What are some good books about the Odyssey?
Odyssey and Sirens: A Temptation towards the Mystery of the Iso-polyphonic Regions of Epirus. A Homeric theme with variations. Tirana, Albania. ISBN 99943-31-63-9. Bittlestone, Robert; Diggle, James; Underhill, John (2005). Odysseus Unbound: The Search for Homer's Ithaca. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-85357-5.
What is the story of Odysseus Odyssey?
Odyssey, epic poem in 24 books traditionally attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer. The poem is the story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, who wanders for 10 years (although the action of the poem covers only the final six weeks) trying to get home after the Trojan War. On his return, he is recognized only by his faithful dog and a nurse.
When was the first edition of the Odyssey published?
In 1488 the first printed version (still in Greek) was produced in Florence. The earliest vernacular translations of the Odyssey from its original Ionic Greek dialect began to appear in Europe during the 16th century.
Is the Odyssey the oldest book in the world?
Odyssey. The Odyssey is fundamental to the modern Western canon; it is the second-oldest extant work of Western literature, while the Iliad is the oldest. Scholars believe the Odyssey was composed near the end of the 8th century BC, somewhere in Ionia, the Greek coastal region of Anatolia.
What book is The Odyssey in?
In his absence, Odysseus was assumed dead, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus had to contend with a group of unruly suitors who were competing for Penelope's hand in marriage....OdysseyLanguageHomeric GreekGenre(s)Epic poetryPublished in English1614Lines12,1095 more rows
Where is Odysseus in Book 1 of The Odyssey?
island OgygiaSummary: Book 1 The story begins ten years after the end of the Trojan War, the subject of the Iliad. All of the Greek heroes except Odysseus have returned home. Odysseus languishes on the remote island Ogygia with the goddess Calypso, who has fallen in love with him and refuses to let him leave.
Is Odysseus in the book Circe?
Buy Featured Book Circe is referring to Homer's version of the story, in which Odysseus arrives on her island sea-battered and mourning for his men killed by the cruel Laestrygonians. Circe entraps his remaining men and turns them into pigs.
What book tells the story of Odysseus?
The Odyssey is an epic poem in 24 books traditionally attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer. The poem is the story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, who wanders for 10 years (although the action of the poem covers only the final six weeks) trying to get home after the Trojan War.
Where does Book 5 of The Odyssey take place?
island of ScheriaWith the help of Athena and a sea nymph named Leucothea, Odysseus makes it ashore on the island of Scheria, home of the Phaeacians.
What happens in Book 3 of The Odyssey?
Summary: Book 3 He recounts that after the fall of Troy a falling-out occurred between Agamemnon and Menelaus, the two Greek brothers who had led the expedition. Menelaus set sail for Greece immediately, while Agamemnon decided to wait a day and continue sacrificing on the shores of Troy.
Is Circe raped in The Odyssey?
Circe enters a period of loneliness after her confrontation with Medea, and is excited to host a group of forlorn sailors who arrive one night on Aiaia in search of food and rest. However, once the sailors realize that Circe lives alone on the island with no men to protect her, the ship captain rapes her.
What is book 10 of The Odyssey about?
Summary: Book 10 The Achaeans sail from the land of the Cyclops to the home of Aeolus, ruler of the winds. Aeolus presents Odysseus with a bag containing all of the winds, and he stirs up a westerly wind to guide Odysseus and his crew home.
Did Circe and Odysseus have a child?
Telegonus, in Greek mythology, especially the Telagonia of Eugammon of Cyrene, the son of the hero Odysseus by the sorceress Circe. Telegonus went to Ithaca in search of his father, whom he killed unwittingly.
What is Book 1 of The Odyssey about?
One is the story of Odysseus who is held captive on Ogygia by Calypso. The other is centered in Ithaca where Odysseus' wife, Penelope, struggles to ward off a number of suitors and hopes for reliable word from or about her husband. Homer also introduces several themes that will recur throughout the epic.
What is the book Iliad about?
The Iliad is an epic poem that tells the final year of the 10-year Trojan War where Greek city-states besiege Troy in order to regain Helen, the wife of Menelaus (King of Sparta), who had been abducted by the Trojan prince Paris.
