The Odyssey

By Homer

This excellent prose translation of Homer's epic poem of the 9th century BC recounts one of Western civilization's most glorious tales, a treasury of Greek folklore and myth that maintains an ageless appeal for modern readers. A cornerstone of Western literature, The Odyssey narrates the path of a fascinatingly complex hero through a world of wonders and danger-filled adventure.
After ten bloody years of fighting in the Trojan War, the intrepid Odysseus heads homeward, little imagining that it will take another ten years of desperate struggle to reclaim his kingdom and family. The wily hero circumvents the wrath of the sea god Poseidon and triumphs over an incredible array of obstacles, assisted by his patron goddess Athene and his own prodigious guile. From a literal descent into Hell to interrogate a dead prophet to a sojourn in the earthly paradise of the Lotus-eaters, the gripping narrative traverses the mythological world of ancient Greece to introduce an unforgettable cast of characters: one-eyed giants known as Cyclopses, the enchantress Circe, cannibals, sirens, the twin perils of Scylla and Charybdis, and a fantastic assortment of other creatures.
Remarkably modern in its skillful use of flashbacks and parallel line of action, Homer's monumental work is now available in this inexpensive, high-quality edition sure to be prized by students, teachers, and all who love the great myths and legends of the ancient world.
A selection of the Common Core State Standards Initiative.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Release date: Mar 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9780486111056

Homer

Two epic poems are attributed to Homer, the Iliad and the Odyssey. They are composed in a literary type of Greek, Ionic in basis with Aeolic admixtures. Ranked among the great works of Western literature, these two poems together constitute the prototype for all subsequent Western epic poetry. Modern scholars are generally agreed that there was a poet named Homer who lived before 700 B.C., probably in Asia Minor.

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Introduction

WHEN THE poems of Homer were written, no man knows. We shall not be far wrong if we say they came into being a thousand years before the Christian era, or about as early as we find the Greek race. At the dawn of authentic history portions of them were chanted about the cities of the Grecian mainland, southern Italy, Sicily, the islands of the Ægean, and the coast of Asia Minor. Throughout the continuance of Greek civilization they were the chief ingredient in the education of the young and the chief literary delight of the men of mature years. So universally did they enter into the making of the Greek mind that it is no exaggeration to say that every one of that race of whom we have certain historical knowledge was by this vision splendid upon his way attended. Yet unfortunately we have little knowledge of their author, a circumstance due in part to his greatness. Founders are seldom known. Buddha, Theseus, King Alfred, Shakespeare, John Harvard, are shadowy figures standing at the dim beginning of important eras largely created by themselves. By the time the importance of such men is comprehended and we turn to inspect their personality, they are gone, hidden behind the majesty of their works.

Moreover, the question When and by whom was the Odyssey written? is not so simple as it sounds. A great work has many sources. Its creator, however creative, finds much of his material already prepared. Shakespeare invented few of his plots. He took characters, scenes, and conversations from novels and histories where their power had already been proved. Sometimes he altered old plays. In deference to later taste his own have frequently been altered. A poem, therefore, even in the clear light of modern times and among a people possessing strong notions of literary birthright, may not be constructed throughout by a single author nor contain within itself security against change. How much more, then, in an age accustomed to tradition and careless of individual performance, may we expect the substance of a poem to bear the marks of many minds. Into the Odyssey has gone a mass of histories, legends, mythologies, genealogies, ideals of character, manners, modes of life, which must have required centuries to mature. The book is an epitome of a civilization, with all that civilization’s variegated dreams, records, and inventions.

To what extent this accumulated material was already shaped before its appearance here we cannot say. Possibly enough fragments of early song contribute something to the large harmony, and later times may also have admitted interpolations. Peculiarities of style and diction which mark portions of the poem might in this way be most easily explained. Here and there, too, critics have suspected such incongruities in the narrative, or have found a single action or character thrown into such questionable prominence, that they have imagined it possible to tell where the piecing has occurred. But while an abundance of this sharp-sighted criticism has been spent upon the poem, no critic has had any large success in convincing others of his conclusions. All are at least agreed that in the Odyssey more than in the Iliad there is a prevailing evenness of style, firmness of plot, and harmony in the presentation of characters and situations. Whatever diverse poetic materials were originally employed, the resulting unity is conspicuous and astonishing. The Odyssey is no chance conglomerate. It is a masterpiece of poetic art, beautiful in its parts, and no less beautiful in its structure, bearing throughout the impress of a single mind—his whom we rightly call Homerus, the Joiner, the Composer.

The poem presupposes the events of the Trojan war, a war which fifty years ago was believed to be mythical, but which the excavations of Dr. Schliemann at the site of the city have shown to have historic basis. The incidents referred to are these: Paris, the son of Priam, King of Troy, carried off to Troy Helen, the wife of Menelaus, King of Lacedæmon. At the summons of his brother, Agamemnon, King of Argos and Mycenæ, the princes of Greece and the neighboring islands united in an expedition for her recovery. Troy, too, summoned its allies and for ten years endured a close siege. The Greek camp lay along the seashore where a landing was first effected. Between this and the city stretched a plain on which fighting was almost constant. Dissensions and pestilence at last broke out in the Greek army and were followed by the series of battles described in the Iliad. Despairing of capturing the city by force, the Greeks resorted to stratagem. They sailed away, leaving upon the shore a huge wooden horse in which were hidden Menelaus and a band of resolute men. The Trojans foolishly dragged the trophy within their walls. The following night the men within it crept from their ambush, threw open the gates of Troy to the returning Greeks, and carried fire and slaughter through the rich city. The objects of the joint expedition were now accomplished; and each surviving chief, taking his share of plunder, assembled his ships, sailed away, and was soon established once more in his former home.

Or rather, all but one came safely home. Among the men in the wooden horse was Odysseus,—Ulysses, as the Romans afterwards called him,—the ruler of the little island of Ithaca. Ten years before, he had left in Ithaca his young wife, Penelope, and his infant son, Telemachus. For ten years more he was to be parted from them, wandering among seas and islands, whose god, Poseidon, he had offended. When half that time was gone, and Odysseus did not—hke the other leaders—return, reports of his death were spread, and Penelope was urged to take another husband. In the remote state of Ithaca when the rightful sovereign was absent, the prince but a boy, and the ruler a beautiful and wealthy woman, disorganization easily set in. The princes of the country and of the neighboring islands gathered at the palace, and, under excuse of wooing Penelope, lived at free quarters there, wasting the substance of Odysseus and corrupting nearly all his retainers. Penelope, powerless to restrain their lawlessness, but believing Odysseus still alive, could defend herself from the dreaded marriage only by matching woman’s wit against dull force and numbers.

This, then, is the twofold story of the Odyssey: the story of a loyal wife, sagaciously watching through years of turmoil for the coming of the husband in whose power she trusts; and the story of that resourceful husband himself, who, when men, gods, and nature are arrayed against him, triumphs over all and by cool intelligence, patient courage, and a tenacious heart that ever rejoiced in danger, forces a way single-handed—one man against the world, but obedient to the voice of wisdom—until he wins once more his wife, child, and kingdom. The theme of the Odyssey is the dominance of mind over circumstance, a theme deeply fixed in the genius of the Greek race, and continually emphasized by Homer in the standing epithets attached to his three leading characters: Odysseus is the wise e9780486111056_i0003.jpg , Penelope the heedful e9780486111056_i0004.jpg , and Telemachus the discreet e9780486111056_i0005.jpg . The form given to the poem by this ethical motive is naturally that of a story of adventure, a story matchless in its combination of plainness, profundity, and range of human interest, and one that has probably affected western civilization more deeply than any piece of writing outside the Bible.

