In Greek mythology, Odysseus was a celebrated hero, best known for his role in the Trojan Warf and for his ten-year journey home after the war. Odysseus (also known as Ulysses) appears as the central character in the Odyssey, an epiclong poem about legendary or historical heroes, written in a grand style by the ancient Greek poet Homer, and he also plays a role in the Iliad, Homer's other major epic.

Early Life. Odysseus was generally said to be the son of Anticlea and of King Laertes of Ithaca. However, some stories maintain that his father was Sisyphus, founder of the city of Corinth and a cunning man who outwitted the god HadesGreek god of the underworld; brother of Zeus and husband of Persephone (Roman god Pluto). This version says that Sisyphus seduced Anticlea before her...