"When I was a sixth grader, I used to read "The Odyssey" with a flashlight after I'd been sent to bed. I was both fascinated and frustrated when the women characters left their endless weaving to make brief, intriguing appearances in the men's hall. I always wanted to know how they felt about what was happening, but that was almost never revealed. Did Helen enjoy having the world's most beautiful face? Did Penelope blame her for launching the great war? And why did Circe keep changing men into pigs? I suppose I began retelling these stories to answer my own questio...
![]() Aphrodite's Blessing |