The poem naturally divides itself into two Parts, widely contrasted in subject, method, and movement. The twelve Books of the First Part relate the experiences of Odysseus on his homeward journey—at sea, among lands and peoples who are not Greek, in regions where marvels happen easily, where gods, beings half human, and phantoms of the dead, show themselves without exciting much surprise. In this First Part the pages are crowded with events, and here are found most of the single incidents which make the Odyssey famous. Each Book has its independent interest, and fragmentary readers who seek detachable incidents are chiefly attracted to this Part.

In the twelve Books of the Second Part, reporting the recovery by Odysseus of his island kingdom, the events pass on land, at home, among familiar Greek customs from which the marvelous is for the most part banished. Here the struggle is with wicked men, not with divine or physical powers. The interest of this Part is dramatic rather than incidental, each incident finding its principal significance through its bearing on the final catastrophe—the slaughter of the suitors and the reinstatement of Odysseus. To catch the sweep of inevitable dramatic vengeance here it is necessary to read several Books together. But when connectedly read, this Part reveals a sustained psychologic power which is not found in the earlier portion.

Within these two large divisions the Books group themselves in sets of four, each little group having its distinctive theme, and making its needful contribution to the common plot. That plot is orderly, firm in texture, and well calculated to hold the attention of the hearer. It begins with depicting the situation at once in Heaven and in Ithaca. It is now the twentieth year since Odysseus left his home, the tenth since he sailed from Troy. During three years of the homeward voyage the avenging god Poseidon delayed him on the sea. For the past seven years the nymph Calypso has held him as her unwilling guest in the island of Ogygia. At last (B. I) the protectress of his family, the goddess Athene, protests to Zeus against permitting further wrong to one so wise and pious, and urges Zeus to send the messenger Hermes to Calypso with orders of release. Athene herself goes disguised to Ithaca and encourages Telemachus, now just coming of age, to assert himself against the suitors. Telemachus (B. II) in an assembly bids the suitors depart from Ithaca, and begs of them a ship with which he may search for tidings of his father. Scornfully they refuse. By Athene’s aid, however, he obtains ship and crew, sails to Pylos, and learns (B. III) from King Nestor the little he knows about the wanderings of Odysseus. Peisistratus, the son of Nestor, joining him, the two young men go overland to Lacedæmon, to the palace of Menelaus and Helen. Menelaus (B. IV) has been at home but two years. He recounts his own wanderings, and relates how he heard from the old man of the sea that Odysseus is a captive in Ogygia. The suitors at Ithaca lie in wait to catch Telemachus on his return.

When we have thus become familiar with the state of affairs in Ithaca, the scene changes (B. V) to Ogygia. A second council of the gods is held, or we are reminded of the previous one. Hermes takes flight with his message, delivers it, and Calypso unwillingly consents to the departure of Odysseus. He builds a raft and sets sail, but on the eighteenth day of his voyage is discovered by his enemy Poseidon, who wrecks him on the island of Phæacia. Naked and fainting, he struggles ashore at a river’s mouth, and falls asleep in a thicket. The country (B. VI) is ruled by King Alcinous. His daughter, Nausicaä, in obedience to a dream, persuades her father to allow her and her maidens to make a washing expedition to the neighboring river. Their sportive cries awake Odysseus who, without disclosing his name, wins from Nausicaä a promise of aid. She conducts him to the city and bids him make appeal to her mother Arete. After admiring (B. VII) the house and gardens of Alcinoüs, he presents himself to the Queen, who listens kindly to the account of his shipwreck. At an assembly (B. VIII) it is decided to send Odysseus onward. He shows his strength at the games; but when at the following banquet the bard sings a song of Troy, he cannot restrain his tears, he discloses his name, and is entreated to tell the tale of his wanderings.

By this device Homer enlivens his poem, and breaks the long account of the homeward voyage into two easy sections. It is the journey’s second section, that from Ogygia through Phæacia, of which we first learn. This is performed before our very eyes. But of the earlier section, that from Troy to Ogygia, we know only by hearsay. Odysseus narrates it, telling a traveler’s tale which fills four breathless Books with marvels. His story begins (B. IX) with the departure from Troy. He plundered the Ciconians, he visited the Lotus-eaters; he was in the cave of Polyphemus; his men (B. X) turned the winds of helpful Æolus to harm. From the subsequent attack of the Læstrygonians only one ship escaped and reached the isle of Circe. Here followed still stranger events, and Odysseus learned from Circe that the Prophet Teiresias in the land of the dead must direct his farther course. To the dim region (B. XI) beyond the Ocean-stream he accordingly steered, talked there with his dead sailor, with his mother, with a group of great men’s wives and daughters, with his former comrades of the Trojan war, with the mythical heroes of his race, and with Teiresias, who warned him against deeds of impiety. Returning to Circe (B. XII) and receiving from her supplies and instructions, he set sail once more, passed the Sirens in safety, lost six of his men under the crag of Scylla, and landed at last on the island where the herds of the Sun were pastured. In spite of the warnings of Teiresias, these sacred cattle were killed and eaten by his men. To avenge their death Zeus sent upon the ship a tempest which wrecked it, leaving Odysseus alone alive. He clung to the keel, even when sucked down by the whirlpool of Charybdis, and after ten days of drifting reached Calypso’s island, where we found him at the beginning of B. V.

Part Second now begins, yet not abruptly. Wonders of the sea still mark the early pages of B. XIII. The Phæacians are delighted with Odysseus’s story. They give him abundant gifts, and set him on one of their marvelous ships, which lands him after a single night’s sail on the Ithacan coast, Poseidon taking a final and impotent vengeance by sinking the ship as it returns to Scheria. Athene appears, instructs Odysseus how to store his goods, warns him of the coming struggle with the suitors, and bids him, while concerting plans, to take shelter with the swineherd Eumæus, the one among his retainers who has kept him in most loyal remembrance. To prevent likelihood of recognition, she transforms his garb and person into those of an aged beggar. By Eumæus (B. XIV) he is hospitably received. At table he tells of fictitious wanderings, in the course of which he had heard of Odysseus, who, as he thinks, will soon return. As they lie down for the night Odysseus commends himself further to Eumæus by a story of the Trojan war. Telemachus meanwhile (B. XV), under guidance of Athene, leaves Menelaus, joins his ship at Pylos, safely passes the suitors’ ambuscade, but instead of going to the palace seeks the lodge of Eumæus. Welcomed there (B. XVI), he sends Eumæus to Penelope, to inform her of his return; then alone with the pretended beggar he describes the hardships endured at the palace by himself and his mother. Odysseus, through the transforming power of Athene becoming once more a king, reveals himself to his son, and together they plan the overthrow of the suitors. Eumæus, after delivering his message at the palace and finding the suitors there foiled in their ambuscade, returns to the lodge.

