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- For Trinacria as an alternate name for modern Sicily and for its triskeles symbol, also known as the island of the sun, see Trinacria.
Thrinacia (Greek Θρινακία; also Trinacria, or Thrinacie), mentioned in book 12 of Homer's Odyssey, is the island home of Helios' cattle, guarded by his eldest daughter, Lampetia. It is said to have been Sicily since the name Thrinacia implies an island connected to the number three and Sicily has three corners. The fact that Sicily is often identified with the episode of the Cyclopes only serves to underscore the shaky footing any geographer is on when trying to identify Homer's locations.
Odysseus and his crew arrive at Thrinacia after returning from the land of the dead (House of Hades). Odysseus has been warned by both Circe and the shade of Tiresias to avoid Thrinacia but his men beg him to let them stop and rest. He reluctantly agrees, but makes them swear an oath not to touch the cattle on the island. However, for the next month unfavorable winds blow continuously and they are unable to leave the island. When Odysseus goes to pray for a safe return to Ithaca, his crew, fearing starvation, slaughter and eat some of Helios' cattle. In punishment, when they finally sail away from the island, Zeus sends a thunderbolt at their ship, killing all the men except Odysseus.
