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How does Odysseus longing to return to his wife eventually lead to his homecoming?

Odysseus spent two decades away from his wife, Penelope. The first ten were spent fighting in the Trojan War—against his will, according to legend. The latter ten were spent trying to return home. Seven of those years were spent on the island of Ogygia, trapped by the goddess Calypso. Calypso wanted to marry Odysseus, bear him children, and grant him immortality.


This was a compelling offer! Calypso was far more beautiful than Penelope, whose mortal beauty could never rival that of a goddess. It would have been easy for Odysseus to let his memories of home and desire to return there fade over time, overshadowed by the beautiful goddess in front of him, but Odysseus remained fixated on his goal of returning to Penelope and refused the goddess' advances. As Homer wrote,



[H]is eyes were never dry of tears, and his sweet life was ebbing away, as he longed mournfully for his return, for the nymph was no longer pleasing in his sight. By night indeed he would sleep by her side perforce in the hollow caves, unwilling beside the willing nymph, but by day he would sit on the rocks and the sands, racking his soul with tears and groans and griefs, and he would look over the unresting sea, shedding tears.



Athena was moved by this and took pity on Odysseus. She eventually convinced Zeus to let Odysseus return home.

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