It is the purpose of the next group of Books to delay the action, to make us see Odysseus calmly enduring outrage under his own roof, and by thus bringing before us the immensity of the suitors’ insolence to prepare our minds to accept with exultation the tremendous vengeance at the close. Telemachus (B. XVII), departing at dawn to the town, reports to Penelope what Menelaus had told him of Odysseus. Theoclymenus, too, an Argive prophet who had come to Ithaca on the ship of Telemachus, declares that Odysseus is already in the land. But Penelope doubts. And now Odysseus, a beggar once more, is conducted by Eumæus to the palace, being insulted on the way by a goatherd Melanthius. In the courtyard lies his old neglected dog, Argos, who dies in recognizing his master. Entering the hall, Odysseus asks alms of the suitors and for a time obtains it, until Antinoüs, one of their leaders, breaking into abuse hurls a stool at him. Penelope in her own room, hearing that a man is hurt, is indignant and sends Eumæus to fetch him. But the beggar, though professing to have tidings of Odysseus, postpones the meeting till evening. While Odysseus sits by the threshold (B. XVIII), the privileged beggar Irus appears. Angry at being supplanted, and cheered on by the suitors, he provokes Odysseus to a combat. Odysseus fells him with a single blow, drags him into the courtyard, and warns Amphinomus, a leader of the suitors who had shown signs of kindness, to avoid impending doom. Penelope stands at the door, allures the suitors by her beauty, and, declaring that she must soon make her choice among them, obtains rich gifts. Odysseus meets with further insult from the handmaid Melantho and from Eurymachus. When the suitors have departed for the night, leaving Telemachus and Odysseus behind, the two (B. XIX) remove to another room all weapons found in the hall. Telemachus then goes to rest, while Penelope comes with her women to the appointed meeting with Odysseus. In answer to her questions, he gives a feigned account of seeing Odysseus in Crete and moves her to tears by the minuteness of his description. Odysseus will be in Ithaca, he asserts, before the new year. She offers him a bed and bath, and he is compelled to allow the old nurse Eurycleia to wash his feet. There was a scar upon his knee, the result of a wound given by a boar when he was but a youth. On touching this, Eurycleia recognizes him, but is checked in her cry by Odysseus. Athene diverts for the moment the attention of Penelope, who soon relates a dream which may portend the overthrow of the suitors. She also tells of the trial of the bow that to-morrow must decide which of the suitors shall become her unwelcome husband. Night (B. XX) brings little sleep to Odysseus and Penelope. In her restless dreams she beholds her husband once more beside her; while he, full of rage at the shameless suitors, and perceiving the need of instant action, is dismayed at the odds against him. Athene promises aid and Zeus sends him an omen. For the festival of the archer god Apollo the house is in the morning set in order. Wood, water, swine, and goats are brought. Odysseus learns that Philœtius, a goatherd, loyally desires his master’s return. The suitors soon gather, with murder in their hearts against Telemachus, but are restrained by signs from Zeus. At the morning meal brawling breaks out. When Odysseus receives from Telemachus a portion like the rest, Ctesippus flings an ox-hoof at him, and a demand is uttered that Penelope at once make her decision. Telemachus assents, but hideous premonitions fill the hall.

Penelope now (B. XXI) brings from the storeroom the great bow of Odysseus, the sight of which moves Eumæus and Philœtius to tears. Telemachus sets up the row of axes through which the archers are to shoot, and, announcing that he too will compete, attempts to string the bow. He almost succeeds, but is stopped by a sign from Odysseus. Others also failing, they heat and grease the bow. To no effect; they have not strength to string it. Meanwhile Odysseus, following Eumæus and Philœtius to the court, reveals himself to them and gives his final orders. They all return, and find that neither Antinoüs nor Eurymachus can bend the bow. Odysseus asks it. The suitors insultingly refuse, and Penelope intervenes. Telemachus, sending her to her chamber, allows Odysseus to try the bow, who shoots an arrow through the axes. Taking his stand before the door (B. XXII), he shoots down Antinoüs, and declares himself Odysseus. The frightened suitors, who have only their swords, try to propitiate him, to flee, to rush upon him. One after one they fall. From the armory Telemachus brings weapons to be used when the quiver of arrows shall be spent. Melanthius also succeeds in obtaining twelve spears for the suitors. These they let fly at Odysseus and his men. But Athene frustrates their missiles, guides those hurled against them, and spreads a panic which brings slaughter on them all. None are spared except the bard Phemius and the herald Medon. And now Eurycleia, at the bidding of Odysseus, summons twelve guilty handmaids, who are forced to carry out the bodies and to aid in cleansing the great hall and then are hanged in the courtyard. With fumes of sulphur Odysseus purifies the house, while loyal handmaids rejoice over his return. During the struggle Athene has kept Penelope in a deep sleep. Eurycleia (B. XXIII) now goes to waken her, bearing to her tidings of the return of Odysseus and the slaughter of the suitors. It is more than Penelope can believe. If the men are dead, they have been slain by some god through anger at their crimes. Yet she descends and meets Odysseus, but is speechless with joy and indecision. Telemachus upbraids her. Odysseus, perceiving that time is needed for the recognition, turns to other things. Dance and song must continue the festival, or from the stillness the townspeople will discover what has happened. While the bard plays, Odysseus bathes, and in his own dress once more presents himself before Penelope. She tries if it is he by bidding Eurycleia move out a great bed for him from the bridal chamber he had formerly built. A growing tree wrought into its frame made it immovable. Of this none knew except her maid, herself, and Odysseus. The angry question of Odysseus whether in his absence the olive trunk had been cut assures her that it is in truth her husband, and she throws herself into his arms. As they lie in bed that magical night each tells the other what has passed in the long separation. At dawn Odysseus rises, calls Telemachus and the two herdsmen, and sets off for the farm of his father Laërtes. An interlude, possibly an interpolation (B. XXIV), shows Hermes conducting the souls of the suitors to Hades, where, surrounded by a group of dead Greek chieftains, Agamemnon contrasts the stately burial of Achilles with his own pitiful end. From one of the suitors he learns how the long fidelity of Penelope has been rewarded with triumph. At the farm Odysseus gradually reveals himself to his aged and impoverished father. But a rumor of the slaughter of the suitors runs through the town, and their kinsmen quickly gather. Led by the father of Antinoüs they attack the house of Laërtes. Laërtes strikes down their leader, and all are put to rout. Athene intervenes in guise of Nestor and makes between the foes a lasting peace.

The action of the Odyssey occupies about six weeks. At a few points the days are doubtful, but the most probable scheme is that of Faesi, who divides as follows:—

1st day. Council of the gods. Athene visits Ithaca. B. I.

2nd day. Calling of the Ithacan assembly and the departure of Telemachus. B. II.

3rd day. Visit to Pylos. B. III.

4th day. Sacrifice at Pylos. Departure to Lacedæmon. Arrival at Pheræ. B. III.

5th day. Arrival at Lacedæmon and welcome by Menelaus. B. III—IV.

6th day. Stay in Lacedæmon. Plot of the suitors in Ithaca against Telemachus. B.IV.

7th day. Second council of the gods. Hermes sent to Calypso. B. V.

8th—11th day. Building of the raft. B. V.

12th—28th day. Odysseus departing from Ogygia continues his voyage safely for seventeen days. B. V.

29th—31st day. The Phæacian mountains come in sight. Storm, shipwreck, and two days of drifting on the sea. Odysseus lands on the coast of Scheria and falls asleep in a thicket. B. V.

