THE ODYSSEY by HOMER

"These nights are endless, and a man can sleep through them,

or he can enjoy listening to stories, and you have no need

to go to bed before it is time. Too much sleep is only

a bore. And of the others, any one whose heart and spirit

urge him can go outside and sleep, and then, when the dawn shows,

breakfast first, then go out to tend the swine of our master.

But we two, sitting here in the shelter, eating and drinking,

shall entertain each other remembering and retelling

our sad sorrows. For afterwards a man who has suffered

much and wandered much has pleasure out of his sorrows."

Personal rating: 10/10

Pure classic! I wish stories written nowadays were as rich and glorious as this, of-course with time and generation, everything changes, but yet this novel remains a Legend.

Written around 3000BCE, Homer himself was a legendary myth, blinded in his eyes but sharp in his mind. The legends surrounding him are either myths or pure history, one may never know, for The Odyssey has been interpreted many a times over and over.

The translation I own is the one by Samuel Butler with introduction and preface; I found it very commendable and would recommend it.

Its written in a story style, although the original text is in archaic prose poetry, but Butler does a great job breaking each stanza and beautifully describing them in paragraphs. Absolutely splendid.

Now about the story, I would prefer the readers to check out Homer's The Iliad before reading The Odyssey, for it is the sequel of it. Although there is no real connection, but only references. I read it without reading The Iliad and I enjoyed it too much.

The story takes place right after the Achaeans sack the city of Troy under the command of great king Agamemnon, who ordered his troops to attack the city of Priam, for "abducting" his Queen, the great Helen.

After the great bloodshed, and casualities and deaths on both sides, great Achaean warrior Ulysses returns to his home Ithaca to his wife young wife Penelope who just bore him an infant son Telemachus; but the Gods, by Jove, had other plans for him. So the whole story is about how Ulysses wanders from land to land, and travels the great sea just to find his way back home. The story covers his misadventures like facing Cyclops, Lotus-trance, Sirens, and many other troubles.

The Goddess Minerva, daughter of Jove and Juno, helps Ulysses and his son in the mean time, because on the other side of the story, Ulysses' home is filled with suitors, trying to woo his beautiful wife Penelope. But Penelope, loyal as ever, hardens her heart and looks after her long absent husband's property like a faithful wife.

Telemachus, does everything to search for his father and in the end by the help of Minerva, they all reunite.

But as I finished the story, one thing plunged my mind: The Gods surely are bored up in the heavens, playing with humans like this, for Minerva and the others could have easily brought Ulysses back to his home Ithaca without him being disappeared for 20 long years and captivated by nymph Calypso. But God, have their own way, who are we to judge that?

Anyways I would recommend everyone to read this. Its rich, poetic and very easy to read. Finished it within a week.

Thank you!