Abuso, exilio y deliberación. Estas tres palabras ofrecen una perspectiva generalizada del desarrollo de la "Odisea", tanto en lo que respecta a su trama como a las amplias posibilidades interpretativas de sus símbolos.

La historia comienza con la preocupación de Telémaco, hijo de Ulises, ante el abuso que los pretendientes de Penélope, su madre, ejercen sobre la riqueza de su hogar. Estos hombres, quienes son los aristócratas de la región, se arrogan el derecho de exigir a Penélope que decida con quién se casará, supuestamente porque el héroe de Ítaca ha muerto en su regreso de la guerra de Troya. El joven se ve obligado a abandonar su hogar, salir de su tierra, casi exiliarse, empujado por la angustia a la que la sociedad somete a su madre, mientras consumen y agotan descaradamente su riqueza. Su decisión busca obtener información clara sobre el destino de su padre para así asumir lo que vendrá en su futuro en caso de que Ulises haya muerto.

En un cambio de perspectiva en la trama, aparece Ulises relatando el destierro del que fue víctima. Primero, debido a la envidia de sus compañeros que los alejaron de la isla apenas estaban a punto de llegar; y, segundo, por la venganza divina (desmedida y despiadada) de Poseidón. De aventura en aventura, Ulises logra llegar a su tierra y, al enterarse de los perversos planes de los abusivos pretendientes que incluso han llegado a perseguir a Telémaco para matarlo, deliberar, reflexiona a la luz de la sabiduría de Atenea, acerca del modo de proceder para vengar la deshonra en la que los fatuos galanes han sumido a su familia.

Así, el abuso del principio de hospitalidad por parte de los pretendientes, el obligado viaje de padre e hijo y la permanente referencia al juicio o deliberación a la que se entregaban los protagonistas, ya sea por una reflexión personal o escuchando las historias de otros, me deja inquietudes acerca de la función social del asilo. ¿Qué significa en nuestros días acoger a esos otros errabundos que vagan a costa de la estulticia de un sistema? Siento que deberíamos considerar a los desterrados, los expatriados, los inmigrantes, como unos Ulises contemporáneos que demandan vigorizar nuestro sentido de la hospitalidad. A la larga, todos somos nietos o bisnietos de mujeres y hombres que abandonaron su tierra y se aventuraron por deseo o contra su voluntad, a hallar una vida digna.

It's rather amusing to note how many individuals feel daunted by this book. Indeed, it dates back thousands of years, and Greek culture does have certain idiosyncrasies. However, the book is remarkably, and at times surprisingly, modern. Most translations effectively convey the straightforward simplicity of the story.

Perhaps, like "The Seventh Seal," "The Odyssey" has acquired a reputation for being challenging because it has been adopted by intellectuals and, even worse, by those who aspire to be intellectuals. But, similar to Bergman's classic film, "The Odyssey" focuses on action, low humor, and vivid characters, rather than on complex symbolism and pretension.

The modernity of the story, from its fast-paced action to its non-linear narrative, shouldn't really come as a surprise. Authors have been drawing inspiration from it for thousands of years and continue to do so today. Any story of ordinary people, everyday heroes, and domestic life that we read nowadays is just a few steps removed from Odysseus' tale.

Unlike the "Iliad," this book is not centered around grand ideas or a grand stage. The characters' actions are driven by their emotions, their pains and joys, and their grumbling bellies. It is more concerned with the state of the family and friendship than with the fate of nations.

Since the story unfolds based on whims rather than heroic ideals, it is much less focused than the "Iliad," meandering from one place to another in a series of unconnected vignettes drawn from the mythic tradition. Like "The Bible," it is a collection of stories, but without a philosophical focus.

There are numerous recurring themes that, although not concluded, are certainly explored. One of the most obvious themes is the Greek tradition of hospitality. The most honorable hosts would provide their guests with feasts, festivals, and gifts. This seems to be mostly an effect of noblesse oblige among the ruling class.