32nd day. Meeting of Nallsicaä and Odysseus. His coming to the palace of Alcinoüs. B. VI—VII.

33rd day. Second day at Scheria. Banquet. Games. Story of Odysseus. B. VIII-XIII.

34th day. Third day at Scheria. Gifts are brought to the ship of Odysseus, which sails at night. B. XIII.

35th day. Odysseus wakes in Ithaca and goes to Eumæus. From Lacedæmon Athene summons Telemachus, who sleeps at Pheræ. B. XIII-XV.

36th day. By night Telemachus passes Pheæ and Elis. Stay of Odysseus with Eumæus. B. XV.

37th day. Telemachus lands in Ithaca and meets Odysseus at the lodge of Eumæus. B. XV-XVI.

38th day. Telemachus goes to the town, followed by Odysseus. The fight with Irus. The recognition by Eurycleia and talk with Penelope. B. XVII-XX.

39th day. The trial of the bow. The slaughter of the suitors and the recognition by Penelope. B. XX-XXIII.

40th day. The recognition by Laërtes and the conclusion of peace. B. XXIII-end.

The scenes of the Odyssey are not, like those of the Iliad, drawn from war and camps. They have for the most part a domestic and social character. When the heroes of the Iliad have nothing else to do, they fight; under similar circumstances those of the Odyssey eat. These are the distinctive occupations of the two poems. That of the Odyssey is the nobler, for it is connected with home, friendship, reflection, women’s influence. A wider range of motive is consequently opened in the Odyssey.

Odysseus is the central character, a man wise not through the possession of large knowledge (Nestor is that) but through sagacity, resourcefulness, and self-command. Other men—Telemachus, Eumæus, Antinoüs, and Eurymachus—bear important parts. But the dominant forces of the poem are women. The prime mover is a goddess. Those most influential over the journey home are the nymphs Calypso and Circe, perhaps we should add Ino and Leucothea. In Phæacia Queen Arete is of larger consequence than King Alcinoüs. Among the mighty dead whom Odysseus meets in Hades there are as many women as men. Eurycleia, Eurynome, and the forward handmaid Melantho are conspicuous figures of the Ithacan household; while, exalted above them all appear the three eternal types of womanhood: Nausicaä, the unconquered girl; Helen, the accomplished lady; Penelope, the faithful wife. In the Odyssey, in short, woman is the comrade of man, respected as his equal in intellectual power, administrative capacity, and artistic skill. It is usually assumed that Homer’s women lived in isolation, having an apartment to themselves, the gynæcæum or harem of Eastern nations; and certainly this was usual in the historic ages of Greece. But in the Odyssey I find no clear trace of such an arrangement, while the psychologic evidence against it is strong. Though Penelope and her maids generally withdraw from the riotous suitors to rooms of their own, they enter the hall with freedom, even when men are there; and it is there at night that Penelope talks with Odysseus. Helen sits in the hall of Menelaus and receives guests there. So does Arete in the hall of Alcinoüs. Arete attends a public banquet. Penelope would have been present at the trial of the bow had she not for prudential reasons been dismissed by Telemachus. Nausicaä and her maids drive unattended into the country; and when she comes home from washing, it is her brother who carries her clothing to her chamber. These are not harem manners. To find anything like them in their combination of freedom and dignity we must cross the intervening ages and talk with the women of our own time.

The style of Homer is radiant with the freshness of the early world. He seems always to be thinking of everything for the first time. Grave and weighty though he is, he has a simplicity and swiftness that are the despair of translators. His common cast of phrase is inexplicably felicitous. There’s magic in the web of it, but there is no constraint. He does not, like Milton, build the lofty line. His little words fall into their places as if they belonged there—unremarkable, unalterable, efficient, and lingering long in the mind when the sight of them is gone. His sentence is seldom an organic whole like the modern period, the parts mutually dependent; it can generally be cut in several places and still give a tolerable sense. When describing an event, he ordinarily mentions what happened as a series of separate facts, strung together with and, and. Qualifying clauses he usually places subsequently, like afterthoughts; not where rhetoricians say they should be placed, before the introduction of the thing qualified. Like the Elizabethan dramatists he frequently employs constructions intelligible only to the interested listener, not to the grammarian; nouns are omitted; pronouns serve in places where our critics call them ambiguous; doors for misconception are again and again left open for those who care to misconceive. Everywhere is seen a syntax full of beauty when thought of as that of living speech; full of defect, if judged by the canons of the schools. In the very forms of the language there is extraordinary flexibility; a syllable is prolonged here, clipped there; a consonant is doubled or left single; the commoner vowels have alternative forms. All is plastic. Literary conventions have not yet sprung up. This freedom from conventional trammels is an immense artistic advantage to Homer, and he uses it to the full. What portion of the thought should fall on the mind first he knows as nobody else has ever known, and this is the portion that he places first. He fixes his eye on the object, and as its different parts present themselves he tells us of them. In reading him, we must think of the prowling lion and the starting ship rather than of the printed words. Repetition is with him, as with the child, a genuine poetic resource. He has all the child’s delight in saying it again, and he always prefers the old story to the new. The individual aspects of object or person he is fond of fixing once for all in an epithet, whose recurrence may convey a pleasure somewhat similar to that which we moderns receive in rhyme,—a pleasure enlarged by the repetition of phrases, or even of whole passages. The appropriateness of these to their new situation is secured by changes in the turn of a word or two. Similes are common, metaphors rare; the thing and that with which it is compared remain two and unblended, exactly as in life.

In the whole body of Homeric poetry there are about thirty thousand lines: sixteen thousand in the Iliad, twelve thousand in the Odyssey, and two or three thousand in the Hymns—a collection of separate hexameter poems, addressed to various gods, and now believed to be the product of a later age. The most convenient school edition of the Odyssey is that of W. W. Merry, in two volumes, published by the Clarendon Press. In it the Greek text is broken at intervals by an English line descriptive of the matter, and there are careful notes and introductions. The large edition of H. Hayman, three volumes, London, D. Nutt & Co., is especially valuable for its summaries of the narrative, its full notes, its marginal references, and its analyses of the characters. The handiest Homeric dictionary is that of Autenrieth, translated by R. P. Keep, and published by Harper. Dunbar’s Concordance of the Odyssey, Clarendon Press, cites passages, though with many inaccuracies. Gladstone’s Primer of Homer, his Juventus Mundi, both published by Macmillan, and A. M. Clerke’s Familiar Studies in Homer, published by Longman, are entertaining, but not, like R. C. Jebb’s Introduction to Homer, published by Ginn & Co., altogether trustworthy. A. J. Church, in his Stories from Homer, published by Harper, has preserved much of the Homeric spirit.

