An Odyssey: A Father, a Son, and an Epic

by Daniel Mendelsohn

I turned back to the students. Now let me ask again: Why do you think like-mindedness is the most important thing according to Odysseus in Book 6? Especially in light of what we know about the relationship between Calypso and Odysseus, about how after a while she had to compel him to sleep with her, how sexual desire, even with the most beautiful of females, can fade after time? Madeline wiggled her hand. Because the physical isn’t enough? Odysseus and Penelope will both be so much older when they reunite than they were when he left. I guess the question is, How will they be able to recognize each other, physically, when he comes home? Yes, I said, and how will they be able to recognize each other, do you think? Jack said, Spoiler alert! They cracked up. I said, I doubt there’s anyone here who doesn’t know the ending… Trisha was serious. She stopped writing in her notebook and said, It will be something in their minds, not their bodies? Jack said, Homo…? Homophrosynê, I said. Do you see how it’s being set up? Do you see what’s coming? Your physical appearance can change with time, but nobody can take away what? Brendan’s hand shot into the air. What you know, he said. Over in his corner on the left, my father had grown serious. Your memories, he said. The students bent over their books and started writing furiously.