What happens in The Odyssey Books 1 4?
Books 1-4 focus upon Odysseus' son, Telemachos, his efforts to expel the suitors of his mother, Penelope, from their house, and his journey to Pylos and Sparta in search of news of his father. Homer asks the Muse to tell the story of Odysseus and his wanderings.
What book does Odysseus escape from?
Odysseus’s quick thinking helps him out of some very tough situations, as when he escapes from the cave of the Cyclops in Book 9, or when he hides his slaughter of the suitors by having his minstrel strike up a wedding tune in Book 23.
Where does Odysseus address Nausicaa?
When he first addresses Nausicaa on the island of Scheria, for example, his suave, comforting approach quickly wins her trust. Like other Homeric heroes, Odysseus longs to win kleos (“glory” won through great deeds), but he also wishes to complete his nostos (“homecoming”).
What are the characteristics of Odysseus?
The Odyssey. Odysseus has the defining character traits of a Homeric leader: strength, courage, nobility, a thirst for glory, and confidence in his authority. His most distinguishing trait, however, is his sharp intellect. Odysseus’s quick thinking helps him out of some very tough situations, as when he escapes from the cave ...
Name, etymology, and epithets
The form Ὀδυσ (σ)εύς Odys (s)eus is used starting in the epic period and through the classical period, but various other forms are also found. In vase inscriptions, we find the variants Oliseus ( Ὀλισεύς ), Olyseus ( Ὀλυσεύς ), Olysseus ( Ὀλυσσεύς ), Olyteus ( Ὀλυτεύς ), Olytteus ( Ὀλυττεύς) and Ōlysseus ( Ὠλυσσεύς ).
Genealogy
Relatively little is given of Odysseus' background other than that according to Pseudo-Apollodorus, his paternal grandfather or step-grandfather is Arcesius, son of Cephalus and grandson of Aeolus, while his maternal grandfather is the thief Autolycus, son of Hermes and Chione. Hence, Odysseus was the great-grandson of the Olympian god Hermes.
Before the Trojan War
The majority of sources for Odysseus' pre-war exploits—principally the mythographers Pseudo-Apollodorus and Hyginus —postdate Homer by many centuries. Two stories in particular are well known:
During the Trojan War
Odysseus is one of the most influential Greek champions during the Trojan War. Along with Nestor and Idomeneus he is one of the most trusted counsellors and advisors. He always champions the Achaean cause, especially when others question Agamemnon's command, as in one instance when Thersites speaks against him.
Journey home to Ithaca
Odysseus and Polyphemus (1896) by Arnold Böcklin: Odysseus and his crew escape the Cyclops Polyphemus.
Altars
Strabo writes that on Meninx ( Ancient Greek: Μῆνιγξ) island, modern Djerba at Tunisia, there was an altar of the Odysseus.
How many books are there in the Odyssey?
The Odyssey is an epic poem in 24 books traditionally attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer. The poem is the story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, who wanders for 10 years (although the action of the poem covers only the final six weeks) trying to get home after the Trojan War.
Who translated the Odyssey?
A best-selling verse translation by Robert Fagles (1996) was praised for employing language both contemporary and timeless. In 2017 Emily Wilson became, according to her publisher, the first woman to translate and publish the Odyssey in English.
What was the Odyssey intended for?
The Odyssey was intended for oral performance. The poem was likely transmitted through generations of oral poets well before it was written down. It’s been suggested that oral poets performed epics such as the Odyssey in song form.
Where does Odysseus land?
He suffers a shipwreck and lands on the shore of Scheria, the land of the Phaeacians. In Books IX–XII Odysseus tells the Phaeacians of his harrowing journey as he has tried to find his way home. Finally, Books XIII–XXIV, the second half of the poem, find Odysseus back in Ithaca, facing unexpected obstacles and danger.
Where does the story of Telemachus take place?
The reader begins in the middle of the tale, learning about previous events only through Odysseus’s retelling. The first four books set the scene in Ithaca. Telemachus is searching for news of his father, who has not been heard from since he left for war nearly 20 years earlier. Telemachus seeks out two men who fought with Odysseus in ...
