
Translator’s Preface
Ulysses of Ithaca - Chapter I Penelope waiting for Ulysses—The Suitors—Telemachus, encouraged by Athene, sets sail
Chapter II Telemachus visits Nestor and Menelaus—The Suitors prepare an Ambush
Chapter III Calypso allows Ulysses to go home—Poseidon sends a storm—Ulysses is wrecked upon the Island of Scheria
Chapter IV Nausicaa
Chapter V Ulysses visits the King of the Phæacians
Chapter VI Ulysses among the Phæacians
Chapter VII Ulysses tells his Story—The Lotus-Eaters, Polyphemus, Circe, Scylla, and Charybdis—The Visit to Hades
Chapter VIII Ulysses is taken sleeping to Ithaca by the Phæacians—Athene counsels him—He comes to Eumæus
Chapter IX Telemachus leaves Sparta and lands in Ithaca
The tale follows a war‑torn hero who, after ten years of siege, sets out on a perilous sea voyage to reclaim his kingdom. Along the way he confronts monstrous beings, enchanting enchantresses, and treacherous currents that test his wits and courage. The narrative blends vivid mythic scenery with a deeply human perspective, letting listeners feel both the grandeur of ancient gods and the intimate doubts of a man striving to return home.
Back on his island, a devoted wife endures relentless pressure from ambitious suitors while clinging to the hope of her husband’s return. Their son, urged forward by a goddess, begins his own journey at sea, hinting at the intertwining fates of family and destiny. The story balances daring adventure with quiet resilience, offering a timeless portrait of loyalty, cleverness, and the enduring pull of home.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (211K characters)
Series
Life Stories for Young People
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by D A Alexander, Stephen Hutcheson, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by the Library of Congress)
Release date
Jun 13, 2019
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1777–1806
Best remembered for making world history accessible to young readers, this German educator and historian wrote a widely used history of the world before his life was cut short at just 29. His work lived on long after his death through many later editions and revisions.
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-750–-650
Long before novels and stage plays, these sweeping epics set the pattern for adventure, war, homecoming, and heroism in Western literature. The figure behind them remains mysterious, which only adds to their lasting pull.
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