Introduction.
Read the tittle makes you think it''s a very difficult task and it takes a long time
Story.
The hero "Odysseus" or "Ulysses", to arrive to his country, an island called Ithaca and return to his wife and son, after taking part in the Trojan War. He has angered the sea god Poseidon and the way home is full of mythological creatures that will do anything they can to get him, not to mention that sometimes his companions are quite clumsy, foolish or unfortunate (in fact the only one that survives is Odysseus). The hero is very smart and clever (in fact the idea of the wooden horse by which troy was burned, was his idea) and Athena favors him.
Odysseus: Clever hero.
Penelope: Loyal wife beset by suitors who want to marry her for interest.
Telemachus: Brave son who travels seeking for his father when the situation with the suitors is out of control.
Euryclea: housekeeper and nanny of the family.
Athena: Goddess counselor and friend.
Circe: Sorceress that turns people into animals.
Calypso: Beautiful Nymph she''s in love with the hero
The suitors: Group of fools that get their end-uppance
At the end of the Trojan War, our hero embarks on the way home, however is interrupted by this:
1. The Cyclops: one-eyed monster son of Poseidon that eats his companions. Odysseus convinces him to take a wine and while the monster is slepping, blinds him out with a stake. The monster calls his family but the hero said his name was "nobody", he tells everyone that "nobody" attacked him, they think he''s insane and do anything about it.
2. Scylla and Charybdis: Sea monsters.
3. Sirens: Magical singers their beautiful melodies attract the unwary sailors until their shipwreck on the rocks. knowing that, they all cover their ears with wax the hero wanted to hear the singing, but he is tied to a pole and saved.
4. Calypso: Immortal nymph who tries to keep him by her side with her charms.
5. Circe: Sorceress, daughter of the sun, using a honey cake she turns his companions into animals, but thanks to the advice of Athena and the "golden garlic" that Hermes gave to the hero, is immune to the cake and sets out to kill the mage, but she begs for pardon, she turns his companions into humans again and fell in love with him , she can''t keep him so gives so many gifts and say goodbye.
6. The winds of Aeolus: Aeolus give Odysseus a bag containing the winds so he can get home fast. While the hero slept, his curious mates think is gold open the bag and a strong wind occurs putting the Hero''s ship away from the Island who was already in sight.
7. The Lotus Eaters: They arrive to an island where the people ate a strange type of lotus, that lotus make people forget all their problems and live an illusion Watching that risk the hero and his companions scape quickly.
8. Tiresias the soothsayer: On the advice of Athena, Odysseus has to consult a soothsayer named Tiresias, he man is dead so the hero must venture into the jaws of Hell. In exchange for goat blood the soothsayer tells that to placate the wrath of Poseidon should go to a place where you never have heard of the sea and plant an oar and kill a hundred cows in honor of the god.
9. The sun cows: the starving companions eat the sacred cows and receive a terrible death.
10. With nothing but a skin above, the hero reaches the coast of King Menelaus and the princess finds him seaside they think he''s a sea monster. Menelaus was a friend of Odysseus, he organizes a banquet in his honor and listen to the stories of his adventures which moved him so much that finally sent the hero home by ship and loaded with gifts.
11. Meanwhile at home: His house had been invaded by the young nobles who believed he was dead they courted Penelope to become the new kings. Penelope had given long, even knitting a blanket burial for her husband. Suitors as revenge settle in the Queen''s house and make an endless party that threatens to exhaust the palace resources. Even insult Odysseus''s son, Telemachus, who decides to find his father.
12. Outcome: The hero is transformed by Athena into a beggar and get home is mistreated by the suitors, Euryclea realizes it''s him by a scar on his leg. Finally the queen intends to marry one who can bend the bow liker her husband, the freeloaders, eaters suitors fail miserably, then the beggar asked to participate and to everyone''s surprise the bow taut with no problem and the first arrow kills the first suitor. Then begins the killing and not a single suitor escapes the wrath of the hero. When his wife awoke, who had been sleeping by Athena, the goddess transformed back the beggar to hero. Penelope at first did not believe in and says she''ll bring the bed to the garden. As the bed was made in a tree that husbands had promised not to cut Odysseus was upset, but then discovered it was just a ploy by his wife to check that his beloved had indeed returned. Then they hug and ... and then the book ends. Happy ending?, Yes,
The authorship is attributed to a bard named Homer, although this is always subject to discussion. It becomes the second part of "The Iliad"