The Odyssey

Homer is the author of The Iliad and The Odyssey, the two greatest Greek epic poems. Nothing is known about Homer personally; it is not even known for certain whether there is only one true author of these two works. Homer is thought to have been an Ionian from the 9th or 8th century B.C. While historians argue over the man, his impact on literature, history, and philosophy is so significant as to be almost immeasurable. The Iliad relates the tale of the Trojan War, about the war between Greece and Troy, brought about by the kidnapping of the beautiful Greek princess, Helen, by Paris. It tells of the exploits of such legendary figures as Achilles, Ajax, and Odysseus. The Odyssey recounts the subsequent return of the Greek hero Odysseus after the defeat of the Trojans. On his return trip, Odysseus braves such terrors as the Cyclops, a one-eyed monster; the Sirens, beautiful temptresses; and Scylla and Charybdis, a deadly rock and whirlpool. Waiting for him at home is his wife who has remained faithful during his years in the war. Both the Iliad and the Odyssey have had numerous adaptations, including several film versions of each.

Samuel Butler is a graduate (B.A.) in Economics from University of California, Berkeley, 1959. Former All-City Champion Pole Vaulter in San Francisco high schools Former Captain United States Air Force (reserve) Navigator Former President of the Toastmasters Club (Golden Gate Toastmasters) in San Francisco Former Chief Appraiser of a Large Financial Institution in California Former Vice President for Real Estate Acquisitions, United States Real Estate Corporation, Headquartered in the Bank of America Building in San Francisco Owner, Founder, Butler Realty Group, focusing on Commercial Real Estate, located in the Transamerica Pyramid, San Francisco Successful Commercial Real Estate Broker (in Cushman and Wakefield, owned by Rockefeller) San Francisco Now retired, plays golf, chess, and bridge. Founder, former President of Atlantis Energy, S.A., a biofuel corporation.