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, 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