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THE ODYSSEY

Homer

Ithaica is the kingdom where the Greek hero Odysseus and his wife Penelope lived not
until when Odysseus disappear from his kingdom. Penelope has many suitors but she remained
faithful to his husband. One of her suitors, Atinous, plans to assassinate prince Telemachus, the
son of Odysseus and Penelope, because the young prince wanted desperately to throw them out
but does not have the confidence or experience to fight them.

On the island of Ogygia, Odysseus imprisoned by a beautiful nymph, Calypso, who


possessed by love for him. The gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus debate for Odysseus
future and Athena, one of Odysseuss strongest supporters, decided to help Prince Telemachus.
They help out the plan. Telemachus has been informed by the two kings, Nestor and Menelaus
that his father was alive and was trapped on Calypsos island. When Telemachus return home,
Atinous and others suitors prepare to kill him.

Zeus sends Hermes to the island of Ogygia to rescue Odysseus from Calypso. Hermes
persuades Calypso to let Odysseus leave, so the homesick hero sets sail, but Poseidon finds him
sailing home and he sends a storm to wreck his ship. Athena helps Odysseus save from
Poseidons wrath. Nausicaa, the Phaeacian princess brings Odysseus to the royal palace and he
welcomed by the king and queen.

Odysseus was back in Ithaica, disguised as a beggar, he encountered Telemachus, who


has returned from Pylos and Sparta despite the suitors ambush. Odysseus and telemachus plan
to massacre the suitors and regain control of Ithaica.

No one recognized him when he was arrived at the palace, except only for Eurycleia, his
old nurse. Penelope has a feeling that the beggar might be her long-lost husband. To find out the
truth, she organizes an archery contest where she promised to marry the man who can
accomplish Odysseuss great bow and fire. Each suitor tries to string the bow and fails. And
when Odysseus steps up to the bow and fires an arrow through all twelve axes. And then turns
the bow on the suitors, assisted by his son Telemachus and by a few faithful servants they killed
every last suitors.
Odyssseus reveals himself to the entire palace and reunites with his loving wife,
Penelope. He travels to see his aging father, Laertes, who successfully kills Antinouss father
when some family members of the dead suitors come to attack. With his power secure and his
family reunited, Odysseuss long ordeal comes to an end.
THE DIVINE COMEDY: INFERNO

Dante Alighieri

Dante and Virgil enter the vestibule of Hell and reached the banks of the river Acheron
where souls await passage into Hell proper. Charon, a ferryman, takes them across the river to
Limbo, the first circle of Hell. In Limbo, the poets stop to speak with other great poets, Homer,
Ovid, Horace, Lucan, and then enter a great citadel where philosophers reside.

Dante and Virgil enter the second circle of Hell, where monster minos, send them to the
proper circle according to their sin. Dante meets Paolo and Francesca, the two unfaithful lovers.

The two poets move on to the third circle, the Gluttons, who are guarded by the monster
Cerberus. Dante and Virgil spend eternity wallowing in mud and mire, and Dante recognizes a
Florentine, Ciacco, who gives him the first of many negative, prophesies about him and
Florence.

The fifth circle is for the Wrathful and Sullen such as the Black Filippo Argenti and has
the beast Phlegyas.

The city of Dis begins Circle Six, the realm of the violent. This circle is for Heretics, who
were imprisoned in red-hot sepulchers. Dante spoke with Farinata, a great-hearted Epicurean
who predicted Dantes exile from Florence. He also met Cavalcante de Cavalcanti, the father of
his friend Guido.

In the first ring of the seventh circle they passed the Minotaur and met a group of
centaurs, who shot the sinners who tried to escape with their arrows. The first ring was made up
of the violent against others: tyrants and murderers. These were tormented in a river of boiling
blood: the Phlegethon. In the second ring, they found a black forest full of twisted trees. These
were suicides: Dante spoke to one after seeing a broken twig bleed. The suicide was Pier della
Vigna, who had committed suicide while wrongfully imprisoned by his patron. They were
interrupted by two souls dashing through the forest, chased by black hounds. These were those
who had been violent to their own possessions: those who had squandered their goods.
In the third ring there were the violent against God: blasphemers, sodomites, and usurers.
These were punished by having to sit or walk around on flaming sand under a rain of fire. Dante
spoke affectionately with one sodomite, Ser Brunetto, who had been something of a mentor for
him when he was alive.

In the eight circle, Dante and Virgil carried by the beast Geryon for those committing
Sins of Fruad. This circle was Malebolge, and was formed of ten different enclosures in which
different kinds of fraud were punished.

Moving on to the ninth circle, Dante was frightened by a loud bugle blast. What he
thought was a city with towers turned out to be a number of giants, including Nimrod and those
who had rebelled against the Olympians. A comparatively blameless giant helped Dante and
Virgil into the pit of the ninth circle.

