"But come, my friend,
tell us your own story now, and tell it truly.
Where have your rovings forced you?
What lands of men have you seen, what sturdy towns,
what men themselves? Who were wild, savage, lawless?
Who were friendly to strangers, god-fearing men? Tell me,
why do you weep and grieve so sorely when you hear
the fate of the Argives, hear the fall of Troy?"
– Homer
The Odyssey, Book 8, lines 641-648. Alcinous wants to know the cause of Odysseus’ sorrow at the singing of bard Demodocus’ song about the Trojan War. He asks his guest to tell his own story, what lands has he seen, and why he grieves when he hears of the fall of Troy. The war would have painful memories for Odysseus because of the comrades-in-arms he lost in it.