Places of the Myth of Ulysses: Aeolian Islands
The site is part of the Places of the Myth of Ulysses included in the Register of the Region of Sicily LIM (Places of heroes and heroic legends)
Places indicated in the IWB register
- Mouth of the Aci River, Port of S. Maria La Scala
- Faraglioni, Archipelago of the Cyclops
- Aeolian Islands, Aeolian Archipelago
- Scilla and Cariddi, Strait of Messina
- Polyphemus cave (Milazzo)
- Port of Ulysses (Ispica)
- Grotto of Sataria (Pantelleria)
- Rock of the Ligny Tower
Aeolian Islands, Aeolian Archipelago
In 'Homer's Odyssey (book X, vv 1-25), it is said that the Aeolian Islands hosted Ulysses after the Trojan war. It is said that Aeolus hosted him and gave him a leather wineskin inside which the winds against navigation were locked up. Legend has it that, during the journey, Ulysses made only the sweet Zephyr blow but while he slept, his companions, believing that the bottle was full of treasures, opened it, releasing the winds that unleashed a terrible storm from which he was saved. only the ship of Ulysses.
“And we came to the Aeolian island. Here he lived Aeolus, dear to the gods, son of Hippota. The island wandered swimming. A wall surrounds it bronze; and smooth rises a cliff. Twelve children with him lived in the palace. The fragrant house echoes to the sound of the flutes until the day fades; Then when he left, I asked him to leave he did not refuse, but took my trip to heart; stripped a nine-year-old ox of the hidehe made a wineskin, and closed it inside of the howling winds the streets: he had a keeper of the winds made the chronicle, and could keep them quiet or incite them at will. In the hollow ship with a shiny rope, silvery, the skinskin tied, so that outside not even a breath came out; but only the breath of Zephyr set free for me may the benign ship push for us ”.
Card insertion: Ignazio Caloggero
Photo: web
Information contributions: Ignazio Caloggero, Region of Sicily