There are twenty-three English translations of the Odyssey. Between the earliest of them—the brilliant version of George Chapman, 1615, in five iambics, couplet rhyme—and the year 1861, when Matthew Arnold published his stimulating essays On Translating Homer, a new rendering of the Odyssey appeared about every thirty years. Since that time the rate of issue has been ten times more rapid. Among these translations the most important are those of Alexander Pope, 1725, five iambics, couplet rhyme; William Cowper, 1791, five iambics, blank verse; Henry Cary, 1823, prose; P. S. Worsley, 1861, Spenserian stanza; W. C. Bryant, 1872, five iambics, blank verse; S. H. Butcher and A. Lang, A world’s book like the Odyssey cannot be exhausted, nor can any one person completely report it. It has as many aspects as it has translators. Hobbes commended it to his readers as a series of lessons in morals; to Worsley it was the world’s great fairy tale; to Butcher and Lang it is an archaic historical document. Others have found in it a philological interest, a mythological, a grammatical. However broad-minded a student may be, his sympathies are sure to reach a limit somewhere short of the compass of Homer. I have approached the Odyssey from the philosophic and poetic side, delighting in Homer’s unique mental attitude. Notwithstanding his extraordinary powers of observation and utterance, he seems to me to confront the world like a child. Turning to him, I escape from our complicated and introspective world, and am refreshed.

I.

THE COUNCIL OF THE GODS AND THE SUMMONS TO TELEMACHUS

SPEAK TO me, Muse, of the adventurous man who wandered long after he sacked the sacred citadel of Troy. Many the men whose towns he saw, whose ways he proved; and many a pang he bore in his own breast at sea while struggling for his life and his men’s safe return. Yet even so, by all his zeal, he did not save his men; for through their own perversity they perished—fools! who devoured the kine of the exalted Sun. Wherefore he took away the day of their return. Of this, O goddess, daughter of Zeus, beginning where thou wilt, speak to us also.

Now all the others who were saved from utter ruin were at home, safe both from war and sea. Him only, longing for his home and wife, the potent nymph Calypso, a heavenly goddess, held in her hollow grotto desiring him to be her husband. Nay, when the time had come in the revolving years at which the gods ordained his going home to Ithaca, even then, among his kin, he was not freed from trouble. Yet the gods felt compassion, all save Poseidon, who steadily strove with god-like Odysseus till he reached his land.

But Poseidon now was with the far-off Ethiopians, the remotest of mankind, who form two tribes, one at the setting of the Exalted one, one at his rising; awaiting there a sacrifice of bulls and rams. So sitting at the feast he took his pleasure. The other gods, meanwhile, were gathered in the halls of Zeus upon Olympus, and thus began the father of men and gods; for in his mind he mused of gentle Aegisthus, whom Agamemnon’s far-famed son, Orestes, slew. Mindful of him, he thus addressed the immortals:

Lo, how men blame the gods! From us, they say, spring troubles. But through their own perversity, and more than is their due, they meet with sorrow; even as now Aegisthus, pressing beyond his due, married the lawful wife of the son of Atreus and slew her husband on his coming home. Yet he well knew his own impending ruin; for we ourselves forewarned him, dispatching Hermes, our clear-sighted Speedy-comer, and told him not to slay the man nor woo the wife. ‘For because of the son of Atreus shall come vengeance from Orestes when he is grown and longs for his own land.’ This Hermes said, but did not turn the purpose of Aegisthus by his kindness. And now Aegisthus makes atonement for it all.

Then answered him the goddess, clear-eyed Athene:

Reviews for The Odyssey

[narilka · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had attempted to read The Odyssey once before and failed miserably. Since then I've learned just how important the translator is when choosing to read ancient classics. I'm happy that I found a different translation to try which made this a much more enjoyable and engaging read. Given that the story comes from a time of oral tradition I decided to try out the audio book, which I think was the right idea but the wrong narrator for me. More on that below.For anyone who doesn't know, The Odyssey was written by Homer somewhere around 800 BC. The epic poem relates the story of Odysseus and his trials on his return journey home after the Trojan war. For such a simple premise, the scope is vast. It has a little bit of everything (magic, monsters, gods, suitors, shipwrecks, action) and touches on so many themes (violence and the aftermath of war, poverty, wealth, marriage and family, betrayal, yearning for ones home, hospitality) that is is easy to see why this poem is so important and how it has inspired many stories to this day. One of the best and worst parts about this version was the introduction to the poem. The intro goes into great detail about the controversies about the poem's origins and dives deeply into the poem's many themes. This was great for someone who already knows the story and wants to learn more before getting into Odysseus's tale. For those that don't like spoilers, it's best if you skip the introduction and read/listen to it after you're done with the poem. Fair warning for audio book listeners - the introduction is roughly 3.5 hours long and I was definitely getting impatient to hear the poem long before it was done.I listened to the audio book narrated by Claire Danes. This has really driven home that I need to listen to a sample of the narrator before choosing my audio books. Claire does an adequate job when reading the descriptive paragraphs but just didn't work for me when it came to dialog. All her characters, male and female, sounded the same and were a bit over done so it was a challenge to keep who was speaking apart. She is going on my avoid list for future audio books.

[zoes_human · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Odyssey is well worth reading not only to experience a story that has so heavily influenced Western literature, but also because, as appalling of a hero as Odysseus may be, it's a fun story. In all its extravagance, it set the standard for epic adventures.I cannot recommend Emily Wilson's translation enough. It is beautiful and fluid. She maintains a poetic rhythm yet the language is modern and clear. It's worth the extra time to read it out loud so you can truly savor the language for both its flow and the way it captures the sentiments of the characters.For those with several Odysseys under their belt, I would still recommend this version, if for no other reason than to read her introduction. Her analysis of the story is brilliant.

[thefirstdark · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the single greatest books, EVER. Written.!!! !!! !!!

#paganism_101

[nmele_4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wilson's translation of the Odyssey is excellent, but the real value is her introductory material and notes, including the three maps of the world of The Odyssey and of the actual classical Greek world. As for the translation, my Greek is not adequate to comment but it reads very well, lively and yet true to the Homeric conventions. The pace is brisker than that of the archaic translations I have previously read, and more like contemporary English than some of the more modern. I even found myself sympathizing with different characters as I read. And I noticed some character development, in Telemachus, for example.

[auntmarge64 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful translation, easy to read and to understand. But thank goodness for the intro.Hard to believe but I've never read this before. And rather than get lost in the lengthy introduction, I jumped ahead and just began the tale itself. It was hard to put down and I sped right through it, but by the end I was thinking, "Boy, these people were weird", so thank goodness for that intro, which I started after finishing the main work. One of the first things mentioned is that no one in the ancient world, at any time, acted or spoke like these people. So that was one question answered.

[arkrayder · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a book I decided to tackle with audiobook and I thought it came across better listening to a narrator. Will give the Iliad go to.

[benuathanasia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Infinitely more enjoyable than the Iliad, but slightly different than I remember. I really don't remember the story being so disjointed. Don't get me wrong, I really love the Odyssey, but I would have preferred if it had been more linear (instead of so much of it being told in retrospect).I didn't quite get to that point I often expereince with epic works where I feel as though I've lost a friend, though I will miss the great adventure! I wish more time had been devoted to Odysseus's actual voyage, but I'll take what I can get from such an ancient work.

[jmcdbooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Rated: A-The New Lifetime Reading Plan: Number 3Life as the journey.And thus he spoke among the immortals:"Ah, how quick men are to blame the gods!From us, they say, all their evils come,When they themselves, by their own ridiculous pride,Bring horrors on far beyond anything fateWould ever have done.For a better and a higher gift than this there cannot be, when with accordant aims man and wife have a home. Great grief is it to foes and joy to friends; but they themselves best know its meaning.Our lives are soon over. If one is unfeeling,And cruel in his thoughts, all men call down cursesUpon him while he is alive, and after he's deadThey mock and scorn him. but if one is kind-hearted and generous,Strangers carry his fame throughtout the worldAnd many are they who call that mortal good.

