But when the Phaeacians pressed Demodocus to sing further, for they delighted in his lays, then Ulysses again drew his mantle over his head and wept bitterly.
~ The Odyssey - Book VIII (Samuel Butler Translation. p223)
In Book 8 of The Odyssey, King Alcinous hosts a feast in honor of his guest, whose name he does not know yet. During the feast, the bard Demodocus sings a song about the Trojan War, which causes Ulysses to weep.
The scene reminded me of the power of storytelling. Books and movies emotionally engage us to experience joys and sorrows that we wouldn’t otherwise do. They take us places around the world and across the galaxy, to the past and the future, enabling us to be immersed in new worlds.