Like the codes of war or the class system, it is a social structure that benefits their rulership. Just as the palace of Versailles of Louis XIV was a way to keep an eye on others and foster camaraderie and mutual reliance among the fractious ruling class, keeping someone as a guest served a similar purpose.

The second theme is that of "metis," represented by Odysseus himself. "Metis" is the Greek term for cunning. It is a quick-witted cleverness that can sometimes be charming and at other times deceitful. Achilles tells Odysseus in the "Iliad" that he resents the clever man's entreaties and those of any man who says one thing but thinks another.

Odysseus later mimics this sentiment as part of an elaborate lie to gain the trust of another man. Such are the devious ways of our hero. After his return, he misleads his son, his wife, his servants, and his despondent father, carefully avoiding overplaying his hand in a dangerous situation as he arrives as a stranger.

Each of these deceptions can sometimes be seen as cruel, but there is a reason behind each one. He uses his stories to carefully prepare his listeners for his return, rather than springing it upon them unexpectedly. He ensures that he will be received on the most favorable terms, although he also enjoys the game of it all.

These acts of sudden, cruel cleverness are not uncommon in epics and adventure tales. One story of Viking raiders tells of how, after sailing into the Mediterranean, their ship reached one of the cities of the Roman Empire. Although it was just a small outpost, the Viking chief thought it was Rome itself because its stone buildings towered over the farms of his homeland.

He hid in a coffin with a wealth of swords and had his soldiers carry him into the town, telling the inhabitants that they wished to perform burial rights for their dead king. When they were let in, the coffin was opened, the swords were distributed, and the city was sacked. What is curious is that while warriors like the Greeks or Vikings maintained a strict sense of honor and honesty, this kind of trick was not only common in their stories but also admired.

The honor of the battlefield does not extend to the Trojan Horse (Odysseus' idea) or to the tale of Sinon in the "Aeneid." The rule seems to be that if the tricks played are grand and clever enough, they are acceptable, while small, mean pranks and betrayals are not. Not all soldiers agree on what constitutes outsmarting and what is dishonorable (Achilles places Odysseus in the latter category), but there is a certain give and take.

What is most remarkable about Odysseus is not merely that he devises these tricks but that he can pull them off on proud, honorable men without incurring their wrath. Moreover, he does all this while having a well-known reputation for being tricky. You would think he would sometimes face an intentional setback.

Odysseus was not as strong a character as Achilles or Hector in the "Iliad," perhaps because he was a complex character who did not rely on the cliched characterizations of "the noble warrior." He is not a man with a bad temper, nor a particularly good one. He is a competent and powerful warrior and leader, but those are not his defining characteristics either.

Odysseus represents the Greek ideal of "arete" as well as "metis." "Arete" is the idea that a truly great man should excel in all things, not just focus on one area of life. Even the raging Achilles demonstrated the depth of his "arete" in the "Iliad" when he served as the host and master of the games. He was capable of nobility, sound judgment, and generosity, even if he didn't always show his best side.

Odysseus is likewise skilled in both war and domesticity, in the use of the sword and in politics, and he is clever and wily to boot. In the end, there isn't much room left for negative character traits, which is what makes him seem a bit one-dimensional. What makes people interesting as individuals is not their best traits but their worst.

For Odysseus, this is his pride. After spending twenty years away at war, leaving his wife and infant son behind, it's not surprising that he wants to return home with wealth and with his name on the lips of poets and minstrels.

Between his pride, his easy smile, and his quick wit, he is the model for the modern action hero. He is not simply a chivalric picture of goodness, nor is he just mighty and overwhelming. Instead, he is a conflicted man with a wry sense of humor and, above all, a will to survive.

Don't read this book simply because it is old, influential, and considered great. Read it because it is exciting, approachable, and thought-provoking. Even without all the acclaim, it can stand on its own merits.

I read the Fagles translation, which was enjoyable and often quite lovely, although some modern idioms did manage to slip in here and there. The Knox introduction repeats a lot of the content from the introduction to the "Iliad," but it's still very useful.

