Book 2.5
Telemachus and Zycloseus
When young Dawn with her rose-red fingers shone once more young Telemachus rose from his deep sleep. He and his men were on an island, a fairly small island that he had not yet heard about. Telemachus and his men decided to stay and rest there for a while. Young Telemachus decided to go for a short walk about the island. He started off on his path and walked for quite some hours when he heard a monstrous roar. Although young Telemachus was very fearful, he thought of his father and decided to live up to his father's reputation of bravery. As he came nearer to the roar he saw a glistening jewel. This jewel was like none other he had ever seen. This jewel was as big as his head. Abandoning his goal to find the maker of the monstrous roar, he took hold of the jewel and started on the journey back to his ship. After only a short while he heard the roar coming from closer and he looked back and saw Zycloseus the birdlike creature that he had only heard about in stories as a boy. Telemachus ran as fast as he could although he was no match in speed to Zycloseus. Zycloseus soon grew near enough to reach out and grab the young Telemachus. As Zycloseus held Telemachus he took the great jewel from Telemachus' hands. He roared with great anger now and Telemachus feared for his life. Young Telemachus called out, "Great Zycloseus, why are you so angry? Have I done you wrong? I never meant to anger you, please tell me what I have done to earn this wrath from you." The great Zycloseus felt pity for the young unwise Telemachus and he answered the boy in his human voice, "You, you greedy man have stolen the egg of my next born boy. Why have you done so? Did you think it was of your belonging? Tell me now." Young Telemachus, so confused, did not understand the great Zycloseus. "That great jewel, it was an egg?" Telemachus questioned. Zycloseus looked at the boy once again with great anger. "I did not know, I thought it was a jewel. I would not have stolen your egg Great Zycloseus. I have much respect for you."
"And if it was a jewel, you have the right to seize? This is not your land and you do not belong here. This is my island and everything on it belongs to me. Are you a greedy man? I know you are a prince and have very much wealth. Why must you steal?"
"I did not steal for the wealth of the supposed jewel. I thought I might ask of its reason. Why is there such a great jewel on such a small island? Why is it that a jewel of such beauty would be on an island where no one could see it? I did not realize that you, Great Zycloseus was upon this island. Please spare me my life Great Zycloseus. For I, Telemachus, son of Odysseus is far too young to die."
Once again the sympathetic creature took pity on young Telemachus. He was like a child finding a kitten and begging to take care of it although they have no time to do so. Zycloseus said, "I will spare your life but only if you give me reason. What will I gain if I leave you to live?"
"Thank the gods for your kindness. I will give you anything you want…"
"My next child will be born soon and I have no food to feed them. Might you have any meat that I could feed him? If you do not I will have to feed them you."
"We do not have any food on our ship that is not already eaten. Will you spare me if I give you other of my men?"
Young Telemachus once again heard the roar that he had heard the first time and took this answer as a yes. Zycloseus did not put Telemachus down just yet but instead walked to Telemachus' ship. As the great Zycloseus put Telemachus back down he took up five of Telemachus' men and went back off to his cave.
Telemachus had not followed his plan of being brave like his father but he knew that in order to find his father he had to do this.
They sailed off that through the night and through the dawn.
Telemachus and Zycloseus
When young Dawn with her rose-red fingers shone once more young Telemachus rose from his deep sleep. He and his men were on an island, a fairly small island that he had not yet heard about. Telemachus and his men decided to stay and rest there for a while. Young Telemachus decided to go for a short walk about the island. He started off on his path and walked for quite some hours when he heard a monstrous roar. Although young Telemachus was very fearful, he thought of his father and decided to live up to his father's reputation of bravery. As he came nearer to the roar he saw a glistening jewel. This jewel was like none other he had ever seen. This jewel was as big as his head. Abandoning his goal to find the maker of the monstrous roar, he took hold of the jewel and started on the journey back to his ship. After only a short while he heard the roar coming from closer and he looked back and saw Zycloseus the birdlike creature that he had only heard about in stories as a boy. Telemachus ran as fast as he could although he was no match in speed to Zycloseus. Zycloseus soon grew near enough to reach out and grab the young Telemachus. As Zycloseus held Telemachus he took the great jewel from Telemachus' hands. He roared with great anger now and Telemachus feared for his life. Young Telemachus called out, "Great Zycloseus, why are you so angry? Have I done you wrong? I never meant to anger you, please tell me what I have done to earn this wrath from you." The great Zycloseus felt pity for the young unwise Telemachus and he answered the boy in his human voice, "You, you greedy man have stolen the egg of my next born boy. Why have you done so? Did you think it was of your belonging? Tell me now." Young Telemachus, so confused, did not understand the great Zycloseus. "That great jewel, it was an egg?" Telemachus questioned. Zycloseus looked at the boy once again with great anger. "I did not know, I thought it was a jewel. I would not have stolen your egg Great Zycloseus. I have much respect for you."
"And if it was a jewel, you have the right to seize? This is not your land and you do not belong here. This is my island and everything on it belongs to me. Are you a greedy man? I know you are a prince and have very much wealth. Why must you steal?"
"I did not steal for the wealth of the supposed jewel. I thought I might ask of its reason. Why is there such a great jewel on such a small island? Why is it that a jewel of such beauty would be on an island where no one could see it? I did not realize that you, Great Zycloseus was upon this island. Please spare me my life Great Zycloseus. For I, Telemachus, son of Odysseus is far too young to die."
Once again the sympathetic creature took pity on young Telemachus. He was like a child finding a kitten and begging to take care of it although they have no time to do so. Zycloseus said, "I will spare your life but only if you give me reason. What will I gain if I leave you to live?"
"Thank the gods for your kindness. I will give you anything you want…"
"My next child will be born soon and I have no food to feed them. Might you have any meat that I could feed him? If you do not I will have to feed them you."
"We do not have any food on our ship that is not already eaten. Will you spare me if I give you other of my men?"
Young Telemachus once again heard the roar that he had heard the first time and took this answer as a yes. Zycloseus did not put Telemachus down just yet but instead walked to Telemachus' ship. As the great Zycloseus put Telemachus back down he took up five of Telemachus' men and went back off to his cave.
Telemachus had not followed his plan of being brave like his father but he knew that in order to find his father he had to do this.
They sailed off that through the night and through the dawn.