The Odyssey, written by Homer in the seventh century BCE, features mysterious self-driving ships—much like modern self-driving electric cars, or even what we might describe today as artificial intelligence (AI). These vessels play a significant role in the climax of Odysseus’ dramatic and eventful journey home. What exactly does the Odyssey say about them, and why were they so special?
Scheria, the home of a powerful naval civilization
These special self-driving ships appear in the Odyssey in the description of Odysseus’ stay on the island of Scheria. This was the last location he visited before he finally arrived back at Ithaca, his home island.
Scheria was home to the wealthy and notable maritime society known as the Phaeacians, hence the alternative name Phaeacia for their territory. Despite Odysseus being referred to as a stranger on the island, the Phaeacians were aware of his identity, implying their presence in or near the Ionian Sea.
Homer’s account shows that the Phaeacians were expert sailors, contributing to their vast wealth. They even had great palaces with bronze walls and beautiful gardens.
The living ships of the Phaeacians
Among all the remarkable aspects of the Phaeacians, their ships were notably highlighted in the Odyssey. As Homer writes:
“The ships themselves understand what it is that we are thinking about and want; they know all the cities and countries in the whole world, and can traverse the sea just as well even when it is covered with mist and cloud, so that there is no danger of being wrecked or coming to any harm.”
The Phaeacian vessels possessed unique attributes, as their navigators were able to direct them through mere thought. According to Homer, these ships appeared almost sentient, as they could ‘understand’ their sailors’ thoughts.
Not only this, but Homer also mentions that these ships “know” all the cities and countries in the world. This again shows that they were sentient and not simply structures of inanimate wood.
Self-driving ships
Homer’s words imply that these ships were not only sentient and capable of understanding thoughts but were also self-driving. They did not require humans to work to propel them through the water; rather, they were capable of self-propulsion.
The fact that the visibility conditions did not affect the safety of these ships indicates that humans were not steering them. If humans had been steering, the visibility would have made a difference in whether they would be in danger of crashing into something.
It is evident that these special ships were capable of not only of self-propulsion but also steering autonomously. They possessed a sense of vision without the limitations of human sight.
How fast were these mysterious, self-driving ships?
Not only were these ships sentient and self-driving, but they were also exceptionally fast. The Odyssey makes that clear in more than one way. For one thing, Homer mentions that not even a falcon could keep up with them as they traveled through the water.
This may simply be a hyperbolic expression. Nevertheless, their great speed is demonstrated in how they assist Odysseus.
To help Odysseus finally return to the island of Ithaca, the Phaeacians sent him away on one of their ships. According to the Odyssey, the ship managed to arrive at Ithaca in just one night. Since Scheria was far enough away from Ithaca for Odysseus to be considered a ‘stranger,’ this must have been an impressive feat.
The real ships of the Phaeacians
Was there any historical basis for these mysterious, self-driving Phaeacian ships? To learn the answer, we first need to understand who the Phaeacians were. As early as the fifth century BCE, in the writings of Thucydides, we find the claim that they were the inhabitants of Corfu.
Thucydides notes that the inhabitants of Corfu themselves made this claim, rather than it being something other Greeks said about them. This traditional identification was virtually accepted without objection for much of the ancient period. Indeed, the geography of the Odyssey strongly supports this identification.
This would mean that the real ships of the Phaeacians simply belonged to the Liburnians, the inhabitants of Corfu before the Greeks conquered it in the eighth or seventh century BCE.
The Liburnians were famous for being excellent sailors, dominating the Adriatic Sea. Of course, they did not really have self-driving ships. However, the evidence from the Odyssey shows that the Greeks marveled at the ships of the Liburnians.
It seems apparent that the Greeks considered the Liburnians’ ships to be very fast, and their excellent seafaring abilities likely contributed to the idea that these ships were sentient and could avoid danger.
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