The Odyssey

Odysseus, the man of "twists and turns," has been away from his home of Ithaca for twenty years. His home is plagued with a pack of suitors who court his wife, devour his goods, and mock his son. 

Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, uses her own cunning to deceive the suitors while she awaits her husband’s return. Telemachus, their son, journeys to Sparta seeking news of his father.

Calypso had held Odysseus captive for nine years on her island but now sets him free. He is shipwrecked again on the island of the Phaeacians. 

Odysseus uses his metis to gain favor with the king and queen of Phaeacia. Here he must resist the greatest temptation of his journey home. 

Odysseus recounts his journey thus far to the Phaeacians. He tells of his escape from the cyclops, Polyphemus, and his great blunder. 

On the island of Circe, Odysseus rescues his men from being turned to pigs, but he himself falls to beastly temptations for a full year.

In the underworld, Odysseus meets the blind prophet Tiresias, his fallen comrades, and his mother. But his men do not heed his warning and are killed for slaughtering the cattle of the Sun god.

Having resisted the temptation of the four island women along his journey, Odysseus finally returns to Ithaca with the help of the Phaeacians.

Disguised as a beggar, Odysseus returns to Ithaca. As Telemachus also returns home from Sparta, father and son are reunited for the first time in twenty years.

Odysseus maintains his disguise and begins to test the loyalty of his household. He sees his wife for the first time in twenty years, but does not reveal himself to her.

Penelope declares she will marry whoever can string Odysseus’ bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axes. The disguised king wins the competition then turns and slays the suitors.

With his home purified, Odysseus and Penelope now test one another and reveal their match in metis. Reunited with his wife and son, Odysseus restores order to his kingdom.