The Odyssey

Chapter I: The Cyclops

Jan 1, 1184

After the Trojan War, Ulysses king of Ithaca, set sail for Ithaca, taking with them war spoils back home. Unfortunately, they missed their island home when a storm hit. This brought them to the country of the Cyclops or Round-eyed People. When Ulysses and his men explored, they were taken captive by a cyclops giant. Ulysses tricked the Cyclops by getting it drunk with wine and when it fell asleep he got a rod red hot and jabbed the cyclop's eye. This blinded it so they could escape.

Traditional Trojan War Dating

Period: Jan 1, 1184 to Jan 1, 1194

This was the traditional dating of the Trojan War by the Eratosthenes of 1194-1184 BC which was believed to be a ten year war. This was the mythical battle in which the Archaens(Greeks) fought against the city of troy. This is also starts the story of The Odyssey. This is only an approximate timeline to a mythical event

Chapter II: Of The Home Of The Winds And Of Circe

May 1, 1184

On his way to Ithaca, Ulysses visits the floating island where the king of the winds lives. After their stay, Ulysses was given a bag of winds to carry them home, but his men were jealous and opened the bag of winds pushing far away from Ithaca back to the island of the kind of winds. They were driven to the City of Lamos which was a city of cannibals. Their fleet of ships were destroyed except Ulysses ship. They came to a strange island were a power sourceress named Circe lived.

Chapter III: Of Sirens And Other Wonders

Sep 1, 1184

After they arrived at Circe's island, she turned them into pigs, but found that she couldn't trick Ulysses. She then gave them shelter for a year until they went to the island of the Sirens. The Sirens were women of the sea who sang beautifully when ships harboured but then devoured them. Circe warned them and Ulysses covered his mens ears with wax so they couldn't hear. They came to the island of Sun and killed the animals there but then their ship was destroyed by Zeus. Only Ulysses survived.

Chapter IV: Of What Happened In Ithaca

Jan 1, 1185

Back in Ithaca, Ulysses wife, Penelope, was very sad that her husband had not returned yet as the other warriors had after Troy had been taken. She knew to herself that he would come but no other person did. The suitors of Ithaca wanted Penelopes hand in marriage but she made the excuse that she would need to finish a weaving project first. She decieved them by undoing her work. Meanwhile Telemachus, Ulysses son was directed by the Godess Athene to look for his father.

Chapter V: How Telemachus Went To Look For His Father

May 1, 1185

Telemachus gathered the people of Ithaca to explain that he was going to find his father and if he didn't, then the suitors could have his mother. As Telemachus went he was directed by Athene, the Godess of wisdom, to go get a fine ship and sail to Pylos.

Chapter VI: How Telemachus Saw Nestor

Sep 1, 1185

At sunrise Telemachus and his ship arrived at Pylos where king Nestor lived. When they moored the ship to the shore, Telemachus was directed by Athene to speak with the King Nestor. So he spoke to king Nestor about his father and if he had survived or not. King Nestor explained that he had not seen Ulysses die but that Menelous had who now thrived in Egypt. So Telemachus departed to Egypt.

Chapter VII: How Telemachus Came To Sparta

Jan 1, 1186

Telemachus was given a ride by chariot to Sparta where King Menelous was having a double wedding in his house. When they arived they were greeted and given a bath, food, and drink. Menelous told Telemachus about the story of Ulysses and where he thought Ulysses was.

Chapter VIII: Menelous' Story

May 1, 1186

King Menelous told Telemachus of his trip home when they arrived at an island of a Sea God. Menelous and his men trapped Proteus, a shepherd of sea beasts. Proteus told them that they should make a sacrifice to the gods to leave the island. Then he asked Proteus about Ulysses and found that he was trapped on Calypso Island and had plunged into the sea. Telemachus thanked him for the talk and went back to Ithaca avoiding dangers by Athene's will.

Chapter IX: How Ulysses Came To The Phaeacians

Sep 1, 1186

When all of this was happening, Athene convinced Zeus to send Hermes, the messenger God, to Calypso to tell her to help Ulysses escape the island. So Calypso gave Ulysses shelter and clothes and also an ax so he could make a raft to excape. When the raft was completed the Sea god was angry with Ulysses. So he made a great storm on the sea to kill Ulysses but Ulysses survived and came to the land of the Phaecians.

Chapter X: Nausicaa

Jan 1, 1187

Athene thought of a way to get Ulysses to the king of Phaeacians and gave the princess, Nausicaa, a dream to wash the clothes in an area by Ulysses. So Nausicaa went and washed the clothes and Ulysses saw them. He explained his situation and they led him secretly to the queen and king so that he may beg them to have mercy and send him to Ithaca so that he may be with Penelope and Telemachus of whom he missed so much.

Chapter XI: Alcinous

May 1, 1187

Ulysses was taken to through the city gates to the queen Arete. She was greatly beloved by her people and she indeed loved them. Ulysses then begged the queen to send him to Ithaca. The King commanded food and drink for Ulysses and then they had an assembly for how to get him home. They then let him rest until the next day so that he may be made ready for his home.