[donbuch1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A standard text for high school classrooms, the Fitzgerald translation, rewritten in prose form, provides an accessible version of Homer's The Odyssey. Without question, this page-turning adventure acts as a model for storytelling, as Homer likely captured in riveting manner the attention of his local audience wherever he traveled. Set up in media res, the gripping narrative takes readers through the wandering years of Odysseus, a Greek soldier-king, who had fought in the Trojan War. With hubris, the cocky hero manages to enrage Poseidon who punishes the mere mortal through a series of obstacles where he is unable to get back to his homeland of Ithaca to be with his wife and son. Even after reading the classic epic several times, I am always impressed by Homer's use of imagery as illustrated in the passage when Odysseus pokes the eye out of the baby cyclops Polyphemus: "Eyelid and lash were seared; the pierced ball hissed broiling, and the roots popped." Wow! This is enough for any student to lose an appetite before lunch break.

[satyridae · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have nothing new to add, of course. Homer sings for our time too- what more is there? Gods and heroes and regular humans all jumbled up together and humanity is unchanged down all the years. This translation is lovely, by turns sonorous and stirring but always compelling.

[helenliz_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What else could you select while sailing the Med if not a previous voyage across a similar sea? I thought this was going to be a hard read, but it really wasn't. In part, I think, that is because there is a part of knowing the outline of the story and it's elements already. It is such a well known story that you can't really come it it without knowing something of it already. It's not told in real time, that is reserved for Odysseus' son, Telemachus' journey to try and find news of his father and his dealings with his mother's suitors. The tale of Odysseus' journey back form the Trojan wars is told in order, but in retrospect. It's an interesting way of combining the two strands of the tale, the traveller and those left behind. The impact the traveller's absence has on those left behind is well illustrated, and how things are difficult for both sides in that instance - it's not just the traveller that has to endure trials. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this.

[laurochka-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My first foray into ancient Greek myth and I loved it. This translation is very accessible and immersed me into Odysseus' journey of trials and tribulations. Loved it!

[dedede-36 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A must read

[bookomaniac-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Opmerkelijke, niet-chronologische structuur. Ook minder tragedisch-heroïsch dan Ilias, meer accent op waarden trouw, vriendeschap. Verschuiving tav Ilias: mensheld speelt hier de hoofdrol; Odysseus doorspartelt alle gevaren dankzij zijn formidabele karakter (groot hart, eerlijk maar ook vurig en wreedaardig), een man voor alle tijden; doorslaggevend: hij gelooft in eigen kunnen. Ook intelligent-listig (soms web van leugens), daarom in de Oudheid eerder als negatieve figuur gezien (corrupt en leugenachtig), pas met Renaissance gerehabiliteerd.Maar Odysseus is wel de enige onbesproken held, alle anderen (inclusief Telemachos en Penelope) worden in een dubieus daglicht gesteld. Tav Ilias komen vrouwen meer op voorgrond (maar niet altijd positief).Geen mythe, maar wel heldenverhaal, epos. De hoofdlijn is grondig vermengd met andere verhalen (dat van de cycloop is bij andere volkeren in 125 versies te vinden). Het centraal thema is de queeste, de zoektocht naar wat verloren is gegaan (vergelijking met Gilgamesj mogelijk: bezoek aan onderwereld, nihilistische visie op dood).

[silbchilin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Condensed version of the incredible epic, though Odysseus does not loose his luster even in Spanish. He continues to be a hero you wish to see home, but know he has many flaws that he needs to work on.

[borumas_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great story and translated in a way that compares more with a modern written tale.

[kassilem · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This epic I never did try to read as a teenager, but I knew that it too would come someday just as the Iliad would. This epic took longer to read than the Iliad, but then the translation of the Iliad I read had some books taken out for the sake of the readers. This translation by Fagles didn't cut anything out. I really enjoyed this translation. I've heard others praise Fagles as a wonderful translator and I have to agree. This myth is also an outstanding one. It really personifies the Quest Pattern we now-a-days link to many books. This is another epic I would love to listen to as well, so we'll see if I can get my hands on another good translation.

[atimco-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's good to meet classics in person after being distant acquaintances who know one another just well enough to nod in passing. Now I can shake The Odyssey heartily by the hand when I meet it in other stories, hail-well-met. And meet it in other stories I will, this revered grandfather of the revenge story and the travelogue. Besides being a classic, The Odyssey is a fascinating tale in its own right of strange wonders and awful dangers, of the faithful and the faithless, of wrongs committed and retribution meted out. Odysseus, Achaean hero of the Trojan War, has been ten years fighting at Troy and another ten making his way home. Imprisoned by a nymph, shipwrecked, lost, waylaid — Odysseus, beloved of some gods, is hated by others. Meanwhile at home in Ithaca, many have despaired of his coming, including his wife Penelope and son Telemachus, who now suffer at the hands of Penelope's suitors, leading men of the Achaeans who wish to possess her. Odysseus will never return, they say, as they sit in his house eating and drinking up all his wealth. Telemachus is just a young man and cannot prevent their ravages. The situation is indeed desperate, as Penelope, worn out with mourning Odysseus, begins to accept her fate to become another man's wife. Once I got used to it, I loved the repetition of certain phrases and descriptions: "long-tried royal Odysseus," "discreet Telemachus," "heedful Penelope," "clear-eyed Athena," "the gods who hold the open sky," "rosy-fingered dawn," "on the food before them they laid hands," and more. It reminded me that I was hearing a poem (I listened on audiobook) and that it was originally memorized by the bard, not read off the page. The repetition is comforting. It was easy to fall into the rhythm of the story and the archaic language, surrendering to the storyteller's art. I find the interplay between the gods and men so interesting. I don't know if The Odyssey is an accurate picture of ancient Greek theology and I don't want to draw too many conclusions from what was understood even at the time to be mythological. But I had a similar experience listening to The Iliad — the gods are great and powerful and all that, but they are so very involved in human affairs, almost as if they can't bear to be left out... why should Athena care so much whether Odysseus ever gets home? Why is it that human affairs so concern the councils of Olympus? I suppose the simple answer is that these stories were made up by humans and since the thing that interests us most is ourselves, we can't imagine gods who aren't likewise fascinated.I listened to an older translation by George Herbert Palmer and I'm glad I did. My experience of The Iliad was marred by the fact that it was a modernized translation, the latest and greatest supposedly. But all that really means is that it was dumbed-down for lazy listeners, to the point where some of the heroic moments almost became comical in our modern parlance. No thank you! I'm no expert in translation, but this one presented no jarring moments of disconnect between the style and substance, and I thought it fitted the subject matter very well. The reader of this particular audiobook, Norman Dietz, has a low, smooth, calm voice that I quickly learned to like. This is an excellent story that never slackens its pace or lets you stop caring what happens to its hero. Don't be intimidated by its status as a classic — all that means is that it's a good story that has stood the test of time, delighting its hearers both in ancient days and now. I recommend it!

