Odisea

The journey of Ulysses has become a universal myth, and the *Odyssey* a work for the ages. Following a decade of war, an offense against the god Poseidon keeps the cunning hero away from his kingdom for another ten years, condemning him to wander aimlessly and endure a wide array of trials. The *Odyssey*, which takes place after the fall of Troy, follows the path of Ulysses—the Latin name for Odysseus, used throughout this translation—and recounts his long, arduous journey back to his home, Ithaca. The myths that shape this great epic, Homer’s skill in depicting life in the Mediterranean toward the end of the second millennium BC, and the emergence of a hero yearning to return to his homeland have left an indelible mark on the giants of literature—from Virgil to Joyce—and have established the *Odyssey* as a cornerstone of universal culture.