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Study Guide for the Odyssey

The Odyssey of Homer, translated by Samuel Butler

By N.S. Gill, About.com

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, three sections follow for each book:
  • a summary
  • notes on aspects of the book that may be of interest or need some explanation, and finally,
  • the cast of major characters.
[The Iliad Translation and Notes]
  1. Homer Odyssey - Book 1
    The Gods in Council
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on I
  2. Homer Odyssey - Book 2
    Telemachus Calls the Assembly in Ithaca
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
  3. Homer Odyssey - Book 3
    Telemachus visits Nestor
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
  4. Homer Odyssey - Book 4
    Telemachus visits Helen and Menelaus
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
  5. Homer Odyssey - Book 5
    The gods tell Calypso to let Odysseus go
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
  6. Homer Odyssey - Book 6
    Odysseus and Nausicaa in the land of the Phaeacians
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
  7. Homer Odyssey - Book 7
    Odyseeus meets the king and queen of the Phaeacians
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
  8. Homer Odyssey - Book 8
    Phaeacians provide a ship
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
  9. Homer Odyssey - Book 9
    Odysseus tells about his adventures
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
  10. Homer Odyssey - Book 10
    Odysseus tells of his visit to Aeolus
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
  11. Homer Odyssey - Book 11
    Odysseus' Nekuia
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on XI
  12. Homer Odyssey - Book 12
    Return to Circe's island to bury Elpenor
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on XII
  13. Homer Odyssey - Book 13
    Phaeacians give Odysseus gifts
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on XIII
  14. Homer Odyssey - Book 14
    In disguise, Odysseus finds his swineherd Eumaeus
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on XIV
  15. Homer Odyssey - Book 15
    Telemachus heads home
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on XV
  16. Homer Odyssey - Book 16
    Telemachus and Odysseus are reunited
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on XVI
  17. Homer Odyssey - Book 17
    Odysseus goes to his palace
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on XVII
  18. Homer Odyssey - Book 18
    Odysseus, as a beggar, fights another beggar
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on XVIII
  19. Homer Odyssey - Book 19 Odysseus and Telemachus plot
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
  20. Homer Odyssey - Book 20
    Odysseus and Penelope take turns with insomnia
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on XX
  21. Homer Odyssey - Book 21
    The book of the bow
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on XXI
  22. Homer Odyssey - Book 22
    The book of the slaughter
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
    Quiz on XXII
  23. Homer Odyssey - Book 23
    Testing and Reconciliation of Penelope and Odysseus
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
  24. Homer Odyssey - Book 24
    Peace Restored
    Summary
    Notes
    Major Characters
  25. footnotes

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