Chapter XII: Ulysses Among The Phaeacians

Sep 1, 1187

The next day the assembly was held and the Phaeacians gave Ulysses a boat and fifty-two rowers to take him to Ithaca. They had a feast and then several games. Ulysses wanted to go home more than play the games. So he proved his strength and begged to leave immediately. So it was then that they took Ulysses to Ithaca and gave him many gifts of high value hoping to with him good luck.

Chapter XIII: Ithaca

Jan 1, 1188

Ulysses prepares to go home to Ithaca and recieves a chest full of good things for his house. He boards the ship and is taken to Ithaca where Athene creates a great mist to conceal the land to Ulysses until he asked a young man where he was. Athene revealed herself as the young man and then changed Ulysses figure to look old and wrinkled so he could sneak into his house and get rid of the suitors.

Chapter XIV: Eumaeus

May 1, 1188

Ulysses left a herdsman to watch over the swine when he left for troy. His name was Eumaeus. Ulysses met Eumaeus and made up a story of who he was and that Ulysses wasn't dead. Eumaeus disagreed but led him into his house anyway to spend the night.

Chapter XV: Ulysses And His Son

Sep 1, 1188

The next morning Telemachus came to the swine herdsman Eumaeus after his journey searching for his father. Ulysses used his made up story to trick Telemachus. Then Athene appeared before Ulysses and made his appereance normal again and Telemachus was reunited with his father. Together they plotted how to get rid of the suitors. Also Ulysses made Telemachus promise to not tell Penelope who he was.

Chapter XVI: Of The Dog Argus And Other Things

Jan 1, 1189

Ulysses went to appear as a beggar in front of the courtyards to his house. He was taken in and he began begging to convince the suitors that were after his wife. Ulysses passed by his old hunting dog Argus who had grown old waiting for his master. Meanwhile Eumaeus was sent to tell Penelope that a beggar knew about Ulysses. So she sent for him. But Ullysses made the excuse that he was afraid that the suitos would kill him so instead he would come later to see her.

Chapter XVII: Of The Beggar Irus And Other Things

May 1, 1189

Another beggar came whose name was Irus and wanted to look good in front of the suitors so he tried to beat up Ulysses but got punched so hard blood poured from his mouth. Later Penelope was grieving over her lost husband, wishing that she wouldn't have to marry one of the wicked suitors. So she went to sleep and became more beautiful than before so that all of the suitors wanted her more. Then Ulysses got into more trouble with the suitors when they threw footstools at him.

Chapter XVIII: How Ulysses Was Made Known

Sep 1, 1189

Ulysses went to talkt to queen Penelope to tell her his story but making sure not to tell her his identity but also making sure to tell her that Ulysses was alive and on his way to her. Penelope commanded that Ulysses be brought a bath but he refused until he was given a maid of old age to serve his bath to him. He had a scar that distinguished him and the maid recognized it. He told her to hold her peace. Penelope Decided that tomorrow she would choose a suitor by his skill in archery.

Chapter XIX: The Trial Of The Bow

Jan 1, 1190

Ulysses went to sleep stil troubled by the suitors when Athene counciled him and tolded him that he would win. Meanwhile the suitors were causing trouble for Telemachus. Penelope then retrived Ulysses bow that no one but Ulysses could use. She then called for the suitors to shoot for her hand. All of them failed to string the bow because Ulysses was the only one who could possibly use it. Ulysses ,desguised as the beggar, tried the bow and hit the mark perfectly.

Chapter XX: The Slaying Of The Suitors

May 1, 1190

Ulysses then said he would try for another mark and killed a suitor. Then Telemachus and Ulysses killed every suitor they could with the arrows until they ran out. They unfortunately left the door to the armoury open. But they were fast and over took the suitors who were gathering armour. When they finished them, they got their spears and speared all of the rest of the suitors. Ulysses then commanded a nurse to get Penelope down for her husband had returned.

Chapter XXI: At Last

Sep 1, 1190

The nurse went to Penelope's room and told her the good news but she was sceptical. But the nurse reassured her that Ulysses had truely come to her. Ulysses had the dead bodies removed and Athene made him fairer and younger to the same image when he left for Troy. Ulysses then told Penelope of how he built their bedroom as no one else knew about how it was built. When Penelope heard this she cried and wrapped her arms around him and embraced him with joy.

Chapter XXII: Of Laertes

Jan 1, 1191

The next day, Ulysses began a journey to see his father who was very sad that his son had not returned. He went to where his father Laertes lived and began pondering whether or not he would recognize him. Ulysses began asking Laertes if he was in the land of Ithaca and began telling a tale of why he came. But the old man only wept and groaned for his son. Ulysses could not take anymore of it so he told him who he really was. Laertes cried with joy at his son's return and then celebrated.

Chapter XXIII: How There Was Peace Between Ulysses And His People

May 1, 1191

There was great mourning for the loss of the suitors but each father began spreading the truths of the evils that the suitors had done to Ithaca and its people. This was not enough to appease all of Ithaca though as half of them began battle preparations. But Athene asked Zeus if she could stop the bloodshed. Zeus told her to do as she pleased. Meanwhile Ulysses prepared for battle but Athene decended and convinced Ithaca to remember what a good king Ulysses had been and then there was peace.