SUMMER 2015: A GREEK TRAGEDY

Athena, goddess of wisdom. Fierce and brave in battle.

It just happened that I came across a beautiful edition of Homer's Odyssey a few weeks ago and read it with much joy.  Last time I read it was in high school ...
At any rate with the last weeks of current events in Greece, I couldn't help but make some comparisons.  The entire country of Greece needs to see itself in epic terms.  This is pretty much an epic moment for them so why not decide to be the Hero!

According to this chart, Greece would seem to be somewhere in the Abyss ( death & rebirth) phase.  It is indeed a tricky phase.  They seem to have already failed quite a few of the "challenges and temptations" and my guess is that they failed to call upon the appropriate helper/mentor/helper.
This is where their ancient past is a serious bonus.  They have an extraordinary wealth of mentors and helpers in their gods, goddesses, philosophers, mythologies, etc...

Odysseus winning back his kingdom

They need look no further than Homer's Odyssey.  It's truly all there.  He, like modern Greece, spent a few too many years whiling away the days on a tropical island crying himself to sleep fearing he would never regain his former awesome life.  But the wise and concerned Athena, lit a proverbial fire up under his ass and got him started for home.  And as the chart clearly shows, part of the journey home involves going down into Hell and conversing with the dead to gain some insight.  Greeks, are you listening?  I think you know what this means.  The sh*t just got real.  But, Athena cares.  She cares a lot and she goes the distance to help.  Which in normal language means wisdom, clarity and a sound plan are crucial.

And learn from past mistakes!!!  Pissing off Poseidon costs way too much.  Come up with an alternate plan...

This bizarre escape plan just doesn't fly in the modern world.  Don't even try it.

And you have definitely already lost too many men to the siren song.  Take an alternate route.  It's obvious that it's going to suck.  Odysseus continually refers to himself as the most unlucky man alive.  But, he is brave as Hell and feverishly devoted to his home of Ithaca.  The gods love him for these qualities.  And so do the readers of Homer.  So, Greece, find your inner hero and win the day... which according to mythology (and the above chart) is possibly 20 years away, but worth every challenge and sacrifice when the home you are trying to preserve looks like this:

Odysseus' own sweet Ithaca

You can do it Greece!