# Calypso explained — Bulfinch’s Mythology

> Chapter companion for Bulfinch’s Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch.

## What happens

Calypso, a sea-nymph, hospitably receives Ulysses and falls in love with him, offering him immortality if he stays. Ulysses insists on returning to his wife and son. Jove commands Calypso to release him, and Mercury delivers the message. Calypso reluctantly helps Ulysses build a raft and sends him off. Later, in Fenelon's romance, Telemachus visits Calypso's isle seeking his father, and with Minerva's guidance, resists her allurements, leaping into the sea to escape.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hospitality and Its Violation

Calypso initially offers hospitality to Ulysses but then seeks to detain him against his will, violating the proper bounds of guest-friendship.

### Mortality and Immortality

Calypso offers Ulysses immortality, but he chooses his mortal wife and son, highlighting the tension between divine and human existence.

## Character check-ins

### Calypso

A sea-nymph who receives Ulysses hospitably, falls in love with him, and offers him immortality; later reluctantly obeys Jove's command to release him.

### Ulysses

The hero who insists on returning to his country, wife, and son despite Calypso's offer of immortality; builds a raft and faces a storm.

### Jupiter

Commands Calypso to dismiss Ulysses, sending Mercury with the message.

### Mercury

Delivers Jove's command to Calypso in her grotto.

### Minerva

In the guise of Mentor, accompanies Telemachus and guides him to resist Calypso's allurements.

## Key lines

> Calypso received Ulysses hospitably, entertained him magnificently, became enamoured of him, and wished to retain him forever, conferring on him immortality.

Calypso welcomed Ulysses warmly, treated him lavishly, fell in love with him, and wanted to keep him permanently by granting him eternal life.

_Summarizes Calypso's initial actions and desires toward Ulysses._

> Calypso at last received the command of Jove to dismiss him. Mercury brought the message to her, and found her in her grotto...

Eventually, Jupiter ordered Calypso to let Ulysses go, and Mercury delivered this command to her in her cave.

_Describes the divine intervention forcing Calypso to release Ulysses._

> But Minerva, who in the shape of Mentor accompanied him and governed all his movements, made him repel her allurements, and when no other means of escape could be found, the two friends leaped from a cliff into the sea, and swam to a vessel which lay becalmed off shore.

Minerva, disguised as Mentor, guided Telemachus and helped him resist Calypso's temptations; when trapped, they jumped from a cliff into the sea and swam to a nearby ship.

_Recounts Telemachus' escape from Calypso's island with Minerva's aid._

## Links

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