Where was Homer's Odyssey engraved?
Homer, engraving by Hieronymus Wierix, 16th century; in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Until the 15th century all volumes of the Odyssey in circulation were in handwritten Greek. In 1488 the first printed version (still in Greek) was produced in Florence.
Is Odysseus' father still alive?
Telemachus seeks out two men who fought with Odysseus in the war at Troy, Nestor and Menelaus, and discovers that his father is, indeed, still alive. The second four books (V–VIII) introduce the main character, Odysseus, as he is being released from captivity by the nymph Calypso on the island of Ogygia.
Synopsis
The Odyssey begins after the end of the ten-year Trojan War (the subject of the Iliad ), from which Odysseus, king of Ithaca, has still not returned due to angering Poseidon, the god of the sea.
Structure
The Odyssey is 12,109 lines composed in dactylic hexameter, also called Homeric hexameter. It opens in medias res, in the middle of the overall story, with prior events described through flashbacks and storytelling.
Geography
The events in the main sequence of the Odyssey (excluding Odysseus' embedded narrative of his wanderings) have been said to take place in the Peloponnese and in what are now called the Ionian Islands.
Influences
Scholars have seen strong influences from Near Eastern mythology and literature in the Odyssey. Martin West notes substantial parallels between the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Odyssey. Both Odysseus and Gilgamesh are known for traveling to the ends of the earth, and on their journeys go to the land of the dead.
Themes and patterns
Homecoming (Ancient Greek: νόστος, nostos) is a central theme of the Odyssey. Anna Bonafazi of the University of Cologne writes that, in Homer, nostos is "return home from Troy, by sea".
Textual history
The date of the poem is a matter of serious disagreement among classicists. In the middle of the 8th century BCE, the inhabitants of Greece began to adopt a modified version of the Phoenician alphabet to write down their own language.
Influence
The influence of the Homeric texts can be difficult to summarise because of how greatly they have impacted the popular imagination and cultural values. The Odyssey and the Iliad formed the basis of education for members of ancient Mediterranean society.
When was the Odyssey written?
Homer wrote the Odyssey in 700 BCE. It describes the events that Odysseus experienced after the Trojan War. The epic poem was originally intended to be performed. However, it has been restructured over the years and rewritten. The epic tale was originally written on 24 scrolls, which were then translated into the 24 books we have today. Each adventure was separated into chapters that could be read as modern-day book chapters. Let’s look at the book structure and then see the various translations that have been made.
How Many Books In The Odyssey?
Stories have been told through the ages by oral tradition, handwriting text, or printed text. Now, the internet has made it possible to share them online. Have you ever thought about how many versions of the same story might exist?
What is the difference between the Iliad and the Odyssey?
The Odyssey has a different structure and chronology to the Iliad. The first four books are about the invasion of Ithaca and Telemachus’s journey to mainland Greece. Athena takes Telemachus from the female space to the outside world to engage in male politics. Odysseus is then the center of the poem as a wanderer, taleteller, and siege breaker in his home. Odysseus tells the folktale world through his travels (Books 9 to 12), indirectly and not directly by the poet. The Odyssey is centered on the notion that Odysseus is a taleteller.
How old is Telemachus in The Odyssey?
Answer and explanation: Telemachus in The Odyssey is between twenty-one and twenty-one. It is not known his exact age. He was just a baby when he left his father for the
What is the story of Telegony?
Telegony was a two-book epic poem that recounted the life and death of Odysseus following the events of The Odyssey. This mythological postscript describes Odysseus’ accidental death by Telegonus, his unidentified son by Circe.
What is the most famous literary work of Greek antiquity?
The Odyssey is, in many ways, the most famous literary work of Greek antiquity. However, some would argue that it lacks the brilliance and radicality of the Iliad. It is no surprise that the word “odyssey”, first used in our language in Homer’s poem, has become a household name. The Odyssey’ s story is a classic tale about the journey through life and the importance and value of family, love, and home. Many people today find the Odyssey easier to understand and more modern than the Iliad.
