SEVEN FOR THE ROAD

When Circe realized that I, Telegonus, her youngest son had come of age she finally revealed to me that my father was the noble King Odysseus of Ithaca, son of Laertes.

My mother told me what she knew of Odysseus. How he was victorious in battle at Troy, but suffered though the obstacles of swarming seas and hostile men upon his return home to his throne in Ithaca. With the help Athena he was spared death, but had to contend with the vengeance of the gods who delivered a journey home fraught with storms and torment. She told me how once Odysseus reached the Aeacean island his ship and men arrived to find safe harbor and a bounty of healthy stags to gorge themselves on.

He sent his men visit Circe who turned them in to all manner of beast, from swine to wolf to lion. All but Eurylochus who sensed her trap. He ran back to the ship and told Odysseus of the fate of his men. Odysseus, brave and forever loyal soul promptly sought out our castle.

As he drew near Hermes, god of the golden wand, provided him with a drug to shield him from her potions. He entered the house, drew his sword on my poor mother and demanded the return of his men who she had turned to swine. She had never come across such a brave soul, especially one who was not affected by the stroke of her magic wand. Fearing her life she complied and returned his men larger and more handsome than they were before.

She won their spirits over and coaxed them to stay for a year. During this time he won over the heart of Circe and she bore Ardeias, Anteias, Romus, Romanus, Latinus, Agrius and myself. But it was my father's fate to return. He men urged him to see to their safe return home to Ithaca. I do not know why my father was so determined to continue this journey when he had the love of my mother and all the fine meats and wine he could ever desire. She even offered him immortality, and yet he was determined to go.

However, she did love him and wanted to do all she could to ensure a journey that was free of the torment and troubles that he had to endure to get this far. Before he left she sent him on a journey to the house of death to consult the ghost of Tiresias the blind prophet, and seer of Thebes. Upon finding Tiresias he learned the way to go, how to navigate the swarming sea to finally safely reach home.

Knowing now who my father truly was knew I must set out to find him. To see if he indeed made it back to Ithaca and why he left my mother to raise seven sons on here own. Circe provided me with a lance poisoned with the spine of a trygon. I gathered the finest of the men on the island and set out for Ithaca, kingdom of my father, Odysseus the son of Laertes.

Circe stocked up my ship and conjured up a strong wind to guide us on our way. After many months at sea we arrived in a deep fog at what must be the shore of Corcyra. We were nearly out of food and my men pleaded with me to stop so we could gather up fresh meats and supplies to continue on our journey.

ARRIVAL IN A STRANGE LAND

I sent out twenty of my finest men to find enough food and supplies to allow them a well deserved meal and a beast to offer up to Poseidon to thank him for our swift and safe journey. However, Ithaca was still eluding us and the fog had not lifted for several days.

When the men returned the told me of a village where a man lived who knew the fate of my father. This man was known as Gyrri the former lord of a far away village who is now a popular bard. He entertains the villagers at the meeting grounds with nymphs and sirens. It is said these people are so enthralled by these sights that they take on the manner of swine and have to be held back by the man-at-arms. My finest man was told that if I were to tell my story to Gyrri and his guests he would reveal the fate of my father Odysseus, and tell me why he chose to leave Circe and his seven sons.

I told my men to wait on the ship while I stowed away my lance with the spine of a trygon and headed directly for the bard's meeting place. Upon my arrival at the center of the village I was approached by a young maiden, barely old enough to be walking through the busy village alone. She told me that the people of the village would be gathering soon and Gyrri was awaiting my presence. She took me to the back of the stage where I was greeted by the very bard himself.

GYRRI, FORMER LORD OF CINCINNATI

Gyrri seemed like a simple man, he was dressed like any proper working man, yet he still had the presence of a lord and command of his powerful men-at-arms. Men capable of restraining the unruly frenzied townspeople and immune to the powers of the nymphs and sirens who paraded in front of them. I made an effort to capture the attention of Gyrri, bard of this town of Corcyra. He was preoccupied with the audience and began to coax them in to a frenzy as he told them of the sights they were about to see. As I stood waiting for my chance to speak to Gyrri I could hear the people of the village squealing and grunting like the very men transformed by my dear mother Circe. Their presence is so close that I can almost smell them.

As the ritual began another guest was brought forward. His story was not unlike mine. He was a young merchant named Radamius from nearby Same who, like me, sought to discover the fate of his father. The poor man was brought on to the stage only to find out that his father Rithronor, a sea going merchant had been trapped here after his ship went down. Poseidon had nearly sealed his fate. He was washed ashore on the banks of this land and, not wanting to temp fate again stayed here leaving his young son to fend for himself. After setting up shop he recently took the hand of a young maiden who served him as a faithful new worker in his supply shop.

This nymph stood next to me at this very moment. She was quite in a state of confusion as she was called on stage. At that moment the young merchant man let our a piercing wail. This woman was his very wife who had left him only a few short months earlier. She had been stolen aboard the vessel of a slave trader. Now she was the wife of his very father! The villagers let out a loud cry and hollered insults to Radamius the merchant of Same and Rithronor. What cruel fate it was that such a thing should happen.

