The Odyssey | Summary
The Background to the Story
After ten years, the Trojan War is over and the Achaeans head
for home—with varying results. Some, like Nestor, come home quickly to find
things pretty much as they left them. Others, like Agamemnon, arrive home to
find things considerably changed. Still others, like Menelaus, wander for a
time but eventually return home safely and little the worse for wear.
Odysseus, on the other hand, has been having no end of trouble getting home.
As the story opens, we find ourselves in the tenth year since the end of the
war, a full 20 years since Odysseus
first left his home and wife Penelope to sail off for Troy
with the rest of the Achaean forces.
Book 1: Athena Inspires Telemachus
In a council of the gods, Athena asks her father Zeus why
Odysseus is still stuck on Calypso's island ten years after the end of the
war. Zeus responds that Poseidon is angry at Odysseus for having blinded his
son, Polyphemus. But since Poseidon is temporarily absent, Zeus gives Athena
permission to begin arrangements for Odysseus's return. Athena goes to Ithaca
in disguise and inspires Odysseus's son Telemachus to go in search of news of
his father. Heartened by her words, Telemachus announces his intention to sail
to the mainland.
Book 2: Telemachus Sails to Pylos
Telemachus calls an assembly and asks for assistance in getting
to the mainland. His independent attitude does not sit well with his mother
Penelope's suitors, who oppose him in the assembly so that he does not receive
the aid he sought. After making secret preparations, Telemachus and the
disguised Athena depart for Pylos that same evening.
Book 3: Nestor Tells What He Knows
Telemachus and Athena arrive in Pylos, to find Nestor and his
family offering sacrifice to Poseidon. After joining in the ritual, Telemachus
introduces himself to Nestor and explains his purpose in coming. Nestor has
heard news of the returns of both Menelaus and Agamemnon, which he relates to
Telemachus, but has had no news of Odysseus since all of the Achaeans left
Troy ten years previously. Nestor sends Telemachus, accompanied by one of his
own sons, Pisistratus, to visit Menelaus in Sparta.
Book 4: In the Home of Menelaus and Helen
Telemachus and Pisistratus arrive at Menelaus's home during a
celebration, and are warmly entertained by Menelaus and Helen. Menelaus tells
a long story of his adventures on the way home from Troy,
including news that he got from Proteus in Egypt
that Odysseus was alive on Calypso's island. Meanwhile, back in Ithaca,
the suitors learn of Telemachus's secret departure and are not pleased. They
plot to ambush and kill him on his way home. Penelope also learns of her son's
departure.
Book 5: Odysseus Sets Sail for Home— and is Shipwrecked
At another council of the gods, Zeus orders Hermes to go to
Calypso and tell her to let Odysseus leave for Ithaca.
Calypso is unhappy, but obeys the order. She offers Odysseus a chance to
become immortal and to live with her forever; which he declines. Odysseus
builds a raft with tools and materials she provides, and sails off. Poseidon
comes back from feasting with the Ethiopians and wrecks the raft in a storm.
Odysseus, with the help of a sea goddess, is washed safely ashore in the land
of the Phaeacians.
Book 6: Nausicaa Encounters a Stranger
The Phaeacian Princess Nausicaa finds the shipwrecked Odysseus
asleep behind a bush. Odysseus asks Nausicaa for help. She gives him some
clothing to wear and sends him into town to find the palace of her father,
Alcinous.
Book 7: Odysseus and the King of Phaeacia
Odysseus arrives at the palace and begs the assistance of King
Alcinous and Queen Arete. He gives an edited version of his "adventures" to
date, but does not disclose his identity. He deftly turns aside Alcinous's
suggestion that he should remain in Phaeacia and marry Nausicaa.
Book 8: The Phaeacians Entertain Odysseus
The Phaeacians treat Odysseus to a day of feasting, song, and
athletic events. When Odysseus begins weeping during Demodocus's tale of the
Trojan War, Alcinous cuts the banquet short. At dinner that evening, Odysseus
speaks highly of Demodocus's skill and offers him a prime cut of his own
portion. When Demodocus sings the story of the Trojan Horse, Odysseus begins
crying again, and Alcinous asks Odysseus who he is and why stories about Troy
make him cry.
