The Odyssey by Homer

The Odyssey by Homer

Homer's great epic The Odyssey--one of Western literature's most enduring and important works--translated by Richmond Lattimore

A splendid achievement. . . the best translation there is of a great, perhaps the greatest, poet. -- New York Times Book Review

A classic for the ages, The Odyssey recounts Odysseus' journey home after the Trojan War--and the obstacles he faces along the way to reclaim his throne, kingdom, and family in Ithaca.

During his absence, his steadfast and clever wife, Penelope, and now teenaged son, Telemachus, have lived under the constant threat of ruthless suitors, all desperate to court Penelope and claim the throne. As the suitors plot Telemachus' murder, the gods debate Odysseus' fate. With help from the goddess Athena, the scattered family bides their time as Odysseus battles his way through storm and shipwreck, the cave of the Cyclops, the isle of witch-goddess Circe, the deadly Sirens' song, a trek through the Underworld, and the omnipresent wrath of the scorned god Poseidon.

An American poet and classicist, Richmond Lattimore's translation of The Odyssey is widely considered among the best available in the English language. Lattimore breathes modern life into Homer's epic, bringing this classic work of heroes, monsters, vengeful gods, treachery, and redemption to life for modern readers.

Samuel Butler (1835-1902) was born at Bingham, Nottinghamshire, and educated at Shrewsbury and St. Cambridge's St. John's College. In his later years, he became interested in Shakespearean research and authored Iliad and Odyssey translations. His autobiographical novel The Way of All Flesh, published posthumously in 1903, is his most famous work.