What is the meaning of the poem Odyssey?
Noun Homer wrote Odyssey, a Greek epic poem about Odysseus’ long journey. It is also a description of a long and ultimately satisfying journey. An example of an odyssey is a spiritual quest. Use examples and definitions from YourDictionary.
What is Odysseus's story?
Odysseus spends the night describing the fantastic chain of events leading up to his arrival on Calypso’s island. He recounts his trip to the Land of the Lotus Eaters, his battle with Polyphemus the Cyclops, his love affair with the witch-goddess Circe, his temptation by the deadly Sirens, his journey into Hades to consult the prophet Tiresias, and his fight with the sea monster Scylla. When he finishes his story, the Phaeacians return Odysseus to Ithaca, where he seeks out the hut of his faithful swineherd, Eumaeus. Though Athena has disguised Odysseus as a beggar, Eumaeus warmly receives and nourishes him in the hut. He soon encounters Telemachus, who has returned from Pylos and Sparta despite the suitors’ ambush, and reveals to him his true identity. Odysseus and Telemachus devise a plan to massacre the suitors and regain control of Ithaca.
Where does Odysseus go when he finishes his story?
When he finishes his story, the Phaeacians return Odysseus to Ithaca, where he seeks out the hut of his faithful swineherd, Eumaeus. Though Athena has disguised Odysseus as a beggar, Eumaeus warmly receives and nourishes him in the hut.
What did Odysseus and Telemachus do?
Odysseus and Telemachus devise a plan to massacre the suitors and regain control of Ithaca. When Odysseus arrives at the palace the next day, still disguised as a beggar, he endures abuse and insults from the suitors. The only person who recognizes him is his old nurse, Eurycleia, but she swears not to disclose his secret.
Where did Athena prepare Odysseus for his journey?
Athena also prepares him for a great journey to Pylos and Sparta, where the kings Nestor and Menelaus, Odysseus’s companions during the war, inform him that Odysseus is alive and trapped on Calypso’s island.
How many axes does Odysseus fire?
At the contest, each suitor tries to string the bow and fails. Odysseus steps up to the bow and, with little effort, fires an arrow through all twelve axes. He then turns the bow on the suitors. He and Telemachus, assisted by a few faithful servants, kill every last suitor.
What does Penelope promise to do in Odysseus's archery contest?
Quite crafty herself, Penelope organizes an archery contest the following day and promises to marry any man who can string Odysseus’s great bow and fire an arrow through a row of twelve axes—a feat that only Odysseus has ever been able to accomplish. At the contest, each suitor tries to string the bow and fails.
Where does Zeus go to see his father?
He travels to the outskirts of Ithaca to see his aging father, Laertes. They come under attack from the vengeful family members of the dead suitors, but Laertes, reinvigorated by his son’s return, successfully kills Antinous’s father and puts a stop to the attack. Zeus dispatches Athena to restore peace.
What book does Odysseus walk to town in?
Book 17 - Stranger at the Gate. Odysseus walks to town the next morning, joined by Eumaeus, who still thinks he is accompanying an old beggar. Telemachus precedes them, cheering his mother with his presence and the stories of his trip. With the prince is a seer, Theoclymenus, who tells Penelope that Odysseus is on Ithaca now, gathering information. ...
Who is Odysseus' bully?
During the trip to town, Odysseus and his swineherd cross paths with a bully, the goatherd Melanthius, but avoid a fight. In one famously poignant moment, Odysseus and his dying old dog, Argos, quietly recognize each other. In the banquet hall, Antinous bullies the ragged beggar/Odysseus and even throws a footstool at him.
What does Penelope notice about Odysseus?
Penelope notices the beggar/Odysseus and asks Eumaeus about him. The swineherd tells how impressed he was during his three days with the visitor, and Penelope requests that the guest speak with her. Feigning anxiety about the suitors, Odysseus says he will meet with her but prefers to wait until later.
What does Odysseus ask Antinous for?
