The Odyssey is one of the two great Greek epics attributed to Homer. It is considered to be the sequel to the other Greek epic written by Homer, Iliad. It is the second oldest work in Ancient/Hellenistic Greek literature and continues to be one of the most widely read works of literature even today. It describes the story after the defeat of Troy during the Trojan War and the journey of Odysseus, also known as Ulysses by the Romans, to his home, Ithaca. The journey takes ten years, during which his wife, Penelope and son Telemachus must deal with unruly suitors vying for Penelope’s hand in marriage, assuming Odysseus is dead. The book is written in Homeric Greek, which is an amalgamation of several ancient Greek dialects.
Read More
Specifications
Book Details
Publication Year
2019
Contributors
Author Info
Homer is the legendary poet of ancient Greece who is credited to have written the two great Greek epics Iliad and Odyssey. Although much of Homer’s life remains a mystery, he is said to have lived during the 8th century BC or the Hellenistic period. He is believed to be from Ionia and coastal Anatolia. His written work was distinct, and it was termed as ‘Homeric Greek’ which is a mixture of Ionic and Aeolic dialects through different centuries. Homer’s epics have influenced and transformed the western civilization for thousands of years just as it does today.