The OdysseyFor a work that is a foundational text not merely of modern literature but of all of Western civilization, it's surprising how little is known of its origins. The epic adventure The Odyssey was originally told in oral form and may have been written down for the first time in the 8th century BC. We attribute the work to the Greek poet Homer, but little is known about him, or if, indeed, the author was but a single person. What is certain, though, is that The Odyssey is absolutely required reading for anyone who wishes to be considered truly educated and literate even today, nearly three thousand years after it was first written. This replica of 1911 edition presents the 1851 translation by THEODORE ALOIS BUCKLEY (1825-1856), a highly readable rendition of the nine-year journey of the solider Odysseus as he returns home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. It's a compelling translation that makes plain how strikingly modern Homer's writing was, with its nonlinear plot fleshed out by flashbacks and driven as much by the actions of ordinary mortals-even women and slaves!-as it is by men of heroic stature and the gods themselves. As entertaining as it is edifying, this is one of humanity's grandest literary achievements. |
Contents
7 | |
17 | |
BOOK XIV | 160 |
BOOK XVIII | 181 |
Book XIX | 198 |
NOTES | 299 |
17 | 311 |
A GLOSSARY OF PROPER NAMES | 319 |
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Common terms and phrases
Achilles addressed in answer addressed in turn Agelaus Alcinous amongst Amphinomus Antinous Autolycus bard beautiful behold black ship BOOK brass breast Ciconians Circe cloak companions Ctesippus Cyclops daughter dear deity dost thou earth escape Eumæus Euryclea Eurylochus Eurymachus Eurytus evil fate father feast garments give godlike gods Grecians Greeks grief Hades handmaidens hands heart hollow ship honored illustrious immediately immortal island Ithaca Jove Jupiter king Laertes Laodamas lofty Melanthius mighty Minerva mortal mother much-enduring divine Ulysses much-planning Ulysses addressed Nausicaa Neptune noble Odyssey Ogygia oxen palace paternal land Phæacians possessions prudent Penelope Pylos quickly rejoiced sailed Scheria sheep sitting slain sleep spear spoke winged words stood stranger suffer suitors sweet swift ship swine swine-herd Telemachus tell thee thine things thou art thou hast thou mayest thou shouldst thou wilt thy mind thyself Tiresias Trojans Troy unto wandering wife wind wine women