess of the seas to the whole world in his Odyssey. He sang Calypso, who saved the hero Odyssey after a shipwreck and led him to his home on the island of Ogigi. There, in a magical grotto, she appeared to him in all her glory and offered Odysseus herself as a wife. The sailor refused, but spent on the island for seven long years. The goddess Calypso did not let him go, and every evening she entertained with dances and chants, hoping to overshadow the memories of her native home.
Athena noticed the hero’s loss seven years later and told Zeus about everything. He quickly found Odysseus and sent a messenger to Calypso with an order to help the brave traveler get to his house. At this point, the goddess of the sea gave birth to several children from Odysseus and was very in love with him, but Zeus obeyed the will, releasing the hero to her native shores.
Interpretation of Calypso Myths
Homer affected only a small part of the stories about Calypso. But the further fate of the goddess is not traced either in poems or in other sources. Fragmentary information about Calypso is found in various myths and stories. For example, some ancient Greek myths narrate that the goddess Calypso was very grieving after the departure of Odysseus and after a few years committed suicide.
Other stories tell that Odysseus was just one of the heroes who came to the island of Ogigi as a punishment for the obstinate goddess who once occupied a not-so-right position in the war of the gods and titans. Once in a thousand years, the beautiful Calypso saves the hero and falls in love with him, but he rejects the goddess, and her heart breaks for a whole thousand years.