[speedy74_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Surprisingly, The Odyssey was not a part of my education in any form whether abridged or otherwise. When I set a goal to read more classics this year I decided, what better place to start to than one of the foundations of western literature!First of all, the translation by Robert Squillace is anything but poetic, but served as a good starting point for an Odyssey novice such as myself. The prose format made it easy to read and the endnotes provided necessary background information which was essential for my understanding as I have never had much of a background in Greek or Roman mythology. This story has it all romance, adventure, betrayal, manipulative schemes, and violence in abundance...let's just say, its epic! Odysseus, King of Ithaca, survives the Trojan war only to meet obstacle upon obstacle on his journey home to his faithful wife, Penelope. Along the way he and his men must battle a man eating Cyclops, the charms of Circe who turns Odysseus' men into pigs, the wrath of the Sun god and Poseidon the god of the seas, Calypso who makes Odysseus a prisoner of love and other wizards, sirens, and gods. In all it takes Odysseus 10 years to return to Ithaca only to find that his home has been plundered by suitors seeking his wife's hand in marriage.As a classic, it is easy to see how The Odyssesy affected the creation of such movies/books as: Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Harry Potter. The Odyssey certainly deserves its place among classic literature for these reasons and its obvious entertainment value. I would be hard pressed to say that this was my favorite book to read, it did take me nearly 10 months to complete it after all, but it is one that I'm glad I took the time to read just for the background knowledge I acquired. As I read the epic, I found myself alternately amused and irritated with Odysseus who uses cleverness and intelligence to get him out of more than one scrape only to be led into another with his personality flaw of arrogance. The epic shows Odysseus' ability to manipulate his enemies and lead his men, but somehow miss all opportunities to return to his wife, who is forced to deal with the aggressive suitors. Despite the fantastic/mythical nature of the read, the humanness of Odysseus is ultimately the very aspect of the epic, in addition to his classical influence, that makes it worth the time to read. I can only imagine what this epic would be like to hear performed, how entertaining it must have been for its listeners!

[ron_peters-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The tribulations of the wily Odysseus making his way home after the Trojan war to his wife Penelope in Ithaca. An excellent translation for today's reader with a masterly introduction by the classicist Bernard Knox. "So they traded stories, the two ghosts standing there in the House of Death..." As Ted Hughes wrote, "Just the right blend of sophistication and roughness it seems to me."

[saturnloft · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Though most people seem to prefer The Iliad to The Odyssey, I like the latter for its sheer fabulous inventiveness. The story is fairly simple, Odysseus is trying to make his way home to the Greek island of Ithaca after the Trojan war, but he's earned the ire of the god Poseidon so it's not going to be an easy task. Meanwhile, his wife Penelope is beset with a veritable infestation of suitors and she's running out of delaying tactics.The poem divides itself between Odysseus's ordeals (exciting!) and the troubles back at home with his wife and son (not quite so exciting). Some of my favorite parts:- the encounter with a certain cranky monoptic giant with a taste for human flesh- the trip to the underworld and Odysseus's conversations with the recently deceased. (Apparently being dead kind of sucks.)- the Scylla and Charybdis incident, in which a crevice-lurking multi-headed monstrosity and a nasty whirlpool double-team our hero and his ship. What's not to like?- The sirens, Circe and her isle of enchanted pigs, and so on.. All good stuff.PS: I had one small irritation while reading this. Robert Fagles deploys the phrase "dawn with her rose-red fingers" one too many times in this book. He used it quite a bit in The Iliad as well, but The Iliad has a different flow and therefore it doesn't seem quite as conspicuously repetitive. I know it's part of Homer's poetic style, but a bit more variation from the translator would have been appreciated.One last thought: I felt very, very sorry for Odysseus's dog.

[jmoncton_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was not at all what I expected. I had steeled myself to reading a long flowering epic poem that would be repetitive and impossible to understand. Instead, I found this to be surprisingly readable and even more surprisingly interesting. A few things really helped me on my journey. I was reading and listening to this book using the Fagles translation which is narrated by Ian McKellen - excellent! I also listened in parallel to Elizabeth Vandiver's lectures about The Odyssey. There are only 12 lectures, but she adds so much background to the story that it added the depth and perspective I needed to make this a very enjoyable read.

[bangerlm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I figured it was about time to read this. I wanted to understand the references to Homer and Greek mythology that is littered throughout literature. I was afraid it was going to be difficult to get through the book and it might be a slog, but fortunately it was not. I really enjoyed it, and got into the story. While I slept I even had dreams about Athena messing with me. This is a great translation and I highly recommend it.

[kimmr_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My knowledge of classical literature and mythology is sadly lacking. The main reason I decided to tackle The Odyssey is because I want to read Ulysses and I gather that a passing acquaintance with this work will make that experience more meaningful.Listening to Ian McKellen reading the Robert Fagles' translation made me regret my lack of education in the classics. I have no way of assessing the merits of Fagles' work, but I would love be to be able to read this epic poem in the language in which it was written and not feel that I was missing most of its cultural, social and political context.Given my lack of familiarity with Greek mythology, it was interesting to realise just how much of the story is imbedded in my consciousness, from Penelope unravelling her weaving to put off her suitors, to the story of the Sirens, to the Cyclops. This is but a small indicstion of the importance of this epic to Western history and literature.Overall, I found The Odyssey more interesting for what it represents as a primary source of Western literature than for the characters or the plot. Odysseus is not exactly a hero for modern times: he may be a master tactician and warrior, but he's also a consummate liar, a rapist, a plunderer and a murderer. The other characters don't have a lot going for them either, at least not in contemporary terms. However, in spite of having an instinctive reaction against the Odysseus' behaviour and the horrific violence contained in the text, I still found it compulsive listening. I loved the non-linear structure and the rhythm of the language. In addition. I was fascinated by the involvement of the gods in the affairs of human beings: directing their actions, subverting their plans, punishing them and performing the odd makeover to assist them to achieve their ends.Ian McKellen's narration was - unsurprisingly - excellent. However, the sound quality of the audiobook left a bit to be desired. At times it was blurry and the volume was variable. While I would have benefited from the introduction and endnotes in a good text edition of this work, listening to an epic poem almost certainly written to be read aloud was for me the best way of tackling it. At some point I'd like to read a well annotated edition in order to learn what my ignorance led me to miss.How can I not give five stars to a literary work which is still being read and discussed thousands of years after it was written?

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After the ten-year Trojan War ends the warriors return to their home lands. Odysseus’ journey is longer than most because he has angered Poseidon. He runs into one obstacle after another as he fights to return to his wife and son. He fights a Cyclops, travels to the land of the dead, narrowly misses the call of the sirens and spends years trapped on Calypso's island. When he finally returns to Ithaca his home is filled with suitors attempting to woo his wife. I first read The Odyssey in high school, rereading it a decade later was a very different experience. This time I paid much more attention to Penelope’s story. She is such an incredible character. Her loyalty and patience is remarkable. Even though her husband has been gone for 20 years she still holds out that he is alive and will return to her. It made me wonder how long someone would wait nowadays. Obviously there were fewer communication options back then, but still a couple decades is a long time to hang on to hope. Penelope is surrounded by suitors and keeps them at bay by telling them she’ll consider them once she finishes what she’s weaving. She weaves all day and then at night she undoes everything she’s woven. Margaret Atwood wrote an interesting novella about her story, The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus.I enjoyed his son Telemachus’ journey. When his father leaves he is only a baby, but he’s grown to become a man in Odysseus’ absence and he longs to find his father. He isn’t sure if he should search for his father or stay and protect his mother, it’s a difficult decision. For me, it’s important that Odysseus is not a god. He is just a mortal man. So many of the stories in Greek literature are about the gods or demigods. Odysseus is neither, he occasionally has help from the gods, like Athena, at other times he is persecuted by the gods, especially Poseidon, but he has none of their powers. He must rely on his intelligence and cunning to outsmart his captors. BOTTOM LINE: An absolute must for classic lovers. It’s also one of the most accessible pieces of Greek literature and a gateway drug into that world. p.s. This time around I listened to the Robert Fagles translation on audio and it was read by the magnificent Ian McKellen. I would highly recommend it!  

