Odyssey - 96 edition

Homer was probably born around 725BC on the Coast of Asia Minor, now the coast of Turkey, but then really a part of Greece. Homer was the first Greek writer whose work survives.

He was one of a long line of bards, or poets, who worked in the oral tradition. Homer and other bards of the time could recite, or chant, long epic poems. Both works attributed to Homer - the Iliad and the Odyssey - are over ten thousand lines long in the original. Homer must have had an amazing memory but was helped by the formulaic poetry style of the time.

In the Iliad Homer sang of death and glory, of a few days in the struggle between the Greeks and the Trojans. Mortal men played out their fate under the gaze of the gods. The Odyssey is the original collection of tall traveller's tales. Odysseus, on his way home from the Trojan War, encounters all kinds of marvels from one-eyed giants to witches and beautiful temptresses. His adventures are many and memorable before he gets back to Ithaca and his faithful wife Penelope.

We can never be certain that both these stories belonged to Homer. In fact 'Homer' may not be a real name but a kind of nickname meaning perhaps 'the hostage' or 'the blind one'. Whatever the truth of their origin, the two stories, developed around three thousand years ago, may well still be read in three thousand years' time.

Table of Contents

The Odyssey Introduction

Introduction The Spelling and Pronunciation of Homeris Names Maps:
1. Homeric Geography: Mainland Greece
2. Homeric Geography: The Peloponnese
3. Homeric Geography: The Aegean and Asia Minor

Homer: The Odyssey
Book 1: Athena Inspires the Prince Book 2: Telemachus Sets Sail Book 3: King Nestor Remembers Book 4: The King and Queen of Sparta Book 5: Odysseus-Nymph and Shipwreck Book 6: The Princess and the Stranger Book 7: Phaeacia's Halls and Gardens Book 8: A Day for Songs and Contests Book 9: In the One-Eyed Giant's Cave Book 10: The Bewitched Queen of Aeaea Book 11: The Kingdom of the Dead Book 12: The Cattle of the Sun Book 13: Ithaca at Last Book 14: The Loyal Swineherd Book 15: The Prince Sets Sail for Home Book 16: Father and Son Book 17: Stranger at the Gates Book 18: The Beggar-King of Ithaca Book 19: Penelope and her Guest Book 20: Portents Gather Book 21: Odysseus Stings his Bow Book 22: Slaughter in the Hall Book 23: The Great Rooted Bed Book 24: Peace

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