The Odyssey - Circe (Wellington) Traditional Cache

The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer.

The poem mainly centers on the Greek hero Odysseus (or Ulysses, as he was known in Roman myths) and his journey home after the fall of Troy. It takes Odysseus ten years to reach his home land of Ithaca after the ten-year Trojan War. In his absence, it is assumed he has died, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must deal with a group of unruly suitors, who compete for Penelope's hand in marriage.

Take up the challenge, and embark on your own Odyssey, visit the sixes caches in this series and take part in some of the adventures, trials and tribulations that Odysseus endured during his epic journey. Hopefully it will take you a little less than 10 years.

After being blown back to Aeolus and unsuccessfully pleading with him to help them again, they re-embarked and encountered the cannibalistic Laestrygonians. All of Odysseus’s ships except his own entered the harbour of the Laestrygonians’ Island and were immediately destroyed. He sailed on and visited the witch-goddess Circe.

Circe is described as living in a mansion that stands in the middle of a clearing in a dense wood. Around the house prowled strangely docile lions and wolves, the drugged victims of her magic, they were not dangerous, and fawned on all newcomers. Circe worked at a huge loom.She invited Odysseus' crew to a feast of familiar food, a pottage of cheese and meal, sweetened with honey and laced with wine, but also laced with one of her magical potions, and she turned them all into pigs with a wand after they gorged themselves on it. Only Eurylochus, suspecting treachery from the outset, escaped to warn Odysseus and the others who had stayed behind at the ships. Odysseus set out to rescue his men, but was intercepted by his great grandfather, Hermes, who had been sent by Athena. Hermes told Odysseus to use the holy herb moly to protect himself from Circe's potion and, having resisted it, to draw his sword and act as if he were to attack Circe. From there, Circe would ask him to be her lover, but Hermes advised caution, for even then the goddess would be treacherous. She would take his manhood unless he had her swear by the names of the gods that she would not.

Odysseus followed Hermes's advice, freeing his men. Odysseus and his men remained on the island for one year feasting and drinking wine. Circe suggested to Odysseus two alternative routes to return to Ithaca: toward the "Wandering Rocks" where King Aeolus reigned or passing between the dangerous Scylla and the whirlpool Charybdis, conventionally identified with the Strait of Messina. She also advised Odysseus to go to the Underworld and gave him directions.

You will need to visit 6 caches in this series to gather information to work out where the Final Cache GC3GZ6J “The Odyssey- Ithaca” is hidden.

Each cache contains a code you should remember to write down and take with you.

The six caches in the series are

• GC3GZ5D – Calypso
• GC3GZ5H – The Lotus Eaters
• GC3GZ5M – Cyclops
• GC3GZ5T – Aeolus
• GC3GZ5Y – Circe
• GC3GZ60 – The Sirens

Please NOTE that you must sign the log book for each individual cacher, Finds logged not corresponding with the logbook may be deleted.

Please take some time before leaving to ensure that the cache is re-hidden exactly as you found it.