Calypso
Calypso – She Who Conceals
Calypso, daughter of Atlas, lives on an extremely remote island, Ogygia, far from mortals or deities. (According to Homer, anyway: the not quite so remote Maltese island of Gozo claims to be her residence.) Calypso is most famous for her part in Homer’s Odyssey. Shipwrecked Odysseus lives on Calypso’s paradise island for seven years as her lover. In the Odyssey, Calypso is described as a Nymph and a goddess. Odysseus calls her the “dread goddess with human speech.”
Calypso offered Odysseus immortality if he stayed with her, but he chose to return to his home and wife. Although Calypso attempted to keep him anyway, Zeus sent Hermes to tell Calypso to release Odysseus. She helped him build a boat and sent him on his way.
Calypso is an ancient, pre-Olympian goddess. Her offer of immortality to Odysseus was sincere. This goddess of love, beauty, and seductionhas powers over life and death. Calypso may have had a liaison with Hermes. She is matron of those who are selective with lovers, who seek only true love or particularly exciting liaisons, who’d rather be alone than with the wrong person.
Calypso, her garden, and her long affair with Odysseus are favourite subjects of artists, including Max Beckmann and Arnold Böcklin. Vanessa Williams is Calypso in Andrei Konchalovsky’s 1997 television miniseries, The Odyssey.
ALSO KNOWN AS:
Kalypso
MANIFESTATION:
She is described as eternally beautiful.
TREE:
Poplar
REALM:
Calypso lives in a cave, which opens into a garden with wildflowers; fruiting vines, poplar, and cypress trees; and four fountains.
SACRED SITE:
Calypso Cave on the Mediterranean island of Gozo
SEE ALSO:
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses– Written by Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.