 Kefalonia lays claim to Odysseus legend
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 The mystery over whether Kefalonia or Ithaca was the mythical home of legendary Greek hero Odysseus could be resolved soon.
In Homer's Odyssey the warrior hero Odysseus struggles against the odds to return home to what the author calls Ithaca but the island with that name today does not match the description of "low-lying Ithaca is farthest out to sea, towards the sunset".
The Greek warrior who also mentions Zante (Zakynthos) says "I dwell in shining Ithaca. There is a mountain there, high Neriton, covered in forests," and while he is said to be returning to his wife on the island, it is clear that the countryside itself holds a spell over him.
Which one of the Ionian Islands is the actual land Odysseus tried to return to after the Troy war, which inspired the Brad Pitt film, has long been contested, but if John Underhill is right, the argument may be put to rest.
He suggests that the northern part Kefalonia may originally have been separated from the rest of the island; if this is true then it could be the final destination on the legend's long journey home.
It took Odysseus ten years to find his island, but with regular flights to Kefalonia or Zante from the UK, Britons can be there in a matter of hours.
Date: 07/05/2007
Author: Polymerou Aspasia |
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