So my initial encounter with Homer's classic tale, outside of the school context, was truly remarkable. Beyond the overall grandeur of the story, what left a powerful impression on me was just how violent the Greeks were in this narrative. Consider this example:

  ...they hauled him out through the doorway into the court,
lopped his nose and ears with a ruthless knife,
tore his genitals out for the dogs to eat raw
and in manic fury hacked off hands and feet.
then once they’d washed their own hands and feet
they went inside again to join Odysseus.
their work was done here now.

"Their work was done here now." What a great line indeed.

Do you want more violence? How about the slaughter of over 100 house guests for abusing hospitality? That's overkill for sure! And for those who truly love gore, there are also casual rapes, widespread maiming, people being squished, crew members being chewed and swallowed, plenty of mutilation and torture, and one cyclops being blinded. This should satisfy even the most discerning gore hound. Yes, that's me, guilty as charged.

However, aside from the exciting violence and mayhem, this is a truly engaging story that I enjoyed much more than I expected. The story is not dry or slow-paced at all. It is beautifully written and encompasses themes of love, loyalty, and heroism while also commenting on various aspects of the human condition. As important as this story is to literature, above all else, it is entertaining. In fact, without its high entertainment value, I'm quite sure its overall significance among the classics would be greatly reduced. Fortunately, there is no such risk.

  A NOTE ON THE TEXT

Before I continue, I want to mention the version I read/listened to because I think it can have a significant impact on people's reaction to the story. There are numerous translations of The Odyssey out there, and from what I've seen, they vary widely in quality and faithfulness to the original text, more so than those of almost any other work of Western literature. These versions can be so different that I believe two people with the same reading tastes could read different translations and have very different opinions of the work.

The version I am reviewing (and from which the above quote is taken) is the Robert Fagles translation, which uses contemporary prose and structure while remaining true to the content of the original. I found it to be an excellent choice for a first experience with this work because it was so easy to follow. Additionally, I listened to the audio version read by Sir Ian McKellen, which was an amazing experience and one that I highly recommend.

In addition to the Fagles version, I also own the Alexander Pope translation as part of my Easton Press collection of The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written. While listening to the Fagles version, I would often follow along with the Pope translation, and let me tell you, they are vastly different. Although the overall story is the same, the presentation, prose, and structure are completely different. For example, here is the same passage I quoted earlier from the Pope translation:

  Then forth they led [______], and began
Their bloody work; they lopp’d away the man,
Morsel for dogs! then trimm’d with brazen shears
The wretch, and shorten’d of his nose and ears;
His hands and feet last felt the cruel steel;
He roar’d, and torments gave his soul to hell.
They wash, and to Ulysses take their way:
So ends the bloody business of the day.

These are very different treatments of the same scene. In my opinion, the Pope language is more beautiful, far more poetic, and more lyrical than the Fagles translation. However, I'm glad I started with the Fagles version because it gave me a much better understanding of the story itself. There were no confusing moments. Now that I have a solid foundation in the story, I plan to go back and read the Pope version at some point so that I can fully appreciate the greater beauty of that translation.

In summary, I'm suggesting that you make sure to find a translation that suits you. That's my two or three cents worth.

  THE STORY

So Odysseus, the master strategist and tactician (not to mention a great schemer, manipulator, and liar), travels home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. However, there are many delays and detours along the way, which take up the first half of the story. Most of these travel problems are caused by Poseidon, who is angry with Odysseus for poking his son (i.e., the Cyclops) in the eye. But don't worry, Athena (the goddess of guile and craftiness) is a proud supporter of Odysseus, and with some help from Zeus, she provides Odysseus with some Olympian assistance.

