Calypso
📍 Gozo, Malta
Legendary Figure
~1300 BC

In Greek mythology, Calypso was a captivating nymph who made her home on the island of Ogygia. Her name, derived from the Ancient Greek Καλυψώ (Kalupsō), means "she who conceals" - a fitting description for her role in Homer's Odyssey. She is most famous for keeping the hero Odysseus on her island for seven years, holding him there against his wishes despite his longing to return home.
Though she offered Odysseus the ultimate gift - immortality itself - in exchange for staying with her forever, the hero's heart remained fixed on returning to his homeland and family. It was only through divine intervention, when the other gods compelled her to release him, that Calypso finally set Odysseus free to continue his journey home.