The Odyssey the Greek hero and his return journey after the Trojan War. Odysseus’s Voyage covers extensively the Greek world. All the way through the adventures of Odyssey, gods play an immensely significant role, with many of the gods liking him. His whole journey filled with arguments amongst gods. This story is said to be historically accurate and exceptionally significant to the ancient Greeks. Ulysses is illustrated to be a skilled warrior, athlete, masterful, articulate and courageous. In his trial to return home, he meets numerous adventures like the one-eyed Cyclops and the furious; god Poseidon who try to destroy him. He also meets the seduced sirens who lure him to distract from his mission through their seductive songs. The intoxication with Circe captures him with her mysterious magic. This story appears to be hard to believe in the present epoch, with great advancement in scientific knowledge. The Greeks believed firmly that the gods were accountable for every for daily occurrences.
In his absence, Penelope, Ulysses’ wife remains faithful to him. The suitors who wanted to marry Penelope. They do not recognize that Odysseus is alive but being held hostage by Calypso in her island. Telemachus, Ulysses’ son tries to protect his mother from forced marriage by throwing the suitors away even though he is too young. Zeus daughter, attempt to assist Telemachus by masquerading herself as an adviser and a friend of Ulysses; she tells Telemachus to hold a meeting and get the suitors to abscond but it fails. On a second attempt, Pallas advises Telemachus to set sail to meet Menelaus the King of Sparta and Nestor the King of Pylos. King Nester never had much to say concerning Ulysses. He just mentioned that he saw Ulysses later after the war. Nester advises them to sail with his son Pisistratus to Sparta and talk with Menelaus, the King of Sparta and friend Ulysses. When they arrived at Sparta, Menelaus informs Telemachaus that Ulysses was alive but was being held by Calypso.
In his absence, the suitors plan to kill Teremachus. Zeus makes a decision send Hermes to save Odysseus from Calypso. After a successful conviction by Hermes, calypso set Odysseus free to sail. On the sea, he meets Poseidon, the god of the sea. Poseidon sends brutal storms to wreck the Odysseus’s ship; he had been holding a grudge against him for blinding his son. Odysseus is saved by Athena and goddess Ino and lands at scheria. Here, he is invited to the palace by the Phaeancian princess. He is promised a save passage to Ithaca and requested to give a story on his adventure up to the arrival on Calypso.
Upon his arrival Odysseus is still disguised like as a beggar man, he receives many abuses and insults from the suitors. Odysseus old nurse is the only person who recognized him, but promised not to reveal to anyone. Penelope likes the ‘beggar’ and suspects him to be Odysseus. She organizes an archery competition and promises to marry the man who can shoot an arrow through a line of twelve axes and can string Odysseus’s bow. On the competition, all suitors could make it to string the bow but could not fire the arrow through the axes. Odysseus decided to take on the suitors. He alone possessed the knowledge and intelligence of the string bow. The failure of his suitors marked his acceptance back to Ithaca.
Odysseus later discloses himself to the whole palace. They later travel to the outskirts of the Ithaca to meet his father, Laertes. Relatives of the dead suitors attacked Odysseus and his family, at this moment his father Laertes filled with energy by sons arrival kills Antinous’ father. The whole assault is put to and end. Zeus later sends Athens to restore peace, his land and re-uniting with the family. The long journey by Odysseus reaches its last part.
Work cited
Alexander, Pope. The Odyssey of Homer. London: Ingram, Cooke, and Co.,227 Stranded, 1853.
11 Nov. 2010. <http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=0Y5LAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Odyssey&hl=en&ei=-bvbTOCTIIqZOouWveEI&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-thumbnail&resnum=3&ved=0CDkQ6wEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false>