Book 9: Odysseus Tells His Story-Polyphemus and the Cyclopes
Odysseus reveals his identity and tells his story, beginning
with his departure from Troy
with 12 ships. He sacks Ismarus in Thrace,
is blown off course to the land of the Lotus-Eaters, and eventually reaches
the island of the Cyclopes, one-eyed giants who are sons of the sea god
Poseidon.
Odysseus and the crew of his ship go to investigate this island and end up
imprisoned in Polyphemus's cave. The giant finds the intruders and eats
several of them for dinner. After a similar breakfast, he takes his flocks of
sheep and goats to graze, leaving Odysseus and his remaining men penned in the
cave. Upon Polyphemus's return, they manage to get the giant drunk and blind
him. The next day they escape from his cave hiding under the bellies of his
sheep and goats. Odysseus unwisely reveals his true name, and Polyphemus asks
his father Poseidon to avenge his injury.
Book 10: Odysseus Tells His Story-At the Islandsof
Aeolus and Circe
Odysseus and his surviving crewmen now sail to the island
of Aeolus, king of the winds. Aeolus
gives Odysseus a bag containing all the winds that would blow him off his
homeward course. They sail away and come close enough to Ithaca
to see the watch-fires, when Odysseus falls asleep at the helm and his crew,
thinking the bag contains a hoard of gold, untie it and release the captive
winds - which blow them right back to Aeolus's island.
Aeolus refuses to help them again, saying that they are obviously cursed by
the gods.
Odysseus and his crew set sail once more and eventually reach the land of the
Laestrygonians, who destroy all but one of his ships. The survivors sail to
Circe's island, where most of them are promptly turned into pigs by this
enchantress. Odysseus, forewarned by Hermes, avoids Circe's trap and frees his
men. They remain with Circe for a year before Odysseus's men ask to leave.
Circe tells Odysseus that he must first visit the underworld and consult with
the shade of the prophet Tiresias on how best to get home.
Book 11: Odysseus Tells His Story-In the House of the Dead
Obeying Circe's instructions, Odysseus and his men sail to the
underworld, where they make sacrifices to Hades and Persephone, and consult
Tiresias. When Tiresias retires, the shades of Odysseus's mother and several
of his comrades at Troy
appear, including those of Achilles and Agamemnon. Odysseus also witnesses the
punishment of several notorious offenders against the gods.
Book 12: Odysseus Tells His Story— The Sun-God's Cattle
Upon his return from the underworld, Odysseus receives sailing
instructions from Circe: how to avoid the lure of the Sirens, how to get past
the monster Scylla and the whirlpool Charybdis, and above all, not to harm the
cattle of the sun-god on the island of Thrinacia. Cast upon Thrinacia by a
fierce storm and out of provisions, Odysseus's men disobey him and slaughter
some of the cattle. The sun god complains to Zeus, who destroys the ship with
a thunderbolt. Only Odysseus survives, and he drifts to Calypso's island by
hanging on to floating wreckage. This ends Odysseus's story as told to the
Phaeacians
Book 13: Return to Ithacaand
the Stone Ship
The Phaeacians return Odysseus and all his treasures to his
home of Ithaca while he
himself is deep asleep. Athena, in disguise, meets Odysseus and he tries to
trick her, without success, with a false story about himself. She reveals her
identity and tells him how much she cares for him, and together they plot a
stratagem for dealing with Penelope's suitors. After stowing Odysseus's
treasure safely in a cave, Athena disguises Odysseus as an ancient beggar and
sends him on his way. Poseidon, angry that the Phaeacians have helped Odysseus
get back to Ithaca,
turns their ship into a huge stone, visible to onlookers on shore and rooted
to the sea-bottom.
Book 14: The Loyal Swineherd
Odysseus makes his way to the dwelling of Eumaeus, a swineherd
who has remained loyal to his long-absent employer. Odysseus, still in
disguise, entertains Eumaeus with some "lying tales" about himself.