Odysseus' travels are filled with great summer blockbuster-like entertainment while also exploring various aspects of Greek daily life and touching on many of their beliefs and traditions. It's truly a perfect combination of fun and intellectual stimulation. From his time on the island homes of the goddesses Calypso and Circe (with whom he has an affair despite his "undying" love for his wife, Penelope... typical men), to his encounters with the giant Laestrygonians and the Lotus-eaters (i.e., thugs and drugs), and his fateful meeting with the Cyclops, Polyphemus. Odysseus even takes a trip to the underworld where he speaks to Achilles and listens to dead king Agamemnon rant about marriage because his conniving wife poisoned him to death. Homer does an excellent job of keeping the story epic while also providing the reader with wonderful details about the life of the Greek people during this period.

The man really knew how to tell a story.

Meanwhile, while Odysseus is engaged in the ancient Greek version of The Amazing Race, back on Ithaca, there's a full-fledged version of The Bachelorette going on as over a hundred suitors are camped out at Odysseus' place trying to get Penelope to choose them. This makes Odysseus' son, Telemachus, very angry because the suitors are eating, drinking, and sleeping with the servants, using up all of his inheritance while they wait for Penelope. You might think that Telemachus could just kick the freeloaders out, but the law of "hospitality" was very important to the Greeks, and the suitor-douches take full advantage of it.

Well, Odysseus eventually makes it back to Ithaca, alone and in disguise, after all of his crew have been eaten, squashed, drowned, or otherwise killed. Life in ancient Greece was not easy. Odysseus then proceeds to weave a web of deceit and revenge against the suitors that is truly amazing to watch. I'll leave the final climax for you to discover, but I will say that in Homer's time, there was no such thing as a free lunch, and people had to pay the price for their bad behavior.

  MY THOUGHTS

This was a really fun read. I want to emphasize that because this is not one of those classics that I think is only worth reading to check it off a list or to say that you've read it. This was a great story with great characters and a style that was both unique and easy to follow.

Going back to my comments about the different versions of the story, I think this could potentially be a five-star read in one of the more flowery, densely poetic translations where the emotion and passion are more intense. I'm still very happy with the version I listened to (especially as read by Gandalf), because now I have a solid understanding of the story and can be more adventurous with my next version.

The tone of the story is heroic yet very dark. The gods are unpredictable and temperamental, causing a lot of death and destruction for no good reason other than a bruised ego or a whim. The pace of the story is fast and keeps moving quickly, hardly giving you a chance to catch your breath.

It's a big, epic story... it's THE BIG EPIC STORY... and its reputation is well-deserved. It's a great read and one of the most important works in the Western literary canon. Definitely worth your time.

4.5 stars. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!

Homer Therapy 102
“By hook or by crook, this peril too shall be something we remember.”

During the covid lockdown, my husband and I made a significant decision - to study Ancient Greece. Every night after dinner, it became a routine for us. We would either listen to a half-hour lecture or read from a classic text. This has not only become a habit but a household ritual, and even our dog is a part of it. (She has her own chair where she sits while we listen.) We delved into various aspects such as history, philosophy, and mythology. When the omicron variant threatened, we decided to re-read Homer. It has been an enchanting and therapeutic experience. On Saturday, we completed the Odyssey.

Living in these trying times makes me yearn for something of enduring quality. Emily Wilson’s magnificent translation of Odysseus’s tumultuous ten-year journey home from Troy has assisted me in grappling with the precarious nature of the human condition and our own mortality. We listened to Claire Danes read while simultaneously reading along. Homer is truly meant to be heard, and Danes gives an outstanding performance. Our understanding of the text was further enhanced by interspersing Elizabeth Vandiver’s excellent lectures throughout our reading. Our journey with Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus has provided a much-needed uplift for us, just as it has for countless others over the past 2,500 years. I highly recommend this experience to everyone.

Thanks to Bruce Katz for recommending Emily Wilson's translation.

Although I loved Odysseus, I didn't like Odysseus. Odysseus is like those people who I'm afraid of. People with high intelligence, but the intelligence that serves themselves and their own interests. People who lie easily and fabricate stories. People who in their stories, the whole world is guilty, but they are innocent. People who make others beside them look small. People who expect everything from others, but they themselves do not include their own ethical principles.

