An Odyssey in the Second Year of the Plague – An Offering

 

Wall mosaic in Ithaca            Photo©Nigel Summerley

I recently shared with Jane Cochrane, author of the brilliant book Odysseus' Island, this picture of a mural I saw on Ithaca. The colours reminded me of Jane's own beautiful illustration for her book cover.

She tells me: "ΕΥΧΗΝ ΟΔYCCΕΙ apparently means 'an offering to Odysseus’. It is the message on the fragment of clay from an ancient mask found in Loizos’ Cave at Polis Bay, now in the Stavros Museum that is so often shut – as it was when you visited." 

I remember archaeologist Andronikos Sakkatos telling me when I met him at the site of Odysseus's Palace last October that Ithacans were accustomed to make an offering to Odysseus – their local hero – before setting off on a journey.

And I recall too that "ΕΥΧΗΝ ΟΔYCCΕΙ" was inscribed at the entrance to the apartment that I stayed in on Ithaca.

It is gratifying to know that Jane and Andronikos are now in touch with each other to look at the possibility of mutual support in helping to bring about improvements to the Palace site, near Stavros, in northern Ithaca.

So let this connection – and this picture – be another "offering to Odysseus"... for another successful journey...

Photo©Nigel Summerley