Book 15: Telemachus Heads for Home
Telemachus takes his leave of Helen and Menelaus. Telemachus
offers passage to the seer Theoclymenus, who is fleeing vengeance for a
kinsman's death. Back in Ithaca,
Eumaeus tells Odysseus the story of his life. Telemachus evades the suitors'
ambush and sends Theoclymenus home with a friend, as he intends to visit
Eumaeus in the country before returning to the palace and the suitors.
Book 16: Father and Son Reunited
Telemachus goes to Eumaeus's hut, where Odysseus reveals
himself to his son and impresses on him the need for secrecy and deception if
they are to overcome the suitors. Meanwhile, the ship the suitors had sent out
to ambush Telemachus returns, and the suitors try, without success, to come up
with an alternative plan to get rid of him.
Book 17: A Beggar at the Gate
Telemachus returns to the palace and speaks with his mother.
Eumaeus brings Odysseus to the palace. On the way they encounter the goatherd
Melanthius, an ally of the suitors, who insults Odysseus. As Odysseus enters
the palace, an old hunting dog recognizes him and dies on the spot. Most of
the suitors treat Odysseus with at least grudging respect, but Antinous throws
a footstool at him. Penelope asks Eumaeus to arrange a meeting with her
disguised husband.
Book 18: The Two Beggar-Kings
Odysseus is insulted by Irus, a professional beggar whom the
suitors favor. The two men fight, much to the amusement of the suitors, and
Odysseus quickly subdues Irus. Penelope comes to the hall to extract presents
from the suitors and to announce her intention of remarrying. Odysseus is
insulted by the maid Melantho and Eurymachus, one of the leading suitors, who
throws another footstool at him.
Book 19: Penelope Interrogates her Guest
Odysseus and his son take all the weapons from the great hall,
assisted by Athena. Melantho again insults Odysseus. Penelope speaks to her
disguised husband, who claims to know Odysseus and tells her that he is nearby
and will be home quickly. She does not believe him, but orders bis old nurse,
Eurycleia, to wash him. The nurse recognizes Odysseus by a scar he received as
a young man and is sworn to secrecy. Penelope details the trial of the bow, by
which she will choose her new husband on the following day.
Book 20: Things Begin to Look Bad for the Suitors
Odysseus lies awake plotting revenge until Athena puts him to
sleep. On the next day, the loyal oxherd Philoetius arrives at the palace,
where Odysseus is again insulted by one of the suitors, Ctesippus, who throws
an ox-foot at him. The suitors all laugh at this, which Theoclymenus
interprets as a sign that they are all marked for death.
Book 21: The Great Bow of Odysseus
Penelope fetches Odysseus's hunting bow and announces the test:
she will marry the man who can string the bow and shoot an arrow through the
rings on twelve axe-heads set in a line in the ground. Odysseus reveals
himself to his two loyal servants and enlists their help in getting revenge on
the suitors. None of the suitors is able to string the bow. Telemachus is on
the point of succeeding when Odysseus stops him. Telemachus, by prearrangement
with his father, sends his mother from the hall and gives the bow to Odysseus,
who strings it and shoots an arrow through the axes.
Book 22: The Death of the Suitors
With his next arrow, Odysseus shoots Antinous and announces his
true identity to the rest of the suitors. Odysseus, Telemachus, Philoetius,
and Eumaeus, assisted by a disguised Athena, kill all the suitors. When all
the suitors are dead, the disloyal maids are hanged and Melanthius is
punished. The loyal servants begin to clean the palace after the slaughter.
Book 23: The Reunion
Old Eurycleia wakes Penelope with the news that her husband has returned
and destroyed the suitors. Penelope refuses to believe it. When he answers her
trick question about their marriage bed, she accepts him as her husband and
they retire to bed after making plans to deal with the relatives of the
suitors whom Odysseus has just killed. Before they sleep, Odysseus tells his
wife his true story.
Book 24: Peace at Last
The shades of the suitors arrive in Hades, and tell Agamemnon
and Achilles of Odysseus's triumphant revenge on them for their destruction of
his estate. Odysseus goes to meet his aged father Laertes in the country and,
after telling him another "lying tale," reveals himself to his father. The
suitors' relatives arrive at that point, seeking vengeance for the deaths of
their kinsmen. Athena and Zeus intervene in the fighting that ensues and,
after a few of the suitors' relatives are killed, Athena makes peace.
