Latvia as Odysseus returning home

Latvians can often be heard complaining that the country's Russian minority has an anti-Latvian attitude and constitutes "Moscow's fifth column", while Latvians themselves are too weak. The daily Latvijas Avize compares developments in Latvia since it regained independence with the story of Odysseus' return from the Trojan War: "He was alone and found many enemies in his home, feasting and drinking and enjoying themselves with the maids. He told himself to remain calm so he could assess the situation and win new allies. In the 20th century the Latvian people lost much of their energy through war and emigration, and therefore they needed a period of calm to regain their strength. The story of Odysseus will not be repeated, but the time has come for Latvians to step out of the role of anonymous beggars and into that of the master of the house. But are we really ready for this?"

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