In the first ring of the ninth circle, Dante was sinners frozen into ice. These were traitors against
their kin, including two brothers who had murdered each other. The second ring, where sinners
were deeper in the ice, held those who betrayed their parties and their homelands. Dante
tormented one of these, Bocca, to make him confess his name. In the third ring, Dante spoke
with some other sinners who had assassinated their guests. He learned to his surprise that it was
possible for a soul to be in Hell when its body was still living. In the fourth ring, traitors against
their benefactors were totally covered in ice. Finally, at the bottom of Hell, Dante saw the
gigantic figure of Lucifer, who ground up Judas, Brutus, and Cassius in his tree mouths. Virgil
and Dante climbed on Lucifer all the way through the center of the earth and to the other side,
where they finally emerged in the southern hemisphere.
THE RAMAYANA

Stephen Knapp

Kasola is an ancient kingdom that was located in present day Utter Pradesh. Dasharatha
was the king of Kasola. He was loved by one and all. Despite of having a prosperous kingdom
and everything he desired, Dasharatha was very sad at heart because he had no children.

As advised by his family priest, Vashishtha, Dasharatha performed a fire sacrifice


ceremony to seek the bleesings of God for the children. Vishnu, the preserver of the universe,
wants to kill Ravana, and so he decided to manifest himself as the eldest son of Dasharatha.
During the ceremony, a majestic figure rose from the sacrificial fire and handed to Dasharatha a
bowl of rice pudding, which will be distributed to his wives to bear children.

The three queens gave their birth. Kausalya, the eldest queen gave birth to the eldest son
Rama. Kaikeyi born the second son, Bharata, and Sumitra gave birth to the twins Lakshmana and
Shatrughna.

One day, Viswamintra came to Ayodha and asked Dasharatha to send his eldest son
Rama to kill the Rakshasas who were disturbing his fire sacrifice. Rama was then only fifteen
years old. Dasharatha thought Rama was too young for that kind of job and so he offered
himself. Viswamintra knew better, he insisted and assure to Dasharatha that Rama would be safe
in his hands. Rama along with his brother Lakshmana goes with Viswamintra.

Viswamintra, Rama and Lakshmana reached Dandaka forest where the Rakshasi Tadaka
and her son Maricha lived. A fierce battle ensued between the huge Rakshasi and Rama. Tadaka
was been defeated by Rama and Viswamintra was pleased.

The next morning, Viswamintra, Rama and Lakshmana headed towards the city of
Mithila, the capital of the kingdom of Janaka. They were invited by the king to attend the great
fire sacrifice ceremony that he had arranged. Suddenly, Viswamintra comes to the thought of
getting Rama married to the lovely daughter of king Janaka. King Janaka wanted his beautiful
daughter Sita to marry the bravest and strongest prince in the country. So he had vowed that he
would give Sita in marriage only to the one who could string that great bow of Siva. Many had
tried before but none could even move the bow.

When Viswamintra arrived with Rama Lakshmana at the court, King Janaka received
them with great respect. Viswamintra introduced Rama and Lakshmana to the king and requested
that he show the bow of Siva to Rama so that he could try to string it. Rama then stood up in all
humility, picked up the bow with ease, and got ready to string. He bent the bow to string it and to
everyones surprise the bow snapped at two. Sita had liked Rama right at the first sight.

Dasharatha was immediately informed and he gladly gave his consent to the marriage and
came to Mithila with his retinue. After the preparations Rama and Sita got married. Dasharatha
returned to Ayodha with his sons and their new brides. People celebrated the marriage with great
pomp and show.

For the next twele years Rama and Sita lived happily in Ayodha. As Dasharatha was
growing older, he summoned his ministers seeking their opinion about crowning Rama as a
Prince of Ayodha. They unanimously welcomed the suggestion of the king. Then Dasharatha
announced the decision and gave orders for the coronation of Rama.

Kaikeyi, Bharatas mother, was in the palace rejoicing with the other queens, sharing
happy news of Ramas coronation. Manthara, Kaikeyis maid wanted Bharata to be the king so
she devised a heinous plan to thwart Ramas coronation. As soon as the plan was set firmly in
her mind, she rushed to Kaikeyi to tell her.

Kaikeyi loved Rama as her own son and that she has no problem with Rama being the
crown Prince of Kosala. Manthara repeatedly gave her poisoned suggestions, clouding Kaikeyis
mind and heart with suspicion and doubt. Kaikeyi became confused and distraught, then finally
agreed to Mantharas plan.

The night before the coronation, Dasharatha came to Kaikeyi to share his happiness at
seeing Rama the crown prince of Kosala. But Kaikeyi wasnt there, Dasharatha found his
beloved queen on her anger room lying on the floor with her loose and her ornaments cast away.
They argued about crowning of Rama because she wanted Bharata to be the one crowed of.
Dasharatha fell down unconscious. When he returned to his senses, he cried out in helpless
anger. Dasharatha fainted and lay on the floor the rest of the night. The next morning,
Dasharatha was not in a position to speak to anyone. Kaikeyi asked Sumantra to call Rama and
when Rama arrived, hid farther was sobbing umcontrollably and could only utter his name.

Kaikeyi tell Rama about the boons. And Rama granted it. He then did his pranams to his
revered to his stepmother and then left the room. Dasharatha was in shock, he painfully asked his
attendants to move him to Kaushalyas apartment.

The news of Ramas exile spread like a fire.

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