Odysseus, in a place where he is not forced to lie, whenever his companions raise a fuss, he "sleeps". He eats and sleeps beside his ship for a whole year without thinking about returning to ethics and Penelope. Without permission, he enters the cave of Polyphemus and expects to be accepted by him. He expects that when there has been no news of him for twenty years, everyone will be waiting for him and their eyes will be dry.

And don't tell me not to compare Odysseus with modern standards. I can and I do because I am a modern reader. That I don't compare Odysseus with the standards of his own time is also a shortcoming that I did not do justice to Odysseus. I understand him within the framework of his own time, but it is not my intention to like him. But it seems that even there, he is more "attractive" than "right". More "cunning" than "wise". Of course, I'm not unaware of the attractiveness of the characters in this model. Self-centered psychotic characters seem to have been attractive to us throughout history. These borderline characters play well with the borders of ethics and we love their audacity, madness, and cunning. But only from a distance. Very far.

But Odysseus himself is full of surprises. Full of heroes, gods, and long voyages at sea. Odysseus is a combination of the most attractive children's stories that I now know have been inspired by this story for thousands of years. This is exactly the pleasure of reading the Iliad and Odysseus. As if you are returning to the source of literature.

:A list of helpful books that I read or checked out

If you want a summary and a short analysis The Odyssey (Spark Notes)

If you want a summary and a slightly more accurate analysis Cliffs Notes on Homer's The Odyssey

If you want a correct and calculated analysis in the format of a lecture The Odyssey of Homer

If you want a detailed and academic article analysis Homer's The Odyssey

If you want a simplified version of the book Tales from the Odyssey

You can download the books from here Maede's Books

1403/4/3

I'm not ready to write a comprehensive review just yet, but I have to say that Claire Danes did an outstanding job with this.

Her performance was truly remarkable, bringing the character to life in a way that was both engaging and captivating.

She managed to convey a wide range of emotions with such authenticity, making it easy for the audience to connect with her on a deep level.

Whether it was moments of intense drama or more subtle, nuanced scenes, Claire Danes was able to handle them all with grace and skill.

It's clear that she put a great deal of effort and dedication into this role, and it really shows on screen.

Overall, I'm very impressed with her work and look forward to seeing more of her in the future.

I read this in school but I don't remember anything about it except the words "wine-dark sea" and that I hated it.

However, that seems like a good enough reason to reread it someday.

This is part of a series I'm doing in which I review books I read a long time ago. In this case, though, it's more of a to-read situation.

Maybe upon rereading, I'll gain a new perspective and understand why the "wine-dark sea" was so memorable.

I'm curious to see if my initial hatred was unfounded or if there were legitimate reasons for it.

It could be that as I've grown and gained more life experience, my perception of the book will change.

Rereading it might also help me to fill in the gaps in my memory and learn more about the story and its characters.

I'm looking forward to the opportunity to give this book another chance and see what new insights I can discover.

