Odyssey (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Homer
- First Published: 725
- Type of Work: Poetry
- Type of Plot: Epic
- Time of Work: The ten years following the Trojan War
- Setting: Greece and Mediterranean lands
- Genres: Poetry, Epic, Narrative poetry
- Subjects: Language or languages, Husbands, Wives, Africa or Africans, Traveling or travelers, Voyages, Mythology or myths, Poetry or poets, War, Legends, Folklore, Gods or goddesses, Reading, Sea or seafaring life, Egypt or Egyptians, Adventure, Heroes or heroism, Life and death, Greek or Roman times, Greece or Greek people, Antarctica, Fables, Trojan War
- Locales: Sparta, ancient, Greece, ancient, Mediterranean, Argos, ancient, Mount Olympus (mythic), Ithaca, ancient
Characters Discussed
Odysseus (oh-DIH-see-uhs), a far-roving veteran of the Trojan War who, having incurred the anger of Poseidon by blinding the sea god’s son Polyphemus, a gigantic Cyclops, is fated to roam for ten years before he can return to his homeland of Ithaca. Leaving Troy, he and his followers sail first to Ismarus. In the sack of the Ciconian city, Odysseus spares the life of Maro, a priest of Apollo, who in turn gives the conqueror some jars of potent wine. Gales then drive the Greeks to the country of the Lotus-eaters, from which they sail to the land of the...
[The entire page is 2691 words long]
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