Study Guide for the Odyssey

The Odyssey is divided into 24 books. You may read an online English translation of the Odyssey by following the links below. The translation is the first entry for each of the 24 books. After the translation and the descriptive title, 4 sections follow for each book:

• a summary
• notes on aspects of the book that may be of interest or need some explanation,
• the cast of major characters, and
• a quiz that closely follows the specific book of the Odyssey.

[The Iliad Translation and Notes]

1. Homer The Odyssey - Book 1
   The Gods in Council
   Odyssey Summary Book I
   Notes
   Major Characters
   Quiz on The Odyssey - Book I
2. Homer The Odyssey - Book 2
   Telemachus Calls the Assembly in Ithaca
   Odyssey Summary Book II
   Notes
   Major Characters
   Quiz on The Odyssey - Book II
3. Homer The Odyssey - Book 3
   Telemachus visits Nestor
   Odyssey Summary Book III
   Notes
   Major Characters
   Quiz on The Odyssey - Book III
4. Homer The Odyssey - Book 4
   Telemachus visits Helen and Menelaus
   Odyssey Summary Book IV
   Notes
   Major Characters
   Quiz on The Odyssey - Book IV
5. Homer The Odyssey - Book 5
   The gods tell Calypso to let Odysseus go
   Odyssey Summary Book V
   Notes
   Major Characters
   Quiz on The Odyssey - Book V
6. Homer The Odyssey - Book 6
   Odysseus and Nausicaa in the land of the Phaeacians
   Odyssey Summary Book VI
   Notes
   Major Characters
   Quiz on The Odyssey - Book VI
7. Homer The Odyssey - Book 7
   Odysseus meets the king and queen of the Phaeacians
   Odyssey Summary Book VII
   Notes
   Major Characters
   Quiz on The Odyssey - Book VII
8. Homer The Odyssey - Book 8
   Phaeacians provide a ship
   Odyssey Summary Book VIII
   Notes
   Major Characters
   Quiz on The Odyssey - Book VIII
9. Homer The Odyssey - Book 9
   Odysseus tells about his adventures
   Odyssey Summary Book IX
   Notes
   Major Characters
10. Homer The Odyssey - Book 10
    Odysseus tells of his visit to Aeolus
    Odyssey Summary Book X
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book X
11. Homer The Odyssey - Book 11
    Odysseus' Nekuia
    Odyssey Summary Book XI
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book XI
12. Homer The Odyssey - Book 12
    Return to Circe's island to bury Elpenor
    Odyssey Summary Book XII
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book XII
13. Homer The Odyssey - Book 13
    Phaeacians give Odysseus gifts
    Odyssey Summary Book XIII
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book XIII
14. Homer The Odyssey - Book 14
    In disguise, Odysseus finds his swineherd Eumaeus
    Odyssey Summary Book XIV
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book XIV
15. Homer The Odyssey - Book 15
    Telemachus heads home
    Odyssey Summary Book XV
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book XV
16. Homer The Odyssey - Book 16
    Telemachus and Odysseus are reunited
    Odyssey Summary Book XVI
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book XVI
17. Homer The Odyssey - Book 17
    Odysseus goes to his palace
    Odyssey Summary Book XVII
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book XVII
18. Homer The Odyssey - Book 18
    Odysseus, as a beggar, fights another beggar
    Odyssey Summary Book XVIII
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book XVIII
19. Homer The Odyssey - Book 19 Odysseus and Telemachus plot
    Odyssey Summary Book XIX
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book XIX
20. Homer The Odyssey - Book 20
    Odysseus and Penelope take turns with insomnia
    Odyssey Summary Book XX
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book XX
21. Homer The Odyssey - Book 21
    The book of the bow
    Odyssey Summary Book XXI
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book XXI Alternate Quiz
22. Homer The Odyssey - Book 22
    The book of the slaughter
    Odyssey Summary Book XXII
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book XXII
23. Homer The Odyssey - Book 23
    Testing and Reconciliation of Penelope and Odysseus
    Odyssey Summary Book XXIII
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book XXIII
24. Homer The Odyssey - Book 24
    Peace Restored
    Odyssey Summary Book XXIV
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on The Odyssey - Book XXIV
25. footnotes

List of the Odyssey Quizzes