Confirmation 2

I don't think I have arrived in clear-seen Ithaca! I have been diverted to some other land. I think you speak with mocking words to trick my mind. Tell me if truly I have come to the land of my fathers?

Poros

Rouda bay

The Pass

But come, I will show you the land of Ithaca, so you may become familiar with it. This is the harbor of Phorkys, the Old Man of the Sea. Here is the long-leaved olive at the head of the harbour. Near it is the lovely misty cave, sacred to the nymphs, who are called Naiads. This is a high-roofed cave where you were accustomed to make abundant sacrifice of perfect victims to the nymphs. Over there is Mount Neriton, clothed in forest.

And 'Athena' replies.

Odyssey Book 13 line 283-292 Barry B Powell
Odyssey Book 13 line 320-326 Barry B Powell

Syvota

Odysseus wonders:

In order to confirm his whereabouts Odysseus must have climbed up from Cape Lougi to a point with a complete overview, the shepherd would have known where to go and led the way. On that spot 'Athena' points out all the landmarks, including the bay of Phorkys, which seems an odd thing to do if it's the same bay they've just left behind. Clearly, it confirms my assertion there must have been two harbours involved. The same goes for the caves and the olive trees, 'Athena' wouldn't be pointing to the tree near the beach that Odysseus had just seen.

Cape Lougi

Of course, I couldn't be sure he really climbed the mountain, much like Odysseus I needed confirmation for my own cleverness. So, up the mountain I had to go! In 2016, when I spent two months on Lefkada to do my research, I surveyed the area.