The Odyssey tells the adventures of the Greek hero Odysseus, a veteran of the Trojan War.
Cursed by Poseidon, god of the sea, but favored by Athena, goddess of wisdom, Odysseus sails the eastern Mediterranean for 10 years before reaching his home and family on the island of Ithaca.
Epics are long narrative poems that tell of the adventures of heroes who embody the values of their particular civilizations. For centuries, the Greeks used the Iliad and the Odyssey in their schools to teach Greek virtues.
Famed for his courage, intelligence, and leadership, Odysseus (Roman name: Ulysses) was one of the great pan-Hellenic heroes of Greek mythology.
The Greek Ministry of Culture reports archaeologists have found the oldest written record of Homer’s Odyssey.
Homer portrays Odysseus as a man of outstanding wisdom and shrewdness, eloquence, resourcefulness, courage, and endurance.
Odysseus is the main character and hero of the epic poem The Odyssey, written by the Greek poet Homer in the 8th century BC.
Circe was the daughter of Helios and of Perse (daughter of Oceanos). Her brother Aeetes ruled Colchis.
A formidable combatant, Odysseus being a hero preferred subterfuge and guerrilla tactics to defeat his opponents.
According to Homer, Laertes and Anticleia were the parents of Odysseus. He was married to Penelope and they gave birth to a son, Telemachus.
In Greek mythology, Odysseus was the great grandson of the Greek god Hermes. He was the king of the island Ithaca. He was married to Penelope.
It is very important in the Odyssey that the hero’s renown as the destroyer of Troy has quickly entered into the oral tradition of the world through which he travels.
Odysseus was one of the most influential Greek champions in Homer's Iliad. During the battles, he was one of the most valiant and mighty heroes, and who fought alongside Diomed and Ajax.
Odysseus fought for ten years in the Trojan War before coming up with the idea of the wooden horse—just one example of why "wily" or "crafty" is attached to his name.
Odysseus was – almost certainly – the only son of Laertes of Ithaka, a former Argonaut, and Anticlea, the only daughter of Autolycus. Now, this Autolycus, Odysseus’ grandfather, was a son of Hermes and was widely renowned as so skillful a thief that he could not be caught, being “able to change whatever he stole into some other form – from white to black, or from black to white, from a hornless animal to a horned one, or from horned one to a hornless.”
Odysseus is a combination of the self-made, self-assured man and the embodiment of the standards and mores of his culture. He is favored by the gods and respected and admired by the mortals. Even the wrath of Poseidon does not keep him from his homecoming.
One thing that sets Odysseus apart is the fact that unlike other heroes of Greek mythology, Odysseus wasn’t a god, demi god, or other hero with superhuman powers. He was a simple man whose actions and deeds showed people his heroic actions. It was Odysseus who persuaded the reluctant Achilles to join the Greek expedition to Troy. Hidden away by his mother Thetis (who knew his fate should he participate in the War), Achilles was brought up by the royal family of Lykomedes on the island of Skyros.
The Odyssey ostensibly tells the story of Odysseus’ ten-year journey home from war, but much of the poem concerns his absence: his wife Penelope’s clever attempts to stave off aggressive suitors and their son Telemachus’ search for his lost father. When the Achaean ships reached the beach of Troy, no one would jump ashore, since there was an oracle that the first Achaean to jump on Trojan soil would die.
The monsters are numerous and distinct in The Odyssey. They symbolize many things, both in the story and in our lives. They may range from aggressive monsters to human beings much like ourselves; they come in many forms. They may be mental or physical, and may be deceiving or boastful. However, one thing seems clear whether you have read the book or not: they are all very important, each and every one of them. This section of the website describes each monster's importance in both The Odyssey and in our lives.
Odysseus demonstrated his greatness in terms of combat skills early on in his life. During his childhood, the young Odysseus was able to kill a wild boar and eventually saved his uncles. This was all made possible because of his training with Chiron, a known centaur.