Answer:
Calypso is warning Odysseus against returning home for it will only bring pain and suffering for him. Also, she is indirectly offering him to stay on her island and be made immortal.
Explanation:
Homer's <em>The Odyssey</em> revolves around the journey of Odysseus and his men after the Trojan War. The journey back to their home in Ithaca is not a smooth one though, for they encountered numerous obstacles on the way.
In Book V, Zeus had sent Hermes to tell Calypso to release Odysseus from being held captive in her island and let him go home. Though angered that she is not allowed to keep her mortal, she had to obey the orders of the highest and strongest of the gods. Once Hermes had gone, Calypso told Odysseus that he must start preparing for his journey home. But she warned him that <em>"there's heartbreak and shipwreck in store"</em> for him when he gets home. This warning is a sort of invitation to Odysseus to stay with her and be made immortal but Odysseus declined, stating that he'd prefer to be at home with his wife Penelope and grow old.
In ancient Greek society, home and one's own family are the most important things in their lives. No matter what they may have done or gone to, the feeling of being back home amongst one's loved ones compels them to return home, no matter the difficulty of the obstacles. Despite Calypso's warning of pain and suffering on his return home, Odysseus declined the offer to be immortal and enjoy life on the island with Calypso.