[aoibhealfae · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I never was a reader of classic in fact I had to read the cliff notes version before attempting one. Last year's reading through all those Jane Austen was a pain but weirdly enough this classics is really good. Initially I thought The Odyssey would be hard on me and I was right when I begin the reading with Samuel Butler's translation. I tried using Librivox's audiobook to keep me going but its confusing me since Pallas Athena became Minerva, Zeus became Jove and Odysseus became Ulysses, I end up being so disinterest with the descriptiveness that I turn to Fagles. Fagles saved me.

There's a huge differences between Fagles (1996), Butler's (1922) and Rieu's (1946) translations. I read through nearly half of Butler's, quarter of Rieu's and all of the Fagles and to be honest, if you saw Fagles version. Get them.

One of the reason that Fagles is most preferred is that when a professor recommend it, you get it. Other than that, Fagles is said to be closest to the poetic form from the original Ancient Greek and even I notice the poetic elements in the words rather than the excessive descriptive paragraphs of the same thing with Rieu and Butler's. Both translated Odyssey in novel style and most of the free source "The Odyssey" translation came from Butler, it made absolute sense why some people have differences in opinions on this epic.

Before I began, I actually read this book with the help of Ian McKellan's narration. I know I have been an anti-audiobook thing but I'm not being hypocrite, in fact I was still struggling with the audiobooks but I was absolutely fine with poems (and The Odyssey actually is a series of rhapsodies) since these things are not meant to be read. Its mean to be said out loud and for me, this is quite an exception. But I still have problems concentrating with the listening part because I often fall asleep or space out so thats why I read and listen at the same time.

With Ian McKellan's (aka Gandalf or Magneto if you don't know who that was) theatric experience, he effectively brought the classic into deathless dramatic epicness. Experiencing "The Odyssey" is nothing if you haven't listen to it being told by a bard who is ironically is who Ian McKellan is and listening to Sir Ian McKellan breathing the soul of Homer into Odyssey is possibly near orgasmic thing that I've ever had to listen to.

The Odyssey began with a prayer to the Muse as the narrator started giving a short summary of the story. It's mostly centered around the events surrounding the missing hero, Odysseus, King of Ithaca. 20 years since Odysseus went to Troy to fight the war for Helen of Argos (not Helen of Troy!), the hero never went home and everyone including his wife and son accepted that he's died. Years earlier prior to the even in the first book, hundreds of men came to Ithaca to court the King's widow, Queen Penelope as it seems to be a custom for a beautiful young widow to remarry after the death of their husband. But Penelope managed to avoid the remarriage by prolonging the courtship which ends with the suitors overstaying Penelope's palace for years and spend all of the palace's resources on their feasting.

In the first book, Athena became distraught over the plight of the great hero who is stuck in limbo and the fate of Odysseus's wife and son with their guests terrorizing their home. After she begged Zeus to command Calypso to let Odysseus go from her sensual snare, she disguised herself as Mentes, an old friend of Odysseus, to nudge the young prince to take action against the suitor's menace. With the guidance by the goddess, Telemachus finally set off to the seas to search for real news from his father. Meanwhile, Odysseus escaped Calypso's grasp finally heading towards his home but his journey was diverted and he was stranded again in Scheria due to Poseidon's being angry over what Odysseus had blinded his son, the cyclops Polyphemus during his earlier journey. In Scheria, he began to weave his tale and finally tell the Phaecians of his past and his journey back from Troy to Ithaca. The tales itself include his encounter with Circe, Polyphebus, Aeolus, The Cattle of the Sun and etc. The Phaecians took pity on him and send him back to Ithaca where he plotted doom against the suitors who defiled his house.

The story is being told in various multiple narration in the beginning (Athena, Telemachus, Penelope, Odysseus etc) that is why I get some readers would get lost and felt it is boring but if its being read out loud, the poetry in Odyssey is much more prevalent than some passive narration style. Because Fagles updated the translation to be nearer to the original, you'll get the feel of what Homer had initially tried to portray with his stories.

Since I do critical reading with The Odyssey, I do take note to the major recurrent theme of Xenia. A concept of hospitality by the Greek that embrace travelers into their home, mostly because they fear a god would disguise themselves as travellers and would punish them if they didn't treat their guests well. There are also signs from the gods or the hint by Odysseus cunning tongue or the forebodings. Some argue that The Odyssey is used to justify the role of some political ideologies that even I couldn't grasp it firmly. Besides I was thinking that The Odyssey's characterizations and conflicts are being overused in so many modern literature particularly famous archetypal ones.

Other than that, I do notice this book is actually a mild romance novel, particularly with Penelope who is constantly grieving about her husband from the start of the book. I can't say about Odysseus fidelity but frankly, some characters in this book is classic strong female archetype. Athena (obviously.. disguising as several guys, fighting in wars, a peacekeeper etc), Penelope (a loyal woman who acting skills and great patience is what kept her in that limbo and somehow did do something to escape her near inevitable fate of loveless forced marriage from a broken mutual love marriage), Calypso (a woman desperate in need of love and companionship so much that she offers everything kept a man who never love her) and Circe (basically a lonely girl who know how to defend herself against a bunch of men coming into her house and turn them into pigs which they are). Ironically, the female in this book have more character than a bunch of YA novels and hypes these days.

I had some misgivings about the story initially since Telemachus part of the book is really annoying. But it move well whenever Athena and Odysseus was around.

To anyone who is considering to take on the classic, for more immersive experience, I would recommend the combination of Fagles translation and Sir Ian McKellan's audiobook if you want to read the epic. It will take longer than a few days if you read them at night, but its well worth to see Ian McKellan curses and narrating female parts nicely.

[leighannejensen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read several versions of The Odyssey ranging from ones designed for collegiate readers to ones designed for early readers, and frankly I like them all. I have long been a fan of this particular story for all its colorful characters and life lessons. I think that the parallel story lines of Odysseus, Telemachus, and Penelope offer a variety of perspectives for any reader.

[srboone · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The greatest of all ancient Greek works is spellbinding. Fagles' prose is lean and muscular, giving a grit and immediacy to his adventures. Loved it when I read it in high school, love it still today. As relevant today as it was nealy 3000 years ago.

[lhlogan1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A classic and a great look into Greek lit.

[wrk1-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

How much I enjoy this book: I just re-read it for the third time, this time in preparation for Joyce's Ulysses and Burroughs's Naked Lunch (Arnold Weinstein from Brown University says Burroughs was heavily influenced by the Odyssey).

There are several reasons the Odyssey is still good after almost three thousand years--among many, the structure pulls you in, the plot keeps you interested, Ulysses, Telemachus, and Penelope go through interesting and realistic changes. It's a wonderfully well-told story.