r/PeterExplainsTheJoke Aug 05 '26

Meme needing explanation Petahhhhhhhhh!??!?

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u/TehAsianator Aug 05 '26

I find it funny how a big deal is made of Penelope refusing the suitors and staying loyal, but Odysseus spends 7 years of his 10 year "return journey" on an island paradise banging Calypso. I know she wasn't letting him leave, but still....

u/MrPagan1517 Aug 05 '26

More modern interpretation take two paths. Either Odysseus refused her advances for 7 years or he was raped by Calypso for 7 years

u/Tokey_TheBear Aug 05 '26

Is that actually true based on the text? From what I remember researching at the time the idea is essentially that they didn't view it them same back then... Back in those days for a man to cheat on their spouse would require them to have sex with someone else who is also married... Thus that is why these soldiers could 'defile' virgins and all of that without it being considered adultery.

u/MrPagan1517 Aug 05 '26

Yeah Odysseus sleeping around was never really depicted as a bad thing to ancient audiences