Suddenly Radamius charged his father, accusing him of being too weak to return home. Rithronor, countered by stating that the nymph had grown tired of the merchant, he could not support her and she began to wander at night. This lead to her capture and eventual marriage to Rithronor.

Radamius was no match for the men-at-arms who, do their best to allow the brawl to flame up, but not so much as to allow him to lay a hand on his father. Seeing such a display only served to make me wonder what strange mockery Gyrri would make of my situation. Had my father somehow come to marry another nymph like my dear mother Circe? The suspense made my blood boil. The roar of the crowd, and the harsh insults began to work me in to a fury.

The men -at-arms forced Radmius, Rithronor, and the nymph in to their seats at the edge of the stage. The sized me up to see how I might react, they were confident, but somehow more nervous. Suddenly an older man and his son passed by, a seasoned fighter with large arms, a full head taller than the men-at-arms. His son was a brave looking man about 5 or 10 years my senior. They were plainly dressed, but something about them was all too familiar.

When the large man reached the stage the men-at-arms surrounded me and held me arms and legs in place as if I had been taken prisoner. Gyrri called out to the people of the village. "This man on stage, the husband of our fair and faithful queen Penelope, and father of Telemachus, who has suffered greatly to be by her side...he needs no introduction."The crowd all cheered for this honorable warrior. "He has been trespassed against, but we've caught the man who has stolen his cattle."

Gyrri, had tricked me into facing the owner of the cattle we had taken when we first arrived on the island of Corcyra. I was dragged on to the stage and as soon as the great aged warrior saw my face he charged me much the same way as Radamius has charged his father. Only this outraged man was easily three times his size and much larger and quicker than the men-at-arms who stood along the stage.

The people of the village rose to their feet, no doubt hoping to see my blood spilled upon the stage. The men-at-arms who I had brought me forth were now nowhere e to be seen. As the warrior approached, I reached for my lance, tipped with the poisonous spine of a trygon, given to me by Circe, my loving mother.

I managed to dodge the clutches of the massive man before me. By the scar on his leg, I could tell that he had escaped many battles, but in is old age he did not anticipate the lance now piercing his kidney. The poison quickly worked its magic and he dropped to the ground.

Suddenly his wife appeared from backstage. She cried out his name, "Odysseus!"

THE FATE OF THE KING OF ITHACA

I came to realize that this was indeed the king of Ithaca, my father Odysseus. I had just killed the man I spent so many months to seek. Penelope held him in her arms. She knew his fate would someday come from the sea, but never expected it to happen so soon. I dropped to my knees and looked in to the eyes of the fallen warrior. Athena appeared and seeing that the mortal she had tried so hard to protect forced me to promise to marry Penelope.

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TALK SHOW DIGEST #22 Book 4
- Finally the whole story of Telegonus, in his own words.
- Results of the second Jerry Springer Talk Show murder trial.

Related Links:
- Jerry Springer Show guest murdered 24 hours after show aired.
http://www.newscoast.com/2news.cfm?ID=29098

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Talk Show Producers Deny Wrongdoing Citing Fate as Cause of Confrontation.

Telegonus the youngest son of Circe (and apparently our seafaring adulterous King) unknowingly murdered his own father last year in front of a live TV audience. Last week he agreed to travel home to Aeaea with Penelope, Telemachus to bury the body of our slain King Odysseus.

The producers of the Jerry Springer show allegedly tricked Telegonus in to appearing on the show under the pretense that Mr. Springer would provide him with knowledge of the whereabouts of his father. Apparently, Telegonus shipwrecked on Ithaca thinking he was on the island of Corcyra. He began to help himself to Odysseus's cattle until he was spotted by a god in the form of a young maiden who lead him to the producers of the show. We were unable to reach the god for comment.

"YO, Telegonus was bein'dissed bigtime, man." Stated audience member witness who refused to be mentioned by name. Telegonus witnessed the previous guest in dismay and then was suddenly accused of stealing cattle. To top it all off the security guards apparently "let loose"Odysseus, the once great warrior who ransacked Troy, who then charged the accused cattle thief. Telegonus drew his weapon in self defense, apparently having no premeditated reason to murder the very man he had traveled so far to see.

Mr. Springer denies responsibility for the murder stating that he was only trying to bring a known cattle thief to justice. He claims that the producers of the show are responsible for the content and agenda, adding that it must have been fate. A security guard for the show apparently saw that Telegonus was carrying a the lance, but were unaware of the poisonous nature of Trygon spines it had been poisoned with. -------------------original message--------------------------

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TALK SHOW DIGEST #27 Book 8
- How do you feel about the double marriage in Aeaea?
- Immortality, is it all that?

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Press Denied Access to High-Profile Double Stepmother Marriage

Athena in a surprise announcement form Aeaea will be wedding not one, but TWO pairs of men to their stepmothers. Telegonus, who was recently released in to the custody of Athena was forced to marry his step mother, our faithful Queen Penelope. At the same time Telemachus announced his marriage to Circe goddess and enchantress of Aeaea shortly after the burial of the late King Odysseus of Ithaca, son of Laertes. The wedding will be taking place on the isle of Aeaea.

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Forevermore on the Isles of the Blest. At least the Gods Get to Travel...

Penelope and Telegonus were granted immortality by the gods. But how much time do you
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