The Odyssey Aeolus Quotes

Aeolus stowed the sack inside my holds, lashed so fast
with a burnished silver cord
not even a slight puff could slip past that knot.
Yet he set the West Wind free to blow us on our way
and waft our squadron home. But his plan was bound to fail,
yes, our own reckless folly swept us on to ruin.

– Homer

The Odyssey, Book 10, lines 26-31. To ensure safe passage home for Odysseus and his men, King Aeolus gives him a bag of winds to aid his journey. Inside the tightly tied bag are all the unfavorable winds, leaving only the west wind free to help Odysseus sail home.

"Away from my island – fast – most cursed man alive!
It’s a crime to host a man or speed him on his way
when the blessed deathless gods despise him so.
Crawling back like this –
it proves the immortals hate you! Out – get out!"
Groan as I did, his curses drove me from his halls
and from there we pulled away with heavy hearts,
with the crews’ spirit broken under the oars’ labor,
thanks to our own folly…no favoring wind in sight.

– Homer

The Odyssey, Book 10, lines 79-87. King Aeolus denies Odysseus and his men hospitality because they squandered his gift of the bag of winds. Giving them their marching orders, he describes Odysseus as the most cursed man alive. And many would agree!
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