More than a little perturbed, but staying in character as an old beggar, he pointedly asks Antinous for a "crust" in words that have double meaning; they sound flattering but are actually insulting. He jabs at the reason for Antinous' presence by saying, "You look like a king to me!" (17.460) Odysseus doesn't slacken his caustic remarks, and Antinous becomes increasingly angry, finally hurling a footstool at the beggar and striking him in the back.
Why does Odysseus turn away?
He turns away to hide a tear as the old dog dies. At the great hall of the palace, Odysseus has more need for judgment, prudence, and restraint. The suitors are feasting well on the best of Odysseus' sheep, hogs, fatted goats, and cattle. Telemachus, aided by Athena (who is always near during this crucial period), ...
What is the dog that Odysseus sees lying on the dung pile?
It is Argos, the king's pet as a pup, now some 20 years old. The dog recognizes his master, thumps his tail, but is too weak to move toward him. Odysseus, too, recognizes his dog but knows he cannot show it. He turns away to hide a tear as the old dog dies.
What are the dominating heroic characteristics developed in this chapter?
Judgment and prudence are the dominating heroic characteristics developed in this chapter. When Telemachus visits his mother, he very much wants to put her mind at ease; but he dares not reveal that his father has, in fact, returned.
Overview
During the Trojan War
Odysseus is one of the most influential Greek champions during the Trojan War. Along with Nestor and Idomeneus he is one of the most trusted counsellors and advisors. He always champions the Achaean cause, especially when others question Agamemnon's command, as in one instance when Thersites speaks against him. When Agamemnon, to test the morale of the Achaeans, announce…
Name, etymology, and epithets
The form Ὀδυσ(σ)εύς Odys(s)eus is used starting in the epic period and through the classical period, but various other forms are also found. In vase inscriptions, we find the variants Oliseus (Ὀλισεύς), Olyseus (Ὀλυσεύς), Olysseus (Ὀλυσσεύς), Olyteus (Ὀλυτεύς), Olytteus (Ὀλυττεύς) and Ōlysseus (Ὠλυσσεύς). The form Oulixēs (Οὐλίξης) is attested in an early source in Magna Graecia (Ibycus, according to Diomedes Grammaticus), while the Greek grammarian Aelius Herodianus ha…
Genealogy
Relatively little is given of Odysseus' background other than that according to Pseudo-Apollodorus, his paternal grandfather or step-grandfather is Arcesius, son of Cephalus and grandson of Aeolus, while his maternal grandfather is the thief Autolycus, son of Hermes and Chione. Hence, Odysseus was the great-grandson of the Olympian god Hermes.
According to the Iliad and Odyssey, his father is Laertes and his mother Anticlea, although there w…
Before the Trojan War
The majority of sources for Odysseus' pre-war exploits—principally the mythographers Pseudo-Apollodorus and Hyginus—postdate Homer by many centuries. Two stories in particular are well known:
When Helen of Troy is abducted, Menelaus calls upon the other suitors to honour their oaths and help him to retrieve her, an attempt that leads to the Trojan War. Odysseus tries to avoid it by fei…
Journey home to Ithaca
Odysseus is probably best known as the eponymous hero of the Odyssey. This epic describes his travails, which lasted for 10 years, as he tries to return home after the Trojan War and reassert his place as rightful king of Ithaca.
On the way home from Troy, after a raid on Ismarus in the land of the Cicones, he and his twelve ships are driven off course by storms. They visit the lethargic Lo…
Other stories
Odysseus is one of the most recurrent characters in Western culture.
According to some late sources, most of them purely genealogical, Odysseus had many other children besides Telemachus. Most such genealogies aimed to link Odysseus with the foundation of many Italic cities. The most famous being:
• with Penelope: Poliporthes (born after Odysseus' return from Troy)
Altars - Islands - Cities
Strabo writes that on Meninx (Ancient Greek: Μῆνιγξ) island, modern Djerba at Tunisia, there was an altar of the Odysseus.
Pliny the Elder writes that in Italy there were some small islands (modern Torricella, Praca, Brace and other rocks) which were called Ithacesiae because of a watchtower that Odysseus built there.
According to ancient Greek tradition, Odysseus founded a city in Iberia which was called Odyssei…