Second review

Introductory

I think, oh muse, that Odysseus and I have a long history together, dating back to my early school days. It was in the first year of Junior School, when I was, let's see, eleven minus four years old. That was a long time ago and in a different place. Back then, we still had the half penny, a tiny coin of hardy bronze. We had a school project about the Odyssey, and although it didn't take us ten years to get to school like Odysseus' journey, and we never had to cling naked to branches of wood to make landfall, the project at the age of eleven minus four mostly involved drawing. My vision of the story required me to shade most of my pictures black with a fat pencil, not because the story was dour, but because of the fine detailing needed with a fat, blunt pencil. At the end of the project, all our drawings and accompanying text (no oral project this time) were bound together. Mine was in a fine red comb, not from the hair of some snorting eager horse but from plastic that was once free flowing but now still. All of this is by way of introduction to say that we have a long association. But still, I'm rereading it thanks to a wily invitation to a cunning group in honor of a new translation. Some things caught my wandering, roving eye, maybe for the first time or in a new way.
Unity of thought and deed Once, I believed that with the Homeric heroes, there was a unity between thought or word and action, everything was pure and direct. However, this proves to be nonsense in the Odyssey. The necessary course of events is that there is thought that needs to be expressed in conversation maybe three times before someone commits the action, and then not very efficiently. Perhaps monotheism has spoiled us. When God speaks to us, we seem more likely to leap into action. Back then, when there were so many gods, demi-gods, semi-gods, and quasi-gods, I suppose people were more casual about the divine.
Violation of order I remember from Aeschylus that the downfall of his house was due to his own hands' pollution, or something like that. Of course, he was speaking about Agamemnon, but the same principle applies. Paris steals Helen, violating how a guest should behave, causing the Trojan war of glorious memory. Odysseus omits the proper ceremonies and is punished by Poseidon. In a sense, the ending of the Odyssey is curious. From the beginning, we are reminded of the story of Orestes and Agamemnon's return. The violation of the moral universe requires counter-violation, and so until the moral order of the universe itself is changed - Eumenides. However, Odysseus can slaughter sixty-odd suitors apparently without starting another cycle of vengeance or in modern parlance - sequels .
Guests proper and improper In the Odyssey, we see two modes of guest behavior contrasted, proper and improper. Telemachus demonstrates proper behavior: you visit, introduce yourself, have a manly cry with your host, receive rich presents, then go (repeat elsewhere). The suitors for the hand of Penelope violate this. They come and stay every day, they eat and eat I didn't set up a spreadsheet to check, but Odysseus's herds and flocks seem to be doing surprisingly well considering. This has its parallel in the divine realm. Odysseus' men eat the Sun God's cattle - result death. The suitors eat Odysseus' pigs - result death. The moral arc of this universe bends inevitably towards death. This all reminds me of the Bible, specifically Genesis 19. There is a proper way to treat strangers. Violation of this duty means death from above. However, duty is mutual, and if the host happens, in a moment of hunger, to eat your companions, you are within your rights to punish him, though if he happens to be the son of a God, you might be best advised not to. However, there is also piracy, but piracy is within the bounds of acceptable heroic behavior. It violates no moral order. Early on, a traveling Telemachus is asked if he is a pirate, as if the expected answer could have been 'why yes, old man, and I intend to drive off your flocks and sell your women folk into slavery'. Indeed, raiding the Cicones apparently doesn't violate the moral boundaries of accepted behavior. Indeed, one notes when Odysseus has to throw himself at the mercy of the Phaeacians, Athena does hide his approach to the royal personage - perhaps fearing a certain degree of hostility towards announced strangers?
Manly emotion The Odyssey, I once thought, is a story of adventure - wrong. It is mostly the story of men sitting together and crying. The story can find no better way to show the depth and strengths of relationships between men than the tears shed over death and injury. There's a lot of crying and weeping, but not so much as a single handkerchief mentioned.
Authority and power The world of men mirrors the divine realm or the other way round depending on your theology . As such, we see that power and authority are not absolute, they are negotiable. Nobody commands, persuasion is everything.
As an epic in the context of epics The comparison is made from early on with the story of Orestes. This isn't a free-standing story. We are meant to be experiencing it with other stories in mind. In the realm of the Dead, Odysseus meets Agamemnon (among others), in case we had forgotten that Telemachus has been reminded of Orestes - this is the model established for us: man returns, his wife betrays him, the son must avenge the father. The Odyssey subverts the expectations that it sets up - the wife's loyalty will be absolute, the son obedient, the traditional patriarchal order will be restored, everyone will live happily ever after apart from the suitors and their families. Also, there are parallels with the voyage of the Argo and the Labours of Hercules. Odysseus, we are shown, must be a great hero, not because he is especially heroic - most of the story in terms of time he spends weeping on the beach near to the Nymph Calypso - but because he goes to the same places as other heroes have and he would rub shoulders with them as an equal but for the fact that they happen to be dead already.
Repetition and redundancy

