Introductions

The ten-year war waged by the Greeks against Troy, culminating in the overthrow of the city, is now itself ten years in the past. Helen, whose flight to Troy with the Trojan prince Paris had prompted the Greek expedition to seek revenge and reclaim her, is now home in Sparta, living harmoniously once more with her husband Menelaus (Men-ah-lay-us).Years after the end of the Trojan War, the Greek hero Odysseus still hasn't come home to Ithaca (I-thick-ah). Most people figure he's dead, but Homer lets us know right away that Odysseus is being held as a (willing) sex captive on the island of the goddess Calypso (Cul-lip-so). The Sea God Poseidon is angry with Odysseus, and sees no reason to let him get home.

Back in Ithaca, all of the Greek chieftains who have survived both the war and the perilous homeward voyage have returned except Odysseus, the crafty and astute ruler of Ithaca. Since he is presumed dead, suitors from Ithaca and other regions have overrun his house, paying court to his attractive wife Penelope, endangering the position of his son, Telemachus (Tell-lem-ah-cuss), corrupting many of the servants, and literally eating up Odysseus’ estate. Penelope has stalled for time but is finding it increasingly difficult to deny the suitors’ demands that she marry one of them; Telemachus, who is just approaching young manhood, is becoming actively resentful of the indignities suffered by his household. He gets a visit from the goddess Athena (who favors Odysseus). She tells him to go looking for news of his missing father. He goes to Sparta and learns that Odysseus is alive and being held captive on Calypso's island. Meanwhile, back in Ithaca, Penelope's suitors plot to ambush and kill Telemachus when he returns home.

Up on Mount Olympus, where the gods live, the goddess Athena asks her father, Zeus, the King of the gods, to have mercy on Odysseus and force Calypso to release him. Zeus agrees and Odysseus sails off on a makeshift raft. Unfortunately, Poseidon whips up some storms, and instead of getting home, Odysseus washes ashore in the land of the Phaiakians (Pie-ak-ians). Fortunately, Athena makes the resident princess,Nausikaa (Now-see-ka), develop a crush on him. Nausikaa takes him home to meet her parents, the King and Queen of Phaiakia. In return for their hospitality, Odysseus tells them (and us) everything that's happened to him since the end of the Trojan War. This is his story:

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