Personal Narrative: The Odyssey

I was a blacksmith in a town named Ratae (Leicester). I had a very exultant life, 2 children, Adam and Nina and a beautiful wife Petula. It wasn’t a very big town, only small were everyone knew each other and all enjoyed the company of one another.

It was a normal morning I woke up, and left for work, but on my journey I stumbled across sighting herds of roman soldiers coming from the west. I warned the others immediately. The kids and the women fled in a hurry to hide but we men stayed and fought, sadly …… we weren’t strong enough.

I was put on a boat to Rome and shipped off. Once arrived we were told we had no freedom, right or choice. It was an intense week I struggled with fighting one on one so I was shoved in a cage with a tormented

leopard in which I killed with my bare hands. From that I had been anointed by a school named “Ludus matutinus” (Paul Geoffrey,2016).

This was my time I walked out and pushed for the crowd to cheer my name, but I felt a sudden sickness, hence out of nowhere a 6ft bear came charging towards me I ducked ran jumped off the wall landed on its back and stabbed it right through its head. The crowds jumped and cheered in amazement.

Many wealthy folk saw my fight so later that night I was solicited to a fine banquet, it was a lot to take in I had never seen so much gold and silver in my life. Then a fine young woman handed me a sword and said “good luck”, I shrugged and replied “what for?” directly after 2 soldiers shuffled in with a BLOOD THIRSTY lion was this the end ? .…….. Thankfully not but I had the scars to tell of it.

Now the big day came a fight in the coliseum, everyone back home would be jealous but if I wanted to see my family and kids again I had to impress. They hadn’t told me what I was fighting maybe ….a rhino, elephant, lion, giraffe (Sandy Maller,2016) not even a hint. But I knew this would be grunt work.

As I looked from the sheds I saw the blood and guts of man and animal it made me sick to the stomach and I struggled for air. The crowd chanted my name Carpophorus repeatedly I shivered out and took in a big breath this may be my last.