Homer’s Odyssey: summary of the Greek epic poem that narrates the return of Ulysses to his home island, Ithaca, at the end of the Trojan War.
Homer’s Odyssey
The Odyssey is one of the poems attributed to Homer and narrates the return of Ulysses – Odysseus, in Greek – to his homeland after the Trojan War .Telemachus , son of Odysseus , whose house is occupied by the suitors for Penelope’s hand, called the suitors , decides to leave for Pylos, encouraged by his protector Athena , in search of news about his father who has been missing for twenty years .
In a short time he organizes the ship and leaves with some companions, including Athena, under the guise of Mentor . In Pylos he is hosted by Nestor , hero of Troy, but without receiving useful news. Nestor advises him to go to Sparta with his son, Pisistratus .
Arriving in Sparta they are welcomed by Menelaus , also a hero of Troy, who unfortunately has no news of the unfortunate Odysseus. In the meantime the gods, gathered in assembly, decide that it is time for Odysseus to see his homeland again, Ithaca , and send Hermes to the island of Ogygia to the nymph Calypso to force her to free Odysseus.
Summary of the Odyssey
Calypso, upon hearing the news, helps Odysseus build a raft and provides him with food to reach the island of the Phaeacians. After 18 days of travel, Odysseus is caught in a storm launched by Poseidon , which destroys his raft. Odysseus is saved thanks to a sea nymph who gives him a prodigious veil, which allows him to float while swimming towards the island of the Phaeacians. Here he lands and is taken to the palace by Nausicaa , daughter of Alcinous, king of the Phaeacians. Alcinous welcomes Odysseus into his home and promises to accompany him home when the ship is ready.
Odyssey: summary
Odysseus tells Alcinous of his adventures on the seas: he begins by telling how he defeated the Cicones and then how he reached the land of the lotus-eaters. Then he tells of the Cyclops Polyphemus , whom Odysseus defeats by cunningly blinding him while he is asleep with alcohol fumes.
He continues by telling of the island of Aeolus who welcomed him and helped him by giving him a wineskin filled with the winds of the world. But his companions opened the wineskin unleashing a storm that took them off course. He explains how the sorceress Circe landed on the island and transformed his companions into pigs , but Odysseus was able to change the spell and make the sorceress his friend. He continues by telling how he descended into Hades to meet Tiresias who prophesied the three trials he would have to face: the sirens, Scylla and Charides, and the oxen of the Sun god .
After leaving the island of Aea, Odysseus faced the three trials, but in the last one his companions killed some oxen. For this Odysseus and his companions were punished by Zeus who hurled a thunderbolt at them . They all died except Odysseus who, hanging from a wreck, lands on the island of Ogygia, where the nymph Calypso reigned. He also tells how he lands on the island of the Phaeacians.
Odyssey: Summary of the Return to Ithaca
Having prepared the ship, Odysseus sets sail.
Arriving in Ithaca, he hides the hospitable gifts with the help of Athena and goes, disguised as a beggar, to the swineherd Eumaeus . In the meantime Athena advises Telemachus to return to Ithaca and the boy prepares and leaves. Arriving in Ithaca, he goes to the swineherd and there finds his father in the form of a beggar. The father reveals himself to Telemachus and makes him swear not to reveal the secret to anyone. The following day Odysseus is accompanied by the swineherd to the palace where he meets the suitors . Telemachus orders Eurycleia to wash the beggar and she discovers that he is Odysseus , since he has a scar on his leg inflicted by a boar. Odysseus orders her not to reveal the secret to anyone and she swears by the gods that she will not.
Odyssey: Summary of the archery contest and the death of the Proci
The next day, Penelope announces a contest to determine who will be her husband : the winner will be the one who can string Odysseus’ bow and pass an arrow through the rings of twelve axes planted in the ground. None of the suitors succeeds in the feat, only Odysseus succeeds, leaving all the suitors dismayed. Eumaeus goes to close the doors while Telemachus goes to get some weapons. Meanwhile Odysseus kills the suitors with the bow with the help of Athena.
Odyssey: Penelope’s Trial and the Return of Peace to Ithaca
After the battle, Odysseus gets rid of the corpses and calls his wife Penelope. She questions him to understand if it is really Odysseus and to be sure she asks him to go and move their wedding bed. Odysseus answers that it is impossible because the bed is built on an olive trunk, then she understands that the man is really her husband and embraces him . The next day Odysseus, Telemachus and Eumaeus head to Laertes’ farm, where the old king recognizes his son, then they head home and eat. After lunch, a large crowd, led by Antinous’ father, gathers in front of Laertes’ house to kill Odysseus. All the men present in the house arm themselves and go out into the open, Odysseus, Telemachus and Laertes rush on the first row of people and kill many of them , the others, frightened by the three warriors and the presence of Athena, flee towards the city.
