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Homer's Ithaca Rediscovered

The DiscoveryToday's islands of Ithaca and Cephalonia lie to the west of Greece, between Corfu to the north and Zacynthos to the south. Although Ithaca is described as an island in the Odyssey, Homer's Cephallenians are the people who live there in the Iliad:Odysseus led the gallant Cephallenians,From Ithaca and leaf-quivering Neriton, Iliad 2.631-2When Odysseus makes himself known to King Alcinoos on the island of Scherie (thought to be Corfu) he introduces his homeland with a description that scholars have pondered over for many centuries:I am Odysseus, Laertes' son, world-famedFor stratagems: my name has reached the heavens.Bright Ithaca is my home: it has a mountain,Leaf-quivering Neriton, far visible.Around are many islands, close to each other,Doulichion and Same and wooded Zacynthos.Ithaca itself lies low, furthest to seaTowards dusk; the rest, apart, face dawn and sun. Odyssey 9.19-26However today's island of Ithaca is not low-lying, it is mountainous. It is clearly not the furthest out to sea and it does not face towards dusk (i.e. west), nor do the adjacent islands face towards the dawn and sun (i.e. east). The geographical layout is almost opposite to that described by Homer, so how can his description of ancient Ithaca make any sense? And where are Same and the lost island of Doulichion?Geology provides a vital clue. The Ionian Islands are located in one of the most tectonically active places in the world, where the African continental plate impacts that of Eurasia. Ten kilometres to the west of Cephalonia the seabed drops from a depth of 300 metres to an incredible 3 kilometres. Every month or so the ground shakes and every few decades there is a major earthquake: the last such event to impact the population was in August 1953.But can earthquakes change the layout of entire islands? That was the challenge facing the exploration team in 2003. It has taken intensive efforts and the advice of experts from all over the world to answer this question. We now know that the answer is a resounding 'yes'. http://www.odysseus-unbound.or... Use/Public Domain

Channel: News & Politics
Uploaded: November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am
Author: djagamemnon

Length: 08:27
Rating: 4.50
Views: 4342

Tags: Greece Homer Iliad Ithaca Ithaci Ithaka Ithaki Kefalonia Odysseus Odyssey Paliki Project Unbound

Video Comments

chousiself (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Homer's Ithaca was located on Lefkas (Lefkada) Island ..It is Known in Greece for many years ..Don't loose your time searching in Doulihion (=nowadays Cefalonia) or Sami (=nowadays Ithaca)..

kaneweb (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Youtube "History Channel on Homer's Ithaca" and you will find Mount Neriton in the video. Bittlestone points it out.

kaneweb (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Google the Odyssey and Astronomy and you will see a fascinating article about recent work with the constellation references in Odyssey. Using computers to back trace the stars, scholars have determined an exact date for Odysseus' return to Ithaca, where ever it may be. Although I still think Bittlestone's work is by far the best on the subject. Regarding the comments - Where is mount Neriton? - please note the history of landslides and earthquakes in the region. Bittlestone does.