The basic structural element is repetition. A character, human or divine, is never more than a sum of its epithets. Is Odysseus really so very cunning? Just how clever would he be without Athena? Without divine assistance, our heroes would be pretty lost. Telemachus would be sulking among the suitors, Odysseus weeping on the beach. Though of course, without those pesky Gods, there would have been no
judgement of Paris, no Trojan war, and Odysseus could have stayed home with his herds and flocks. It's a curious thing about the most ancient literature - the Hebrew Bible, Gilgamesh, Homer. It is all so thoroughly steeped in a Divine realm intersecting with the human that it encourages not atheism but anti-theism. All those gods just cause trouble for themselves and for long-suffering mortals, in life and then in death too. Then again, these days when things go wrong, we are encouraged to blame immigrants. Back then, everybody blamed it on some God who stole your exam grades, fixed the elections, or caused your ship to be turned to stone. And the structure of the Odyssey reinforces this sense of the Divine realm as something ever present and ever in need of placating. The Homeric universe is an angry one. Man (and woman) can accomplish nothing without supernatural help.



First review

The translation is important, but don't forget that translation is the art of failure.



Much that arises out of the Greek imagination is hostile: the Cyclops, Circe and her ability to reveal your inner pig, the Sirens. Even the gods can't be relied upon, but play favorites. Your own gods are dangerous and worse - fickle save for Athene of course. By contrast, the real-life Phoenicians are friendly and inhabit a similar cultural universe to the Greeks - they play the same sports, they honor guests, they give gifts, they speak a common language, they are helpful, they inquire politely if one is a pirate before arranging for you to have a bath. The wide world is both hostile and welcoming, but the worst things come out of the mind of the traveler.



I wonder why (how!) Samuel Butler decided that it was written or better said maybe composed by a Sicilian woman (not that I wish to imply that Sicilian women can't compose epic poetry it just seems a wayward guess to place his Lady Homer in Scilly). In translation, there is a blankness. There seems to be little to suggest that it was dreamt up in any particular place, let alone first sung by man, woman, or Tiresias. The story of its composition is itself an epic and helps ensure that we approach the story as a pilgrim treading carefully towards the holy sanctuary of the mythic past.



I read this in a prose translation on account of being a prosaic person. My inclination is to imagine that a verse translation is more an exercise of ego than of sense, but that probably only means I haven't been confronted with one that blows away critical thought like a sack full of all the winds.

The Trojan War has come to an end, and the Greeks are making their way home, victorious and laden with loot. However, their homecoming is far from easy. They must grapple with their fates and the wrath of the Olympian gods that they have incurred. This is especially true for Odysseus, the Greek warrior from Ithaca who played a crucial role in the Trojan War. His fate ensures his return, but his sudden incurring of Poseidon's (the sea god) wrath makes that return almost perilous.

Odysseus encounters numerous adventures on his journey home, which test his strength and courage. When he finally returns, he discovers his household in a state of greater calamity. It is this tale of Odysseus that Homer recounts in The Odyssey.

The many adventures that Odysseus faces on his return journey are truly daunting and perilous. They put his mental strength to the test. But Odysseus is resourceful and cunning. Although he despairs at times, his unwavering courage sees him through the journey back home and restores his position as the king of Ithaca. Odysseus's story is one of faith, courage, endurance, and the strength of mind to overcome all obstacles and achieve one's desired end. To that extent, Homer's story is highly inspirational.

However, the beauty of this epic poem lies in its quality as a work of art. It is both picturesque and dramatic, with a touch of fantasy. Homer takes us on a fantastic journey through Odysseus's voyage home, and we encounter many mythological characters - gods, men, and other creatures alike. Odysseus's adventures are fascinating to read. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey that Homer took me on through this tale.

The prosaic translation that I read greatly contributed to my enjoyment of this epic poem. It was an easy read, and the language was not too modern, which suited the antiquity of this Homeric tale. This reading taught me the importance of choosing the right translation to match one's temperament. I truly enjoyed this work of Homer, something that I couldn't say about The Iliad. And now I know where to lay the blame. :)

This was truly awesome!

