The Odyssey

The Classic Epic of Adventure and Homecoming—Original Annotated Historical and Literary Edition

This annotated edition of The Odyssey invites readers into Homer’s timeless world of adventure, endurance, temptation, and homecoming. Ten years after the fall of Troy, the Greek warrior Ulysses remains far from his island kingdom of Ithaca. As he struggles against storms, monsters, hostile gods, and his own restless curiosity, his wife Penelope and son Telemachus contend with the suitors who have overtaken their home. Moving between distant seas and the threatened household, The Odyssey explores loyalty, identity, hospitality, justice, and the longing to return home.

More than 285 original annotations by T. S. Causley bring Homer’s world into sharper focus. They illuminate the historical and archaeological background of early Greece, the gods, rituals, customs, and social values woven throughout the epic, and the geography and seafaring traditions behind Ulysses’ journey. The notes also reveal how Homer’s storytelling, imagery, recurring motifs, and oral-poetic techniques deepen the poem’s treatment of courage, disguise, memory, temptation, and homecoming. Designed for first-time readers and longtime admirers, this edition preserves Samuel Butler’s complete 1900 prose translation while providing the context needed to appreciate the epic’s ancient world, literary artistry, and enduring influence.

Includes: Editorial Introduction by T. S. Causley • 285+ Original Annotations • Historical, Archaeological, and Literary Commentary • Curated Further Reading