Greek researchers sense
by James Penha
Odysseus’s presence—
they bird-dog Argos
Researchers from the University of Ioannina in Greece have identified from archaeological evidence newly-discovered at the Agios Athanasios–School of Homer in northern Ithaca what they believe to be the sanctuary of Odysseus where for centuries the iconic hero (whether fictional or real) of Homer’s epic enjoyed cult status.
The comparison in my sciku is to Odysseus’s dog Argos, the only being, despite age and infirmity, to have recognized the disguised hero upon his return, after the twenty years chronicled by Homer, to Ithaca.
The title of the sciku recalls how the hero convinces the cyclops that his name is not Odysseus, but Nobody.
Further reading:
‘Archaeologists May Have Found Odysseus’ Sanctuary on Ithaca’, 2025, Puiu, T., ZME Science, available: https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/archaeologists-may-have-found-odysseus-sanctuary-on-ithaca/
‘Archaeologists Unveil Sanctuary of Odysseus on Ithaca: A Monumental Discovery Rooted in Myth and History’, 2025, Altuntaş, L., Arkeonews, available: https://arkeonews.net/archaeologists-unveil-sanctuary-of-odysseus-on-ithaca-a-monumental-discovery-rooted-in-myth-and-history/
Author bio:
Expat New Yorker James Penha (he/him ?) has lived for the past three decades in Indonesia. Nominated for Pushcart Prizes in fiction and poetry, his work is widely published in journals and anthologies. His newest chapbook of poems, American Daguerreotypes, is available for Kindle here.
Penha edits TheNewVerse.News, an online journal of current-events poetry. You can find out more about his poetry on his website https://jamespenha.com and catch up with him on BlueSky @jamespenha.bsky.social