There was so much adventure packed into it, with a cast of fun and engaging characters. The monsters were not only numerous but also truly beastly, adding an extra layer of excitement and danger to the story.

I absolutely loved every moment of it. And to top it all off, it was read by the incredibly talented Ian Mckellan. His narration brought the story to life in a whole new way, adding an extra dimension of depth and emotion. It was truly a bonus to have his voice guiding us through this thrilling adventure.

Overall, it was an unforgettable experience that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun and exciting read.

Ever since I first delved into Homer’s epic描绘奥德修斯冒险经历的史诗 back in my school days, three of those adventures have kindled my imagination: The Lotus Eaters, The Cyclops, and the Sirens, with the Sirens being the most captivating. I recently revisited these sections of this Greek epic, and once again, my imagination was set ablaze. You might wonder how much. Well, here is my microfiction as a tribute to the great poet:

THE SIRENS

This incident took place in those bygone days when I was a member of an experimental performing-arts troupe in Greenwich Village. We would engage in reading poetry, dancing, and acting out avant-garde plays in our run-down little theater. For a nominal charge, people could enter and watch for as long as they desired.

Somehow, a business executive working downtown in the financial district caught wind of what we were doing and had a conversation with our director about an act he had devised but required a supporting cast. He promised to pay handsomely if we went along with him.

After all, experimental means being open to new things. And since we were going to be well compensated, we had nothing to lose. The first thing he did was distribute our costumes. Besides himself, he had roles for three men and three women. The play we were to perform was so straightforward that we didn't even need a written script. He was to portray Odysseus from Homer’s epic, and the three men would be his sailors. As for the women, we would be the singing Sirens.

So, after he changed – quite a spectacle in a loincloth, with his gray hair, jowls, pasty skin, and potbelly – we took to the stage. He told the sailors that no man had ever heard the hypnotic songs of the Sirens and lived to tell the tale, but he, mighty Odysseus, would be the first. He instructed the sailors to tie him to the ship’s mast. They used one of the building’s pillars, and when he cried out as the Sirens sang their song, the sailors, who had wax in their ears, were to bind him even tighter to the mast.

Meanwhile, three of us ladies were on stage as the Sirens, in costume, bare-breasted and equipped with wings. We began singing a sweet, lilting melody. Mike – that was the businessman’s name – started screaming, and the sailors tightened the ropes that bound him. The sailors were relieved that their ears were plugged as Mike screamed for nearly half an hour.

When the ship passed out of earshot of the Sirens, the sailors unbound mighty Odysseus, and he collapsed on our makeshift stage, a mass of exhausted middle-aged flesh. The audience applauded and even cheered, and we continued our performance of Odysseus and the Sirens every night for more than a week. Then, one night, Mike outdid himself. His blue eyes bulged, the veins in his neck popped, and his face turned a deeper shade of blood-scarlet than ever before. And what I had feared might occur, did occur – Mike had a heart attack. We had to interrupt our performance and call an ambulance.

We all thought that was the end of our association with Mike, aka Odysseus, until our director received a call from the hospital. Mike informed her that he was going to be just fine and would be back on stage the following week. We called a meeting, and everyone agreed that we would suggest Mike seek psychiatric help. However, if he insisted on playing Odysseus, he would have to take his act elsewhere.

Quite possibly one of my favourite books! This novel holds a special place in my heart. It was this very work that ignited my profound love for Greek and Roman mythology and antiquity. This passion, in turn, led me to make a significant decision - to choose a degree in Classical Civilisations. I often find myself looking back on The Odyssey with great fondness. I am completely enamored with all the terrifying monsters that Odysseus faces along his arduous journey. Additionally, the gods who involve themselves with his trials add an extra layer of intrigue and drama. As Odysseus makes his way home after the long and brutal Trojan War, his adventures are both thrilling and captivating. I truly LOVE LOVE LOVE this book and all that it represents.